“That would have been a disaster for Graushdem,” Saxthor said.
“It would have thrown open the peninsula’s eastern gate, exposed Hador to invasion, and opened the road all the way to Graushdemheimer.”
“That was a stroke of luck and good timing for Hador and Graushdem,” Bodrin said.
“The king raised Count Jedrac to Duke Jedrac de Hador for saving the pass and possibly the kingdom. However, Grekenbach realized such an ambitious man would be difficult to control when the war ended. The king constrained Jedrac’s power by limiting his wealth. He gave General Jedrac the ducal title but no additional lands to support his station. When the fighting moved again into Prertsten, the king relegated Duke Hador to a more obscure position. Realizing that his title was worthless without sufficient lands to support it, the duke worried he might lose his gains after the war.
When the war was winding down, and the battleground moved to Dreaddrac, the general seized the moment to take the lands of eastern Heggolstockin for his duchy. He built a massive fortress to defend Hador Pass – and himself – against any attempt to force a return of territory after the war.
The Duke of Heggolstockin protested to King Grekenbach, but at the time, the Duke of Hador held the vital Hador Pass for the king’s forces. Under the circumstances, the king didn’t take issue with the duke’s seizure. After the war, Jedrac declared his independence. The rulers and their exhausted armies weren’t willing or able to take to the field again so soon after the war to suppress the rebellious duke. The king neither confirmed nor denied the duke’s claim, which permitted Duke Jedrac to keep the duchy as the duke defined it.”
“So, Hador is virtually independent?” Saxthor asked.
“While officially the Duke of Hador is a subject of Graushdem and pays homage to and holds alliance with the king, in reality, Hador is sovereign. The dukes have continued to build and fortify their mountain castilyernov. The second duke added the massive bronze gates at the pass known as the Gates of Hador, a wonder of its age. Over the ensuing generations, the term Gates of Hador came to refer to the eastern gate of the peninsula. So long as the Gates of Hador stand, the southern peninsular is safe from attack, or so the legend goes.
The present Duke Jedrac is much like his father and grandfather, tough as iron and alert to any danger,” Tournak added.
“I guess we’re in Hador now, or about to cross into it,” Saxthor said. “As poor as the land is, it’s a wonder the people can feed themselves.”
“These rocky paths are destroying my shoes, and my feet, too,” Tonelia said, stumbling along on the animal path around a hillside. “We’ll have to grow hooves to get out of here.”
Bodrin was walking beside Tonelia. “It could be worse. Today’s cloudy without rain. If this were summer, the sun would beat down on us, and we’d roast.”
“Our supplies are running low, Saxthor,” Tonelia said. “The trek to the Wizards’ Hall took longer than we thought. We’ll soon be boiling roots and bulbs.”
“Maybe Tournak can shoot a rabbit or something edible tonight,” Saxthor said. “Tournak, keep your bow at hand in case we see something edible.”
“I had the same thought, Saxthor, but I haven’t seen any animals all morning,” Tournak said. “If it weren’t for this trail, I’d think none lived here.” Tournak moved to the rear as the path narrowed.
“Well, you better find something soon. All we have left is some bread flour,” Tonelia said.
The little band walked most of the day since there was little to eat, and stopping for a midday meal was pointless. By late afternoon, they worried that there might not be a meal the next day if they ate the last of the bread that night.
“This path leads down to a stream,” Saxthor said. “We’ll follow the path for the afternoon, so we at least have water.”
“In this parched place, most plants are short, thick-skinned, and spiny, I guess because of the constant wind, and lack of rain,” Bodrin said. “Maybe I can find a snake around here.”
“Snake?” Tonelia said.
“Never mind,” Bodrin said.
*
Not long before dusk, they made camp by a small pool in the stream. They waited for Tonelia to make flatbread. In the pale light of dusk, a small deer came to the pool.
“Look at that,” Bodrin said.
Tournak shot the deer, but it was sturdy and bounded over the ridge before he could give chase. Bodrin and Tournak took off after it.
“Do you see it?” Saxthor asked.
At the top of the ridge, Bodrin shouted back, “I can just make out its outline. It fell at the base of the hill.”
They were making their way down the rocky terrain when they looked up to see two small men dash out from nowhere and grab the deer.
Tournak rushed toward them. “Hey! That’s our deer.”
Rocks and dust flew up as the little men raced away with their prize. In an instant, they slipped under a possible ledge and were gone.
“Where did they go?” Bodrin asked Tournak.
“They were here, and then they disappeared,” Tournak said, looking around in circles. “We both saw the little men snatch the deer carcass. They may have been dwarves.”
They worked their way down the crumbling rocky hillside to where they’d seen the deer carcass, but deer and the ledge were gone.
“Well, it’s not like there’s any place to hide here,” Bodrin said. They searched around in the few weeds on the hillside; none was taller than their boots were.
“They disappeared into the hillside,” Tournak said. “There must be a tunnel. They disguised it somehow. Probe the ground with your staff and see if it gives anywhere.”
“It’s not like this crumbly soil could support a tunnel.” Still, Bodrin probed the land for loose soil.
*
Saxthor came to see what had happened to the two great hunters. From the ridge crest, he saw them grubbing around in the dirt. “Have you been bewitched? What’re you doing down there?”
“Two little men, possibly dwarves, rushed out from this hill and snatched our deer,” Tournak said, looking down, searching in the early moonlight.
Doubting the occurrence, Saxthor said, “I never saw the deer, and now it’s disappeared into the ground. Maybe you should come get some cool water and lie down for a while. Get bread while it’s hot.”
“No, there’s a hideout here, and these men have our deer,” Bodrin said. “We need that fresh meat.”
Bodrin continued to probe the hillside. Saxthor came down the slope and by chance, noticed blood on the soil.
“You sure you shot a deer; you didn’t hit a man or something?”
“It was a deer, Saxthor,” Bodrin said, looking up. “We’re not crazy, and we didn’t imagine it.”
Saxthor drew Sorblade. Probing with the point, he poked the hillside just above where he saw the blood spot. When the Sorblade touched the soil, the hillside popped open, revealing a tunnel.
“Looks like you two weren’t hallucinating after all.” Saxthor looked down into a gaping hole in the hillside. “Looks like a spell covered the entrance, and Sorblade’s magic opened the lock.”
The three men stood in the moonlight, staring into a dark, round tunnel about three feet in diameter. Tournak flicked his fingers and held the finger torch at the entrance to see inside. The beautifully carved walls were smooth polished stone leading in and down under the hill.
“I want our deer back,” Bodrin said. He crawled into the tunnel before Tournak or Saxthor could stop him.
“Wait a minute, Bodrin, you can’t see in there without a finger torch,” Tournak said. He put down his bow and arrows and squeezed in the tunnel after Bodrin.
Saxthor stood staring into the black hole, listening to the sliding and groaning sounds fade away with distance. He pulled Sorblade out of the ground to sheath it. As he did, the tunnel entrance reformed over the hole, sealing Bodrin and Tournak somewhere in the earth beyond.
I hate leaving Tonelia alone
in the middle of nowhere, but I can’t live with abandoning these friends, Saxthor thought. I’ll have to go in, too. They’re so careless; I should leave them in the tunnel.”
Saxthor stuck Sorblade back in the ground opening the tunnel again. He crawled in. Once inside, Saxthor squeezed around enough at the entrance to pull Sorblade in, and the entrance closed up behind him. In the cramped space, he crawled along in the dark.
*
With the bread baked, Tonelia and Delia went up on the hilltop to call the men. She couldn’t see them anywhere. She thought it impossible that they could disappear in that landscape where nothing grew higher than her boot. She looked for them until darkness obstructed her view. Then she returned to the campsite in hopes they’d come back. They’d disappeared; she was all alone, except for Delia.
Delia snuggled up to Tonelia for the first time.
*
“How far have we crawled?” Tournak asked. “At least the air hasn’t gotten stale.” Something tapped his boot behind him. He jolted forward, bumping his shoulder against the wall.
“It’s just me,” Saxthor said. The three crept along in single file through the dark.
“Remind me to whip Bodrin if we get out of here,” Tournak said. That boy’s stomach controls his head. There’s no room to turn around. Backing up would be a worse nightmare; we’ll have to go ahead to who knows what.”
“There’s an opening up ahead,” Bodrin said. “Looks like it opens into a cavern or something.”
The three men could barely stand up in it without bumping their heads. Torches, propped in handsome wrought iron sconces, stood out from the beautifully polished granite walls. In the room’s center was a great iron table with a granite top. Platters heaped high with deer roasts, broiled patties of deer, two legs of venison, and an iron cauldron containing a stew of venison and roots of some sort covered the table. The whole deer they shot was carefully dressed, cooked and laid out before them. No one welcomed them, chased them away, or offered them a place at the table.
“Looks like they’re trying to appease us with this delectable feast,” Bodrin said. He walked around the table, stopping to look and smell each dish.
“Yes, it’s odd – but it looks like the whole deer is here. Why would they have snatched it if they were going to return it, cooked?” Saxthor asked.
“This is the work of dwarves,” Tournak said, looking around for the hosts. “It took magic to cook the deer that fast.
“I thought dwarves were the Dark Lord’s underlings,” Saxthor said, remembering his experience in the Highback Mountains of Tixos. He, too, stepped to the table, drawn by the aroma of meat after several days of little more than bread to eat.
“The rock-dwarves are the Dark Lord’s special work,” Tournak said. He studied the ironwork’s artisanship. “True dwarves are elemental. They’re much older, much more developed and sophisticated than the rock-dwarves. Like rock-dwarves, true dwarves are the smiths of the earth’s forges. They couldn’t have snatched the deer if it had been full daylight. Daylight turns them to stone. You see all the ironwork in here and the polished granite walls and tabletop? Only dwarves could’ve made such fine work.”
“What would they be doing in these rocky, arid hills?” Saxthor asked. “Don’t dwarves live and work in mountain rock?”
“If they’ll come out and speak with us, we may find out,” Tournak said vociferously. He looked around at some movement.
“Hey, the meat is delicious,” Bodrin said.
“We thank you,” said a deep voice.
All three men turned to see a very distinguished little man with white hair, long full beard, and puffy features standing in the side tunnel. He was well dressed in fine robes encrusted with jewels and topped with a heavy velvet hat, also encrusted with gems. An embroidered sash girdled his ample waist that held a finely wrought if small, sword, and scabbard with still more jewels. His importance was evident.
“Do help yourselves to your venison.”
They looked back at the deer delicacies still steaming hot. When they looked again at the little man, half a dozen dwarves in lesser, but still resplendent, costumes had entered the room with trays of silver goblets and pitchers of ale that they added to the table. More brought plates and utensils of finely wrought gold and silver. Large carving and serving pieces speckled the table.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Saxthor said to the obvious leader. “Why did your people ‘borrow’ the deer if you had no need of it?”
Saxthor interrupted himself to pick up a few delicacies before Bodrin and Tournak ate the rest. The leader didn’t answer the question specifically.
“We are King Bordabrundese of Hador’s Sand Hill Dwarves. We used to live in the Hador Mountains, but in our grandfather’s time, there was a fight between his brother and him. Our band left the mountains to live here in the hills.”
“You still mine beautiful granite, I see,” Tournak said. He looked at the king, bowed, then turned back to the table and popped a juicy piece of roast in his mouth.
“We still work granite from the mountains to line walls of our tunnels and chambers here underground. Since moving here in all this sand, we’ve learned to specialize in the creation of colored glass,” the king said with pride.
“Colored glass?” Bodrin asked.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Bodrin,” Tournak said.
“Colored glass, like this goblet?” Saxthor asked, examining the ruby-colored vessel. “How beautiful it is.”
“Well, never mind that now,” the king said. “Just eat and enjoy the feast.”
Bodrin pulled up a heavy iron chair. He filled his plate with various venison dishes, wanting to eat while the food was hot. The king was willing to share his story, so the three could eat and listen.
“We borrowed your deer as we wanted the horns and hooves for inlay work. We use powdered bone in other projects.”
“You should’ve waited. We’d have left the horns, hooves, and bones,” Bodrin said. He reached across the table for a chunk of roast. Tournak gave him a frown. He grinned and sat back in his chair.
“Yes, our younger dwarves should’ve waited until you took the meat. You must know of youthful impatience,” the king said.
“Well, we think this worked out to our mutual benefit, as you’ve prepared the venison far better and faster than we could’ve on the surface,” Saxthor said.
“We thank you for your understanding and appreciation. It’s our hope you’ll accept this feast as compensation for your trouble. Also, we’d like to ask a favor of you.”
“What would that favor be, King Bordabrundese?”
“We have here seven jewels that we’d like you to take to my cousin, King Ormadese of the Hador Mountain dwarves. It’s his granite we trade for, and our payment is due.”
“How shall I find King Ormadese?” Saxthor asked, tasting the venison stew.
“He’ll find you when you’re in the mountains on your way to Castilyernov Hadorhof.”
Saxthor nearly choked on the stew. He looked at Tournak, whose stern look reminded him he’d betrayed his surprise. Tournak wondered how their mission, supposedly a total secret, was well known to a stranger here underground.
“What makes you think we’re traveling to the Hador?” Bodrin asked.
“There’s a jewel hidden there, and you’re in search of it.”
Saxthor put down his spoon and looked up at Bordabrundese. Bodrin and Tournak did the same.
“What makes you think we’re looking for a jewel?” Saxthor asked. “We travel to Hador as merchants.”
“Memlatec said you would be suspicious,” the king said, and he laughed. “Very well, merchants with no merchandise, would you take these jewels to our cousin on your way to the castilyernov to trade?”
“What do you know of Memlatec?” Tournak asked.
“The wizard said long ago, a young man would come this way in search of the jewel.”
“We don’t know about a gems
tone or your young man in search of it, but we’ll take your jewels to your cousin if we can find him,” Saxthor said.
Saxthor picked up his plate but didn’t eat more. King Bordabrundese smiled and placed the jewel pouch on the table beside Saxthor, along with his jeweled sword and scabbard.
“When you finish, we’ll pack the remaining meat for you to take to the young lady traveling with you.” The king turned, and with his retainers, disappeared into the tunnels. A dwarf, who remained to pack the meat, spoke to Saxthor.
“King Bordabrundese gives you, Prince Saxthor, his sword to use as a dagger, in appreciation for your delivering the jewels to King Ormadese. You must be careful in these hills. The orcs are creeping through here, more of late, sometimes there’re trolls, too. We hear there’s renewed activity in Dreaddrac.”
“Please thank his majesty for this exceptional gift,” Saxthor said, inspecting the sword’s artistry.
“Only draw the dagger when you expect to draw blood with it. You won’t be able to sheath it again until it draws blood.”
“What do you think of that?” Bodrin asked after the attendant left the hall. “You think it’s a trick?”
“Eat your food. We’ll talk later, Bodrin,” Saxthor said.
When they were full, they rose and crawled back up the tunnel that seemed even tighter with full bellies. When they reached the tunnel exit, Saxthor was barely able to draw Sorblade, but when it touched the granite at the tunnel’s mouth, the facing disappeared, and they stepped back out onto the hillside. Behind them came four dwarves with sacks of venison. The dwarves handed the meat to the travelers and disappeared back down the tunnel, whose entrance resealed.
The three men climbed back up the hill and down the other side to face Tonelia. She was – understandably – as angry as any of them had ever seen her. Delia ran around her to Saxthor and, against her training, jumped up on him with her tail wagging. She licked him repeatedly to prevent his protest.
Twit first fluttered his feathers in relief, then settled back into his sleep rather than give them the satisfaction of letting them know he’d been worried.
The N Arc of Empire- Complete Series Page 55