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.
“Where have you been?” Tonelia demanded to know. She stood, hands on her hips, facing them down.
“We went out for dinner,” Bodrin said. He wouldn’t look at her.
“Out for dinner?”
Bodrin held up two bags of venison, shielding himself from expected flailing arms. Tonelia took and looked inside one of the bags. Her face scrunched and jerked up, confronting Bodrin.
“This is cooked and ready to eat. In fact, you’ve already eaten a great deal of it.” She poked his full stomach, and her face reddened. “You mean you three wandered off, cooked, and ate this deer while I worried myself sick waiting for you? Now you have the audacity to bring me the leftovers?”
This is deteriorating, Tournak thought. “It’s a long story, but it was something we couldn’t help, Tonelia.”
Glancing often at Bodrin, Tonelia emptied the bags and surveyed the feast. She sampled the banquet. Her moans reflected satisfaction with the various herbs and dishes. When finished, she wiped her mouth and looked at each man, pointing her upturned hand.
“The three of you can’t cook this well. Moreover, you didn’t wander around in the dark, picking herbs either. You had no pots or utensils for cooking this feast, so someone else did this.”
The men looked at Saxthor, who shrugged his shoulders.
We’ll tell her about it when the time is right, Tournak thought. She’s learned anything is possible on this expedition.
Tonelia and Delia ate until they were full and sleepy. They rewrapped the remaining meat to finish it in the morning before it spoiled. The travelers slept well.
*
When they were asleep, Twit flew to the bags and found the smell of cooked meat repulsive. It was useful for drawing dinner, though. He had his fill of insects and went to sleep as well.
*
“Let’s go,” Saxthor said after the morning feast. “Digesting so much meat is going to make us drowsy. We need to get started.”
Bodrin rubbed his round, drum-tight tummy. “Would you consider a short nap? We’d move much faster after a nap.”
Delia wagged her tail. Tonelia chuckled. Saxthor rolled his eyes.
“Let’s get packed for the day’s journey.” Saxthor found the king’s jeweled sword when he rolled up his blanket. He examined it in the daylight, then tucked it in his satchel and finished packing.
“Where’d you get that?” Tonelia asked. “You didn’t have that yesterday. This story gets more and more curious.”
Saxthor smiled at her and continued packing. “Well, you see, the king gave it to me for running an errand for him.”
“The king, you say?” Tonelia stared at Saxthor, whose activities continued unabated. “And I suppose it’s the same king that cooked this feast in the middle of this barren rock pile?”
“Probably his subjects cooked it.”
Tonelia finished her packing, occasionally gazing at Saxthor. She shook her head, and Tournak chuckled.
The further north they traveled, the less habitable the land became. By the time they reached the foothills of the Hador Mountains, the terrain was desolate. The sharp-edged mountains jutted into the clouds as though the jagged peaks impaled the sky itself — the shale on the peaks shattered in freeze-thaw cycles, depositing a gritty layer over the granite below. The shale dust acted as a lubricant, sending those that would climb the mountains to their deaths.
Saxthor led his band off to the northeast, searching for the road that went through the mountains to Hador and the massive fortress guarding the pass into Dreaddrac. They traveled for days before coming upon the entrance to the mountains. The travelers were up in the rocky hills when they saw the road out on the plain below. Bodrin was about to rush down to it, but Saxthor held him back.
“This is a hostile country, Bodrin. We’ll camp up here among the rocks tonight to avoid detection by the Dark Lord’s watchers. We need to give thought as to how to approach the city.”
Back behind a rock cliff wall, they found a spot with a small cave facing toward the mountains and away from the plain.
“Any signs of cave bear in there, Tournak?” Saxthor asked, laughing.
“Nothing recent,” Tournak replied. “It should be safe for tonight and out of sight from the plain.”
The troupe moved in, and Tonelia made her own check. “The hollow goes back into the hill far enough that we can have a fire and cook a meal without being seen from the plain.”
The tired hikers ate their evening meal in silence, wondering what the next day in the mountains would bring. The fire died by the time they finished eating, and the weary travelers fell asleep.
A sudden bark from Delia woke them. A fire sprang from where the fire had died the flame blue, not orange. In the strange light, the figure of a little man stood over the resting group. Dressed in brightly colored clothes and a pointed red felt hat, he bowed.
Saxthor jumped up with his hand on Sorblade.
“Who are you? What do you want?” He’s a dwarf, thought Saxthor. He relaxed his hold on Sorblade but didn’t take his hand off it in case the dwarf was a thieves’ decoy.
“I meant only to extend greetings; I’m sorry for alarming you.” The dwarf waited for the others to wake up. “We hoped you'd join us for a late meal.”
“Meal,” Bodrin said, yawning.
“King Ormadese requests you join him in the great hall.” The dwarf waited for them to follow him. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Tonelia looked at Saxthor, “You seem prepared to accept an invitation coming in the middle of the night from a complete stranger. There’s something about all this I don’t know, isn’t there?”
Without a response, they rose to go with the stranger.
“It’s okay, Tonelia,” Saxthor said.
“I should’ve stayed in the Hoyahof’s dungeon where my life would’ve at least been sane. Nothing has made any sense since I joined this band of crazies.” Resigned, she rose to go.
Saxthor bowed to the dwarf who bowed in return. “We would be most honored to accept King Ormadese kind invitation to dinner. Come on, or we’ll be late for our host’s supper.”
Three men, a woman, and a dog followed the dwarf from the cave to the mountain’s sheer rock face across the path.
I’m not flying into a rock wall, Twit thought. I’ll wait here for their return, supping on moths drawn to the fire.
The dwarf said a spell and wrote a rune on the rock face with his finger. The granite dissolved into a doorway sculpted as a dwarf face with a gaping mouth. Tonelia stood transfixed at the sight. Bodrin’s finger gently raised her lower jaw, and the group followed the dwarf into a mountain tunnel.
The walls here were polished smooth, as were those in the halls and tunnels of King Bordabrundese’s labyrinth. The walls were solid granite and the corridor vaulting much higher, like halls in a great castilyernov.
They walked along past occasional wall lights that weren't torched, but crystal orbs that radiated pale silver lights of an unknown source. Those lights were usually beside a side corridor that led somewhere deep within the mountain.
“What’s making those lights?” Bodrin asked.
The guide kept walking in silence. The little group must’ve walked a hundred paces when the corridor opened into a gallery lined with stone statues.
“These are statues of former dwarf kings or heroes who ruled or lived in these mountains,” the guide said. He didn’t stop to tell the band who was who among the sculptures but kept an even pace along the gallery.
At the end of the passageway was a circular colonnade with a vaulted ceiling that ran around the outside of what could only have been the Great Hall of the Kings. The outside of the circular gallery had niches filled with treasures wrought by the dwarves. In one was a great sword and scabbard propped on a black stone pedestal. In another was a che
st propped slightly forward and overflowing with the dwarves’ metal works.
“This gallery is wide enough for eight men to walk abreast,” Saxthor said. “It must be the main corridor.”
“Yes,” the guide replied.
“It looks like hallways begin all along the outside of this circular gallery and fan out into the mountains,” Saxthor said. “This kingdom must be vast, indeed.”
The guide nodded.
The inside wall of the circular gallery consisted of arches that separated the gallery from the Great Hall of the Kings. The cavernous round audience chamber had an even higher vaulted ceiling. Polished silver stars sparkled in the blue, stone ceiling. Bronze sconces sprang from the arch columns, supporting strange, transparent globes like those in the outer halls. Beautifully wrought iron and brass furnishings were evident throughout the perimeter of the Great Hall, and six brass chandeliers hung from the ceiling in a circle around an even more massive one in the center.
The people were stunned at the scale of this palace within the mountain. They could hardly stop craning their necks, looking at all the marvels new to them. Handsomely arrayed nobles of the king’s court began to enter the circular gallery from the outer corridors. The noble dwarves dressed in incredibly rich colored velvets and brocades. A rainbow of jewels encrusted every button, cufflink, and belt buckle.
“It’s a good thing dwarves are extremely strong since the weight of this gold would send a human being to the floor,” Saxthor said.
The sight of people among them didn’t seem to alarm the nobles, passing them and bowing as they entered the great hall.
“This court’s unbelievable luxury is overwhelming,” Tournak said.
“They’ve transformed the great hall into a massive banquet room,” Bodrin said. “Look at those huge iron tables in semicircles.”
“Note the dais under the king’s throne at the far end of the hall,” Saxthor said.
Stunned, Tonelia said nothing, just looked around in circles, up and down, taking it all in.
The concentric semicircle of tables opened in the center, a red carpet indicating the presentation aisle. The nobles slowly filled the cavern and took their places at the tables.
“What’re they waiting for?” Saxthor asked the guide dwarf, restraining them at the aisle’s beginning.
“The nobles await the arrival of the great King Ormadese.”
The court chamberlain, in his fine robes and bronze staff, moved to the archway and stood beside the red carpet across from Saxthor. The court chamberlain acknowledged a nod from a courtier at the far end of the massive room. He struck the stone floor three times with his staff and announced, “His majesty, King Ormadese, king of the Hadorian dwarves.”
The members of the court rose in respect and remained standing until the noble king strode in from behind the dais and ascended his golden, gem-encrusted throne.
When the king took his seat, the chamberlain again struck his staff on the stone floor. It startled Saxthor, who was watching the king’s entrance. The chamberlain announced to king and court, “His Highness, Prince Saxthor Claremendak Calimon de Chatronier and his entourage: Lord Bodrin Vicksnak, Wizard Tournak Delphendor, and the Lady Tonelia Tezentok de Hoya… and Delia their beast.”
Saxthor and his friends had no idea the dwarves knew who they were. They stood shaken at the announcement. Though they’d traveled in secret, everyone underground knew who they were.
His guide directed Saxthor and his companions up the aisle. The group stumbled forward, then gained their composure and walked nobly to the dais. Saxthor bowed to king and court.
“We thank the most gracious King Ormadese for his kind invitation to his most remarkable kingdom.”
“It is our pleasure to entertain such distinguished guests within our humble abode,” the king said. “We’re delighted to have you join us for a feast in your honor.”
The guide dwarf escorted the four travelers to a table at the head of the assembly below the throne. King Ormadese rose and descended the dais to take his place at the table. A bespangled page showed the honored guests to their respective seats, and servants adjusted their great iron chairs. Even Delia had her place beside Saxthor. With everyone seated, servants swarmed into the hall with platters of food, including meaty bones for Delia. Bodrin’s eyes bulged following the trays. More servants passed through the hall with trays of golden goblets filled with drink for all the guests. The hall was abuzz with chatter as the feast began.
“You’re a long way from Neuyokkasin, Prince Saxthor,” King Ormadese said.
“Yes, Your Majesty, we’ve traveled far on our tour of the Powterosian peninsula. We’ve seen so many people and so many different customs, yet we’re not so different.”
“There are many good peoples. There are many that worry us, as well,” the king said. “We note orcs and ogres pass through the mountains on their way south. They travel in ones and twos so as not to attract the attention of Duke Jedrac above in Hador, but he knows they’re getting through. He can hold the pass, so no army gets through, but these spies are too scattered for the duke to catch.
We’ve diverted our forges to making armor. There’ll be a need for swords, daggers, lances, and shields soon. The Dark Lord’s forges hammer night and day. We hear them, even here, through the stone.”
“He must have quite an army if he’s risking having his orcs alert the South that he’s coming,” Saxthor said. “He’s infiltrated the Southern defenses, we know, but we don’t know the extent of his infiltration or damage.”
“You’ll carry our warnings to Memlatec in the South,” the king said. “We think he’s aware of their actions but not the extent. The South isn’t as prepared as we here on the front lines.
When you leave Hador, we think you will travel north into Dreaddrac and come back down through the Edros Swamps. We hear trolls are massing there, but we don’t go to the swamps, so we can’t verify that. The trolls are a mean, nasty lot.”
Ormadese turned politely to Tonelia. “Are you enjoying the feast, my dear?”
“Very much, Your Majesty.” Tonelia stared at the resplendent figure.
After the feast, the assembled nobles rose out of respect as the king departed. The guests finished their meals, then left through the arcade and down the corridors into the mountains.
I think it’s time to leave, thought Saxthor, but I wonder if we’re to spend the night here or back in their cave.
The guide dwarf and another appeared beside Saxthor when he started to rise from the table.
“You and your companions will be most welcome to spend the night among us. This page will be pleased to escort your companions to their rooms within the mountain. Would you, Prince Saxthor, accompany me to a private audience with King Ormadese?”
“I would be most honored.”
With that, Saxthor bid his companions goodnight and left with the guide. They passed behind the dais and down a magnificent gallery where relief carvings of noble dwarf exploits embellished the walls. When they arrived at the king’s private apartments, the court chamberlain announced Saxthor, then departed, leaving the king and the prince to a private conversation.
“You’re a gracious young man, Prince Saxthor Claremendak. You’re worthy of your line. Your grandfather would’ve been proud of you just now. We’ve asked you here to discuss the state of preparedness across the peninsula.”
“I am truly honored by your appraisal, Majesty. I never knew my grandfather, but I know the high standards he set for the peninsula’s monarchs.”
“You’ve traveled far and seen Dreaddrac’s creatures, we think.”
“Yes, Majesty, and we fear more infiltration than any of the kingdoms know. You are wise to arm. We can only hope the other states will see the danger in time. If Your Highness will permit a digression, I have something for you from your cousin, King Bordabrundese.” Saxthor placed the beautifully embellished leather purse on the table for the king. “King Bordabrundese sent these seven jewels
in payment for granite he received for his building projects.”
King Ormadese looked at Saxthor, then opened the bag and poured out the sparkling jewels in his hand. He manipulated his fingers to move the gems around, inspecting each one.
“They would indeed be our cousin’s payment.”
The king stepped to a table next to Saxthor and carefully turned out eight large, precious stones into a wooden receptacle padded with black velvet. Smiling, Ormadese looked at Saxthor again.
“I believe one of these is yours.”
“I assure you, they’re all yours, Your Majesty.”
“Bordabrundese was only to send seven jewels, and there’s an eighth one in the set, as you see.”
“I cannot take the jewel, as it was given to me to give to Your Majesty. I’m sure the unexplained jewel must apply to a future payment.”
The king picked up the largest gemstone in the set and looked at it, his gaze intense. He handed it to Saxthor to inspect. It was an enormous, brilliant white diamond free of inclusions. Saxthor handed it back to King Ormadese.
“Your Majesty, I’ve never seen such a fabulous gemstone, but I assure you it doesn’t belong to me. It’s your property.”
“Absolutely no inclusions, it’s flawless. A delight to look upon,” the king said, handing back the diamond to Saxthor once more.
“Why would you give me such a treasure, Majesty?”
King Ormadese looked down at the seven fabulous gems nested in the velvet and put his hand on the tray. He looked up at Saxthor, his eyes piercing.
“These seven jewels are from Bordabrundese as payment for the granite. They are worth a king’s ransom. Had you been dishonest, you would have already taken a jewel, since you were only to deliver the seven. If not all eight had been here, I'd never have told you about the diamond. That is the White Diamond of Honesty in your hand, the very one that you seek here in Hador. We found it hidden in the rock beneath the Castilyernov Hadorhof some years ago. We decided to have Bordabrundese hide it in the sandhill kingdom, where it would be least likely to be expected or discovered.”
The Neuyokkasinian Arc of Empire Series: Books 1-3 Box Set High, Epic Fantasy on a Grand Dragon Scale! Kindle Edition Page 56
