While passing through the heart of the dwarf and elf army, he'd fully expected to be eyed with trepidation and malice. To his astonishment, he was given only cursory glances and even a few brief nods of greeting. Times were changing. He had never before seen a dwarf up close and found them to be odd in an almost comical way – not a thought he would be sharing with their king, to be sure. However, the strangest thing of all was the way he saw these supposedly bad tempered people laughing and singing alongside the elves, and even a few humans for that matter. This had him shaking his head in wonder.
He was led through the ranks to a large pavilion where six dwarves were still busy hammering in the final few tent stakes. The light from several lanterns revealed Keira standing beside a stout dwarf with a dark beard and grim countenance. His resplendent armor and proud bearing told Yularian immediately that this must be King Halvar.
After dismounting, flanked on either side by his guards, Yularian approached the two monarchs. “It is good to see you again, Keira,” he said, bowing formally.
She did not look especially pleased to be renewing their acquaintance, though she did return the bow. “I am glad you are unhurt from the battle,” she said. “This is King Halvar.”
His eyes shifted to the dwarf. “I am King Yularian. It is a great pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”
Halvar looked equally unhappy. Dispensing with formalities, he said brusquely: “Let us sit and talk.”
Chairs had already been placed beneath the pavilion, along with a small table and a bottle of what Yularian considered was probably whiskey. While taking a seat, he gestured for his guards to remain near the horses, though he could see that being so far from his side was making them nervous.
“It would seem you intend taking no prisoners,” Halvar began unceremoniously. “In fact, your men are still engaged as we speak.”
Yularian leveled his gaze. “I was not aware I was required to consult with anyone on this matter. But I am happy to discuss it now.”
Halvar did not flinch. “You should have. You are not alone in this fight. And you are not the only one who feels hatred for the Empire. We desire victory. But not at the cost of our souls.”
“So you accuse me of what? Being ruthless toward an enemy who would have done exactly the same to me?”
“No,” Keira interjected, her tone considerably softer than Halvar’s. “But we are your allies. And we have a right to know of your intentions.”
Yularian regarded the two for a moment, then nodded. “You are right, of course. We are indeed allies. And perhaps I should have sent word of my intentions. But it would have not changed the outcome. We are sending a message to Shinzan. And that message must be clear.”
“We are also sending a message to those who live on after Shinzan has fallen,” Halvar responded. “Not to mention that if word spreads throughout the Imperial ranks that we take no prisoners, we will be facing a foe without options. If faced with only death, then they will have no choice but to fight on until their final breath. That will cost lives on our side too.”
“I will not be spoken to as if I am a child, dwarf,” Yularian snapped. “You do as you see fit with your people. I will deal with my own.”
“I think we should all calm down,” Keira jumped in quickly.
She reached over to touch Halvar’s hand. “Remember how you felt during that first battle. Your heart was exactly where King Yularian's is at this very moment.”
She switched her attention over to the human king. “And you must cease thinking of our peoples as being separate. Though our history is impossible to ignore, we must focus on the future. And should we as leaders appear at odds with each other, victory will be impossible. Shinzan’s army may only be united by fear and greed, but they are united. And they will crush us in the end if we cannot find it in ourselves to be united as well.”
The two men stared daggers at one another for what seemed like a dangerously long time. It was Halvar who finally relented.
“You are right of course,” he told her. “I was indeed just as vengeful and filled with fury at the beginning. Forgive my lack of understanding, Your Highness. Please allow that the reasoned voice of a wise elf queen has lifted the veil of rage from my eyes.”
Yularian did not reply. Instead, he stood and strode over to his guards, one of whom immediately hurried away. When he returned his face was set firm.
“I have sent word that we will accept surrender should the enemy apply,” he told them.
Halvar nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness. I think in the end that you will be better able to live with your decision.”
Yularian sniffed. “It saves them only for the time being. We are within the borders of Queen Berathis’ rule. Ultimately, she will decide their fate.”
Keira raised an eyebrow. “So the Queen has decided to join our cause? None of the messages you sent mentioned this.”
“I feared they might be intercepted,” he explained. Though his voice was somewhat calmer, his posture remained rigid. “Her soldiers had already been sent to secure the ports and garrisons. With that achieved, we will have successfully cut the Empire in half.”
“What do you make of their chances?” asked Halvar.
“I cannot see how they could have failed,” he replied. “Martok’s plan was precise and cunning. The explosive dwarf rods you smuggled to us were placed around the walls of every garrison in both Al Theona and Ralmaria. Once they were detonated, the Imperial soldiers would have been incapable of resisting for very long. And by now, every Imperial ship in all the major ports will have been either taken or destroyed.”
Halvar was smiling broadly by the time Yularian had finished with his assessment. “I will send scouts immediately to ascertain the outcome for certain.”
“There is no need for that,” Yularian told him. “I have couriers awaiting word as we speak. They will deliver news the moment they receive any.”
“Then we should consider moving our forces to the border. We can strike before the enemy has time to regroup.”
Yularian nodded. “I agree. Shinzan will not let this humiliation stand. He will send out every soldier he has to crush us.”
“That might not be necessary,” Keira interjected. “If the Al Theonan queen has indeed secured all the ports and garrisons, it will take time for him to muster enough swords to fight us.”
“All the more reason to strike now,” said Halvar.
“But we are not prepared for such a long campaign. Our supplies are already stretched thin. If we press our advantage prematurely we might find ourselves forced to sack cities and raid farms just to keep our soldiers alive.”
“What do you suggest?” asked Yularian. “That we sit here and do nothing?”
“No, of course not. We should busy ourselves strengthening our supply lines and gathering the remainder of our forces.”
“Nonsense. You should never allow your enemy to recover. If you are given the opportunity, you crush him as quickly as you can.”
“I have to agree,” said Halvar. “Shinzan is vulnerable. We can’t wait.”
Keira looked at both monarchs then nodded. “If I am alone in my opinion, then I shall accept your judgement. However, before I do, I would ask you both to consider one more time very carefully before rushing into what may well be a defining battle without all of the necessary supplies and men we will need. Remember, we do not know for certain yet how many swords Shinzan still has at his disposal.”
After a moment’s thought, Yularian’s emotions cooled enough to see what sense she had been making. Flushed with the success of an easy victory, his passion was enflaming his desire to move forward. He eyed Keira carefully. She reminded him of his wife in a small way. Her careful considered approach had always been a stark contrast to his brash and bold nature. And usually she was the one who was proven the wiser. And now the elf queen's calm logic was restoring much of his more practical side his wife had so very hard attempted to instill in him. A glance in Halvar's dir
ection told him that the dwarf was also having the same thoughts.
“Perhaps there is time,” Yularian admitted. “I came with as many men as I could manage with speed, but the rest of my soldiers won’t arrive here for another week. I'm expecting Queen Berathis to be sending reinforcements as well, so a period of consolidation does make good sense.”
Halvar looked knowingly at Keira. “And there is also the small matter of what the human soldier told you, remember?”
“What was that?” Yularian asked.
“An unfounded rumor, nothing more,” Halvar assured him. “All the same, we should use any time we delay as wisely as possible.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I suggest that you bring your soldiers here once their fighting is over,” he replied. “They should get to know the people they will be going into battle alongside.”
Yularian leaned back with a reluctant expression. “I had intended to have my people camp separately in order to avoid tensions. Most have no love for dwarves. And as far as elves are concerned…well…”
“The blood feud between dwarf and elf runs even deeper,” Keira told him. “And yet we march as one. Surely if we can tolerate one another, your people can do the same.”
“I’m not ignorant to the fact that we cannot win if we are divided. But it will be far from easy to convince them that such an arrangement would be for their own good.”
Keira began laughing. “My dear king. Nothing about any of this has been easy. And it will continue to get harder still. Even in victory we will face challenges.”
Yularian steepled his hands beneath his chin, listening to the sounds within the camp. The songs of triumph continued to carry merrily on the air as the laughter of both elf and dwarf banished all trace of the dire circumstances that had brought them together. From what he could tell, they were actually at ease in each other's company. It was something he never would have believed possible.
He drew a breath before speaking. “My mother died when I was still a fairly young child, and my father took a new wife, some would say with indecent haste, very soon after. This woman - Lady Millian - brought with her many people from her former home to live among us. Needless to say, they were not welcome. My mother was well-loved by the people, and this newcomer was seen as an intruder. I have to admit that my brother and I did not like her either, and we made a point of letting her know this at every opportunity.”
“How did your mother die?” asked Keira.
“A fever,” he replied solemnly. “It happened very suddenly and we all took it quite hard. My father remarried less than a year later. I think that’s what bothered us most of all. The marriage was sheer political theatre, though in truth, Lady Millian was a sweet and gentle woman. But we didn’t care about that, and neither did the servants and staff. Eventually my father grew tired of the constant tensions within the house. He ordered that each staff member spend a limited time living with the new arrivals as if they too were guests. He also sent my brother and me on a long trip alone with Lady Millian.”
“Did it work?” asked Keira.
Yularian nodded. “For the most part. The house staff and newcomers eventually grew to like one another. As for Rumbol and myself, we learned to get along with Lady Millian well enough. It transpired that she had suffered grave misgiving about the marriage as well. The idea of being a replacement wife was not exactly the most appealing of prospects for her, especially when there were children involved as well.”
“So what are you suggesting?” asked Halvar.
“I suggest that you place a portion of your army under the command of my generals. In return, I will do the same with mine.”
Halvar furled his brow. “I’m not sure that is such a good idea.”
“I think it may be an excellent move,” said Keira.
“Fights may erupt,” Halvar argued. “The last thing we need is disharmony within our own ranks.”
“My men will obey their king,” Yularian assured him. “If there is violence, it will not be started us.”
“Then it is settled,” Keira said quickly, before Halvar could offer any further objections.
He shot her a sharp look, then blew out an exasperated breath. “Very well. I am prepared to give it a short trial. I won't agree to anything more than that for now.”
Smiling, Keira gave the dwarf king's hand a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. They will eat together, but not necessarily from the same pot.” She could see the confusion on Yularian’s face. “Dwarves don’t eat meat,” she explained.
He coughed a laugh. “How the hell do you live without meat?”
Halvar's mouth twisted. “Very happily, thank you.”
For the rest of the evening they discussed possible strategies. Keira made a point of listening carefully to King Yularian when he spoke of the other nobles and monarchs, trying not to show her distaste for their apparent greed and selfishness. This was not, she reminded herself, indicative of all humans. Only those corrupted by Shinzan’s evil.
Word arrived that all the fighting had now ceased, and in total there were more than twenty-thousand prisoners. This included one high ranking general, who Keira ordered to be brought to a tent on the edge of the camp to await questioning.
“He looks deeply afraid,” the elf messenger told her. “Not at all what I would expect from a leader of an army.”
“Perhaps I should question him?” suggested Yularian. “He might be more willing to talk to another human.”
Seeing the sense in this, the other two quickly agreed. Once word was received that the general was secure, they made their way to the tent. As they stood just outside, Keira noticed that Yularian’s hands were shaking – not from fear, but from barely contained rage.
“Don’t worry,” he said, forcing a smile. “I won’t kill him.” He entered the tent alone.
Inside stood two elf guards. Sitting between them, tied to the center post, sat a man with thin features and a slight build. His dented armor was heavily spattered with blood and dirt from the battle, all but obscuring the crimson raven displayed on the breastplate. The silver bands around his right shoulder told of his rank, though these were equally hard to distinguish. He looked up at Yularian with terror filled eyes. Yes, the king considered. This was indeed most unusual behavior for a man leading an army into battle.
“Leave us,” he ordered.
To Yularian's surprise, the elves did not hesitate to obey his command. Nor did they appear uneasy about his presence.
He regarded the general for a full minute. Had one of his own commanders shown such blatant cowardice, he would have been deeply ashamed. “I am King Yularian of Ralmaria,” he eventually said. “To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
The man looked confused. “I…my name is General Marsis Trent. How is it that the king of Ralmaria is here among our enemies? Were you captured too?”
Yularian knelt to eye level. “I no longer serve Shinzan. Did you not see our banners flying as we charged?”
“This cannot be. You’re lying. You’re not King Yularian. You’re trying to trick me.” As he spoke, his voice became increasingly shrill and panicked.
“I assure you that this is not a trick. I am who I claim to be. And even if I were lying, what would it matter? You are here and there is no hope for escape.”
“If you are who you say, then you will know of my brother,” he whispered, eyes darting to the tent entrance.
The king thought for a moment. “I knew a Ralfio Trent. He was a friend to my brother.”
The prisoner nodded his head feverishly. “Yes. A good friend. The very best of friends. If you are truly the king, please I beg of you, let me go.”
Yularian sniffed. “To what end? So you can rejoin my enemies and fight me again another day?”
“No. I just want to go home. I was never meant to lead an army.”
“And yet here you are.”
“It wasn’t my choice. The Emperor forced me to come here. I
was in charge of a small garrison, that's all. I know nothing about leading an army.”
There could be no doubting the truth of his words. Never did a soldier look less fit to be a leader of men. Uneasiness stirred within Yularian. Something was definitely not right about this. “Then why did Shinzan give you the responsibility?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I was just told to report to the forces massing in Traxis and that I would be serving under General Hronso. When he departed with most of his best officers, I was left in command.”
The name Hronso sent a chill up Yularian's spine. His sinister reputation was well known throughout Ralmaria. “And where did he go?”
“I don’t know. I swear I don't. He left us over three weeks ago. Him and the silent ones.”
Yularian cocked his head. “The silent ones? Who are they?”
“No one knows. Some of them started arriving at my garrison in Kytain three months ago, and gradually more joined us as we marched. They never speak and are answerable only to General Hronso…and the Emperor himself.” He leaned in close. “If I tell you all that I know about them, you must promise to let me go.”
With a grim smile on his face, Yularian reached out and placed a hand on the back of Trent's neck. “My dear friend. You have a choice. You will tell me everything you know or I will give you over to the elves. As I understand, they are experts in keeping their victims alive during an interrogation. Much better than we humans. And I can think of no one other than myself who hates servants of the Emperor more.”
Tears welled in his prisoner's eyes. “Please. I was only doing what I was told. What choice did I have?”
“I understand.” His tone was chillingly calm. “And now you can continue being obedient by obeying me. Tell me about the silent ones.”
The threat of elf interrogation was more than sufficient. Trent nodded his compliance. “They look just like normal soldiers, but there's something uncanny about them...apart from not speaking to anyone, I mean. They seem to have no mind of their own and exist only to take orders. They have a strange effect on other people too. When they are near, those around them have far more courage. They even fight with greater skill. I noticed this very soon after the first of them arrived at my garrison. But the opposite is true as well. As soon as they left our ranks, our morale collapsed and we all but fell apart. Especially when we discovered they had taken all of our dwarf weapons with them.”
Dragonvein Book Four Page 26
