Role

Chapter 9

"Yer look skinny lad, ain't dey feedin yer in dat village yer movin ter?" says
Mum, immediately launching into action around the stove and pot and in no time
at all placing a plate piled high with food in front of Drothgar. "Ah'm eatin
plenty Mum, don't beh frettin, but ah ain't gonnah beh passin up yer cookin!
Pass da salt!" Almost, for a split second, he can forget he is alone at the
table, the chairs that used to be filled by his Da and sister now and forever
empty, and enjoy his mother's cooking. But that moment quickly passes and he
lowers his head again, says a quick prayer of thanks, and eats with something
less than gusto. "Bein good Mum, always da best," he says, and though it is
true it also sounds a bit perfunctory. "So beh tellin meh 'bout yer life dere
lad. Yer comin 'ere e'ry week fer dinner but yer n'er talkin 'bout what yer doin.
Ah'm wantin ter 'ear it m'lad. Don't beh tinkin yer sparin meh wid yer tales
o'da big cities 'n da strange ales yer findin. Ah'm yer Mum 'n meh beard's longer
'n yers, 'n ah'm wantin ter 'ear da truth! Beh rememberin dat ah been wife ter
yer Da, captain w'Ludan, fer longer'n yer c'n beh 'maginin, 'n ah'm knowin what
war's like m'boy, so don't beh 'oldin back!"

Finishing a last bite and settling his beard smoothly against his chest, Drothgar
begins. "Bein better'n 'n worse'n ah tought it'd beh. Yer rememberin ah told yer
after meh first killin o'dat fargin bastage mage ah found da village 'n was
convincin da commander - she's a skinny lass 'n could beh usin a beard but she's
gots da mighty voice 'n da powerful mind, always tinkin, Da woulda liked her -
dat ah beh deservin ter build meh new 'ome dere. Ah was feelin Da by meh side
when ah was steppin inside. Since den ah been spendin more time doin da new
trainin dat ah wish ah'd been doin w'Da, learnin ter beh fightin. Plenty ter
beh learnin but ah'm gittin better 'n gots meh basics. But ah'm missin da forge
'n e'en forgemaster Grogginnd, seemin like tings bein so easy back den, wid just
a bit o'metal ter beh worried 'bout. All meanin more now, ya knowin Mum?"
Drothgar pauses, absently twirling a finger in his beard. "Ah'm gonna beh spendin'
more o'meh time gittin back ter da forgin ah tink Mum. Dere's a fine lad
in da Village, Grime's bein 'is name, 'n 'es gots skill wid da anvil 'n 'ammer.
'E's sayin ah c'n beh borrowin da tools 'n usin 'is forge 'n ah'm gonna beh
takin 'im up'on it. 'N when da day's comin dat da 'ammersong's 'avin meh in 'is
forge, ah'll 'east beh able ter beh da striker!"