I can't believe Alexius actually insisted for the dwarf to travel with us to Probium. After saying a few outrageous things at least he told us his name, if that was indeed his name. Then he said that he was staying in Probium, thus wasn't really going there. In fact, since he was completely out of money and didn't want to sell any of his possessions, in part because they were hard to sell for their actual value, he was heading out of the city to make some money as an adventurer, collecting plants or killing monsters and collecting any useful materials out of them. So really, there was no reason for him to come with us, but Alexius, letting his generosity get the best of him, insisted that the dwarf come with us to the city, as he would pay for one meal and a room.

“What a generous man you are. Truly, you must be one of the fabled good men, rare as an unicorn that let's a non-virgin ride it. Perhaps the next time I find a unicorn I might try riding it, eh?”

I'd heard before that dwarves were, in general, quite the... exuberant race. But this one must have been especially obnoxious and annoying. It was like he had never ending topics to talk about. Even as Alexius paid him the slightest attention and I glared at them alternately trying to silently make them both realize how uncomfortable the situation was for me, he just wouldn't shut up.

“I can see how you would find such a book boring, I can't imagine myself going through the whole of it.”

What are you doing, giving him a proper answer? You're only going to make him talk even more now! Stupid Alexius! Unbelievable, it's almost like I didn't make him sleep out in the cold to reflect on his actions and perhaps learn to think things through a little bit more.

“Yeah! You get it. I still think it's absolutely mind-boggling how someone can write an entire book on effectively casting a fireball, one of the most basic attack spells in the world. It's such an old spell that nobody even knows who was its composer. In fact, with the more than a dozen different varying chants for it with barely a difference in the result, it probably had as many different people compose it separately. And that's not counting the forgotten chants that nobody uses anymore. That book explored in depth every single chant imaginable ever used to cast fireball and analyzed every single minute difference it sometimes produces in the final cast. Gnomes man, they are crazy!”

What is wrong with that stupid dwarf? He acts like he is this long-time buddy of Alexius. Talking like that, slapping his back, laughing at his own stupid jokes! Does he think that we are traveling as some kind of joke? At my patience's end, I decided to muster all my courage and complain to the loud dwarf.

“Could you please not act so friendly towards us when you don't even know our names or why we are traveling?”

I put on my best Lady Magnar impression and hoped that he would get the subtle message of “you have nothing to do with us so could you get lost please?” Alas, I forgot that dwarves were not exactly know for their ability to catch on subtle hints.

“Oh.” For a moment he seemed shaken. “You're right! How rude of me, I told you my name and my reason for journeying, but I did not ask yours.” but he seemed to recover pretty quickly. “What a blunder! Please, forgive me, as I was too focused on small talk and being friendly to a man that was so generous to me. Might I be allowed to ask that now?”

I really wanted to answer “Of course not!”, but that would have been too rude and I could not bring myself to say it. Still, my irritation was only increasing as the dwarf only talked to Alexius. What was up with that? Was I being ignored? Unbelievable! How can someone be so unpleasant?

“Why, of course, I am Alexius and my lovely companion is Helena.”

My mouth almost got dry from the shock. What? What was he thinking, using our real names like that with someone who we barely knew? What? I thought Alexius had better judgment than that. About to explode, I subtly pull on Alexius' sleeve, show the dwarf my best fake smile and say.

“Excuse me, I'm need to tell Alexius something in private, do you might if we walk at the other side of the road for a little while?”

I don't know what, but finally something seemed to get through that dwarf. I almost expected him to say some kind of preposterous thing like “Oh don't worry! I don't mind listening, I'm not going to tell anyone!”, instead I got a very reasonable:

“Why, of course, please, I wouldn't dare to pry on private matters.”

As we move out of earshot from the dwarf, I whisper furiously to Alexius.

“What are you doing using our real names like that? We don't even know if he's using his real name!”

Alexius looked at me like I was being unreasonable.

“Come on, look at him, does he seem like a thief or something to you?” Well, he did look and act like an eyesore, but thief might a tad cruel. “Look, being honest is the basis for a good relationship and telling our actual real names is the bare minimum. Come on, you're being too antagonistic. He might make some...” Distasteful “not very good jokes, but he does seem to know quite a lot of things. He might be really helpful.”

I might be hallucinating, but something inside me is telling me that Alexius wants to have the dwarf travel with us long term. Putting that aside as I'd rather not consider that possibility, I ask him a very important question.

“You seem to trust him for some reason. Can you tell me?”

Alexius made a face that seemed to say “isn't it obvious?”

“Nobody would dare to impersonate a member of a dwarven noble family. Think of my aunt, how angry do you think she would be if someone lied that they were a Magnar?” That was a pretty terrifying prospect, I must admit. “Dwarves are even worse when it comes to family honor.”

I'm not so sure about that, but Alexius was pretty convinced. I sigh and give up. Perhaps accepting the situation would let me deal with it better.

“Fine, just please don't tell him every single detail, okay?”

“Hey... it's not like I'm going to tell him our lives' story. You know I know better.”

To be honest, now I'm not quite so sure.