Free Mighty Hammer Down by David J Guyton Page B

don’t let the statues fool you.
Most people who believe in the gods are just reaching out for
something to believe in or belong to. I think it’s all rather
absurd really, but I do appreciate a well-carved statue." He smiled
down to her when she looked up at him. "You never answered my
question. Where did you learn to fight like that?"
    "Oh, I had two brothers who were in
the Vindyri army. I had to learn to defend myself against them or
they might have killed me in their games. I guess you had some
training of your own?"
    "Yes. As I mentioned, my father is the
General of all the Medoran Legions. I joined the army years ago,
but I left. It wasn’t for me."
    "Did you ever see any
battle?"
    "I encountered a few enemies, but
nothing epic like you’re thinking. There are always rebel bands of
Vindyri who attack us when they feel our guard is down, but we have
had no wars since I was a boy."
    "Have you encountered any
Bhoors?"
    "No, I have never seen one. We are too
far from Bhoor-Rahn to run into any here. Besides, your country
stands between our lands, so you would see them more often than we
would. Our people are not fond of the Bhoors; most of us
anyway."
    "You don’t accept them among your
people?"
    "No. Of course there are exceptions,
but most people here feel they are too dangerous to have so near.
The older men tell stories about them, and from how they describe
them, I never want to meet one.
    "Well they are people just like you
and I. It’s only fair to give them a chance."
    He laughed. "It’s only fair that I am
allowed to not trust them. I assume you have seen many in your
country?"
    "I have seen a few. Most
of them are terribly ugly. They almost don’t look human. Their
faces are long, and their teeth are as well. Some of them grow
beards to hide their odd looks among us, but you can always tell.
Their eyes are usually brown, but not like yours ¾ more like the
color of wine. The ones I saw in Burnhamheade lived just like the
rest of us, but if what I hear is correct, they prefer tents rather
than buildings."
    "I suppose in a land full of tents
there aren’t any well-carved statues to look at," he said as he
turned up the alley that led to his forge.
    "Well I wouldn’t know. I have never
been there. Maybe they don’t carve statues of their god, but they
do spend a lot of time worshipping Rohni."
    "Rohni is their god? They only worship
one?"
    "Yes, but Rohni is just the name they
use for Oderion. It’s the same thing."
    "I see. How does your leg
feel?"
    "I can bear it. I don’t like it, but I
can bear it."
    "Well we’re almost there. See that
gray building up there apart from the rest? That’s my
forge."
    He was relieved to finally arrive at
the forge. He didn’t want her to know it, but carrying her all that
way was not easy. As soon as he took her up the stairs, he laid her
on his bed and gave his burning muscles a break.
    "Tear the hole in your pants open some
so that I can sew the wound. I need to get some things
together."
    She did as he asked while he gathered
the necessary items. When he returned, he set them on the table
next to his bed.
    "You live alone here," she said as she
looked around the room.
    "Yes that’s right. How do you know
that?"
    "Well I can see there is only one bed
here, so you don’t share the room with a brother, and I see no
flowers or feminine decorations. Don’t you have a wife or a
girlfriend?"
    "A wife!" he chuckled. "Hardly. But I
am seeing someone, yes. As for a brother, I have none. My father is
my only family," he said as he threaded a needle with black
thread.
    "Your girlfriend doesn’t like
flowers?"
    "She doesn’t live here. She says she
can’t stand the banging at night when I work downstairs. I built
the walls twice as thick as they needed to be to keep the noise
down for the neighbors, but it doesn’t help much in
here."
    She made herself useful by mixing the
herbs and water in the bowl he had brought to the bed. "So not only
are you strange, but you are a