"It's not exactly a fondly looked on time in our lives, but we've all found good homes in your kingdom. It's good that you're not going to punish Captain Bridgewater for his actions. He is a damn fine man and an excellent soldier," Brody responded.
Roderick dipped his head in agreement and then set his wine back on the table. He looked from Meric to Brody a couple of times before speaking again.
"Now... on to this information that you insist on only sharing with me."
Meric took a deep breath to give himself an extra second to order his thoughts. He was not entirely sure how or where to start, so he decided to get the main point for the secrecy out into the open.
"The reason we have been so close-mouthed is due to a promise we made to help keep a... lie, I guess... a fallacy that has been carefully nurtured for over a thousand years. They informed you of our theory that the Orcs are looking for an artifact?" The King simply nodded. "Well we were given this insight by someone who had close ties to those that took the relic from the Orcs in the first place. A Dwarf named Dhuren." He paused here to wait for the inevitable disbelief. He was not disappointed.
"If you gentleman have come here to waste my time with childish stories, I can assure that however grateful I am for your saving my daught-"
Meric jumped in before he could get on a roll. "I promise you, Your Majesty, this is no children's tale. We were both there and we both spoke to him and his companions. There were five of them in all. I ask that you hear us out before making up your mind, and if after that you want to send us on our way... we will leave with no hard feelings."
Before the man could answer, Brody spoke up. "I would also ask you to let me run to my room to retrieve my axe. It might help if you have some physical proof."
"Your axe?"
"Yes Sire. It was given to me by Dhuren, and before you say it... I can tell you it is not just a regular axe that has somehow been magiced. It's got runes on it and I'm sure there is some magic in there, but you'll see what I mean when you handle it. You can have Alyssa, or any other with the knowledge inspect it. As long as I get it back," Brody hurried to add the last part with slight trepidation.
This actually caused the King to lose some of his stern demeanor and crack a slight smile. "I am sure that will not be an issue. If you can provide some real, believable proof then all the better. You have to admit this is..."
"Far fetched? If I hadn't been there and clasped forearms with the Dwarf myself, I don't even think I would have believed Meric. It's all true though."
"Alright, go get your weapon and finish your story. I assume that you wanted to tell this in private in order to keep the secret as contained as possible?"
"That was our intent, but as I told James, I will stand by your decision to inform others. I got the feeling that Dhuren expected their existence to come out soon. Especially if the Orcs came over the mountains in force again. I think he knew that his people might have to get involved before too much longer. Otherwise, Brody and I would never have seen them that day."
Again the man just nodded and gestured for Meric to continue even as Brody left the room.
"It was the day after the battle at Porall Pass ended, and Brody and I were helping to clear out some of the tunnels on our side of the Hackles. We entered one of the last unexplored side tunnels ending in a small cavern with supplies piled up to one side. Well, we saw the Orc shaman about the same time he popped out from hiding and was already forming an explosive magical blue orb to hurl at us. He either miscalculated, or was so shocked at finding two of us there that he panicked. The orb jumped to about four times the size he began with just as he was releasing it. Luckily his shock also affected his aim, since it flew behind where Brody was standing. My friend dove into me and carried us both to the ground behind a few rocks big enough to keep us from getting killed in the blast, because when the ball hit it caused a lot of damage. It took out a huge chunk of wall and floor, which must have been running along another nearby tunnel just below us. We found out later that the space we were in collapsed in on the shaman, killing him and sealing off the rest of our crew from entering. They dug for days, but had to stop as it became too dangerous. Fortunately for us, the blast opened up a hole into the space below. "
He reached for his mug of ale to take a good swig before continuing and Brody, having returned in time to hear that last part, used the opportunity to interject.
"Lucky for him, after the seven or eight foot drop, I broke his fall." His face was scrunched up in remembered pain.
"What? You only dislocated a shoulder, and I was there to pop it back in for you," Meric said with a grin.
At Brody's rolled eyes, Meric resumed his story. He went on to explain how they spent two days searching for a way out with no success. They had been fortunate that their packs came along intact with supplies geared toward caving and enough food and water for four days if rationed. Every time they found a path that was on an incline it was either a dead end or led to a cavern with exits all heading down, and a few of those caverns were occupied by things that did not appreciate company. Meric still had nightmares about the giant spiders and the troll that caught him completely by surprise. It would have killed him if not for Brody. The few times they felt a breeze they hoped meant an exit, the tunnel ended in a cavernous area with no discernible bottom and they usually could not see the top. They were debating an attempt to try climbing up or down the next one of these they came across when they were found by the Dwarves.
Dhuren along with his four associates had surrounded them before they even knew they were no longer alone, and they had been on their guard at the time. They were cautious, but not hostile. After a tense standoff that lasted a few minutes Dhuren, as they would later come to know him, pointed at Brody's double bladed axe and asked if "that unwieldy hunk of metal would actually cut anything, or was it just a really ugly hammer?" Far from being offended, the big man burst out laughing and slid the weapon back into its belt loop. He went on to tell them that he asked the dead Orc he took it from the same thing, but got no reply. Suddenly it was smiles all around and Dhuren stepped forward and began making introductions. Dhuren and his cousin Fastil were on an inspection tour of the outer reaches of the Dwarven cave system with their guards when they realized someone was in the tunnels that should not be. They came to investigate and found the two men making their way down an old mine shaft.
Meric then told the King how their new friends led them to a cavern lit by some glowing flora and a spring for fresh water. They spent the rest of the "day" there, swapping stories, drinking ale, and resting up before making the return trip to the surface. The human tales of the war with the Orcs led to Dhuren's story of his people and their own history with them and the Scepter of Maris.
The Scepter was supposedly given to the Orcs by the deity, Maris, and was imbued with the power of weather control. The magic relic was capable of total control over weather conditions for a several mile radius, and could negate any current natural climate. The ones controlling the scepter could bring rain, evaporate water, effect temperature locally, and even command the wind. It was used benevolently for centuries until an ambitious clan chief decided to use it as a weapon in his bid to become a warlord. A terrible war ensued, devastating the Orc population and in the end the scepter was lost when the warlord's shaman lost control and as a result almost completely destroyed the two sides in the final battle. The Dwarves stepped in to help what was left of the Orc nation recover, and in the process became masters to the Orc servants. This went on for almost eight hundred years until Dwarven and Orc scholars found the relic while excavating an Orc historical site. It took some time and study, but once they discovered exactly what they had the Orcs began to rejoice at finding such a revered religious artifact. This apparently made the Dwarven King nervous and, fearing a return of that long dead warlord's attitude, he ordered the scepter turned over to the Dwarf scholars for safekeeping. Naturally, the Orcs took offense to this and when all avenues of peaceful
protest went unheeded, they did indeed fall back on their warrior heritage. In their arrogance, the dwarf hierarchy did not believe that the servants would attack their masters and were caught unprepared when the Orcs staged a revolt. It was a long and bloody fight that lasted for years. While the Orcs initially had surprise on their side, the Dwarves were a hardy people and fierce fighters. The war took a terrible toll on both sides, but more so the Dwarven people and forced them deeper into the mountains. They eventually cut off all access to the outside world and reinforced their new home against any intrusion. They were able to keep the scepter and various other magical and religious items from the Orcs by hiding them in another of their well hidden strongholds south of the mountains before finally sealing themselves in. The Orcs have grown even more warlike and brutal in the thousand plus years that have passed since the war with the Dwarves. They have conquered and enslaved all of the lands north of Besiar's Hackles, as the mountains are known in the human kingdoms. The human population was not that large to begin with and offered no true unified resistance. Any of them that survived were used as a labor force or as food for the Goblins that were also subjugated and became the main fighting force, little better than fodder for the front lines. Now they appear to be making another attempt at crossing into the lands south of the mountains to search for their relic, and destroying anything that gets in the way.
The king was standing in front of the hearth and looking into the flames with his hands clasped at the small of his back, as Meric finished speaking. The story had taken almost an hour and a half, and they had only paused long enough for drink refills and adding wood to the fire. Brody took the time to remove the leather wrappings that covered the true magnificence of his weapon and had set it on the table in front of the King where it had remained, untouched, as Roderick took in Meric's words without interrupting. Now as silence once again descended on the three men, the two Rennick natives could only wait and see how the man would respond. Several minutes passed with the only sound coming from a creaking chair, the roaring fire, or a heavy mug being set down on the table before the King left the fireplace and came back to his chair. Instead of moving to sit he reached out and grabbed the axe, and exclaimed out loud when the weapon seemed to leap off of the table. A sight Meric had seen before, had even done himself when he went to pick it up the first time and expected it to be much heavier than it was. Roderick's eyes were now wide with wonder as he turned the blade to and fro. The haft was a foot and a half long and made of polished dark brown, nearly black wood that was strong enough (whether by magic or its own special nature) to withstand a sword blade and not be marred in any visible way. The head was a half moon shape evenly tapering back to a point and also had a sheen to it that made it look like it had been lacquered. This effect was enhanced by the barely visible runes running along the cutting edge, since they could only be seen from certain angles and gave the impression of being set down into the metal even though it was smooth when you ran your finger across them. Meric had watched Brody cut through a two inch thick metal bar once, and the edge had no need of sharpening after. Opposite the blade was a wicked spike that split in two and could punch through plate armor like it was tin.
"I have to admit that I have never seen anything like this," Roderick said. "As you have agreed to have it inspected and to leave the decision of who this secret is shared with, I will bring it to the meeting. I want Alyssa to go ahead and inspect it, as well as one other. Is there any reason not to share with Silas and Malina?"
Meric immediately shook his head and answered, "They would already have known if we had not given our word."
The King bowed his head once in understanding and then waved to the door. "Then I believe we will start with the small circle of people waiting for us in the council room, and I will be sending for one other as I alluded to earlier."
Meric felt like he had lightened his load after telling the King their story, and was content that it was the right thing to do as they followed the ruler of Glendon out of the room and down the hall.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Secret Shared
The murmur of conversation cut off as soon as the three men stepped into the room. The King also gestured for a servant to enter and spoke quietly with the man, who then moved over to the woman that had been in the room refilling carafes and pitchers gathered on the sideboard. Together the two finished quickly and both exited the room.
The king ensured the door was latched and then turned to her and ordered, "Alyssa, make certain we cannot be overheard."
Though somewhat shocked, she was still able to cast the simple spell that shielded the room from outside prying, whether magical or mundane, with relative ease. She could not help the quick glance to her left to find out Malina's and Silas' reaction. She could tell that both were surprised, but she did not get the chance see if they were upset since the King drew all attention back to him as soon as she was finished.
"We will get started as soon as William Stanton arrives. He is a trusted adviser and friend," Roderick informed them before looking at Silas and Malina who were sitting next to Alyssa. "I can see you are surprised at Alyssa's use of Magic, yet not shocked in the way of people who have never witnessed it before. The war?"
Malina answered for them both. "Yes, Sire. As Meric probably informed you, Orc shaman have some ability with magic. I must admit it's nice to know we'll have at least some magical support on our side this time." She spared an honest smile for Alyssa as she responded. Alyssa returned the gesture with relief and looked back to her King as he spoke again.
"Excellent. I have heard an almost unbelievable tale just now, and will have Meric repeat it for you so I can get your honest assessment. It... well, Brody will you show Alyssa the axe?"
She tried to keep the confusion she felt from showing on her face as she watched Brody skirt the chair backs on his way to her. The weapon he handed her was similar in shape to the one that was normally strapped to his belt, but this one was not covered by hide strips. It was also much lighter than she expected, and once she touched it she could feel the power contained within. The technique that had been used was unknown to her and beyond fascinating in its ingenuity. She could see the runes when she turned it this way and that, and using the Gift what she could see was even more incredible. It was as if all of the magic derived from the runes was turned inward. The blade was imbued with more than one enchantment, but none could be sensed from a distance even though they were quite powerful. A truly amazing feat of craftsmanship, the likes of which she had never encountered before. The markings were not familiar, but she could tell most of their functions by feel. The small symbols along the cutting edge and spike were for hardening and she surmised that the axe would be able to cut through some hard substances and not need sharpening very often, if ever. The larger runes in the center of the head were to lighten, hence the negligible weight. The three rings etched into the haft, likely unseen by those without the Gift, were also used to reinforce the sturdiness of whatever material was used. The last mark she found was located on the top of the head, just behind where the handle emerged. This was the one she could not quite puzzle out, except for the fact that it required a sentient presence. She was startled out of her examination by Brody loudly clearing his throat and then speaking from where he was still standing next to her.
"Don't get too attached. It comes with me when I leave." He then reluctantly, it seemed, turned and walked back around the table to settle his bulk into the chair next to Meric.
He narrowed his eyes at the noncommittal look she was wearing before she went back to studying the weapon once more. Alyssa was unaware of how long she had been intent on the magical item and only looked away when there was a knock followed by William entering and securing the door. The man formed a half bow for the group and then spoke to the king.
"You sent for me, your Majesty?"
Roderick clapped him lightly on the shoulder and then steered him to the chair opposite Alyssa. Willia
m winked at her as he scooted his chair in, and was about to turn to the king when she slid the axe across the five feet of table separating them. Rather that had been the plan, but the weapon came to an abrupt stop the moment it left her hand. She heard Brody chuckle as she looked from it to her hand in confusion a few times and then reached for it again with a glance at him.
"You should feel lucky, I didn't learn about that little trick till I threw it at an enemy. Almost took my foot off." His rueful laugh was joined by heartier chortling from his three closest friends.
"Instead it tripped him and he ended up in a graceful dive, head first, right into the bad guy's groin. I am pretty sure that blow dropped his opponent faster than the axe would have," Silas put in just as the laughter was trailing off. This brought a bout of mirth from everyone but the scowling Sergeant.
Shaking her head, Alyssa picked up the axe and handed it over to a curious William. His curiosity rapidly transformed into wonder as he beheld the weapon now in his grasp and began to flip it around.
"Extraordinary! I do not think I have ever seen such before. Who was the craftsman?" He uttered a few more words, but they had trailed off to a breathy whisper by the end and she could not make them out. After a few minutes of intense inspection, William looked back to her. "Who was the maker?"
"According to its owner... a Dwarf. And after my own examination, I am inclined to believe him."
"Dwarf?" He looked at the weapon once again with a heavily furrowed brow. "Perhaps..."
"There is no 'perhaps' to it," stated Brody. "It was a Dwarf that gave it to me and he told me it was his own uncle that forged it, around seven hundred years ago or so."
A Soldier's Honor: The Scepter of Maris: Book One Page 17