Day 18 - Addition to the party

The cavern was massive, stalagmites and stalactites were well formed, looking like pillars randomly spread throughout, creating the illusion that they were holding up the ceiling.

The treasure was spread all over the floor, forming golden stalagmites, much more stunted and broad than their natural counterparts.  It was odd to be sitting in such a space, and not madly bagging the treasure.

Jelex knew better though, Bobmadik had been very clear that the treasure had a valid owner; an owner that he did not want to upset. From what she could work out, it had been about three days that they had been waiting. Bobmadik was adamant that the owner would turn-up soon.

At the same time as being so confident in who or what they were here to meet, he was very, very cagey.  For some reason, he had it in his mind that Jelex needed her judgement to be unaffected by his description.

For Jelex, this was a bizarre proposition as Bob had been insistent that this person or thing would be exactly who they needed for their quest.  They had a mage, a thief, Bob as a fighter, Jelex as the leader and of course Nutmeg her super-intelligent dog. From her perspective, they had everyone they needed, although Bob was adamant.

‘Here.’ Bobmadik passed a bowl of porridge to his friend. Lowering himself to the floor next to her; the two of them dangling their legs over the ledge that separated their tunnel from the cavern they were looking at.

‘So what’s the story, how did you know this place existed?’

Bob looked a bit pensive, ‘An old mate of mine and I found it several years ago, he is not with us anymore.’ 

Jelex knew better than to ask any further if Bob wanted to tell her he would in his own time. ‘So we’ve been here a few days now, we are going to have to start to get back, Andrut will have finished brewing by now, and you know Bumchin will get in trouble if we leave him alone too long.’

‘OK, we will give her a little bit longer, then we can start to head back up to the surface.’

‘Her?’

‘Yes, and here she is now.’ Bobmadik put his hands out the end of the ledge, lifting is butt, swinging out to land on his feet in the cavern. There walking towards him was a tall, beautiful woman with long brown hair, tied back in a ponytail, golden eyes wearing a full-length gown with a cloak over her shoulders. Most bewildering was the slight blue glow she carried about her.

As Bob approached, she bent slightly to embrace the shorter dwarf. Bob broke from the embrace and stepped back, still holding the woman’s hands. ‘Dawn, I am so sorry for your loss.’

‘And yours, good friend Bob.’ And they both embraced again. After a moment or two, Bob broke from the embrace and turned towards Jelex; who still sat mesmerised about the unusual event occurring in front of her. Here in the lowest point of the catacombs was this beautiful woman that Bob seemed to have known.

‘Jelex. Meet Dawn; Dawn Jelex.’

‘It is my pleasure to meet you finally young Jelex, Bob has told me so much about you, it’s as if I have known you your whole life.’

Jelex sat in silence, stunned, or was that mesmerised, Dawn was beautiful. Beautiful beyond the possibility of human and elf alike. She had never seen a woman so enchanting. ‘Who? Who are you?’

‘Dawn doofus, get on down here.’

‘Bob, that is not what I meant. Dawn, who are you? What are you?’

‘What do you mean by what Jelex, I am Dawn, the lady of the catacombs, widower to Harry and friend to Bob.  I am but a simple lady.’

Jumping off the ledge much the same way Bob did. ‘There is nothing simple about you.  You are way down here in these filthy catacombs, surrounded by treasures beyond belief, buddies with Old Bob here which would be a story in itself. As well as having been married to his mischievous buddy Harry, there is nothing simple about you, what-so-ever.’

The three stood facing each other, Bob proud and enthusiastic happy a plan was coming together. Jelex curious if not concerned about who or what was in front of them, and finally Dawn looking Calm and composed.

The silence finally overwhelmed Bob. ‘She’s a dragon, a blue dragon.’

Dawn frowned ‘Bob really, that’s meant to be our secret, one that I choose to release not you.’

What did this mean, what was a dragon? The woman in front of her most definitely did not look like a dragon.  How did this work, to Jelex’s knowledge all dragons were evil? ‘Bob?’