Lets go back to the house, said Pug. Theres a bottle of wine we can share before supper and, he looked at Magnus, before your mother gets home. Where is she?
Still at the Academy.
Pug shrugged. Shes there longer than I would have guessed. To the others he said, If you dont mind, lets walk. The way is short, fresh air clears the head, and Ive been jumping from place to place so much over the last few days I could use a small dose of the familiar.
No one objected, and they started to walk back to the house in the middle of the island.
CHAPTER 14
BARGAINS
Tomas looked over the forest.
Spreading out below him was the home he had known most of his life. From the royal couples private balcony, the view was stunning. The great trees of Elvandar were laid out in a fashion that at first glance appeared chaotic but there was a pattern, and once the eye became accustomed to it, much was revealed. From here Tomas could see the great meadow, where children played as parents watched over them while they repaired bows, made arrows, loomed cloth, or prepared food for feasts. In the distance he could see the top of a hill where an ancient watch fire waited to be lit should trouble breach the outer forest. No such warning was needed for the inner forest, on this side of the river the humans called Boundary, for only powerful magic could allow the uninvited to enter the heart of Elvandar, and such an intrusion would be felt by all who lived within the glades.
As a boy in Crydee, he had imagined heroics and great feats as a warrior in service to the king, but fate decreed something far more than his boyish flights of fancy could conjure. He was the heir to the white-and-gold armor of the Valheru, and with that came the knowledge of a being dead long ages before he was born. He had seen a thousand things in memory he had not witnessed in life, yet they were as vivid to him as if he had lived them firsthand.
His companion at the time he found the armor stood at his side, regarding the vista silently with his friend. The dwarves and elves had long had a cool but civil relationship until Tomas had gained the armor of the long-dead Valheru, Ashen-Shugar. As a battle companion, Tomas had saved many dwarves during the war with the Tsurani, and as the avatar of a long-dead Dragon Lord, he had commanded nearly blind obedience in the elves. During the Riftwar, a bond between the elves of Elvandar and the dwarves of the Grey Towers and Stone Mountain had been forged that had led to a far more cordial relationship than before the war.
Dolgan had remained Tomass friend for over a century, always a calm source of counsel with a very practical view of the world around him. Tomas welcomed the old dwarfs presence, though not the reason it had brought him. After delivering his warning to the Elf Queen, Alystan of Natal had departed, for he had many duties now delayed by carrying that warning, but Dolgan had decided to linger. It had been almost six years since he had visited with his friends in the north, and he felt the need.
He also knew Tomas nearly as well as the Queen did, or Tomass boyhood friend Pug, and the King of the dwarves in the west knew his friend was as disturbed by the arrival of this alien elf as the Dwarf King had been. Its something to ponder, isnt it, lad? he finally said.
Tomas always smiled at being called lad, by Dolgan. That it is, Dolgan.
I knew there was something afoot that day in the mines of Mac Mordain Cadal, when I found you eating fish with a dragon. The old dwarf laughed, and said, That alone was a tale worth a hundred nights by the fire of boys and girls fetching me another ale so Id finish it. But what came after, Tomas. The Tsurani and what changed in you and who you became. He gave an emphatic nod, and then said, But it has all turned out for the best.
Has it? The tall, blond-haired, once-human warrior regarded his old friend with blue eyes filled with concern.
Youve done a fair bit beyond your pledge to protect your adopted home, my friend. Youve raised a fine son in Calis, and youve given a wonderful woman all the love a man can give. That alone merits praise. But more, youve been a redoubt to your people. Its been pretty peaceful up here in Elvandar while the rest of the world has endured some pretty nasty times.
Tomas nodded. Elvandar was untouched when the Emerald Queens army had ravaged the Kingdom.
Well, Ive given you plenty to ponder, and not near so much as our new friend, Dolgan said with a nod toward where Gulamendis was being housed. Hes a queer one, thats for certain, and if it werent for the ears and all those elvish ways, Id think he was a tall human, thats a fact.
Tomas smiled. He enjoyed his visits with Dolgan, as infrequent as they were becoming. The dwarf would probably live another hundred years, with luck and good care, but nothing was forever, and even the most robust of the long-lived race was mortal.
Lately, Tomas had been filled with a sense of foreboding, a feeling he could not shake that something was coming, something very powerful, and the world as he knew it would change as a result, and not for the better. That feeling had deepened with the arrival of the alien elf.
Looking at Dolgan, Tomas said, So youre leaving then?
Aye, lad. I think Ill wander up to Stone Mountain and visit old Hathorn. Hes a bit elderly now and doesnt get out much. Need to chat a bit with his son, Locklan, about this and that. Dwarves business, you know.
Tomas nodded. I understand. Would you like some company along the way? Tomas didnt want to insult his friend by suggesting he needed bodyguards. After all, the dwarf had run all the way from the Grey Towers with only Alystan of Natal.
No. Its a short run and I could use some time to think. Besides, its been very peaceful these days, since you chased the Dark Brothers north. The goblins around these parts may be stupid, but theyre not stupid enough to trouble me. He patted the legendary hammer at his side.
Tomas grinned. Dolgan had found the Hammer of Tholin, the sign of his kingship, in the same cavern the then-boy from Crydee had found the armor of white and gold.
The armor that gave him his power, that provided him with the link through time to a life not his own was safely stored in his quarters, next to the ceremonial gowns and jewelry worn by his wife. Yet he needed no armor for anyone to see the power in him. He was arguably the most dangerous being on this world, perhaps only rivaled by his boyhood friend Pug, whose magic made him almost a force of nature. But Tomass great strength and Valheru magic didnt give him the ability to see the future.
Then fare you well, my old friend, said Tomas.
Fare you well, lad.
Just then Aglaranna appeared and Dolgan said, Ah, lovely. Saves me the trouble of tracking you down to say good-bye, my lady.
You are leaving, Dolgan?
Aye, off to visit kin in Stone Mountain, then home before my boy makes too big a mess of things.
Then travel well and visit again soon, my friend, she said.
He bowed and departed.
Tomas stared out again over the forest below, and his wife regarded him for a moment. She knew his moods better than any being living, and she loved him with a depth of her heart she barely believed possible. She had loved her first husband, the last King of the Elves, but it had been a love of slow building, a comfortable affection that came from necessity, for it had been her fate since birth to rule at his side. But with Tomas, passions she had never imagined had sprung into her heart as soon as she had seen him as a man, no longer the boy she had first beheld, and he had looked at her with a mans eyes. Since then they had been as one, and she knew his heart and mind. She knew he was thoughtfully considering this new elf who had come among them.
And she knew he was troubled.
Aglaranna, Queen of the Elves and his wife for a century, came to stand behind him and put her arms around him, a gesture that never failed to give him comfort. What troubles you, husband? she asked softly.
He turned with a smile, gazing into the face he counted the most marvelous sight he had ever beheld. Have I told you how beautiful you are? he asked with a sheen of moisture in his eyes.
She couldnt help but smile. Only every day, my lord.
&n
bsp; He grimaced and said, If it grows old
No, she interrupted. Ill endure you saying so if you must.
The banter was just what he needed and it caused him to relax. Im concerned, he said.
I know. You are concerned over our guest.
Tomas nodded. My memories of Ashen-Shugar are not complete. Many have come to me over the years, but still there are holes. Of all my memories of the Edhel, I have no recollection of any like this Gulamendis.
He is very strange, agreed the Queen. Even the Moredhel resemble us in so many ways. But thiself, he is different.
Dolgan said but for the ears, he is as different from us as a human would be.
Aglaranna laughed, a musical sound that always delighted Tomas. My love, have you been with us so long youve forgotten you are human?
He smiled and folded her into his arms, her head resting snugly under his chin. I am what I am. Yes, I was born human, but that was lifetimes ago. Only Calishe mentioned their sonunderstands what it is to live half in one world and half in another.
I thank our ancestors he found Ellia and her sons.
Tomas said, Yes. A family can save a soul. He was thinking of his own, and how he nearly succumbed to the madness of the Dragon Lords when he first wore the battle armor of white and gold. His wife and son had given him an anchor to hold him firm in the teeth of rages that came in battle or desires to dominate that were never entirely gone. His son likewise had a reason to live beyond mere survival: a foster family he had grown to love deeply.
Tomas was silent and, in the way of her people, Aglaranna was content to accept silence. After a few minutes of just enjoying one anothers quiet touch, Tomas said, You rule in Elvandar, my love, so all decisions are yours. Still, as Warleader, my duty is to be wary.
I understand, and always welcome your counsel.
He smiled. Not always.
She returned the smile. Most of the time.
Acaila appeared at the edge of the royal couples private chamber, seeking admission, and Tomas waved him over. The ancient elf was the leader of those who had returned to Elvandar from an enclave under the ice on the world of Kelewan. With the death of Tathar, the Queens closest advisor and senior Spellweaver since the time of her father, Acaila had become the leader of the Queens Council. He bowed and said, Majesty, Lord Tomas.
The Queen asked, This Gulamendis, what do you make of him?
Acaila moved to a waiting chair as indicated by the Queen. Sitting on the wooden seat, two large U-shaped pieces of wood cleverly joined and padded with a down-stuffed cushion, the ancient elf indicated his gratitude at the privilege. It is most difficult, my Queen, he began. That he is of the Eldar, there can be no doubt. What he knows of our ancient lore is not much, but it is what I would expect from one who was not raised as a Lorekeeper or Spellweaver. To find him a master of demons, however He leaned to the right and put his right hand to his face, his index finger tapping on his bony cheek. His age was incalculable, and he was doubtless the oldest elf living. His hair was now as white as snow, but his blue eyes were still alight with curiosity. What troubles me is less the matter of hisdark studies, for he would not be the first among the Eldar to find such practices fascinating. Rather it is his otherattitudes.
What attitudes? asked Tomas.
He hides it well, but he feels superior to all here. He counts his star people a superior expression of the Eldar tradition. The old man sat back a little and sighed. He considers us primitives, rustics at best. Wood lore is as alien to him as it was to many of the Ocedhel, who came to us from across the sea.
What else troubles you?
There are many secrets in this elf, said Acaila. He is here for more than he says. I sense he desperately wishes aid for his people, and despises himself for feeling the need to ask for help.
Tomas was no stranger to feeling conflicted over difficult decisions, so he asked, Is he torn because he feels we are inferior?
No, it is more than that. In talking of our lore and how it differs, he is an academic in many ways, like all the Eldar; he loves knowledge for its own sake. But its how that knowledge is to be used that goes to the heart of his troubles. Sighing, the old elf said, I do not know, but I suspect he has his own, personal agenda, and that is what we must uncover before we take all he says on trust.
Tomas and the Queen said nothing and waited.
Acaila said, These elves, these Taredhelthey are unexpected.
Tomas merely nodded.
You know our origins more intimately than anyone alive; can you have imagined the Eldar taking the path these Taredhel took?
Tomas was quiet a long moment as he considered those memories he had inherited from the Dragon Lord, Ashen-Shugar. Finally, he said, with a slight sigh, No, but remember the Valheru were arrogant beyond any other races imagining. They hardly understood the obvious differences between those of you who served close at hand and those who labored in the field.
The old Eldar nodded agreement. We were Lorekeepers and among the most trusted, those who were the Eldar. When my ancestors fled to the north of Kelewan, abandoned there by the Dragon Host, we assumed others would do as we did, abide and hope that someday we would be found, as we were.
When we returned here, finding the division between Eledhel, Moredhel, and Glamredheleven discovering the Ocedhel, all seemed logical, as if our basic nature was fashioned by circumstance, but these Taredhel The old elf shrugged. They are strange. He fell silent.
A patient race, elves thought in terms of years where humans worried about days. We have time to uncover these things, suggested Tomas.
That is where I must disagree, Lord Tomas, said the leader of the Eldar. There is an urgency in this Gulamendis, a sense of time being limited, that leads me to believe we shall see the heart of this matter sooner rather than later. He sighed. What I dont know is if we will like what we see. I dont think we will.
Are these Taredhel to be like the Moredhel, rather than like ourselves? asked the Queen.
Acaila shook his head. No, different from both, Your Majesty, different from we who were the Eldar. He looked out and waved his hand. This is the place of seeds, where we sprang at the dawn of time, before the war in heaven and the freeing of the People. He used the original word, Edhel, that encompassed all the tribes of elves. But like seeds, if you move them to different soil, the tree that grows will take on a different character. Some will grow strong and straight, others will be stunted and bent, while still others become something far different than what they were before. It was clear to Aglaranna and Tomas he was speaking of the Eledhel, Moredhel, and Taredhel. Those who lived to the north, they have come to abide with us and some have moved on to Baranor. Others from across the sea have returned to us. Is it not reasonable to think that those who have lived centuries on other worlds would be any less strange to us than those who merely lived on another part of this world?
Tomas nodded. To those who always lived in Elvandar, the Glamredhelthose who lived to the north of the Teeth of the Worldwere barbaric, almost primitive, while the Ocedhelthose who lived across the oceanwere almost too human in their ways. To live on other worlds for generations, yes, I can see how they would become alien to us.
Yet at their hearts, they are us, said the old Eldar. They have lore that is lost to us, as we have lore lost to them. For us to join with them in some fashion would benefit us both.
Tomas looked dubious. He knew much of what that lore contained, from his memories of the ancient Dragon Lord, Ashen-Shugar, and some of it deserved to remain lost. This caused him to consider something, and he asked, Is he concerned over my presence?
Perhaps, said Acaila. Gulamendis asked questions about you, but no more than I think any newcomer might. His fear and curiosity are balanced. No, there is something else he fears, more immediate than any concern about your Valheru nature accreting itself and trying to establish dominion over his people.
In fact, said the old elf with a wry smile, though he tries to hide it, he believes to a ne
ar certainty that you would fail. These people, I think, are arrogant to the point of thinking themselves supreme of all the races.
Aglaranna said, That has never been our way.
Not your way, Majesty, but it is the way of the Moredhel.
Tomas nodded and the Queen said, I must admit that is so.
But the Moredhel were menials, house slaves, those forced to build the abomination that was Sar-Sargothhe spoke of the monstrous city north of the Teeth of the Worldfor their masters, and its twin, Sar-Isbandia, for their own glory, ages ago, said Acaila.
Tomas shook his head. You lead me to think we have encountered a race of Eldar with the ambitions of the Moredhel.
Not quite, said Acaila. That would be simple, but these elves, these Star Elves, theyve become something even more dangerous. From what he has said, Gulamendis is representative of these people. They are physically bigger, and I think have strength far in excess of our own. He smiled and nodded at Tomas. Your own being the exception, my lord.
Tomas nodded, his expression indicating it was of no importance. Despite his majestic abilities, he was without vanity. He had endured too much and caused too much pain to others, coming into his power, to consider himself other than the luckiest of beings, having avoided succumbing to the ancient Valheru madness. Finding forgiveness from those he wronged had made him profoundly humble.
More, said Acaila, his magic isdark.
How so? asked the Queen.
I have not seen him employ any spellcraft, yet there is power in him. Its hidden well, but it is there. He asks questions. He is insightful, perceptive, and has a keen mind, perhaps as intelligent as any Ive encountered, yet there is something about him that troubles me.
Me, as well, said Tomas. He brings danger.
Both the Queen and Acaila looked at the Warleader. Tomas said, So far I dont see him as being a danger, but theres something hes hiding, something that will be a danger.