Baladar stood and looked seriously and meaningfully at Tomas. The words did not come easily to his mouth, as he was overcome by the events unfolding before him.
“He is safe, Tomas. Quite safe. And, forgive me for answering you first without offering you our warmest greetings and welcome to Pardatha, but I thought that you needed to hear that,” he rejoined, preparing to continue. “The noble young Elf, Elion…” Baladar nodded in his direction, “… rescued him from certain death in the hands of our enemy, and carried him all of the way back to Lormarion, where he rests, protected in the heights of Seramour,” Baladar stated with pride.
Tomas’ expression barely changed, but he was greatly relieved and he closed his large eyes for just a minute, in order to fully absorb the information that he was just given.
“I am grateful to you, Prince, for what you did. I would like to hear more about it some time soon,” he said to Elion, respectfully. “But, what of his health?” he asked with mounting concern.
“As to his state of mind, he arrived here unconscious. As you know, the King is dead! His family—your family, Tomas—was attacked by Colton, and the brave woman who raised him, Mira, was able to cast him to us here, at the ultimate cost to herself. I have the token with which to awaken him, and I was returning to Pardatha after having visited Calista, the Lady of the Island, in order to imbue the token with the power it required, when I discovered him missing.”
Baladar’s face clouded with concern, remembering the awful feeling that took root in his soul upon learning of Dav’s absence.
Elion stood and interrupted them.
“I was returning to Lormarion from my uncle Bristar’s in Crispen when I stumbled upon a retinue of riders leaving Pardatha. They led a horse out of the gates draped with a blanket, and then they left it there to fend for itself as if they had forgotten about it completely. They departed in one direction and the horse wandered undirected into the field near where I was hiding. To my surprise, I watched as a boy fell from the saddle onto the earth. I went to aid him and I discovered that he was unconscious.” He looked at Tomas, and then continued his description of the events. “I knew that I could not leave him alone and unprotected. I felt uncomfortable for some reason about bringing him back into the city, so I sort of pulled him all the way to Seramour. I left him in the care of my mother. She is a healer of great prowess, and I am sure that his physical ailments at the least have been well attended to by now.”
Elion finished, seeming to wonder himself at how odd it all sounded now.
“When Colton attacked, I was relieved that Davmiran was not here. Until then, I felt as if I had let you all down,” Baladar said, remembering those hours with remorse.
“Things are as they should be,” Tomas said. “When it is safe to do so, I will travel to Lormarion and meet my brother,” he commented matter of factly.
Baladar had many questions, as did the others who had been summoned to train this boy’s brother, but then was not an opportune time to ask them all. Baladar rose once more and spoke.
“These are dangerous days. We do not have the luxury now of learning all we would like to, as the Troll army is pounding on our walls. We have been through much these past weeks, all of us,” he said, looking around the table. “And I fear that the battle has only just begun. The Dark Lord has not been defeated, as we all know. He will return, and he is determined to locate Davmiran. It is only a matter of time before he does. We must deal with our immediate problems, and then we can begin to address the future,” he concluded.
“If we do not do something soon, there may not be a future for us here!” Filaree said, defiantly. “It is well and good that the heir has a brother and that we are all learning our history lessons, but have we forgotten just how dangerous our enemy is?” she asked, reminding everyone present of her recent loss. “I think that we should concentrate on our defenses now and leave the niceties for another time,” she finished.
Tomas looked upon her, his large eyes full of sadness, and he moved to her side. She held her head in her hands, and he was looking down at the stone of the table. He placed one hand upon her shoulder and she gazed up at him as a single tear ran slowly down her cheek.
“I am sorry for your loss, Lady Filaree. You must have loved him very much,” Tomas said .
Filaree never really acknowledged Cameron’s death. She had not allowed herself to cry since the tragic moment, and she refused to think about his absence during the battle. But, now that Tomas brought it up and said the words out loud, she could no longer pretend that it was not true. Her eyes welled up with tears and she laid her hand over the boy’s, grasping it and squeezing it hard. She looked into his eyes and found warmth and comfort there, and she smiled a sweet, sad smile.
“Thank you, Tomas. Your words mean a lot to me,” she said under her breath. “And I am sorry if I was too harsh before,” she replied.
“We are all tired, Lady,” Baladar said.
“But Filaree is correct. We must find a way to defeat our foe nevertheless,” Thembak reiterated, feeling the urgency of the circumstances.
Tomas and Filaree continued to stare at one another for a short while, and then the boy returned to his seat.
Her eyes followed him until he was sitting once more, then she looked around the table and spoke once again.
“These Trolls are strong and smart. Our greatest danger is the possibility that the wall will collapse under their barrage. We must find a way to disable their catapults.”
Her voice had regained the strength and composure that characterized her manner.
“She is accurate. A siege we can withstand. Without a new source of supply, they will eventually return to their homes in the mountains. But, if they breach our defenses, both sides will suffer great losses,” Mistress Marna commented. “Any breach will renew their hope. It would only prolong the battle. The Lady of Avalain is correct. We must stop the cannonades at all costs,” she agreed.
“If our archers cannot shoot that far, and if we do not send a force outside the gates to attack them directly, how do you propose we disable the catapults?” Pertar of Axlon asked.
As the group pondered this difficult question, Robyn dar Tamarand walked into the oval unnoticed by the others.
“What is this I am being told of another attack?” he interrupted the conversation. “Why was I left to sleep for so long if the city was in danger?” he shouted.
The others stopped what they were doing and looked with relief upon the face of the man who had sacrificed so much to save them not very long ago.
“Robyn?” Lord Baladar asked. “You are looking well rested. How do you feel?” he inquired.
Robyn walked to his side and he looked with great curiosity at the new faces circling the table. His eyes were shifting rapidly, first from Tomas’ face, then to Preston’s, then to Cairn’s and back again.
“I feel quite well, Baladar. Thank you for asking. Now, please tell me who attacks us presently? I thought we had rid ourselves, at least temporarily, of the danger,” he asked, his gaze resting upon Tomas.
“The mountain Trolls marched in from the north after the last of Colton’s lackeys dispersed. But, you missed more than their arrival, Robyn,” Elion answered for him.
“Yes indeed, you did. Our new friends were of great help in closing the Noban gates. One was damaged in the battle and we could not budge it. Their arrival was quite serendipitous,” Baladar remarked.
“How long must I wait to be introduced then, so that I can offer my gratitude as well?” he asked, extending his gaze toward the three newcomers. “I am Robyn dar Tamarand, Chosen of Promanthea. It is my pleasure to meet you,” he said, as he reached his open hand to Cairn, the eldest and closest of the group, and then to Tomas and Preston in turn.
“I am Cairn of Thermaye, teacher, this is Preston of the Thorndar Dwarves, and this is Tomas, Chosen of Ormachon, the heir of Gwendolen,” he said portentously, introducing him in this fashion for the first time.
&nb
sp; “Brother to the heir, you meant to say, I believe,” Baladar interrupted.
“No, Lord Baladar. I said exactly what I meant to say. Tomas is the elder, if only by minutes. He is the true heir,” Cairn replied boldly.
“Is this true, Tomas? How can this be? Are you certain?” he asked.
“I was raised by Trevor and Safira, and they told me of my birthright. Ormachon has reinforced that knowledge in his own way. But, as there is no Gwendolen any longer, there is no longer a crown to be worn. I would prefer just being called Tomas’, if no one objects. I never knew my real mother and father, although I knew of them always. But, I do believe that my brother, Davmiran as you call him, would have been the one to assume the throne, not me,” Tomas said humbly.
Robyn addressed the group.
“A Chosen never lies, as you all know, so we will no longer need to question the statements just made. This young man is correct, regardless, in his assessments. We need not settle issues regarding the ascension at this moment. We have other more pressing matters to deal with,” Robyn pressed, wishing to reserve these deliberations for another, more private opportunity.
“I would not normally question a Chosen under any other circumstances, Robyn…” Baladar began, “… but this subject concerns us all here, nay, everyone, everywhere so deeply that to avoid suspicion and doubt, I feel compelled to ask for more information. Forgive me, Robyn. Forgive me Tomas. I mean no disrespect. I do not doubt your words, but what proof do we have. The only ones present at the birth are dead. We cannot afford to win a war and then find ourselves confronted by a divided countryside. I apologize for dwelling upon these issues, but I was entrusted with the job of educating and training the ‘heir of Gwendolen’, and I must know just what I am to do now,” he remarked, though he had to admit that he was mesmerized by the boy’s gaze.
If he did not believe he had an obligation to ask these difficult questions, he would not have. Sitting beside this beautiful boy, Baladar disliked the role he assumed, and it felt wrong to doubt his words. He was emotionally and physically moved by his very presence. The boy radiated power and a wholesome, healthy essence. Being in his presence made him feel alive and rejuvenated. He wanted so much to believe everything he was being told.
“The Tomes of Caradon allude to what could be interpreted to be two rings, one gold and one silver. They speak ambiguously about the heir, and they are characteristically unclear and obscure in their way. If there are two rings, then perhaps there are two heirs,” Mistress Marna said.
Cairn was not disturbed by the council’s reluctance to immediately accept the truth of the words he spoke. These were such important matters, that it was their responsibility to question everyone and everything. Rather than being upset, he was smiling slightly as he looked at Tomas.
“I think Mistress Marna has made a valid point,” Cairn commented, and Baladar nodded his head in agreement. “The purpose of my trip here was to educate the heir. And you, Filaree, and you Robyn, were also summoned in order to educate and teach the heir. Can we not do that whether there are two heirs or one? Need we even answer all of these questions here and now?” Cairn asked.
“He may be right. Perhaps there can be two. In fact, there have been Kingdoms ruled by twins before,” Pertar remarked.
Tomas was sitting and listening to all of this, and he understood the concerns of the councilors as well as Cairn did. It did not disturb him at all. Robyn seemed to be more defensive than even Tomas himself was.
“The Tomes have always been obscure. It has been left to us to interpret them. Two rings or one ring that changes color? No one had been able to determine the answer to that. Tomas? Can you enlighten us?” Robyn asked.
The young boy slipped his graceful hand inside his tunic and removed a silver ring that shone with the intensity of the sun.
“Is this what you wanted to see?” he asked, wide-eyed. “This is the ring of which you speak. And Baladar has its twin, the golden one. I am, you have said, identical to my brother in all obvious aspects of my appearance, yet my eyes are green and his are blue. These two rings…” he pulled the chain over his head and placed it on the table before him “… are identical, despite their color.”
Baladar too, removed the ring he held from around his neck, and then he walked to Tomas’ side and placed it next to the other one on the thick, stone slab. They were as similar as two separate objects could be, and Tomas’ comments were finding interested ears.
“Robyn? Please look at them with your own eyes and tell us all if you see any differences between the two other than the color,” Tomas requested.
Robyn lifted them both, placing one in each palm, and then he examined them closely. The inscriptions inside were as identical as possible. The weight, the size and the width were all the same.
“Twins, they are!” he concluded, and he put them back down on the table.
“Your point is well taken, Tomas,” Baladar remarked, satisfied and greatly relieved. “I am convinced!” Baladar said decidedly. “If you, Tomas, tell me that you believe that you and your brother both share equally the birthright of the Gwendolen’s, then I will accept your word for it and I will speak of this no more,” he said, and the others all vigorously nodded their agreement.
“Baladar, members of the council,” Tomas addressed the table. “I have always known who I was and where I came from. And I knew that I was not like the other children with whom I came into contact. My aunt and uncle never concealed the truth from me, but they were never comfortable talking to me about my future. Ormachon taught me other things, but he too was vague and secretive regarding what life had in store for me. I have felt my brother’s presence every day of my life, and I feel now as if I have known him forever. I would give my life for his, without hesitating. My love for him is as great as any love I know,” Tomas said compellingly, moving one or two of the assembly to tears.
“You need not fear that he and I will ever disagree. We were born of the same purpose and we share in the same power. I am hopeful that his teachers can help him to fulfill his destiny,” he said, looking intensely at the three travelers. “I will aid them in any way that I can. And perhaps they can aid me as well. There is much I do not know,” Tomas said with such tenderness and feeling, that no one could possibly doubt his sincerity.
Filaree pounded her fist upon the table.
“Well spoken, Tomas. We need have no further discussions about this matter now. We could neither add to nor enhance your eloquence,” she said and bowed her head. “Gentlemen and ladies, if you will, can we now get back to the urgent situation at hand? We have a war to win!” she concluded, as the group sat reassured and ready to plan its next move.
Chapter Fifty-two
The Trolls had become increasingly more aggressive during the past few hours, sending forays of armored soldiers to the wall where the missiles were relentlessly pounding away. They were protected by other Trolls in tough leather armor, who held panels of protective shielding above them. When they reached the walls, they used picks and hooks to gouge the stones loose from the foundation.
The constant pummeling by the rocks was having its effect, and the thick wall was wearing down in the one area that the Trolls focused so intensely upon. The defenders were able to scatter the enemy time after time, but as soon as they retreated, the big catapults began to fire their projectiles once again. It was a never ending cycle and Grogan was unsure what was doing the most damage at this point.
Originally, he had almost welcomed the Trolls and their picks, thinking it was the better alternative, but when he saw how easily they seemed to remove the loose stones from the barraged walls, his opinion changed. The wall was giving way and he seemed unable to prevent it. As each of the fires in the city was brought under control one by one, it was only a matter of moments before a new conflagration flared up. This unremitting bombardment was wearing everyone out, and even though they were barely fighting, the effort to extinguish the numerous fires and to deflect the cons
tant battery of stones and shafts, so soon after an exhausting battle, was almost too much to maintain.
Baladar rode down to the gates with Filaree, Cairn and Robyn at his side. Tomas and Preston remained behind with Elion so that they could talk and so that Tomas could learn more about his brother from the young Elf who was the last to have seen him. On their way to the battlements, the amount of damage they saw the city had sustained shocked them. Fires burnt everywhere, and the townsfolk were running from here to there, passing water in chains and dousing whatever they could. Some of the buildings were already burned to the ground, while others were beyond saving and were being left to burn out by themselves.
“Our stock of water must be running low. The wells are not limitless,” Baladar noted with concern.
“Have we no means of replenishing the supply?” Filaree inquired.
“It will do so by itself in time, Lady, but we must begin to ration it now before it runs out. I will instruct the city master to organize a plan to restrict any unnecessary use,” he responded, making one of numerous mental notes as he rode.
As the four of them drew closer to the gates, they heard the incessant pounding and they saw the heavy, stone projectiles arch through the air as they flew toward the city.
“The situation is far worse than I expected, Baladar,” Robyn commented while scanning the area. “The gates remain intact, though,” he noticed with a thankfull sigh.
“Thanks to Tomas and good timing,” Cairn said.
“Thanks to you too, Cairn!” Filaree interjected.
“We have only a few more hours of daylight. When night comes, it will be even harder to impede their progress. We can barely stop them now!” Baladar commented, observing the worsening situation as they neared the front.
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