Delver Magic Book II: Throne of Vengeance

by Jeff Inlo

  Chapter 13

  "Why are you unwilling to give him this chance?"

  "Because the longer we wait, the more we invite another attack from the dwarves."

  Petiole's reasoning rang hollow. Lief attacked it.

  "If anyone's inviting an attack, it's the humans, the same humans he has vowed to protect. If he is willing to take that risk, if the humans are willing to accept it, I can not see why you can't. Are you saying the humans can now teach us a lesson in bravery?"

  Petiole lashed out defensively. "No elf has anything to learn from the humans, especially me."

  "Yet, you won't wait."

  "I will not wait because we are more at risk than the humans. We will be attacked next, not them."

  Lief's eyes widened in disbelief. "Even you can't believe that. You know what has happened. The humans at Burbon forced the dwarves to retreat with heavy casualties. You think Yave will bother with us after this. Every elf in this camp is sighing with relief upon hearing this news. They know the humans are now the true target of the dwarves."

  Petiole remained obstinate. "That does not make us any less of a target. From what you say, the humans will be easily overrun. The dwarves will then turn their attention back to us."

  Lief scratched his head. He searched for the words to make Petiole understand. He did not want to be confrontational, Petiole usually became stubbornly defensive at such provocation. He had to swallow his emotions, speak with diplomacy, something very difficult for him. He calmed the tone of his voice.

  "Holli believes the humans can hold for a few days. With the archers we have sent them, so do I. That is all I'm asking from you, a few days. Hold off on using the seeds. Just wait a little while. We will know soon enough as to whether this will work. The delver's option is the best for everyone involved."

  "That's not my opinion."

  So much for diplomacy.

  "Oh? And you think using the shadow trees is the answer? You would rather just wipe out the city of Dunop and everyone in it, including the dwarves that remain loyal to our past treaties and want nothing but peace with us. Is that how you wish to be remembered?"

  Lief struck a nerve with the camp elder. Petiole's insecurity over his own image as well as his legacy influenced each of his decisions. He wallowed in hesitation. "You can not place the blame of this situation on me! It's not that I want to use the seeds. I have no choice. It was the dwarves who attacked first."

  Lief noted the indecisiveness. He pressed harder. "It is still your decision on how we react." He paused for a moment, let a silence build. When he spoke again, he did so with weighty tones. "Do you understand how important this moment is? Your place in the history of this camp, in elflore for that matter, will depend on what you do at this moment. This is the first time we have faced open dwarf hostilities since the last time the shadow trees were used. Do you recall elflore of that occasion? How are the creators of the shadow trees looked upon? With respect? Or with shame? You now face the same situation. Whether you like it or not, you will become part of elflore with what you do now. How will you be remembered, Petiole?"

  The camp elder held to his fears and insecurities. "How will I be remembered if I let the dwarves attack again? How much respect will I lose if I appear to be weak?"

  "How much respect will you gain if you show some patience? That is not weakness. That is strength."

  Petiole was not so sure. He often delayed his decisions, not out of patience but out of confusion. It seemed the longer he waited, the harder it was to decide. The elves in his camp would always look to him expectantly. He would hear the whispers - Petiole can't make up his mind. He did not want to hear that again. And what if the dwarves did attack again? They would blame him, say he shouldn't have waited.

  Then again, what would they say if he ordered the release of the seeds? Right now they might praise him because they are afraid, but what would happen as time passed? The fear would subside. Stories of the dwarves' fate would reach the surface. It would be a horrible tale. He might be remembered as a criminal. He continued to flounder in self-doubts.

  "You do not understand." Petiole spoke, almost pleading for compassion. "I do not want to drop the seeds, but I don't want to be responsible for the death of more elves. The seeds seem like a horror... I mean, they are a horror, but they have kept peace among the dwarves and elves for so many cycles of the seasons. It may be they are needed again, just to bring that peace back. What am I suppose to do? Sacrifice this camp so I'm not remembered as the elf that destroyed Dunop? How will I be remembered then?"

  Lief shook his head. "You're missing the point of my request. It is not simply making a choice between using the seeds or not using the seeds. I am asking for you to wait. Let the delver Acumen find the cliff behemoth. Let them both go to Yave. How can Yave deny the word of a cliff behemoth? She can't. The war will end before it begins. And you will be remembered for your patience."

  "Or for my indecision!" Petiole suddenly lashed out. His emotions swung like a pendulum. His indecision turned to fury and petty jealousies. An angry fire burned in his words. "It's so easy for you to stand there and speak of how I'll be remembered. Your place in the legends is already forged. The great Lief Woodson, the elf that stood with Ryson Acumen at Sanctum Mountain, the elf that helped destroy the sphere of Ingar and save the land. You have nothing to lose in this. No one will blame you for anything. But what about me? I have already announced my intentions to this camp. They know of my decision. What will they say once they hear I've changed my mind? You speak so arrogantly about our place in elflore. That's because that's all you have. You don't face the weight of leadership. You have the respect of every member of this camp, but you have no responsibility. You think I'm going to stand here and let you place even more burdens on me. It will not happen. I have made my decision and that is that."

  Lief seethed. His own words flowed from him like slow bubbling lava. "I don't think so. You don't know what you're doing, and I won't have it. Would you like to see how much responsibility I'm willing to take? Would you like to see how I'm willing to take the weight of leadership?"

  The younger elf stepped forward, like a stalking cat. Desperation, frustration clouded his thinking. He was tired of Petiole, tired of his inability to lead. He forgot where he was.

  Petiole immediately took a step backwards. He shook ever so slightly.

  Suddenly, two elf guards dropped from the trees. They took a position between Lief and Petiole. An arrow split the air and plunged into the ground at Lief's feet.

  Lief made no attempt to move other than to turn his head in the direction of the arrow's origin. He glared into the thick branches of a blue spruce. To his sharp eyes, the outline of another guard was visible. The bow was again ready to fire. Lief shook his head and cursed. He did not look at Petiole, but he directed serious words at him. His eyes remained on the guards, inspecting their blank expressions. They would kill him if he made another move toward Petiole, but they could not stop his declaration.

  "I suggest you give me the time I want. If you do not, I will call for a meeting of the full elder council. I will outline every flaw in every decision you have ever made. I will do so to prove that you are not worthy to make this decision. I realize they will do nothing to remove you from power, but because I am Lief Woodson they will have to hear me out. What do you think will happen when an elf of my standing begins to openly debate your every decision? If you think the elves of this camp doubted your word before, just wait."

  Petiole's fear grew. "You wouldn't do ..."

  Lief cut him off. "I will get the time I want. You will not be able to drop the seeds as long as I call for a meeting of the elders. You will have to wait. If I have to speak continuously until the delver has returned, I will. I will have my way at your expense. Can you imagine what I will be saying?"

  Petiole's shoulders slouched. He didn't know how to respond. "You can't do this to me. Do you know what this will cause? Our
camp will be in disarray."

  Lief exploded. "It's already in disarray. It has been so since Mappel died."

  Petiole recoiled as if Lief had pierced him with a spear.

  Lief caught a glimpse of Petiole's reaction. He knew he had hurt the elder elf. Not out of sympathy, but out of reason, he gave Petiole one last hope to grasp. "I will make but one concession. I will announce to the camp it was my wish to delay the use of the seeds. I will take full responsibility. That way, if we are attacked again by the dwarves, you can blame me. I don't care what you think about me. I don't care what this camp thinks of me. I don't even care if I lose my place in the legends. I care about giving Ryson Acumen the chance he desires, the chance he deserves. I owe him that. We all owe him that. I'm giving you this chance to save the little respect you have left. I suggest you take it. Take it, Petiole, resign yourself to the fact that I'm not giving you any other choice. Unless, of course, you order these guards to take my life. That is the only way you can stop me. Will you go that far? And if you do, will they follow that order? They might have been ready to protect you when I was ready to attack, but what about now? I make no more advance upon you. Will they kill me just to protect your ego?"

  Lief watched the expression of the guards change. The blankness dissolved. Agitation grew. They wished Lief would stop. Surely they did not want to make that decision. It was their sworn duty to protect the life of the camp elder, but would they follow an order to kill a fellow elf, a legend.

  Lief persisted. "Well? What is your decision Petiole? Do you want to test the loyalty of these guards? Who will they be loyal to?"

  Petiole mumbled as he directed his gaze to the ground.

  Lief did not hear him. "What?"

  "You have five days," Petiole repeated slightly louder.