“We’re away from most of the stories and gossip, but occasionally we have to travel down the mountain for supplies not available up here. I’ve heard stories about this, but I wasn’t eager to believe it.”
“Believe it. Fallon’s power is growing and spreading like a plague. If we don’t band together, then he’ll be able to thwart us, and all the kingdom will fall. If he takes over Aaralyn and Azlyn, you won’t be safe from his power even up here. We must stand together.”
“I understand. This isn’t the time to discuss this in detail. It’s late; a storm is on the way, and it will be big. The mountain gates must be closed until it’s done. Up here it can subside in a few hours or make noise for days. I’m afraid you’re stuck here until it blows over.”
“I felt the tickle of it when we reached your border.”
“The pass is dangerous enough when the weather is peaceful, but a storm up here is nothing to take lightly. You’ll be safer in here than out there trying to make your way down the mountain.”
“I agree. I would never dream of trying to move around up here in a storm.”
“Smart man. Come, I will make sure your accommodations are comfortable. We’ll eat a warm meal, drink hearty ale, and converse. In the morning, we’ll convene in the conference hall to talk more. Hopefully the weather Gods will smile on you, and it will blow over by the morning. I would hate for His Majesty to wait too long.”
“Here, here.”
“It’s settled then. Come, I’ll get someone to show you to your rooms. You can freshen up and someone will get you when dinner is ready. I would recommend staying put until called for. You can get lost easily in these corridors. I’d hate to lose the king’s own messenger.”
Brogan thought about getting lost inside the closed in walls and shuddered. “The thought scares me more than you could ever realize, Dagon. I am a seaman, used to open air and wide spaces. I’ll leave the crawling around inside the tunnels to you and your clansmen.”
He laughed openly and heartily. He stood from his chair on the dais and slapped Brogan hard on the back. “I think I like you, Brogan. I think we shall get along nicely.”
Brogan and Bort both smiled at him and followed him from the room.
***
The storm hit the mountain with a fury Brogan had never seen. The dark clouds shrouded the mountain with blackness so thick, you could not see down into the valley, and the winds howled loudly, echoing inside the tunnels and corridors of the city. He could hear the rain when he was close to the entrance, but in the deep reaches of the mountain, all was quiet. He hoped for a storm like he was used to at sea, all noise and brutality for awhile, then waning soon after; like a lion to a kitten. Dagon was not so certain. He said that the storms were getting worse, strange storms of unusual power and length, caused, he believed, by whatever strange power Fallon had obtained in the last few years. A power that seemed to be affecting everyone. No one was unscathed from his vengeance.
Brogan and Bort, and the men in their party, were sitting around a large comfortable table, a warm fire blazing in the seven foot hearth. They had filled themselves on hearty stew and were working on tankards of sweet ale as they talked.Dagon was a lively fellow with an agreeable sense of humor, and Brogan found himself liking him more as the evening went on. As dinner progressed they found themselves talking about the past and how each had come to know the king. Dagon was sprawled out on one chair, his feet propped up on another, leaning back and making smoke circles in the air with his pipe.
Brogan was sitting in the chair across from him and was also smoking. He spoke first. “I’ve known Dain since he was a young man, no more than thirteen. I was in the king’s guard, had been for many a year. On my day off, I was in town, hanging out with other soldiers from around the kingdom, drinking and telling war stories like soldiers do. A seedy looking character came into the tavern and started causing trouble for some of the men. He was saying foul things and getting some of the younger men riled. He and another hot-head got into a brawl. There was stuff flying everywhere, chairs and mugs, and the serving girls were running off screaming; it was quite the mess. I stepped into the middle of it before it got someone killed.”
“What happened?”
“Someone got killed. The stranger pulled the dagger from my belt and stabbed the solider in the gut, flaying him open right there in the middle of the tavern. Before I could grab the guy, he was gone, just like a magician; poof. I sent a couple of my men after the guy while I tended to the dying one. There was nothing could be done. I called for the surgeon, but before he could get across town, the man was gone. When the constable came in, he saw me standing over the dead man, dagger on the floor beside him. He accused me of killing him. Now there were plenty of witnesses in the place that night, but all of a sudden they all went mute. It was my dagger, so naturally I had been the one to kill him. Only one guy in the tavern said what he saw, a lie of course, and it did not bode well for ole Brogan. “It all happened so fast,” he said. “There was a struggle,” he said. “My dagger ended up in his gut,” he said.”
“What about your men?”
“They came back two hours later. They ran up one side of the city to the other. No sign of the guy; disappeared; poof. No suspect to be found. My dagger, my crime. I was to be beheaded in the city square three nights hence, no trial. Colwyn wanted to send a message that crime would not be tolerated, especially the crime of murder. The fact that it was a decorated and respected officer in his ranks didn’t change his mind. What was done, was done.”
“King Colwyn was a bit self righteous for my taste. A good king, fair and just, but at times a bit too naïve when it came to what was best for the kingdom. I think Dain is on his way to being great, however.”
“I agree.”
“So what happened? Your head looks to be attached to me.”
“Dain heard about the incident and came to see me. He asked me what happened and asked me the names of all the soldiers that were there that night. He talked to them and got their side of the story. I guess he felt that a decorated officer such as me would be telling the whole truth. He believed me and told his father so. Only thirteen, too. My execution was stalled until more proof could be gathered. It took days for Dain to convince him, but as the evidence on my behalf piled up and the testimonies of my fellow soldiers came in, Colwyn resigned to setting me free. I didn’t, however, retain my station. I was free of death but would no longer be in the kings guard. Innocent or not, I was to be an example. I became a sailor after that to pay the bills. I lost my wife and daughter out of the deal too, but I’m alive today because the son of the king believed in me. That is why I came. I owe him my life. How about you?”
“I, too, owe him, and I’m not just talking money. He saved my butt a few times too over the years, before I became clan leader. The last one he’s referring to is when I got myself into a bit of trouble with some mercenaries outside the coastal town of Pembroke, must be six years now. I was drinking in a tavern when I heard a guy offering sixty silver pieces to anyone who would take a load of ship parts, or so I thought, over the Danstroms and into Kieran and deliver them to a guy who owned a ship repair yard there. It was mid-winter, and no one but a dwarf offers to travel through the mountains in the snow. Having familiarity with the mountains and all the passes through them, I volunteered. The man said he’d pay half now, then the other half would be paid by the receiver of the load. I agreed. Hired myself two men, a pack horse, and bought enough food for the trip over the range. The men I hired were not hardy enough for the trip though, and I lost both of them before we even reached the top. I managed to make it, but before I could get into town and deliver the goods, a group of Bounty Hunters accosted me. Said I stole the merchandise. Apparently, the load was not ship parts at all, but stolen weapons and war supplies from a rich baron’s estate in Amaris. While I was making my way across the mountain range, the man who hired me was questioned, then squealed to save his own skin, telling the Bounty Hunters i
t was I who robbed the lord. One of those Bounty Hunters was Alekzand’r Morgan, who I’m sure you know.”
“Aye.”
“I tried to run, of course, and they chased and caught me. I ended up in prison to await trial. Dain must have heard the story from Alekzand’r, who I assume believed my story, and stepped in. I was released, the goods returned to the rightful owner, along with what was left of the silver after expenses, and I was escorted back to Yarden where I would be punished by my clan as was tradition. The Clan Chief was my father at the time. Almost three years later I received a message that the mercenary who had hired me had been tracked down and dealt with. By that time, Dain was King, and he informed me that I would owe him a debt, which included the money it took to track the mercenary down, and compensation for my release. I was young and reckless, not so unlike him I suppose. Kindred in spirit you could say. Now that I’m clan leader, I can repay in full with whatever he needs.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Dagon, because the help is needed and time is short. Fallon and his troops have been wreaking havoc all over. It’s not enough that he has more cities under his rule than he has earned, or deserves. He’s on his way to taking over ones outside his own province. Ashlan has already fallen victim to his wrath, and I fear Randor’s cities are next. He controls the toll bridge on the Xanthe, took it over from Randor months ago. He keeps the money and pads his pockets to fund his army.”
“What does he want?”
“A throne.”
“Randor’s throne?”
“All of them. Dain thinks he’s after the entire kingdom, and he’ll get it if the realms don’t stand together. Dain sent me to ask for your allegiance. If we go to war, it will take all the troops we can gather together.”
“How can Fallon hope to get enough men to gain power over everything?”
“He has the darkness on his side. He has made a pact with the Dark One and has already called up creatures from the depths to help him.”
“Good Lord, that is a feat in itself.”
“Aye. It seems that Fallon is more adept than anyone imagined, more so than even his previous teacher.”
Dagon shook his head. “No wonder my sentries have spotted groups of unexplainable creatures marching through the pass.”
“We ducked a group of giants ourselves on our way to you.”
“Does Fallon control the shipyards?”
“In Ianna and Kieran we think, but so far no one has reported anything odd in Seabrook. But, that’s only for now.”
Dagon blew out another puff of smoke from his pipe, making another circle in the air, which disappeared in a swirl over his head. He was somewhere far away for the moment, lost in thought, contemplating the future. He finally came back and looked hard at Brogan.
“Fallon has tried time and again to gain our trust, but the dwarves are a suspicious lot and trust no one easily. I’ll admit that we are mistrustful, especially where our mines are concerned, and we don’t allow outsiders to see our inner workings. Dain, and Colwyn before him, left us to our affairs and never demanded payments from any of our finds; in return we have kept to ourselves, out of trouble. Fallon is a plague that will easily eat away at every corner of this kingdom, but his minions, whatever they are, will not be fought against so easily. How can we expect to rid ourselves and fight against creatures we know nothing about?”
“The elves are working on that as we speak.”
“So they have agreed to an alliance as well?”
“Not officially, but Dain is confident they will.”
“Why is Dain so confident about that? They haven’t joined forces with man for centuries.”
“Alekzand’r has someone on the inside that has special rapport with the Elders. He’s speaking to the elves on Dain and Randor’s behalf.”
“I see.” He paused for a moment then, “Off the subject. It is rumored that Princess Melenthia is in care of the king.”
“She is.”
“Why would she need to be protected?”
“Her father promised her hand to Fallon, not knowing what he was doing, and she escaped the castle and went into hiding. Her brother, Prince Kevaan, made arrangements with Alekzand’r Morgan to take her to Drydon Keep to keep her safe. Fallon has yet to discover where she’s hiding, but I doubt she will evade him for long. His wraith is sinister, and he has powers we have yet to discover. He will seek her out, and I’m willing to bet he will find her soon enough. We don’t have much time. Dain is putting plans in order as we speak.”
“What other troops can he hope to gather?”
“He will send a representative into Isamar soon to speak with the chancellor and the Tribal Council in Salador. We’re all in this together. Like I said before, if we don’t band as one, we will lose.”
“Strange times we have come into, Brogan. Strange times indeed.” Dagon sat back again in his chair, his head tilted slightly upward, staring at the ceiling in contemplation. He turned his head toward Brogan, his deep brown eyes not revealing his thoughts. He rubbed his bearded chin and chomped on his pipe stem.
“We will have to bring the clan leaders together in order to make a decision. I can’t make a decision without the approval of the full council. I will see that the council convene first thing in the morning. I can ultimately make the final decision, but it has to be discussed; it’s the way of our people. There hasn’t been a reason for us to join the humans in hundreds of years. It’ll be hard to convince them, but we will. We must.”
“I hope you’re right, Dagon. We don’t have a lot of time. Things are moving faster than anyone could have predicted. Even the elves have had surprises where Fallon is concerned, and therefore, things are more dire than predicted.”
“Aye. Get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll convince the council that the time has come to fight. I would hate for you to go back to Dain with no as the answer. He might decide to triple my debt.” He smiled a bit to lighten the mood.
“What if the council stands against you?”
“I’ll make them see the light, if it’s the last thing I do. Fallon is death for us all.”
“Aye.”
“Tomorrow then. I will have someone fetch you at dawn.”
Brogan nodded and stood. Another dwarf took him and his men to their rooms.
CHAPTER 20
Dain and Melenthia walked through the garden, Melenthia showing him all the different varieties of blooms that grew there and, as promised, their names as well.
“It’s amazing to me that you still remember all that after so many years. I don’t recall learning anything as a child and retaining it into adulthood.”
“What about swordplay and horsemanship?”
“I learned those as an older boy, in my teens. I didn’t learn as young as most. And to be honest, I wasn’t a very cooperative student. Besides, most of that comes as second nature to me.”
“Well maybe so, but it didn’t hinder your ability to learn it well nevertheless. Being known as one of the best swordsman in the kingdom is quite an accomplishment.”
“Perhaps. Where did your mother learn it all? Her mother?”
“Probably. She didn’t talk about my grandparents much. I don’t even, to this day, know their names. I think they died when she was young. It was probably too painful to talk about. She was really an outdoors type of person though. She loved the sun and the fresh smells of nature, and the freedom of the air.”
He laughed. “It’s easy to see where you got your passion from.”
“I miss her.”
“I’m sure you do. It must have been hard being raised in a houseful of men. I miss my mother at times too. I, too, was young when she passed. If she had been alive as I grew into a man, perhaps I wouldn’t have turned down the wrong path. One can never know. We can only move forward and hope to make things right for the future.” He paused. “She would’ve liked you. You have such a carefree spirit, and your joy for the littlest thing is infectious. I’m beginning to catch your fervor.”
She blushed. “It pleases me that you think so. I try very hard not to become buried in the everyday. I instead try to see things as an adventure so I won’t go crazy. My station often requires me to give in to what others feel is right. I, on the other hand, fight to do what I feel is right, and it’s, more often than not, frustrating for my father. I know if my mother were still alive I wouldn’t be in this predicament. She would’ve seen me for what I am and made others see it too.”
“I believe your father and brother love you. I don’t think your father planned things this way. I believe he doesn’t realize what he’s done.”
“I want to believe that too, but I’m not sure what to think anymore.”
“Eventually we will figure it out. Together.” He touched her hand lightly and briefly.
She smiled. “Thank you for your kindness and for agreeing to keep me safe.”
“No gratitude necessary. You’ve made it extremely easy. I enjoy having you here.”
They moved through the garden and were interrupted by a squire quickly approaching from a side gate. The boy reached their side and bowed low to his king. “Your Majesty, there has been a dispatch brought moments ago from Seabrook. It’s marked urgent.”
“Thank you, Henri. I’ll be along in a moment.”
The squire bowed again and left, briskly walking down the garden trail and out the gate once more.
“I’m sorry to cut this afternoon short, but I’m afraid I’m always king first, host second.”
“It’s alright. I will amuse myself until dinner.”
He bowed to her then moved away from her down the garden path in the opposite direction the squire had gone. She watched him go, his pants hugging his muscular behind, the way he walked, all of it. She sighed. Because of his kindness and the fact that he was fun to be around, her physical attraction to him was steadily growing. She could easily see herself falling in love with him. He was extremely handsome with his broad chest, slightly wavy hair, and pale blue eyes. Those eyes. So pale blue they were almost translucent at times. She could easily get lost in them, and had, on a couple of recent occasions. Anytime he caught her staring at him, she would quickly look away, not wanting him to know she was so taken in by them. She had come here feeling concerned with him, but now, she was comfortable and readily wanted to be closer.
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