Siege of Draestl

by Randall Seeley

  “And we grew from just the Red Claws to more clans,” Korin said fondly. “We’re still a ways away from uniting the entire Draebek, but we’ve begun. This battle will be another key step. It’s only fitting that you are here to help, Gauden, so that you can finish what you started,” Korin finished.

  Gauden grunted and then turned back to silence. Korin looked ahead with a gleam in his eyes. Wayd knew the conversation was over, so he replayed what he heard in his mind.

  He couldn’t blame Gauden for doing what he had done, but he also couldn’t stop thinking about how simpler the world would be if Thraegar and Korin had walked into that ambush. But then he remembered a lesson his father had taught him.

  If you see someone in need, help them, no matter who it is.

  It was something the Scots lived by, and he hoped that if he found himself in the same situation that he would have done the same thing as Gauden.

  But now they had to deal with it. He swallowed hard as they came to a stop. He could see the castle wall ahead of them. They had reached Draestl. But the wall wasn’t what had him worried.

  In a day’s ride, the entire army of the Draebek had arrived and were now preparing camp just out of the reach of the castle’s defenses. The Draebek force was massive, and from his estimation was thousands strong. The fighting in Old Draestl had only contained a fraction of their army. No wonder it was so futile. He swallowed hard.

  It will take a miracle for Draestl to survive.

  12

  The Price Of Failure

  What little we knew of the Draebek dwarves was that they were fiercely loyal if they believed in a cause. But if you seeded even the tiniest doubt, that loyalty would unravel faster than a split seam. It’s the reason for their distrust of one another, and one of the primary reasons why we don’t believe they will ever be united—prophecy or not.

  Wayd couldn’t believe the Draebek army as he was led through their camp. They were separated by clan, and each clan had an array of tents neatly organized and surrounded by bulwarks of dirt strategically located to form defensive barriers in case of attack. The bulwark was steep enough that the Draebek would have higher ground if there was a charge, but also small enough it wouldn’t impede an escape or a charge of their own. They were in the process of clearing trees and shaping them into large pikes they positioned at the top of the bulwarks that created a death trap for any charging cavalry.

  As they entered the camp, Wayd’s chest tightened and his breath caught as he watched Draebek handlers—he couldn’t think of a better term—corral dragons into large pens that appeared to be made of draestl. The beasts themselves tossed their heads and looked upset, but the handlers pushed them forward with one hand at a time—just as you would an unruly horse. Several dragons turned their heads and snapped, but they moved forward.

  “What keeps them from blasting fire?” Wayd asked quietly to no one in particular.

  Korin had heard him. “Our dragon handlers are gifted,” Korin said proudly. “They have a way of soothing them—watch,” he instructed as he pointed nearby.

  Wayd watched as a particularly unruly dragon tossed its head in anger. Steam hissed from the sides of its mouth and a loud roar erupted from within. As the maws opened, Wayd saw the familiar blue glow forming, and he suddenly felt very vulnerable. The draestl cages wouldn’t stop a blast of fire, and there wasn’t much between the upset dragon and him.

  But as the dragon reared its head, the closest handler approached. The handler was garbed in draestl armor like the others, but he had a distinct cape flapping behind him. Wayd was shocked that he recognized the symbol on the cape—half a human head, and half a dragon. It’s the symbol of the Order of the Dragon!

  Korin saw him looking unsettled and said, “Don’t worry, the handler will keep the fire controlled. Watch.”

  Wayd watched as the handler reached out a hand and rested it on the side of the dragon. As if his touch was magic, the dragon lowered his head and stepped back, its mouth shutting and the blue glow disappearing within.

  “What did he do?” Gauden inquired, obviously impressed.

  “Humans aren’t the only organization with unique dralchoms,” Korin answered proudly. “By combining the right dralchoms with Draebek who have an affinity to the beasts, we have been able to effectively control them.”

  Korin gestured to the nearby pens.

  Wayd swallowed hard. There were hundreds of the cages. He had been so focused on the one that he had barely noticed the others. He swallowed hard. There are probably more dragons than all of the horses in Draestl.

  The thought of horses made him think of Quickening, and he felt a quick stab of pain. He had been separated from his horse when the dragons attacked and he hadn’t seen him since. I hope he survived somehow.

  They were led past the dragon pens and into the encampment. They passed hundreds of tents, and Wayd figured that his first estimate of their size was wrong. There aren’t thousands. There are tens of thousands. That meant they had more soldiers than Draestl, and Draestl’s army was the largest in the north. He swallowed hard.

  Eventually they reached a centralized command tent that had each clan flag flying next to it. There were three of them, though the Red Claws’ flag flew highest. In the entrance stood a large, foreboding figure. His armor was streaked with blood and dirt, and he stood in the entrance as if a monument erected for worship. One hand was pointed at two figures in front of him who were cowering on the ground. Wayd regarded them for only a moment before his eyes caught sight of the weapon held firmly in the figure’s other hand. The Thornclaw axe. He shuddered as he thought of its alleged mystical powers, and said a quiet prayer that he would never witness it in action.

  Thraegar Thornclaw stood like an iron wall, and he was currently not pleased. His face was contorted in rage, his eyes were living death. Wayd watched as Thraegar’s penetrating gaze looked out at the army and then back to the two in front of him.

  “You have failed me,” Thraegar said loud enough for all to hear.

  A hushed silence filled the air, and the Draebek gathered around as they watched their leader.

  “Who are they?” Gauden asked.

  Wayd turned, shocked that anyone would speak in such a moment, but especially surprised that Gauden had the audacity to do so. But he realized Gauden wasn’t talking to him, but to Korin, who had a look of worry etched into his face.

  “This is not good,” Korin said beneath his breath so quietly that Wayd wondered if he had intended to say it at all.

  “You had a simple task!” Thraegar yelled again. He stepped down from the front of the command tent and began circling the two figures. They were cowering on the ground, and it was the first time that Wayd recognized them. Both had emblems of other clans. One had a bear, and another had a dragon on it. They were heavily armed in draestl armor, and were nearly the same size as Thraegar. It was odd seeing two formidable warriors cowering before another.

  But then Wayd saw a flash of anger in the eyes of the figure who was marked with a bear emblem. Not cowering…frustrated. Wayd could see his hand clenching and unclenching.

  “Did we not know of the escape tunnel?” Thraegar asked. “Did we not prepare for that?”

  Wayd felt a shiver run down his spine, but it was quickly replaced by hope. Though Thraegar had successfully scouted their every move, Wayd figured that the Wolves and other survivors must have escaped. It validated the argument he had heard earlier.

  “Thraegar, it wasn’t so simple, it—”

  “Silence!” Thraegar yelled as he cut off the defiant Draebek. “Unless you are willing to admit your fault! Your failure! Your inability to lead in such a simple task!”

  The screaming pierced the silence like a sword through flesh, and the silence that followed the angry outcry settled on them like a flood of anxiousness. There was such tension Wayd was worried the entire area would erupt. He looked past the bulwarks of dirt and saw the gleaming walls of Draestl. It was several hundred feet
away. If I am fast enough, I could probably slip away.

  He looked to the side and saw Gauden discreetly shaking his head. “Stay put, and stay silent,” he whispered slowly.

  “This is not good,” Korin repeated. Wayd looked to the elderly Draebek. What is happening?

  “Do you have anything to say? To admit?” Thraegar said with more control, although the last two words were filled with contempt.

  Wayd watched as the Draebek with the bear symbol clenched his fist again. Even from this distance Wayd could see the fire in the Draebek’s eyes. The hatred that was emanating from him. The Draebek’s hand inched toward the axe that was strapped across his back.

  Thraegar saw it too.

  “And what would you do with that axe, Black Bear?” Thraegar hissed derisively.

  “Thraegar,” Korin said as he stepped forward. The Draebek’s voice was steady, but Wayd could see the fear in his eyes. Why is Korin so concerned?

  Thraegar’s attention turned from the two bowing Draebek until they found the source of who had called his name. They softened for a moment when they rested on Korin, but then grew hard a moment later. They seemed like they penetrated through Korin’s soul and rested on Wayd. He swallowed hard.

  “They have transgressed our law!” Thraegar yelled.

  “They made a mistake,” Korin clarified, taking another step forward.

  “They have failed!” Thraegar refuted. He held up a hand in Korin’s direction. “Stay where you are,” he commanded.

  Korin paused and grew rigid. Wayd could feel the tension of the elderly Draebek.

  There was a sudden commotion from the outskirts of those who had gathered, and Wayd watched as two elderly Draebek appeared. They looked like they could have been brothers. They were both close in age to Korin, and had the aura of wisdom gained from decades of experience. Their armor was pristine, powerful black draestl gleaming in the dusk light that caught their refined edges. One had a large emblem of a bear on it, and the other had the dragon etched on his breastplate. Wayd didn’t need anyone to explain who these were, since the Draebek all deferred to them and respectfully bowed as they passed. The other clan chiefs.

  “What’s the meaning of this, Thraegar?” the one with the bear asked. The intensity in his eyes looked just as defiant as the Draebek who was bowing. Wayd noticed that the hand was an inch closer to his axe. He looked to see if Thraegar had noticed, and saw that Thraegar looked quickly at the hand, and then back up toward the clan chief.

  “They have failed,” Thraegar explained. His voice was icily calm, and it sent a ripple of silence through the crowd.

  “Failed?” the dragon clan chief asked. “We could have called the entire attack a failure! Do you know how many of our clan died yesterday?! Do you, Thraegar? I’m certain more than the Red Claws.”

  A hushed silence fell over everyone.

  “I refuse to repeat myself,” Thraegar said. His words were steady, but Wayd could see the rage building inside of him. Wayd could only imagine how he felt about the open defiance and questioning. He started to turn his back toward the newcomers and head toward the entrance of his tent.

  Korin had moved back toward them and whispered profusely. “Those two,” he said as he pointed discreetly at the bowing figures, “are the sons of the clan chiefs.”

  Wayd immediately understood why Korin was so frightened. Thraegar is embarrassing the other clans’ heirs.

  “It was their first assignment. They were assigned with guarding the exit from the tunnel. Their task was simple, but obviously it was disrupted,” Korin explained.

  Wayd wondered why the Draebek was telling him, but when he looked at him, he knew why. He’s frightened. He knows what will happen if this turns into a fight.

  “The Black Bears,” Korin continued as he gestured toward the Draebek whose hand was inching toward his axe, “have a perpetual hate toward Thraegar and the Red Claws, as our clans have been rivals since the breaking. It’s because they joined us that we believe we have finally crossed the last obstacle of reuniting the Draebek.”

  Wayd understood the significance. He glanced at Gauden and began to say something, but Gauden put a finger to his lips to silence him. Then he carefully mouthed the word listen.

  “Thraegar needs to compose himself,” Korin continued to whisper. It looked as if he was about to pace back and forth. But now, Wayd understood why. What they had witnessed earlier that day was no outlier. The Draebek weren’t as united as they appeared. And from the looks of it, neither clan necessarily wanted to be here. He thought back to the story that Korin had told him and he started to think Gauden’s assessment was correct. Perhaps the clans were here because of Shadmay Silverclaw, not Thraegar. And if that was the truth…

  He couldn’t help the spark of hope from forming within.

  “You must explain. You are berating our sons when you had a failed plan from the start!” the Black Bear demanded. “You’re a hypocrite!”

  Thraegar went rigid.

  “Just step away, Thraegar,” Korin urgently pleaded. But he was too far away for anyone to hear. The advisor took a step forward just as Thraegar started to turn back toward the other clan chiefs. Wayd watched as the mentor and mentee locked eyes, and grimaced when Thraegar’s gaze turned hard.

  “Failed?” Thraegar practically spat. “Failed? My plan was perfect. And executed flawlessly by the Red Claws.”

  The crowd that had gathered was fairly substantial now, and they began murmuring, with some in agreement with Thraegar, but many more in favor of the other clans. Wayd noticed it fell along clan lines.

  Thraegar looked around and grew angrier as he saw the discord. “If the Black Bears and Dragons could follow directions, we would have succeeded. But they didn’t. And these two,” Thraegar gestured at the two cowering on the ground. “Were the biggest failure of them all. We knew where the tunnel exited. We knew. And yet they weren’t there. They couldn’t read a map. That kind of ignorant behavior isn’t fit to be in my army. It’s not even fit to be a Draebek.”

  There were gasps throughout the crowd.

  Thraegar grew emboldened. He turned toward the Black Bear clan chief and looked him squarely in the eyes. “Can you argue that point, Braethrin Bor? Or Delthezar Drat? Can you argue that your sons, in charge of watching the tunnel, did not fail?” He allowed silence to follow his question.

  Wayd watched as the entire audience grew more unsettled. And he understood why. Thraegar just called out not only the clans, but the heirs specifically. It’s getting personal.

  “Can you?” Thraegar asked again more emphatically. “They had a simple task. Upon signs of a retreat, they could have done anything. Surrounded the exit and slaughtered them upon retreat. They could have collapsed the tunnel. They could have called for help when they realized the Black Bears and Dragons were too weak to execute a simple plan.”

  “Thraegar,” Braethrin Bor said as he raised his hands to calm him. Wayd was surprised by the tone of the man. It had softened slightly, and Wayd realized why. The audience had shifted in favor of Thraegar as he explained every action of the sons. Delthezar Drat didn’t say anything either, but he looked just as offended yet also reserved.

  “Should I continue? And ask simple questions like why didn’t they execute the plan? But we all know why they didn’t. They failed. And now,” Thraegar said as he gestured to Braethrin’s son, “Braeth wants to challenge me.”

  Braethrin gasped. “What?” he asked incredulously.

  Thraegar pointed at Braeth, whose axe was unsheathed and held loosely in his hand.

  “I can defeat him, Father,” Braeth said as he stood up. He stepped into a fighting stance and brought his axe to bear.

  Thraegar began to laugh. “Take me? You are a fool, and probably only months from leaving your mother’s care. Because of your naivety and youth, I’ll give you a chance to step away.”

  Korin said something so harsh that Wayd assumed it was some kind of Draebek curse, and then the old man started
rushing forward.

  “Enough, Thraegar!” Korin exclaimed.

  Thraegar turned toward Korin and held out a hand. “Relax, my friend,” he said calmly. But Wayd could see the steel in Thraegar’s eyes. Wayd could tell Thraegar had already made up his mind. The calm in his voice set the entire audience on edge, and even Braeth’s vigor slackened.

  “You must stop this before it goes too far,” Korin repeated.

  Thraegar began to laugh. “I will not allow failure in my camp!” he yelled. The sudden ferocity of the scream made everyone tense. Wayd felt his heart pounding as the intensity of the crowd became deafening. “And I call their actions failure!”

  “Then punish him as you would a Red Claw!” Korin yelled. “Our rules are very clear about failure. Their first failure becomes a teaching moment, even if it was a major failure.”

  Thraegar looked at his friend and softened for a moment.

  “If we are to be one,” Korin continued, “we need to treat them as equals. Like Red Claws.”

  Thraegar relaxed even more. He turned toward Braeth and regarded him. “My counselor is wise,” Thraegar said. Then he took a deep breath as he turned to the crowd. “And he is correct. We are one. And as one, I will treat you the same as a Red Claw.”

  He turned back toward Braeth, who was still holding his axe tightly. Braeth was obviously still upset, but there was a look of doubt and fear on his face.

  “But a Red Claw admits his wrongs. Braeth,” Thraegar said as he gestured toward the dwarf. “Admit your wrongdoing and choose a punishment you see fit, and then all will be forgiven.”

  The words were like throwing wood on a fire. Wayd wasn’t sure what was happening, but both of the other clans became suddenly rigid. It was so tense, it felt like it would explode in any moment. Wayd watched as Korin drooped his head in disappointment.