Harnio stood watching Star and the woman talking on the balcony and smiled. "Must be someone from your tribe Cliffhopper."
"What do you mean Harnio?" He pointed towards the balcony. "Uhh... Brother, lets go over here and look at the rooms away from the balcony." Harnio watched as Cliffhopper and Drummen went up the stairs looking at the rooms. He sat on a couch sitting in silence. "Brother... This one is my room... You can go and sod off, and find your own room!" He shook his head, and looked up at the ceiling where Mouse was sitting on the rafters, looking back at him.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S YOURS BROTHER? JUST BECAUSE IT HAS A BAR IN IT AND WINE... I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR. I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU BLACK AND BLUE!"
"Don't worry about them too much Mouse... I'm sure they'll quiet down, once they get used to the place... If not I know how to gag people using wind." He saw Mouse smile, and turned to look at the balcony as he saw the priestess fall to the ground in shock. He looked up at Mouse, and took a step standing between her and the woman she was talking to. "Firewarrior..."
"What is it? Who are you? What did you do to Star?"
"I'm a friend... From the Roc tribe... I gave her news, and once she heard it she fell on the ground like that... I don't mean harm... Promise." Harnio lowered his hands and turned looking at the priestess. "She's in shock... Tribes-person... What was the message you gave her?"
"All I said was that people from the Roc tribe have seen Agnia..." Harnio frowned. "Isn't Agnia dead with Red?"
"There was a funeral for Red, but not for Agnia... After Red's death she disappeared." Harnio stood in thought, and lifted his hand causing the priestess's body to float in the air behind him. "Tribes-person... Please stay with us... She'll need your company once she settles down, I guess." He walked up the stairs and opened the doors to one of the rooms, where Drummen and Cliffhopper were fighting over a bath. He looked at the firewarrior.
"BOTH OF YOU OUT OF THIS ROOM, BEFORE I BURN YOU TO ASH!" Harnio rubbed his ears and nodded as he brought the collapsed priestess and placed her on the bed. He turned and looked at the brothers legs. "If I hear a peep, a burp, a fart, a cough from either of you... I'll be gagging you faster than you can do any of those things. Leave the room... This one is for the priestess."
"But it has a bar... wine..." Harnio looked at them and started to call the wind pushing them out of the room. "Fine... Its the priestess's room." Harnio turned and looked at the tribes-person. "Look after her... I'm sure she will talk about it, when she calms down."
Harnio left the room and went back down stairs staring at the ceiling again. "I'm impressed Harnio... It seems that you're the little disciplinarian around here... You're able to keep the brothers in line well." Harnio looked at the ground, hiding his red face. "Ahhh... Noo... I'mmmm justtt learning froomm all of youuu." He looked at Mouse signing at him with a smile on his face.
"He said, that the brothers must really look up to you, if they listen, and do as you say." Harnio smiled. "They're good people, and lady luck is on their side."
"Ahh Harnio?" He turned around and looked at the brothers standing at the bottom of the stairs, scratching their heads. "I'm sorr... I mean we're sorry about that... We just got a bit too excited..." Harnio nodded and waved his hand. "All is well... We're in a new place and have to learn how to work together..."
He stood up and looked outside at the sky as the sun was now at its highest point. He turned and looked at the path leading outside of the small palace where he noticed forges and workbenches. He stood up and smiled. "I've got some things to look at." He took a step and arrived at the forge. He ran his fingers over the furnace smiling. He turned and looked at the hammers and anvils sitting here. "This is nothing... The royal forges are massive... Really good stuff can be made there."
Harnio looked up and saw the blacksmith and his family looking at him smiling. He wiped the tears from his eyes as he thought back to the blacksmith's forge. He sat at the table in silence staring at the grain of the wood.
"Let him be Mouse... He is finally grieving."
Harnio ignored the voices around him and looked at the memories in his mind of the blacksmith, the food his wife made for him all the time, and how she'd complain and get angry at him, if he ate dinner while dirty. He touched the hammer at his side and nodded to himself. "I know what I'm going to build next..." He stood up and looked for Drummen. "Drummen... I need you..."
"What do you need little brother?"
"I need some stone... Similar to the stone on the balcony... Can you get me some?"
"How much do you need?" Harnio looked at the ground in thought. "I need about my height, and five of me wide."
"That's a lot of stone... What are you going to make? A table or bed?" Harnio shook his head. "I'm going to make a memorial for my brother and his family." Harnio looked around the room as it went silent. "Harnio... I'm sorry, I didn't know."
He shook his head, waving his hands. "Sniffers attacked, and they died in the attack..." He looked at the balcony. "I'm going to make a statue of them, so that they can finally see the beautiful sky without worry of being cut to shreds by wind." He looked at his hands, and looked at the smiling blacksmith floating around him. 'For my brother, and a chance for them to finally rest... Better this than what was left in the tunnel, hidden from the sun and light... Here they'll be able to bask in sunlight forever."
"Sniff... Sniff... Harnio... That's beautiful... I'm going to get the best stone for you, and also I'll help you make it, since stone is my friend." Harnio smiled at Drummen and Cliffhopper. "I have a drawing of them... If you can make them look like this, than you'd be able to make it look like they are alive and enjoying the sunlight forever."
He felt a tear fall on his robes as he watched Drummen nod. "Come little brother... Let's make this for you." He turned and upstairs he saw the priestess and the tribes-person looking at him. "See... I told you he has a good heart... That's why I danced for him." He smiled as he heard them talk with each other, turning to Cliffhopper. "She would do anything for you... You know that don't you?"
"Yes little brother I know that very well. You can't force it on people..." Harnio shook his head at Cliffhopper. "I hear your heartbeat, and your smell is different when she's around... You care for her deeply, but I smell fear..."
"Little brother is wise, big brother."
"Hey. I'm busy here, doing this for Harnio... Just listen to him. He knows more about the world than anyone here." He smiled and watched as the statues of the blacksmith and his family started to take shape. He pointed at them with tears in his eyes. "Those three got angry at each other, shouted at each other, cried at each other, helped when each of them needed help... The thing is they went through everything together, because of love... There is no fear of doing something wrong, no fear of making them angry, or sad... Because its going to happen whether you want it or not." Harnio smiled as the blacksmith's face was starting to be revealed through the stone.
"Cliffhopper, they lived for each other, and the love they had pushed them through very hard times, and also very good times... They did it all, and I can tell you they're happy... Go to her, and tell your feelings... She thinks you don't have any feelings at all towards her, and angry at her for choosing you. Go listen to her heart, and you'll find you have nothing to fear at all."
"Go and do it brother... I'm tired of you stealing all the women when we go to a tavern... Do what little brother says, so I finally get a chance."
Harnio looked at the statues, and sat down smiling watching Drummen work. "I know, I've told you many times about being a blacksmith." He watched as Drummen stopped working on the statue and looked at him. "Working with metal, I don't feel anything, but when I work with stone like this, I feel lady luck talking to me, and my heart feels peaceful... I prefer working with stone and animals, so keep the forge to yourself. I'll enjoy making things out of stone." Harnio saw his mischievous smile. "Also women love men who can make art work with stone... Imagine all the women, I can get with this lifelike work I'm doing here." Harnio shook his head and sighed.
He looked at Mouse who was sitting on the balcony edge. "What are you doing out here?" He looked behind him and saw the firewarrior watching as well. "We came out when Cliffhopper went in there and started singing to the tribes-person... What did you say to him Harnio to make him do that?" Harnio shrugged his shoulders. "I said nothing, it was the statue that spoke."
"I see. Well Mouse said, that this memorial, needs to have protection from the winds and rain." Harnio nodded, and watched as Mouse touched the railing, and saw vines, flowers and small fruits start to grow across the balcony railing, towards the memorial. His mouth dropped open as the vines grew around the memorial until a roof of vines had formed. The perfume of flowers, and fruits instantly filled the balcony.
"Mouse has a kind heart after all, and not just a one man killing army." Harnio saw the priestess walk onto the balcony and stand in front of the statues smiling. "Harnio... He has done a great job... They look like them exactly... They'll be finally at peace here, and not in the tunnel." Harnio wiped the tears from his eyes with his robe. "Why are you out here, and not with the tribes-person?" He saw her face redden.
"Ahh, she is uhhh, busy at the moment." Harnio looked at the priestess's clothes in confusion. "What do you mean busy? Just before Cliffhopper went in there to sing to her and tell her his feelings."
"Little brother... Don't worry... He's busy with the tribes-person who danced for him..." Harnio looked around confused. "I still don't understand."
"Harnio... Forget about what Cliffhopper and his wife is doing... What you should be focusing on is this statue, that I have finished based on your drawings you have made of them."
Harnio stood up and walked up to them looking at the details of the lines, their faces and smiled at them. "Hey blacksmith... I finally brought you and your family here. This place is beautiful, I'll be here with you, as you protected me all that time, I now will be the one protecting you my brother."
He touched the stone apron of the blacksmith and pointed to the other statues. "Your not alone... They are all here. Brothers and sisters in arms watching the setting sun over our home. Finally... We're home."
Harnio wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Mouse holding his dagger. He looked at the dagger, and at the blacksmith. He smiled and took a step and looked at the blade carefully. "I will make something for you that will go with your short swords... However, you must call them brothers." He saw Mouse smile and nod. He smiled. "Come Mouse... we have work to do..."