Side Notes[]
This is a small story about the Coble-Broks. It is set in Gnomeregan a long time before it's demise when Belnema and her twin are still little kids. (Think ten years old*.) All the characters in this story are Gnomes so if I mention anything about size remember it's from a Gnomes point of view.
*That is judging from this very helpful page: Zappie's Guide To Roleplaying Gnomes
Chapter 1[]
Belnema scanned the Gear Hall from her hiding place and smiled. There was the prefect opportunity; a gentleman striding across the room, avoiding the small clusters of Gnomes that were gathered around each of the giant cogs that dominated the room. She looked behind her and beckoned Butut over. She then pointed out the target she had selected.
“Are you sure about this? That gentleman looks important.” Butut whispered uneasily.
“Exactly, he’ll have better stuff about him than the others.” Belnema whispered back excited.
Butut sighed. “So what’s the plan this time?”
Belnema grinned revealing that she was missing her two front teeth. “Follow me.” She got up from her hiding place and started running quickly but silently towards her unsuspecting victim. Butut sprinted after her, doing all he could to keep up with his twin sister. Belnema was only one metre away from her target when she stopped dead in her tracks. Butut couldn’t stop him self in time and crashed into her, sending them both head long into the gentleman.
The male Gnome landed with an ‘oof’ sound and then made the same noise again as Belnema and Butut landed on top of him. The twins quickly got off him and started to help the elderly looking Gnome to his feet.
“We’re so sorry Sir!” Butut blurted out while taking the Gnome’s left arm and helping to his feet.
“We were just playing a game and we didn’t see you there Sir!” Belnema said spluttering as she took the Gnome’s other arm and helped him to his feet.
Both Butut and Belnema, as soon as the Gnome was on his feet again turned and fled, leaving the bewildered Gnome standing in the middle of the Gear Hall again watching the two small children disappear. Belnema and Butut ran down four alleys before they slowed down to a walk and Belnema started to laugh. Butut looked at her taken aback.
“What are you laughing about? Whatever you were planning it didn’t work!” Butut whispered angrily to her. Belnema didn’t reply but from her pocket she brought out a watch and swung it on its chain. Butut’s jaw dropped.
“So you intended me to bash into you the entire time?!” Butut said shocked.
“Of course I did,” Belnema said as she grinned at the two shady looking Gnomes that stood on the corner of the next alley. As the twins got closer to the corner one of the Gnomes pulled back his hood slightly revealing a young face that was not dissimilar to Belnema’s. He grinned, reached out and ruffled Belnema’s hair. Belnema responded by giving him, her big brother Magna, a hug. Butut, who was close behind Belnema, looked around wearily; he couldn’t see his other big brother any more.
“Gotcha!” Krob shouted as he clamped his hands down on Butut’s shoulders. Butut jumped and gave a small yelp of surprise which his siblings laughed at. Butut blushed violently and then pushed past Belnema and Magna and stalked away down the alley.
“Was it something I said?” Krob inquired frowning.
Belnema and Magna looked at each other and shrugged.
“Come on, we’d best be getting home.” Magna said with just a slight hint of uneasiness. The other two nodded and followed him as he led the way home, to The White Rabbit.
Chapter 2[]
Butut stopped and looked around. After walking away from his siblings he hadn’t really looked at where he was going; now he found he was half way between home and his Grandparents house. He knew the dimly lit street to the left would take him almost directly home but his Grandparents were only round the corner, 5 houses down. After a minutes pondering he started to walk down the left alley however, half way down a shadowy figure stepped out in front of him, blocking his way.
“Um, could I please get past you?” Butut said unsure of what to do.
“I think you’d better come with me, someone would like to speak with you.” The figure stated gruffly and started to reach out towards Butut. Butut thought quickly in this order; I’m already too far down here to turn and run. This guy is too big to get past. I’m too small to force my way past. Bugger…
As the figures hand came down on his shoulder Butut panicked and tried to wriggle out of the man’s grasp. The Gnome only laughed and lifted Butut off his feet. Butut finally saw his opportunity and bit down hard on the Gnome’s hand. The Gnome yelled and let go of Butut who, without looking back, ran in the opposite direction towards his Grandparent’s house.
Butut didn’t stop running until he reached his Grandparents house. Now in the well lit corridors of the wealthier part of Gnomeregan Butut took a moment to calm himself and then he knocked on the front door. A couple of seconds later a voice emanated from the small intercom besides the door.
“Who is it?” The voice was gruff and croaky but Butut recognised it and spoke hastily back into the intercom.
“It’s Butut, could I please come in?”
“Yes! Of course you can my boy!” And with that the door swung inwards revealing an aged male Gnome wearing a bright smoking jacket and shirt, a pair of lounging trousers and a pair of striped slippers. The elderly Gnome embraced Butut and his face crinkled up in a grin. He then ushered Butut inside and closed the door behind them.