Knights: Defenders of Ollanhar

by Robert E. Keller

  Chapter 19:

  The Decision of Jerret Dragonsbane

  The light of morning was settling upon the mountainside when Lannon and the others rode into camp. The journey down from Wallrock Fortress had been much easier than the one that had taken them upward, with a wide path that the horses had no problem navigating. The rain had slacked off to a light drizzle, as they sat in their saddles gazing at the camp. They knew instantly something was wrong. The camp should have been guarded.

  The tents and wagons were there and intact (with an Elder Hawk perched atop one of the wagons and watching them). Yet there was not a Knight or horse to be seen. The Hawk looked miserable.

  Jerret's face bore a grim expression. "What do you see, Lannon?"

  Lannon didn't want to look, but he had to. He scanned the campsite with the Eye, including the large pile of ash where the bonfire had been. Heavy sadness washed over him. He didn't want to reveal what he saw.

  "Lannon?" said Jerret. "Speak!"

  Lannon took a deep breath. "They're all dead, as far as I can tell. Their bodies were burned on the bonfire with sorcery. They were killed by blade and arrow. I glimpsed signs of prisoners facing torture and execution. There is no sign of Bekka or Taith, but Galvia is amongst the dead."

  The others sat in silence for a time, their heads bowed.

  Then Jerret looked up--a spark of rage already beginning to overcome his pain. "Who was it? The Lawkeeper and his Knights?"

  Lannon nodded.

  "Yet this doesn't make sense," said Aldreya. "Why would the Lawkeeper attack, if his plan was to wait for us to obtain the Green Flamestone?"

  "To weaken us," said Jace. "Now only the Council of Ollanhar remains to seek out the Green Flamestone. That could work to his advantage when it comes time to fight us for the Flamestone. I think it was a poor strategy, but obviously he couldn't resist attacking the camp while we were away."

  "He has made a terrible mistake," Jerret said quietly.

  "We must hunt him down and punish him," said Lothrin, drawing his Flayer. "He couldn't have gone too far in the storm. I'm guessing he is camped nearby. We should ride in and strike quickly."

  "We must remain calm," said Aldreya, "and think."

  "Remain calm?" said Jerret. "He slaughtered my best friend!" His face turned crimson with rage. "I'll cut off his head!"

  "We cannot risk starting a war with Bellis," said Aldreya. "Not now--when the Green Flamestone is still beyond our grasp. We must proceed very carefully. We should send a Hawk to Dremlock and consult with the High Council before we engage the Lawkeeper in combat."

  "This is ridiculous," growled Jerret. "The Lawkeeper mocks us. He has ambushed and executed our Knights, and we intend to do nothing?"

  "Aldreya is right," said Jace. "We cannot risk war. Not yet."

  Lannon sighed. "I know how you're feeling, Jerret. I feel it too. I want justice to be served. But...I suppose Aldreya and Jace are right."

  "They're not right," said Jerret. "We will never win this war if we behave like cowards. You must see that, Lannon."

  "I too want justice," said Vorden. His yellow eyes gleamed with anger in the light of dawn. "But what should we do, Jerret? Should we hunt them down and slay them all, then try to get rid of the evidence? We're Divine Knights. If we kill them, we must admit what we have done, and when we do so, King Verlamer will declare his agreement with Dremlock broken. Then war will begin. And we are not ready. On the other hand..." He shook his head and sighed.

  "More bloodshed will not solve anything," said Dallsa. "I agree that we need to be patient and let the High Council of Dremlock decide."

  Jerret clutched his head and groaned. "So we're just going to let him ride away, with the blood of Galvia and the other Knights on his hands?"

  "Surely we cannot do that," said Lothrin. "We must at least confront him."

  "We must do more than confront him," said Daledus, his eyes burning with a fire that only a Grey Dwarf possessed. "Because of this, there should be war. Bellis has already broken the agreement."

  "That's foolish talk," said Jace. "It's in Bellis' best interests to see the agreement broken--not ours. Maybe that's why the Lawkeeper did this--to drive us to attack him. Are we going to fall for it?"

  "Still, we must confront him!" Jerret insisted.

  "A confrontation could lead to combat," said Aldreya. "We should send the Hawk first and wait for a response."

  "I wholeheartedly agree," said Jace.

  "I don't know," said Lannon. "It seems wrong to just let him do this without even telling him we are aware of his crime."

  Moments later, Taith ran into the camp. He was soaked and miserable, and holding a rock in one hand like a weapon. He immediately ran to Lannon, dropped the rock, and climbed onto his horse, shivering.

  "I'm sure glad to see you, Taith!" said Lannon, delighted the boy was alive. "What happened? How did you escape?"

  "That ugly man let me go," said Taith. "The one with the strange silver hair. He wanted to make me a Squire of Bellis, but after he tested me, he said I was a worthless wretch and...and he hoped the mountain would swallow me. He sent he away with no food and water to die. But I hid in a cave until he left."

  "Tell me of Galvia," said Jerret, gazing at Taith. "How did she die?"

  "Arrows," said Taith. "It took a lot of them to kill her."

  Jerret bowed his head. "Did she fight?"

  "She fought very hard," said Taith. "She broke out of her irons and killed one of the warriors. Then they shot her and the others." Tears ran down his face.

  Jerret looked away to hide his own pain.

  "We need to make a decision," said Aldreya. "Do we confront the Lawkeeper, or do we wait? Should we vote on it?"

  "A vote would be wise," said Lannon.

  "I'm undecided on this issue," said Vorden. "I haven't had enough time to think it over, and I want to abstain from the vote."

  "I vote to confront," said Jerret.

  "Confront," said Daledus, slamming his fist into his palm.

  "Confront," said Lothrin.

  "Send a Hawk first," said Dallsa.

  "Send a Hawk," said Jace. "Of course."

  "You already know my vote," said Aldreya. "We should send a Hawk. Lannon? It appears your vote will be the deciding one."

  Lannon hesitated. What if confronting the Lawkeeper did start a war? The burden would be on his shoulders. He glanced at Jerret--saw the pleading look there--and decided they should confront without violence.

  "We have every right to deal with the Lawkeeper," said Lannon. "If it leads to bloodshed and war, it will be Bellis' decision, not ours. We owe it to Galvia and the other Knights. Thus, I vote to confront."

  "I'm disappointed, Lannon," said Aldreya. "You're putting our future at risk to prove a point. But so be it."

  Lannon didn't reply, choosing to stand his ground.

  Suddenly, Prince Vannas lowered the White Flamestone. He put it in its pouch and tucked it away. "Did I miss anything?" he asked.