"Green Eye and the Chalice of the Gods" by Douglas Eckhart

As usual, the tavern was packed at the end of the day. It was the traditional gathering place of the town's residents after a day's work - a place to go to get out of the elements and share the day's news and gossip. The tavern also had its share of travelers of all races, since the town was situated along the main road that connected the three kingdoms of the world.

Tonight two groups of foreigners were slightly set apart from the local residents. A clump of heavy bearded dwarves was guzzling ale at the bar and a gaggle of pale skinned elves was drinking wine at the tables. Even though a low murmur of conversation filled the room as usual, it was obvious that everyone's attention was covertly focused on the conversations going on in the two gatherings of foreigners. One voice stood out in each of the groups, one elven and one dwarven, somehow managing to rise above the other chatter in the tavern. Neither was speaking to the other, but to his own companions, as everyone listened in.

A gruff voice addressed the other dwarves gathered at the bar."Ai! Forty thieves 'ee had with 'im. T'was Green Eye and his vicious band. There's no doubt!"

"He moved with amazing agility. His henchmen were like ghosts, drifting through the night. It was almost a beautiful scene, the serenity of the forest, the dazzling light of the stars..." It was the light elven voice from across the room, speaking to his own compatriots.

"Seasoned dwarves they were.. all o' them! None a match fer me, I tell ya... but one o' me to forty... nigh, fifty others? And Green Eye 'imself! I coulda taken any one, any two or three alone... An' I did! A dozen at least I smote! But, alas 'e got away, Green Eye did."

With a sharp sniff of contempt, the light voice continued to address his own group. "I'd never have believed it. Our kinfolk, elven warriors turned to banditry..." A great emphasis was placed on the word 'elven', "... there must be some great cause in this, or else somehow they'd been deceived by Green Eye. The God's Chalice... I saw it. It was beyond compare. The setting of the gems was the most masterful work of jewelcraft I've ever beheld." And in almost a whisper, "I would not blame them for liberating it from these barbarians." Then a gasp, "What am I saying! I cannot believe I'd think it. But, if you saw the fine elven crafting... the jewels sparkled with an inner radiance, much like your eyes." There was light tittering laugh of an elven maiden from the group, before the original voice added. "Enchanting."

The sharp crack of a beer stein being slammed against the bar rang out, and a somewhat louder voice continued, "I'd have said it a waste of Mithril, making a cup...'till I saw it, I tell ye. Forged by th' dwarves. That much metal could 'ave made at least a dagger, or part of an axe. But if ye saw it, you'd know. No finer drinkin' glass' ever been made. Fit for the dwarven kings to drink their ale..."

In obviously reply to a question, the fair voice once again continued its own story. A much louder voice this time, not trying to disguise the fact that it wanted to be overheard, "Oh yes, I was there. I am the representative of the elven guard, after all, my dear." There's a slight pause as a question asked, but it was drowned out in the commotion, "I can assure you, the Chalice is of elven make. And wonderful to behol-"

The harsh voice interrupted again, this time forgoing any attempt at subtlety. "Don't ye be beleivin' it. That dwarven made cup. It’d still be safe if it hadn't been for those snooty elves gettin' in our way. We'd have beat Green Eye and 'is entire army, if it weren't for them!"

The lighter voice could be heard once more, "Excuse me for a moment, my dear. I think there's a small matter that I must attend to."

And with that, a tall, slender figure in a tunic and breeches of deep forest colors, obviously the elven owner of the light voice, stood up, and turned, facing the bar where the scruffy dwarf was sitting. "And if it weren't for a bevy of uncouth dwarves making such a ruckus and getting underfoot, Green Eye would never have escaped. Our trap would was planned flawlessly it only required stealth something which dwarves seem totally incapable of...."

The dwarf swiveled on his bar stool, turning to face the other, "If it were flawless it'd have worked, wouldn't it? If ye and yer band of elven warriors hadn't been hiding in the flowers like cowards and stood to fight like ye should have, we'd a' had him beat!"

"Then tell me, you actually saw Green Eye and his band? You engaged him in combat and, what was it, 'smote a dozen'" A ripple of laughter broke out amongst the elves and some other observers at his imitation of the dwarf's harshly accented speech.

For the first time, the brash dwarf hesitated, "Well... I can't say I exactly did, but I would 'ave! If we hadn't been trying to find you and yer band o' tree huggin' cowards."

"So you were looking for us, that's why you abandoned your posts?"

"Well, we were told ye had been slain by Green Eye... so we thought 'e must be over where ye wer at."

"As if he'd have come anywhere near our post with half a clan of dwarves tromping around."

"Well, we wouldn't have gone to help ye, if it hadn't been for that scout of yers callin' us to help."

"It seems more likely that your skilled team of warriors was heading back to the tavern for some ale and got lost..."

The dwarf finally hoped down off his bar stool, actually shorter once he was standing. "Take that back, ye filthy dog. There's no member of clan iron-axe that's ever abandoned his post!"

"Watch who you call a Filthy Dog, you little..."

Just then the door burst open, a space near the entrance of the room cleared as a small group of heavily armored men entered. They were wearing the colors of the Royal Guard. One of their number, obviously the captain of the guard, strode over to the bar to confront the two foreigners.

"Lord Dox would like to have a word with both of you about the disappearance of the Chalice."

The dwarf smirked. "Gladly, if it weren't for 'im," He pointed at the elf, "We'd have caught Green Eye's and the band of elven bandits, and slain them to the last man."

The elf shrugged his shoulders, indicating the dwarf as he looked to the guards as if for sympathy for dealing with an obviously crazy dwarf. "I'm not sure what he's talking about. We'd most definitely have stopped Green Eye and his band of dwarven marauders, if it he hadn't been tipped off by Mr. Iron-Axe and his raucous clan of klutzes stomping around like elephants."

The guard captain was obviously neither amused nor sympathetic, "I have no idea what either of you is talking about. Our intelligence has it that Green Eye is a goblin, and he always acts alone or with a small group of orcs. And, the fact that the two of you are here in a tavern drinking, rather than trying to track down the chalice will not look good for either of you. Now, if you'll come along, Lord Dox would like to hear why the Chalice of the Gods is missing when the 'most skilled' emissaries of both the elven and dwarven kingdoms were guarding it so vigilantly."" The other guards made it quite clear that the invitation was not simply a casual one.

Both the elf and dwarf looked somber as they left the bar, escorted by the royal guard. Everyone else went back to drinking as if nothing had happened.