Among Races

Chapter XXIII: An Old Pocket Watch

            "Angela, sweetie, would you please hand me the last plate on the table?" asks a lady gnome with light brown hair, around her late thirties while she washes the rest of the plates. "Yes, mom," the little gnome answers nicely as she takes the plate and walks over to her. Instead of handing her the plate she asked for, she says, "Let me help you." "No, it's--" she stops halfway as Angela starts washing the plate already. "Well, I guess that wasn't a question anyway," her mother kids. She chuckles at this as she continues to wash another plate. Beth asks, "How are the Björklund brothers as your friends?" Angela simply replies, "They're cool. Haven't seen David since we got back from the woods though. How are they as your bosses?" "They're stressful," she answers in a strained manner, yet half joking. The young gnome giggles with glee then asks with much intrigue, "Why?" Her mother replies, "Cry just keeps rebelling all the time and David, I mean, David's fine but... he's just busy twenty-four seven that I'd also have to keep up with everything he's doing. It's getting ridiculous having to handle those two; and they're just two, might I add." Angela sighs with a faint but genuine smile at her mother then says, "You can definitely handle anything those guys throw at you, mom, but just to make it easier for you, I'll have to tell them off when I see them again." She looks at her with a sudden worried expression as she says, "Oh dear, no." "I'm kidding," the girl says as she smiles at her. Beth lets out a big sigh at this then puts her hand in her pocket, looking for something. She suddenly widens her eyes as she remembers. "Uh, Angela, dear, I have to go back to the city," she says as she washes her hands, wipes them, and starts making her way to her small handbag. "What?" she asks innocently. "I forgot something at the scrolls shop I went to today! I'll be quick. Please go to bed ahead of me!" she tells her as she starts to open the door of the house. "I'll come with with you!" she says to her mother. "No, honey. It's late. Stay here, I promise it's no problem. Besides, someone needs to finish washing the plates. I'll be back soon, okay?" she says as she briefly walks back to her and kisses her forehead. The girl watches her mother walk away. "I love you!" the gnome tells her daughter before she quickly walks out and shuts the door.

            "Oh, thank you so much! I'm entirely in your debt, mister!" the lady gnome tells the kind merchant of the scrolls shop. The merchant lets out a light belly laugh and says, "It's no problem," then silently closes the door. She turns around with a smile of relief as she holds up a golden pocket watch then places it in her bag. She shivers a little at the sudden cold gust of wind against her skin. Just then, three frost giants slowly approach her at the dead of night. She stops at the sight of them, then says as they surround her, "Oh dear... may I help you, gentlemen?" They stare her down while one answers with a low and gravelly voice, "We saw what you got from that shop." She awkwardly looks left and right then back at them as she holds onto her handbag tighter. "We want it," the intimidating frost giant states. "Ah..." the woman says as she thinks for a moment, then quickly runs under their feet. Her plan ended sooner than she expected when one giant suddenly grabs her whole. He lifts her at their head level as they look at her intently. A tear starts to form in her eye as she immensely gets terrified. Suddenly, the frost giant who was holding the gnome falls forward onto the ground. The woman is let go and falls as well. An elf lands on top of the giant, who apparently performed an axe kick on a vital area of his neck which knocked the creature out. The two frost giants look at each other then rage at the elf in anger. On the ground, the gnome watches them for a moment, puzzled but relieved. While the lady elf is busy battling the two, a young halfling approaches the gnome while she lifts her forefinger to her mouth, telling her to keep quiet. "Are you okay, Lady Beth?" she whispers. "Rizz?" she shockingly whispers back as the halfling helps her up. She recalls her as the playmate of her daughter in the past. "Fall was a little rough, but I'm fine," she informs her then continues, "You shouldn't have come here, it's dangerous!" "It's okay, Lady Beth. Lady Zoaine can handle it," she says with a smile as the last giant falls onto the ground. The elf gets off the creature and wipes sweat off her forehead. "Phew! Frost giants, huh? I guess winter really is on its way," she says as she approaches the two with a content smile from a short, but successful fight. "Oh my, you're a lady?! I apologize deeply for the trouble I've caused you!" says the worried woman. "It's no prob," she simply says and continues, "And besides, I'm no lady anymore. She just keeps calling me that at her own will." "O-oh... I see," says the slightly confused gnome. "This is Lady Elizabeth Eliasson, by the way, Lady Zoaine! She works for David!" explains the young halfling. "Oh, you're Angela's mother? It's a pleasure to meet you!" Zoaine says with delight. "Oh, it's definitely my pleasure to meet you too!" the gnome says as she shakes hands with the elf. "What were they after anyway?" Zoaine asks as she looks back at the unconscious giants. The woman puts her hand in her bag and takes out an object to show them. "... It's an old pocket watch. It's broken," she tells them. "What? So it wasn't even of value? They probably thought of selling it," the lady elf states as she looks over it. The gnome says, "It was my husband's... He hasn't returned in a long time." The elf and the halfling look at each other awkwardly, realizing they probably just triggered an upsetting memory. "H-how long?" Zoaine asks. "Six years," she answers as she longingly gazes at the watch. The two look at each other again, trying to figure out what to say next. The gnome speaks up, "Nevertheless, I'd have to reward both of you in gratitude. Is there anything you might want that I could possibly offer you?" "No--" Zoaine gets cut off by the little halfling innocently saying, "Well, we have been looking for work for the past weeks!" "Rizz!" the elf says out loud. "What?" she quizically asks. "Hm. Work, huh?" the gnome says as she thinks. Zoaine looks at her then says, "Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. It's fine, Lady Beth. It's fine, we'll find a job very soon!" "What?" the halfling whines. To warn her, the elf gives her a serious look while the halfling returns a puzzled one. "It's okay, you two! It's terrible for a couple of young ladies to look for work around these parts," says the thoughtful gnome. "Uhuh..." Zoaine responds, not quite sure she agrees with her, especially after what she just did to save the gnome. The woman continues, "I do believe I have work for you." The halfling gasps as she silently claps in joy. "You do?" the elf says, still unsure. Beth replies, "Yes! Please come with me back to the castle grounds." "Hey, woah, woah," Zoaine says as she continues, "Please excuse us for a moment." She turns around with the halfling and whispers to her, "Who said I wanted to work by the castle?" "Who said you didn't?" asks the young one innocently. "Well, I don't," the elf responds. The halfling then says, "Come on, Lady Zoaine. You have to admit that job hunting isn't working out for us at all." Zoaine looks at the halfling as she thinks, before turning around to face the gnome again and says, "Okay, we'll think about it. For now, we'll accompany you back to your place. Frost giants aren't the only threats this time at night."