Legends of Lasniniar: Mum’s the Word – Jacquelyn Smith

Legends of Lasniniar: Mum’s the Word

Series: The World of Lasniniar

A dwarf and an elf. As friendships in Lasniniar go, most people find Barlo and Iarion an odd pairing.

Wherever the unlikely duo travel, adventure follows close behind. Barlo and Iarion fall in and out of trouble on a regular basis. But even as they perform heroic deeds, they find time to bicker and banter.

The straightforward journey Barlo plans for them now should prove no problem—a piece of cake.

…Or so he thinks.

A stand-alone misadventure story from the World of Lasniniar epic fantasy series by Jacquelyn Smith.

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This title is also available as part of the Legends of Lasniniar Bond Forger Collection.

Barlo hoisted his pack and steeled himself before entering Melaquenya. Even though Lady Iadrawyn had made it abundantly clear he was welcome within the Light Elves’ wood, some of her subjects tended to forget the fact. Although many still remembered how he and the rest of the dwarves had stood with the elves and humans against Saviadro and his dark army, most younger Light Elves had never seen another dwarf besides Barlo, and the older ones clung to the unwitting betrayal the dwarves had dealt their people thousands of years ago.

He could feel their gazes on him as he passed, watching, and considering. Those who had fought in the war gave him friendly waves of greeting, but he wondered how long it would be before they, too, fell back on the ancient prejudices of their insular ways. It made him uneasy to think about it.

If not for his friendship with Iarion, Barlo would have had little to do with Melaquenya or its inhabitants. In fact, he was hoping to spend less time in the Light Elves’ wood going forward if everything went according to plan. His only potential stumbling block was Eransinta, Iarion’s overbearing, overprotective mother.

I suppose I can’t blame her for being a little clingy. She and Iarion did used to be twins, after all.

Barlo shook his head. Elven relations were so confusing. Light Elves were reborn with the memories of their previous lives. Iarion and Barlo had become close friends during Iarion’s previous lifetime, but in the life before that, he had been Alfialys, Eransinta’s twin brother. Saviadro had murdered him, and Eransinta went mad with grief, spending thousands of years wandering Melaquenya, searching for her twin’s lost soul. Now that Iarion had been reborn as her son, she seemed to have regained most of her sanity, but she was a little irrational where Iarion was concerned.

In the fifteen years since Iarion had been reborn, Eransinta had refused to let him leave Melaquenya. That meant if Barlo ever wanted to see Iarion, he had to spend time in the Light Elves’ domain. Barlo had tried to make the best of the situation. He visited as often as he could, and even brought Narilga with him on occasion. His wife didn’t leave Dwarvenhome often, but Iarion was a close friend of the family.

Barlo knew Eransinta’s restriction chafed at Iarion as well. In his previous life, Iarion had wandered most of Lasniniar on his own. He was unsuited to being pinned down in one place. He was already a competent warrior and more than capable of taking care of himself. If Eransinta didn’t let him out of the nest soon, he might just run away. Barlo wouldn’t put it past him. Perhaps that would make a good argument when he confronted Iarion’s mother…

[Copyright © Jacquelyn Smith, 2021]