Garanth gave Varn a wan smile before turning to Vesna and smiling gratefully.
"You are too kind, I'll welcome a chance to sleep"
With a sigh he lay back into the armchair, letting the pleasant embrace of sleep take him.
It was dark...very dark. And he was lying in his bed, listening to the shouts of his parents. Even from here he could hear the deep growl of his father, and the defiant shout of his mother. Then there was screaming and he was crying. Then the door flew open and his mother ran through, sobbing. Her face was red and tears glittered beneath her eyes.
Then came his father. A giant of a Dwarf, standing a good foot taller than his mother. He was all muscle and hair, broad and thick set as stone.
With a yell he was jumping to his mother's defense, desperate to stop his drunken father.
Then he was on the floor and his breeches were around his ankles and his father was slapping a heavy leather belt against his buttocks.
He was crying, it was all tears and misery...then everything faded. Only to reform a few seconds later.
He was a young Dwarf, and returning from his raid of the village.
Then he was pushing back the tent flap and his father was there. A whore straddling him while he caressed her bare breasts.
With a growl of disgust Garanth tried to leave, but his father shouted out to him.
"Get over here you cunt! What now you're scared of a whore! She won't bite you rot beard!"
Then his father was shoving the whore at him, bellowing at him to mount her and prove that he was a man.
Once again everything faded...
He was in the arena, wielding his beloved great sword. His opponent Torek was wielding a broadsword, shorter but a third wider.
They fought long and hard, their war cries echoing off the sides of the pit.
Eventually Garanth struck home, his sword catching the young dwarf in the small of the back, sending him spiraling to the floor.
The crowd exploded into thunderous cheers, the men roaring their approval and thumping fists into their chests, a few maids threw flowers down to the champion.
Garanth had eyes for only one however. Lady Vesna sat on the lowest row of the Nobles beneath the King. With a shy smile he strode up to her and brought forth the flower he had hidden away in his Armour earlier that day. It was a slightly crumpled veil rose, as pale as winter snow, and thrice as beautiful.
Behind her he saw his father nod his approval, unsmiling.