“Get everything you need?” Thrang asked as soon as Alex and Andy entered the Golden Swan.
“Everything,” Andy answered, handing Thrang the bundle of receipts he’d been collecting. “Hope we didn’t go too far.”
“Or damage Master Thrang’s hoard too much,” Skeld laughed from behind Thrang. “But that would take more time than you two had.”
“Your tongue does more damage than anything else,” said Thrang, glancing over his shoulder at Skeld. “Though it looks like these two tried very hard to break me,” he added with a wink and a grin.
“I’m sorry,” Alex started.
“Not at all, not at all,” said Thrang before Alex could add anything more. “As long as you got what you needed, there’s no damage done.”
“I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you,” Alex managed to say, but Thrang simply waved his hand and laughed.
“It’s nothing,” said Thrang, tucking the receipts into his belt. “Your friendship is payment enough.”
Alex saw Bregnest come down the main staircase and Andy walk quickly to his side. Andy leaned close and whispered something to Bregnest. He glanced at Alex, his eyebrows raised, and then nodded to Andy. Alex suspected Andy was telling Bregnest what Mr. Blackburn had said about his being able to use a staff. He wondered what Bregnest would think, and more important, what he would do.
“Come on then, dinner’s waiting,” said Skeld happily. “Best eat well while we can.”
Alex followed Skeld down a hallway toward the back of the Golden Swan with Thrang at his side. Alex wasn’t sure if he should thank Thrang again for his generosity or not. He decided not to say anything more, mostly because of what Andy had told him about dwarfs.
At the end of the hallway, they entered a dining room with a huge table that barely fit inside. The other members of the company were already seated and waiting for them, talking casually about the upcoming adventure.
“Now we are eight,” said Bregnest, taking his place at the head of the table between Thrang and Arconn. “And before we are overcome with food and drink, I would like to say a few words.”
“Food first, talk after,” Skeld said loudly, sliding into his own chair and motioning for Alex to take the seat to his right.
“You’ll eat and drink too much to listen,” Bregnest replied with half a smile. “And then you’ll complain that I never told you anything.”
“I’ll complain anyway,” Skeld laughed merrily.
“Be that as it may,” Bregnest continued. “First of all, I would like to formally welcome our eighth member. As he has just joined us today, and this is his first adventure, he may not know all of our ways. I ask that each of you help him and be patient with him.”
The rest of the company voiced their agreement to Bregnest’s request. Alex doubted that he knew anythingabout the ways of adventurers and he wondered if he’d ever be able to learn everything he needed to know.
“One of the first things you should know, Alex, is this,” said Bregnest, his face serious and his tone stern. “As we have all signed the Bargain for this adventure, there will be no secrets kept in our group. We will all depend on each other throughout this adventure and so every member of this company has the right to know anything and everything to do with it. And that includes knowing things about each other that may affect the success or failure of our adventure.”
Bregnest was watching Alex closely as he spoke, perhaps judging how well Alex took in what he was saying.
“With that in mind, I feel it important to share some information I have learned about Alex,” Bregnest continued. “It seems that the distinguished Mr. Blackburn measured Alex for his weapon and found that he is well suited for all types of weapons. That alone would mean we have been very lucky in our eighth man. What is of more importance to our current adventure, however, is the fact that Alex is exceptionally suited to use a staff.”
Bregnest paused to let the information sink in with the other members of the company. Alex felt extremely uncomfortable with everyone looking at him. He still thought Mr. Blackburn must be wrong about the staff, but he said nothing.
“Knew it all along,” said Thrang, tapping the side of his nose with his finger. “Something special about that boy. I said as much to Arconn just this morning.”
“Of course, Alex is not trained, though there is some value even in having an untrained wizard with us,” said Bregnest. “Perhaps, when we return from this adventure, we can find a wizard for Alex to apprentice with. For now, there is no time.”
“Practical experience is the best teacher,” said Thrang, smiling at Alex. “And Arconn and I can each teach him a thing or two while we travel.”
“Then let us toast our adventure and wish for luck,” Bregnest concluded, ringing a small golden bell.
As soon as the bell had sounded, servants appeared carrying silver pitchers. They filled a mug for each of the adventurers, placed the pitchers on the table, and left the company alone.
“What is this?” Alex asked Skeld, who was already raising his mug. Though Mr. Roberts ran a tavern, Alex had never been allowed to drink anything stronger than soda.
“It’s only a honey cider,” Skeld answered with a smile. “Don’t worry, it’s not strong enough to muddle your wizardly wits.”
“To the adventure and for luck,” said Bregnest, lifting his mug.
“To the adventure and for luck,” the rest of them repeated as they all stood up.
To Alex’s surprise, the cider tasted sweet and slightly fruity.
“Not half bad, is it, your wizardliness?” Skeld laughed and they all sat back down.
“No, it’s not,” said Alex with a smile. “It’s very good, in fact.”
“Be careful,” said Tayo, who was sitting across the table from Alex. “It may taste sweet tonight, but if you drink too much of it, your head will pay come sunrise.”
“And if the sun doesn’t rise, you’ve nothing to worry about.” Skeld laughed and took another long drink from his mug.
Bregnest rang the bell a second time. As before, servants instantly appeared, this time carrying large trays of wonderful- smelling food. Alex was stunned by the variety of the food he saw on the trays. Mr. Roberts was a good cook, and Alex had always had plenty to eat, but no meal he’d ever had compared to the meal he ate at the Golden Swan that night. Alex tried everything on the table twice, and a few things three times.
Skeld continued to tease him about being a wizard, and while the idea still troubled Alex, it was hard to worry too much with Skeld laughing at his side.
As the evening wore on, Alex listened closely as the others discussed the upcoming adventure. They all seemed to know a great deal about where they were going and what they might run into as they traveled. Alex even managed to ask a few questions, once his second mug of cider was gone.
“So when we ride through the great arch, we’re suddenly in a different land?”
“Yes, and it is there that our journey actually begins,” Tayo answered.
“But if the arch is magic, why can’t we ride through it and be at the end of our journey? You know, close to where the dragon is,” Alex questioned, more to himself than the others.
“Because the arch of each land is in a fixed location,” Arconn explained.
“And dragons don’t like staying too close to an arch,” Thrang added. “Dragons don’t like visitors—unexpected ones least of all.”
“I see,” said Alex, feeling slightly sleepy. “And I suppose we’d like to be unexpected?”
“Well, if we areexpected, old Slathbog will give us a warm welcome, that’s for sure,” said Skeld with a grin.
“Then Skeld might get his wish to die in battle,” Halfdan commented, looking over his mug at Skeld.
“You want to die?” Alex asked in concern.
“Nobody wants to die,” replied Skeld, his grin faltering just a little. “But if death is my fate, I’ll not run from it.”