The Dwarven Princess

oud laughter and endless conversations enveloped the great halls of Hollow-hill. Foods were flowing on the tables, and bars of wines were all over the place. Music was playing in a tune of merriment and of celebration for it was the birthday of King Roulfen, the dwarf king of Hollow-hill.
   King Roulfen was the younger brother of King Hilran the dwarf king of Duin Hall. And ever since when Neriwonda gained its freedom a long time ago, King Roulfen decided to establish his own kingdom in far south of Trollmorloom and called it Hollow-hill. Among the guests on that day, were King Hilran, General Paaldriid, and some well known dwarves of the northern kingdom of dwarves.
   “Have ye seen me beloved daughter already me brother?” King Roulfen said, with his strong dwarven accent. “She’s grown up now.”
   “If ye’re referring to yer adopted child, nay, I haven’t seen her since we arrived.” King Hilran replied. “What’s her name again?”
   “Aruniel,” King Roulfen replied “Ye always forget me daughter’s name.”
   “Aye, that’s it, Aruniel, an’ I’m sure she’s much taller then ye now me brother.” said King Hilran in a sort of laugh.
   “Bah! What would ye expect, she’s now a lady. Ye surely know what I mean me brother.”
   “Aye, an’ I guess she knew now that she is an adopted child.” King Hilran inquired. “Isn’t it?”
   “Nay, I never told her.” said King Roulfen, “But I assumed that she knew o’ it by logic. She’s the only beardless dwarf existing in the Halls of Hollow-hill.”
   The dwarf kings laughed and King Hilran continued “She never saw a kin o’ her ever since?”
   “Aye, an’ I don’t wanna let her see her own race.” said King Roulfen. “I’m afraid that she’d leave Hollow-hill if she found out where humans live, or if she met a kin o’ her. That’s why I never allow humans to enter me halls nor let ’em go near Hollow-hill.”
   King Hilran adjusted his chair and leaned forward on the table, “Do ye mean… ye mean that Aruniel never left this halls ever since?”
   “Aye, for seventeen years.” King Roulfen replied.
   “Bah, be careful me brother, ye’re treasuring yer daughter so much.”
   “Ye know that I have four sons, she’s the only gal among them.” King Roulfen replied.
   “But remember, she still isn’t yer daughter me brother.” King Hilran came with an advice. “She might found her true family in the future.”
   “Nay! I wouldn’t let it happen.” the voice of the Hollow-hill king shifted into an annoyed one.
   King Hilran didn’t replied as his brother continued, “Pardon I me brother for me tone. I just love me daughter very much.”
   “Aye, I understand.” replied he.
   “If I may change the topic,” said King Roulfen, “Can ye tell me news in north? I never heard anything for a long time. For a decade I guess... What happened to the aderyn conflicts?”
   “To me knowledge, Lughnien an’ Firolwen is now in peace. But they still have a silent divergence.” answered the Duin Hall king.
   “What do ye mean by saying silent divergence?”
   “Since the aderyn war, their leaders, Randgríðr an’ Reginleif never meet again.” King Hilran replied.
   “Sorry to interrupt, me kings,” a voice butted in, “May I join yer conversation?” It was General Paaldriid holding a mug of beer, and a squirrel was on his shoulder.
   “Of course ye may me general.” answered King Hilran. “Come an’ have a seat.”
   “I still prefer Zuriel’s leadership if ye may ask me.” the dwarven general said as he sat.
   “Aye, exactly,” King Roulfen concurred, “Since Randgríðr took the leadership in Lughnien, many conflicts arise.”
   “An’ I heard that orcs and dark elves are populating Amarash again.” General Paaldriid added. “An’ ye know what Randgríðr said ‘bout it?”
   “I know, let ’em live in peace!” King Hilran answered.
   “Bah, did he lose his mind already?!” King Roulfen remarked, and then gulped his mug of wine.
   “I guess so me king!” the general answered, as the three dwarves laughed out loud.
   “But I am thankful that we dwarves’re still in good bond.” King Hilran said.
   “Aye, me brother, aye.” King Roulfen replied, as their mugs came up and clanged.

   Silence ruled the Halls of Hollow-hill, it was already dark and the dwarves were on their beds snoring, except for some who were cleaning the messy hall. And among those awake was the dwarven princess of Hollow-hill. A dwarven princess, yet, she was neither a dwarf nor a half-dwarf. By blood Aruniel was a pure human, and it was obvious to her appearance. She was tall and straight, her eyes were brown, she was fair to look upon as if the sun never touched her almost translucent skin. Never at all would anyone be mistaken her for a dwarf, except that she has a strong dwarven accent—and what would you expect for a lady who grew up in the midst of dwarves, and from the care of a dwarven king. But Aruniel never saw her own race; she knew it by heart that she doesn’t belong to that huge hall. It was her dream to found her kinfolks ever since the day she realized that she was not a dwarf.
   Night after night, she would go to the highest place in their halls and stare on the northern mountains. That night, after the Hollow-hill celebration she stayed longer than she usually does. And when she was about to go down to sleep, something delayed her—a star. Never did she saw that star before. It was bright, bluish-white in color, doubled the size of an ordinary star. She gazed interestedly at the star for a minute or so until she heard a voice saying “What is it that you want?” the voice whispered. She looked on her surrounding assuring that she was alone and there was nothing but the gloomy shadows of the room. Again she looked at the star and heard the voice. “What is it that you want, Aruniel?”
   “Who are ye?” she inquired in a dwarven accent.
   “You desire me, for my name is freedom, and I am truth.” the voice answered. “What is it that you want?”
   The sound of the soft voice slowly brought tears on her eyes. Never at all did she felt someone as concerned as the voice, as if the voice knew exactly how she feels. She was so tired, feeling trapped, bored, and most of all knowing not the truth.  
   “I wanna see me own race. I wanna be free.” Aruniel replied as she wiped her tears.
   “Give me your heart.” said the voice.
   “What’d ye mean?” she asked puzzled.
   “P’incez ’Euniel!” a petite stammered voice butted from behind her. “P’incez ’Euniel, I’ve been lookin’ fo’ ye.” It’s a small thin dwarf; his eyes were dozy as if he just got up from sleep.
   “What are ye doin’ here Dourofeek?” inquired Aruniel. Dourofeek was Aruniel’s best friend, a very young dwarf who can hardly pronounced the letter R, he was fourteen years in age, a very young age for a dwarf since they live for about three hundred years or more. And there was something in the dwarf that made him close to the dwarven princess. Dourofeek was an abnormal dwarf, for he reached that age and still he haven’t grown his beard. And so many dwarves wind him up, telling him that he was not a dwarf. And that gave the two of them the connections.    
   “I d’weam ’bout ye me p’incez…” said Dourofeek, his eyes were worried that he looked as if he was preventing his tears to fall. But it gave Aruniel a smile, for that’s what she loved about Dourofeek, his childish ways and innocence.
   “En what’s yer dream ’bout Dourofeek?” she inquired of the dwarf.
   “Douwofeek d’weam that ye went away en leave Hollow-hill.” Dourofeek replied.
   Aruniel smiled at the dwarf as she kneeled down to comfort the young dwarf “An’ where did I go Dourofeek?”
   Dourofeek answered pointing the northern mountains. “Behind the mountains…”
   It did stop Aruniel from answering the dwarf. It was what she desired that the dwarf dreamed of. She stared blankly at the face of Dourofeek when the dwarf continued “Ye’ not leaving Hollow-hill, a’ ye?”
   “Aye, I won’t leave.” she came to her senses.
   “Ye p’amiz Douwofeek? the dwarf continued.
   “Bah, come on Dourofeek,” she said, “Princess Aruniel is sleepy. Ye go back to yer tunnel now.”

   Morning came; the dwarves went back to their usual business and the dwarves of Duin Hall were preparing to leave. As soon as Aruniel woke up, she prepared herself with her usual habits except for eating her breakfast and quickly went to Dourofeek’s tunnel.
   “Good mornin’ Dourofeek!” she greeted the young dwarf who was eating his breakfast.
   “Good mo’wnin’ P’incez ’Euniel!” the dwarf greeted back “Why a’ ye so ea’ly today?”
   Aruniel sat on the small chair beside Dourofeek and whispered “Can I tell ye a secret Dourofeek?”
   “Aye, what is it P’incez ’Euniel?” the dwarf consciously asked.
   “I’m goin’ to leave Hollow-hill today.” she whispered.
   “What! Ye’ goi…” the dwarf exclaimed but Aruniel quickly shut his mouth. Dourofeek’s mother looked at them. “Don’t mind us.” Aruniel smiled at Dourofeek’s mother. And though Dourofeek’s mother wanted to ask, she mind not for she respect Aruniel as their princess. And knowing that she was telling a secret she leave their tunnel.
   Dourofeek asked in a whisper “Ye’ goin’ to leave?”
   “Aye, Dourofeek. And good thing that yer mother went out.” the princess said “After lunch, uncle Hilran and his company are going back to Duin Hall. I’m planning to escape.”
   “So my d’weam ’bout ye escapin’ is twue.” the dwarf replied.
   “Aye, are ye goin’ to stop me Dourofeek?” she said.
   “But, but why a’ ye leaving?” inquired Dourofeek his face saddened at the thought.
   “I wanna find me own race Dourofeek.” Aruniel said “I’m not a dwarf, I don’t belong here.”
   “What!” the dwarf exclaimed. “Ye’ not a dwa’f?”
   “Douro!” Aruniel replied. Her expression was mixed of annoyed and amused. “Of course I’m not a dwarf!”
   “Good heavens, does anyone knows that ye’ not a dwa’f?” Dourofeek asked.
   “Douro…” the princess stood and continued “Look at me! Do I look like a dwarf to ye?”
   “Seems a dwa’f to me.” the dwarf replied.
   “Oh, do ye see anyone as tall as me?” she asked.
   “Nay.”
   “Do ye see anyone without a beard like me? Except for ye…”
   “Nay again.”
   “So what am I?” she concluded.
   “A dwa’f p’incez?” the dwarf guessed.
   “Bah! Douro!” she said smiling at the innocence of her dwarf friend. “I’m not a dwarf Dourofeek. Once I overheard my brothers, that I am a human. I don’t know exactly what are they, but I want to know.”
   “So ye’ leavin’ to find the humans?” Dourofeek inquired.
   “Aye, Dourofeek.”
   “I wanna go with ye.” the dwarf said.
   “But why? she asked.
   “We both don’t belong he’e, Douwofeek is beardless too.” Dourofeek answered at once and laugh. “En I wanna p’otect me p’incez .”
   Aruniel smiled and hugged the dwarf “How nice of ye Douro! Are ye sure?”
   “Aye aye, me p’incez!”
   “But… but I guess we’re goin’ very far from Hollow-hill.” she warned the dwarf.
   “Maybe it’s time for Douwofeek to see the wo’ld!” the dwarf answered.
   “So then, after yer breakfast, prepare yer things, I’ll see ye at the food chamber. Tell the guards that I send ye.” Aruniel said.
   “Alright then, p’incez!”
   Aruniel went at the door and said “See ye later Dourofeek!”

   “Why are ye so late Dourofeek?” Aruniel asked the dwarf. It was two hours or more since she leave Dourofeek’s tunnel.
   “I keep on hidin’ me things to me mothe’, an’ waited fo’ he’ to leave.” Dourofeek explained. “An’ then the gua’ds, though they knew that I’m ye’ f’iend asked me why I b’ought so many things with me. An’ they didn’t allow me to b’ing me things inside the food chambe’s.”
    “That’s alright then, we have no time to get yer things, me uncle is going to leave any minute now.” she said.
   “So, what a’ ye plan?” the dwarf inquired.
   “I already arranged our escape Dourofeek.” she said. “Come, follow me.”
   They went inside the food chambers and there in the center of the store room was a big cart filled with boxes, bags, and bar of wines.
   “See that, Dourofeek?” Aruniel said. “That’s the cart me uncle an’ his company are goin’ to take for their journey back to Duin Hall. These are their foods an’ some gold me father gave ’em. We’ll hide with these things.”
   “But, what if they inspect these?” Dourofeek asked.
   “We pray for luck…” the dwarven princess replied. “Come on, I’ll help ye climb the cart.”
   Just as they went hiding in the cart, King Hilran’s dwarven servants came. One dwarf inspected the cart, yet, the dwarf didn’t notice them for the dwarf took the inspection lightly, knowing that they were in a dwarven territory, or by chance that the dwarf was still dizzy of the night’s drunkenness.
   Later after the inspection King Hilran and the royal dwarves of Duin Hall arrived, the cart started to move as Aruniel and Dourofeek breathed heavily. It seemed that it was the longest hours of their lives, waiting for the unknown, knowing not where they were already. Their plan was to get off of the cart as soon as it stops. Hours and hours passed by and soon, what the two of them was waiting for so long came about—the cart stopped. The two of them hurriedly went out of the cart, knowing that a dwarf may look at the cart. As soon as they jumped out of the cart, they hid on the bushes, as a dwarf said “Have ye heard a commotion at the back of cart?”
   Hiding in the bushes, they gawked at the dwarves who inspected the cart for the commotion they made, and the two of them were thankful that they moved fast and that there were thick bushes on the side of the road to hid themselves.
   Soon, King Hilran and the dwarves ate their lunch; it was the reason of their stop. And it was then that Aruniel thought of what they were going to eat on their journey. But it didn’t bother her much, for she finally felt freedom being in the wilds of Neriwonda. And an hour later, King Hilran and his band continued on the road.
   “A’ they gone?” whispered Dourofeek.
   “I guess so…” she answered.
   “So can we go out now?” the dwarf inquired.
   “Okay then, come on Douro.”
   They went out of the bushes, and looked at the road bending right. “So whe’ a’ we goin?” the dwarf said.
   “I don’t wanna take that road.” Aruniel answered. “Me father might find out that we’re missing any minute now an’ look for us. So it is highly possible that they’re going to pass this road if they might look for us today.”
   The dwarf nodded in agreement “Aye, ye ’ight P’incez ’Euniel.”
   “We’ll travel in the woods, straight to the northern mountains.” Aruniel suggested.

   And so they agreed to take the journey inside the woods. After an hour they decided to eat what they had brought, for both of them put a loaf of bread in each pocket. That’s all they had, so they decided to eat half of the bread each meal.
   When they were done eating, they continued as the ground rise and rise until they got footsore. They rested without an idea how long they had strode the woods, what they only knew, was that the two suns of Neriwonda were slowly descending on west.
   “From Hollow-hill, the view doesn’t look like this.” Aruniel said gasping an air as they sat on a rock to rest.
   “Aye, aye, I’m so ti’ed…” Dourofeek answered, “A’ ye su’e whe’e headin the ’ight way?” 
   “Can ye still walk Douro?” Aruniel inquired.
   “I guess so P’incez ’Euniel.” Dourofeek replied.
   “We can’t rest now we must find a good place to sleep. It’s harder if the sky darkens an’ where still here in the woods.” she said. “Stand up, let’s go!”
   They continued heading north as their plan, and after another three hours of striding in the woods, they were amazed at what they saw, for they came into a wide open field of lawn, a blissful place to look upon. The wind was blowing a soft wind, and the clouds above them were traveling towards south. The sky was as blue as the ocean and the suns’ ray gave enough warm. Far in the field was a prairie of wild flowers and beside the prairie was a pond, and a small wooden house stood still.
   “This is what I’m talkin’ ’bout Douro!” Aruniel shouted, and then she ran freely on the lawn with arms spread wide open looking up above the beautiful sky. She jumped with joy and then rolled merrily on the fine grass. She can’t believe that she was finally free and far from the prison of Hollow-hill. She lay there for a minute or two as Dourofeek sat beside her.
   “Isn’t this place beautiful, Dourofeek?”
   “Aye P’incez ’Euniel.” Dourofeek said, “I just wonde’ if the’e someone living in that lil’ house.”
   Aruniel sat down and looked at the house. “Bah, I didn’t notice that earlier. Let’s go an’ check. If there’s someone living we’ll ask if we could stay for the night. An’ if there isn’t, the luckier we are. Come on Douro!”