TGC 13 In which we meet the mysterious Manquer

Unremarkable - that was how I would describe Manquer, now that she stood hoodless before me. She was a goblin. A plain and simple goblin and I could not fathom for the life of me, why she was spoken of in such hushed tones throughout Hafen. In fact, as I looked at Manquer stood there, illuminated by the flickering flames of the dwindling fire I thought she even looked weak. There was nothing of the danger that I’d imagined, when I had heard her name whispered on every pier of Hafen.

“Hello Scheren,” she spoke again with the same haunting melody in her voice. Her knees were bent; her shoulders hunched so as to almost cover her ears.

“Manquer,” Mother said her name slowly as though she couldn’t believe she was seeing her. Stiffly, she forced her words out, “Why are you here?”

“I heard there was a goblin – a goblin and her child seeking passage to Nirvaasan. I had to come and see.”

Mother turned to look at Handeln. “This dwarf,” she spat, “told you no doubt. Typical dwarf. Never trust a dwarf!” Mother sounded close to hysteria.

Handeln raised his eyebrows behind his blackened goggles, but didn’t seem overly hurt by my mother’s words. Manquer on the other hand winced nervously, although her voice still held the same melodic quality that suggested neither happiness nor anger – neither bravery nor fear. Simply the sound of a present existence. “Handeln told me nothing,”

“Handeln!” repeated my Mother – shrieking hysterically, “Handeln! Friends are you. I should have known it. Friends with a –”

“Handeln told me nothing; I saw you arrive last night.” Manquer paused and seemed to shrink a little into herself before she spoke again. “I followed you since you escaped the caves.”

 “You what!” Mother seemed to grow – empowered by a righteous fury that I found simultaneously reassuring and terrifying. “You have been following us – since we left the caves!”

I thought back to the strange feeling I had that we were being watched as we had walked along the banks of the lake. We had indeed been being watched – we’d been being watched by the mysterious Manquer. The mysterious Manquer who now stood so timidly in front of my mother, saying nothing but nodding slowly.

Mother’s mouth slowly opened and closed, opened again and shut again. It was as though she were too confused – or perhaps too angry – to speak. “You followed us,” she said again, “since we left the caves!”

Manquer nodded again.

“Why?”

Still Manquer said nothing but she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small golden chain. Mother’s mouth fell open. It was the very same chain that Havfrue had stolen from her.

“Where did you get that?” Mother whispered.

“I’ve never let it go,” came Manquer’s reply and finally her voice almost seemed to crack, “Where is yours?”

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