Dwarven Nations - Hammer And Axe Part 29

The ceremonial guards a.s.sumed exactly the same positions as they had in the sculptured halls of the palace in Qualinost. The Speaker held audience at the same time and in the same courtly manner, save that his ceiling was a mud- covered dome of thatched gra.s.s instead of glittering mosaic, his walls wood instead of crystal quartz.

The Speaker sat in state every day, his wife's sister's daughter by his side acting as his scribe. He wore the same robes, conducted business with same cold aplomb. But there were differences. The Speaker had changed dramatically in the past few months. There were none in the Qualinesti who marveled at this, however. The Speaker had sent his younger son on a mission that most considered suicidal. Worse, his beloved daughter had run away to chase after her half-elven lover. The Speaker expected never to see either of these children again. He could have accepted the loss of his son, Gilthanas. It was, after all, a heroic, n.o.ble act. The young man had led a group of adventurers into the mines of Pax Tharkas to free the humans imprisoned there and draw off the dragonarmies threatening Qualinesti. This plan had been a success-an unexpected success. The dragonarmies had been recalled to Pax Tharkas, giving the elves time to escape to the western sh.o.r.es of their land, and from there across the sea to Southern Ergoth.

The Speaker could not, however, accept his daughter's loss-or her dishonor.

It was the Speaker's elder son, Porthios, who had coldly explained the matter to him after Laurana had been discovered missing. She had run off after her childhood friend-Tanis HalfElven. The Speaker was heartsick, consumed with grief. How could she do this? How could she bring disgrace upon their household?

A princess of her people chasing after a b.a.s.t.a.r.d half-breed!

Laurana's flight quenched the light of the sun for her father. Fortunately, the need to lead his people gave him the strength to carry on. But there were times when the Speaker asked what was the use? He could retire, turn the throne over to has eldest son. Porthios ran almost everything anyway, deferring to his father in all that was proper, but making most decisions himself. The young elflord, serious beyond his years, was proving an excellent leader, although some considered him too harsh in his dealings with the Silvanesti and the Kaganesti.

The Speaker was among these, which was the main reason he did not turn things over to Porthios. Occasionally he tried to point out to his elder son that moderation and patience won more victories than threats and sword-rattling. But Porthios believed his father to be soft and sentimental. The Silvanesti, with their rigid caste structure, considered the Qualinesti barely part of the elven race and the Kaganesti no part of the elven race at all, viewing them as a subrace of elves, much as gully dwarves were seen as a subrace of the dwarves.

Porthios firmly believed, although he did not tell his father, that it must end in bloodshed.

His views were matched on the other side of the ThonTsalarian by a stiff-necked, cold-blooded lord named Quinath, who, it was rumored, was the betrothed of the Princess Alhana Starbreeze. Lord Quinath was now leader of the Silvanesti in her unexplained absence, and it was he and Porthios who divided the isle between the two warring nations of elves, disregarding the third race entirely.

The border lines were patronizingly communicated to the Kaganesti, as one might communicate to a dog that it is not to enter the kitchen. The Kaganesti, notable for their volatile tempers, were outraged to find their land being divided up and parceled out. Already the hunting was growing bad. The animals the Wilder elves depended on for their survival were being wiped out in great numbers to feed the refugees. As Laurana had said, the River of the Dead could, at any moment, run red with blood, and its name change tragically.

And so the Speaker found himself living in an armed camp. But if he grieved over this fact at all, it was lost in such a mult.i.tude of griefs that eventually he grew numb. Nothing touched him. He withdrew into his mud home and allowed Porthios to handle more and more.

The Speaker was up early the morning the companions arrived in what was now called Qualin-Mori. He always rose early. Not so much because he had a great deal to do, but because he had already spent most of the night staring at the ceiling. He was jotting down notes for the day's meetings with the Heads of Household-an unsatisfactory task, since the Heads of Household could do nothing but complain-when he heard a tumult outside his dwelling.

The Speaker's heart sank. What now? he wondered fearfully. It seemed these alarms came once or twice every day. Porthios had probably caught some hotblooded Qualinesti and Silvanesti youths raiding or fighting. He kept writing, expecting the tumult to die down. But, instead, it increased, coming nearer and nearer. The Speaker could only suppose something more serious had happened. And, not for the first time, he wondered what he would do if the elves went to war again.

Dropping the quill pen, he wrapped himself in his robes of state and waited with dread. Outside, he heard the guards snap to attention. He heard Porthios's voice perform the traditional rights of seeking entry, since it was before hours. The Speaker glanced fearfully at the door that led to his private chambers, fearing his wife might be disturbed. She had been in ill health since their departure from Qualinesti. Trembling, he rose to his feet, a.s.suming the stern and cold look he had become accustomed to putting on as one might put on an article of clothing, and bade them come inside.

One of the guards opened the door, obviously intending to announce someone. But words failed him and, before he could speak, a tall, slender figure dressed in a heavy, hooded fur cloak, pushed past the guard and ran toward the Speaker.

Startled, seeing only that the figure was armed with sword and bow, the Speaker shrank back in alarm.

The figure threw back the hood of her cloak. The Speaker saw honey-colored hair flow down around a woman's (ace-a face remarkable even among the elves for its delicate beauty.

"Father!" she cried, then Laurana was in his arms.

The return of Gilthanas, long mourned as dead by his people, was the occasion of the greatest celebration to be held by the Qualinesti since the night the companions had been feasted before setting off for the Sla-Mori.

Gilthanas had recovered sufficiently from his wounds to be able to attend the festivities, a small scar on his cheekbone the only sign of his injury. Laurana and her friends wondered at this, for they had seen the terrible blow inflicted upon him by the Silvanesti elf. But when Laurana mentioned it to, her father, the Speaker only shrugged and said that the Kaganesti had befriended Druids living in the forests; they had probably learned much in the way of healing arts from them.

This frustrated Laurana, who knew the rarity of true healing powers on Krynn.

She longed to discuss it with Elistan, but the cleric was closeted for hours with her father, who was very soon impressed by the man's true clerical powers.

Laurana was pleased to see her father accept Elistanremembering how the Speaker had treated Goldmoon when she first came to Qualinesti wearing the medallion of Mishakal, G.o.ddess of Healing. But Laurana missed her wise mentor. Though overjoyed at being home, Laurana was beginning to realize that for her, home had changed and would never be the same again.

Everyone appeared very glad to see her, but they treated her with the same courtesy they gave Derek and Sturm, Flint and Tas. She was an outsider. Even her parents' manner was cool and distant after their initial emotional welcome. She might not have wondered at this, if they hadn't been so doting over Gilthanas.

Why the difference? Laurana couldn't understand. It remained to her elder brother, Porthios, to open her eyes.

The incident began at the feast.

"You will find our lives much different from our lives in Qualinesti," her father told her brother that night as they sat at the banquet held indoors in a great log hall built by the Kaganesti. "But you will soon become accustomed to it:' Turning to Laurana, he spoke formally. "I would be glad to have you back in your old place as my scribe, but I know you will be busy with other things around our household:"

Laurana was startled. She had not intended to stay, of course, but she resented being replaced in what was a daughter's traditional role in the royal household.

She also resented the fact that, though she had talked to her father about taking the orb to Sancrist, he had apparently ignored her.

"Speaker;" she said slowly, trying to keep the irritation from her voice, "I have told you. We cannot stay. Haven't you been listening to me and to Elistan? We have discovered the dragon orb! Now we have the means to control dragons and bring an end to this war! We must take the orb to Sancrist-"

"Stop, Laurana!" her father said sharply, exchanging looks with Porthios. Her brother regarded her sternly. "You know nothing of what you speak, Laurana. The dragon orb is truly a great prize, and so should not be discussed here. As for taking it to Sancrist, that is out of the question:"

"I beg your pardon, sir;" Derek said, rising and bowing, "but you have no say in the matter. The dragon orb is not yours. I was sent by the Knights Council to recover a dragon orb, if possible. I have succeeded and I intend to take it back as I was ordered. You have no right to stop me:"

"Haven't I?" the Speaker's eyes glittered angrily. "My son, Gilthanas, brought it into this land which we, the Qualinesti, declare to be our homeland in exile.

That makes it ours by right:"

"I never claimed that, Father;" Gilthanas said, flus.h.i.+ng as he felt the companions' eyes turn to him. "It is not mine. It belongs to all of us-"

Porthios shot his younger brother a furious glance. Gilthanas stammered, then fell silent.

"If it is anyone's to claim, it is Laurana's;' Flint Fireforge spoke up, not at all intimidated by the elves' glaring stares, "For it was she who killed Feal- thas, the evil elven magic-user.'"

"If it be hers;" the Speaker said in a voice older thaw his hundreds of years, "then it is mine by right. For she is not of agewhat is hers is mine, since I am her father. That is elven law and dwarven law, too, if I'm not mistaken:'

Flint's face flushed. He opened his mouth to reply, but Ta.s.slehoff beat him to it.

"Isn't that odd?" remarked the kender cheerfully, having missed the serious portent of the conversation. "According to kender law, if there is a kender law, everybody sort of owns everything:' (This was quite true. The kenders' casual att.i.tude toward the possessions of others extended to them own. Nothing in a kender house remained there long, unless it was nailed to the floor. Some neighbor was certain to wander in, admire it, and absentmindedly walk off with it. A family heirloom among kenders was defined as anything remaining in a house longer than three weeks.) No one spoke after that. Flint kicked Tas under the table, and the kender subsided in hurt silence which lasted until he discovered his neighbor, an elvenlord, had been called from the table, leaving his purse behind. Rummaging through the elflord's possessions kept the kender happily occupied throughout the rest of the meal.

Flint, who ordinarily would have kept an eye on Tas, did not notice this in his other worries. It was obvious there was going to be trouble. Derek was furious.

Only the rigid code of the knights kept him seated at the table. Laurana sat in silence, not eating. Her face was pale beneath her tanned skin, and she was punching small holes in the finely woven table cloth with her fork. Flint nudged Sturm.

"We thought getting the dragon orb out of Ice Wall was tough;' the dwarf said in an undertone. "There we only had to escape a crazed wizard and a few walrus-men.

Now we're surrounded by three nations of elves!"

"We'll have to reason with them;' Sturm said softly.

"Reason!" The dwarf snorted. "Two stones would have a better chance of reasoning with each other''

That proved to be the case. By the Speaker's request, the companions remained seated after the other elves left, following dinner. Gilthanas and his sister sat side by side, their faces drawn and worried as Derek stood up before the Speaker to "reason' with him.

"The orb is ours;' Derek stated coldly. "You have no right to it at all. It certainly does not belong to your daughter or to your son. They traveled with me only by my courtesy, after I rescued them from the destruction of Tarsis. I am happy to have been able to escort them back to their homeland, and I thank you for your hospitality. But I leave tomorrow for Sancrist, taking the orb with me:'

Porthios stood up to face Derek. "The kender may say the dragon orb is his. It doesn't matter:' The elflord spoke in a smooth, polite voice that slid through the night air like a knife. "The orb is in elven hands now, and here it will stay. Do you think we are foolish enough to let this prize be taken by humans to cause more trouble in this world?"

"More trouble!" Derek's face flushed deep red. "Do you realize the trouble this world is in now? The dragons drove you from your homeland. They are approaching our homeland now! Unlike you, we do not intend to run. We will stand and figh!

This...o...b..could be our only hope-"

"You have my leave to go back to your homeland and be burned to a crisp for all I care;' Porthios returned. "It was you humans who stirred up this ancient evil.

It is fitting that you fight it. The Dragon Highlords have what they want from us. They will undoubtedly leave us in peace. Here, on Ergoth, the orb will be kept safe:'

"Fool!" Derek slammed his fist on the table. "The Dragon Highlords have only one thought and that is to conquer all of Ansalon! That includes this miserable isle! You may be safe here for a time, but if we fall, you will fall, too!"

"You know he speaks truly, Father," Laurana said, greatly daring. Elven women did not attend war meetings, much less speak. Laurana was present only because of her unique involvement. Rising to her feet, she faced her brother, who glowered at her disapprovingly. "Porthios, our father told us in Qualinesti that the Dragon Highlord wanted not only our lands but also the extermination our race! Have you forgotten?"

"Bah! That was one Dragon Highlord, Verminaard. He is dead-"

"Yes, because of us; * Laurana shouted angrily, "not you!"

"Laurana!" The Speaker of the Suns rose to his full height, taller even than his oldest son. His presence towered over them all. "You forget yourself, young woman. You have no right to speak to your elder bother like that. We faced perils of our own in our journey. He remembered his duty and his responsibility, as did Gilthanas. They did not go running off after a halfelven b.a.s.t.a.r.d like a brazen, human wh-" The Speaker stopped abruptly.

Laurana went white to the lips. She swayed, clutching the table for support.

Gilthanas rose swiftly, coming to her side, but she pushed him away. "Father,"

she said in a voice she did not recognize as her own, "what were you about to say?"

"Come away Laurana,' Gilthanas begged. "He didn't mean it. We'll talk in the morning:"

The Speaker said nothing, his face, gray and cold.

"You were about to say'human wh.o.r.e'!"' Laurana said softly, her words falling like pins en nerves stretched taut.

"Go to your lodgings, Laurana," the Speaker ordered in a tight voice.

"So that is what you think of me;" Laurana whispered, her throat constricting.

"That is why everyone stares and stops talking when I come near them. Human wh.o.r.e:'

"Sister, do as your father commands;' Porthios said. "As for what we think of you-remember, you brought this on yourself. What do you expect? Look at you, Laurana! You are dressed like a man. You proudly wear a sword stained with blood. You talk glibly of your'adventures!' Traveling with men such as these- humans and dwarves! Spending the nights with them. Spending the nights with your half-breed lover. Where is he? Did he tire of you and-'

The firelight flared before Laurana's eyes. Its heat swept over her body, to be replaced by a terrible cold. She could see nothing and remembered only a horrifying sensation of falling without being able to catch herself. Voices came at her from a great distance, distorted faces bent over her.

"Laurana, my daughter . . :'

Then nothing.

"Mistress . . :"

"What? Where am I? Who are you? I-I can't see! Help me!"

"There" mistress. Take my hand. Shhhh. I am here. I am Silvara. Remember?"

Laurana felt gentle hands take her own as she sat up.

"Can you drink this, mistress?"

A cup was placed to her lips. Laurana sipped at it, tasting clear, cold water.

She grasped it and drank eagerly, feeling it cool her fevered blood. Strength returned, she found she could see again. A small candle burned beside her bed.

She was in her room, in her father's house. Her clothes lay on a crude wooden bench, her swordbelt and scabbard stood near, her pack was on the floor. At a table, across from her bed, sat a nursemaid, her head cradled in her arms, fast asleep.

Laurana turned to Silvara, who, seeing the question in her eyes, put her finger to her lips.

"Speak softly;" the Wilder elf replied. "Oh, not for that one"-Silvara glanced at the nurse-"she will sleep peacefully for many, many hours before the potion wears off. But there are others in the house who may be wakeful. Do you feel better?"

"Yes;' Laurana answered, confused. "I don't remember-"

"You fainted;' Silvara answered. "I heard them talking about it when they carried you back here. Your father is truly grieved. He never meant to say those things. It is just that you hurt him so terribly-"

"How did you hear?"

"I was hiding, in the shadows in the corner there. An easy thing for my people to do. The old nurse said you were fine, you just needed rest, and they left.

When she went to fetch a blanket, I put the sleep juice in her tea:'

"Why?" Laurana asked. Looking at the girl closely, Laurana saw that the Wilder elf must be a beautiful woman-or would be if the layers of grime and filth were washed from her.

Silvara, aware of Laurana's scrutiny, flushed in embarra.s.sment. "I-Iran away from the Silvanesti, mistress, when they brought you across the river:'

"Laurana. Please, child; call me Laurana."

"Laurana," Silvara corrected, blus.h.i.+ng. "I-I came to ask you to take you with me when you leave:"

"Leave?" Laurana said. "I'm not goi-" She stopped.

"Aren't you?" Silvara asked gently.

"I . . . I don't know;" Laurana said in confusion.

"I can help;' Silvara said eagerly. '"I know the way through the mountains to reach the Knights' outpost where the s.h.i.+ps with birds' wings sail. I will help you get away:'

"Why would you do this for us?" Laurana asked. "I'm sorry, Silvara. I don't mean to be suspicious, but you don't know us, and what you're doing is very dangerous. Surely you could escape more easily on your own:"

"I know you carry the dragon orb,." Silvara whispered.

"How do you know about the orb?" Laurana asked, astounded.

"I heard the Silvanesti talking, .after they left you at the river."

"And you knew what it was? How?"

"My . . . people have stories . . . about it;" Silvara said, her hands twisting.