Part Forty
The dining hall was somewhat smaller than the royal chamber from which they had come. Several tables were set near each other, with the King seated at the head table, facing the entrance from the outer room. The guests were introduced to the Queen here; she was a beautiful woman of the people in the kingdom to the south, and though her marriage to this King would seem to cement the ancient alliance between kingdoms, the King and Queen looked on each other tenderly.
Lenaduiniel and Gwindor were invited to sit at the head table, as they were the only titled nobility among their companions. They accepted of course, as refusing would have been rude. The other eight guests were split between two smaller round tables, Duma and three Elves at one, and the Men and Halfling at the other. Eight guards, several servants to each table, and half a dozen musicians playing harps and fiddles were also in the room. The number of bodies made the room seem cozy, along with the fine white candles on each table and suspended in chandeliers.
Platters were brought to the tables so that each could fill their plate as they would. There was beef and fish, many vegetables that were in season, cheese, bread, dried fruit and nuts to be had, along with wine or ale to drink.
Before they began eating, Tsuki presented the King with a gift, on behalf of their entire party, of several sets of painted wooden eating sticks, along with horse bone rests Dale had carved in the likeness of horses. The court were amused by the gift and tried to eat with the sticks. The Lady seemed already practiced with eating sticks, for she could hold a pair and lift food to her mouth without fail.
Fei, and those at his table, watched the guard standing behind the Lady's chair with interest.
Kato then began saying, as they were beginning to eat, how he had been told that the Lady had disguised herself as a male soldier and rode into battle, and offered that Galadhiel, dressed then in clothing typical of male Elves worn over such undergarments that her gender was obvious, happened to be a Ranger and had passed herself off as male, even to keen-eyed Elves, and was it not funny how many overlooked clues to gender when they encountered one ambiguous enough to make them fear being made a fool if they spoke their doubt aloud and were wrong, and that he was one to speak his thoughts and would never be deceived that a female was male, no matter what armor or helm she wore.
As Kato went on, some thought him mad and attempting to insult the Lady Royalhill or else those who had been deceived in the past by the Lady or Galadhiel. Then, as Kato continued, Fei and Laurel both noticed how the Lady's personal bodyguard shifted uneasily.
"Perhaps they notice and think it wise to keep the secret," The Lady suggested pleasantly.
"Or kind," Kato said, then quickly dropped the subject. "This is all such good food!"
The King commented that he knew Halflings enjoyed their meals very much, but Fei and Laurel, and the Lady and her guard were not distracted by the shift in conversation. They understood that the Lady's guard was female.
Then the Lord Royalhill spoke, and it was not apparent to others if he perceived the meaning of the exchange between Kato and his wife. "My Lady's bodyguard is from lands in the east and has told us much of their ways, yet I know one person's knowledge is never perfect and welcome Fei Shih and Tsuki both to share what they know of distant lands with myself, and the court, if you are all interested.
"Tsuki grew to manhood in our own country," Reif said. He did not know that Tsuki had lived with the White prior to serving as a mercenary, but had been told that Tsuki had been found in the river by local traders and raised in their country.
"That is true enough," Tsuki said, "yet I still know more of the east than many Men of the west and would be happy to share my knowledge."
"I will share," Fei said, "My knowledge of your language is not good, but, if Tsuki or an other person would translate, I will teach."
"Perhaps Master Lynn can translate. My Lady's bodyguard is becoming very good at using the Common Speech."
"Master Lune," Fei repeated. The bodyguard was looking uneasy. Laurel supposed she was blushing behind the scarf and helmet.
"Chan May Lune," the Lord said.
"Meiran," Fei said, attempting backwards transliteration of the butchered name. At that, Tsuki seemed to understand that the guard was female and looked toward her.
The King, while this conversation was ongoing, paid more attention to the other table. He made effort to attend all his guests, but was most interested in Beryl and in Duma.
Duma had determined before the meal that he would follow Beryl's example while dining, but Beryl seemed unlike his usual self. He did not sing or tell stories. He spoke only to ask a servant to bring him clean water to drink, and no one questioned him such that he had to make replies.
Beryl passed over even the fish and took only some fruits, nuts and vegetables onto his plate. He ate using his fingers, yet this seemed elegant and well mannered.
Galadhiel often glanced sidewise toward him. She had only half believed the stories of his age, but his white hair awed her. Ages had to pass for an Elf to show such a sign of age. And now, quiet and serene, Beryl acted as Galadhiel supposed elders would.
The King could see that his cousin and Marshal was not surprised by Beryl's appearance this evening. The King himself had thought Beryl rather ageless in the past. He, his beloved and now deceased cousin, his sister and Reif had all joked that Beryl was an Elf, even as they believed him a Man. Since their youth Beryl had appeared, sometimes as a hand to help with rounding of cattle, as a wandering smith when their mount threw a shoe, as a juggler on the steps of the King's hall when they needed to laugh. He gave no other name, and some in the country called him Lucky Beryl. He seemed to know how to fix things that were broken and always had ready a song or stageman's illusion to entertain them. And, they had found, when the time came, Beryl was lethal with a spear.
That was no wonder, if he was truly an Elf. Elf spears were not constructed as those of the Horse lords, but their skill with them was legendary, and Beryl's technique had never been common.
"Is white hair normal in Elves?" The King whispered to Reif. "Or has he perhaps died and been reborn? He seems not to have aged."
"He is no Wizard, and I always heard it extremely rare that Elves return after seeing The Other Side. I think only their ancient ones show white hair. We often think them ageless, but I sometimes hear it said that they simply age more slowly than our race and depart before we can notice signs of age in them."
"And red?"
"Ask your brother there. He is more learned in lore. That is, if you can distract him from discussion of eastern lands."
The King decided not to interrupt the others' conversation, though he had the right. Instead he fell to watching Duma. The creature seemed more comic than fearsome or disgusting, as Men assumed Orcs must be. The wa that he picked a his food so hesitantly, as if afraid of offending with Orcish manners amused the King. He laughed. Duma cut his meat into pieces smaller than a woman would.
The King had experience with fighting Orcs. He knew Duma did not appear to be one from the west that some Men called Half-Orcs, because they appeared frighteningly Mannish compared to other breeds. Those Westerners had smaller ears, alike to those of Elves or Halflings. Duma was not so broad or stooped as the Orcs that had served the Dark Lord in the east. The king had been told Orcs in the mines were toadish and green, with large yellow eyes.
Duma seemed more a malformed Elf than an Orc. He did not have that sort of face that to Men appeared flat and squashed and his nose seemed very Elven. How this creature had come to be or why he traveled with their merchant party had not been explained. Duma had only given his name and said that he was half Orc. He had not said that he was also half Elf, but that appeared to be the case.
"Find out what manner of Orc Duma is," the King whispered to Reif.
"He is half..."
"I mean to know what breed that half is," the King told his cousin. "And find out how he came to be with their party."
Reif grinned and turned toward the table where Duma sat with the Elves. Beryl looked at him with a rather blank expression, as if half-asleep or blinded. It was a face that expressed no emotion. Reif kept his smile. "Duma?" he called.
"Yes?"
"My Lord Marshal," Beryl whispered very quietly.
"My Lord Marshal," Duma repeated.
"What breed of Orc are you, apart from being Elven?"
"Northern, Sir...My Lord...you know that I am half Elven?"
"My Men say you roomed with the Elves. Or was that for some other reason?"
"I do not know what you are asking...My Lord...it is true I am both Orc and Elf."
"Sire," Beryl said softly, "it may not be apparent to any Man, but Duma is quite young. We can appreciate your interest in him and our present situation. Perhaps after the meal, if you would ask questions of him, you would not object to someone more experienced sitting with him. Perhaps you would trust one of the Wood Elves to be objective."
"I understand," The King said to Beryl.
Beryl made a nod and then lifted a pitcher from the table and poured water into Duma's goblet of wine.
Their supper ended, the King's court and guests continued their conversations or sat enjoying the music. The Lady watched her brother questioning the young Yrchelen with their cousin, Reif, at his side, and Beryl watching the three of them. The daughter of the Elf King had been with them, and the Queen, but they had left together for the queen's chambers.
The Lady's beloved was enthralled by stories of the east and descriptions of the culture of the western lowlands. He would not soon want to leave their intellectual discourse and its debate and defining of terms in Common Speech. She did not fault her husband, as he was a learned Man and she appreciated the quality, much the way Laurel seemed to appreciate the Eastmen. On another occasion, the Lady would have joined the conversation, but she saw something else that demanded her attention.
Beryl saw the Lady Royalhill coming across the room and knew she would speak with him. Lenaduiniel had coyly managed to attract the Queen's attention to her travel-stained gown and made some sorrowful excuses about being far from her own kingdom and traveling lightly out of pure necessity. The Queen was no doubt now gifting Lenaduiniel with one of her own gowns, just as Lenaduiniel had intended.
Elvish tendency to bargain aside, Lenaduiniel had left Duma without another chaperone, and so Beryl stood, so close to Reif, and the periodic grins he sent Beryl's way. Someone should stay near, and make certain Duma was not taken advantage of or that he did not unwittingly turn the King's favor from them with a careless confession.
Beryl did not want Dale to be embarrassed, and making it as little obvious as possible that Dale was Duma's father would help that cause.
"And why do the Orcs hunt your party? Is it because you are with them?" Reif asked.
"No. It is not just for me," Duma answered quietly.
"That Orcs are about in numbers these days and gaining some territory is unrelated to our journey," Beryl said. "That they are now masterless and fighting among themselves has become common knowledge to the west and should have soon become clear to your people without our visit. I suspect they will either spread thin enough for Men and Elves to defeat them for good, or they will discover amongst themselves one strong leader and become a more dangerous force. That Orcs have plagued our party along the way may be only a sign of our times, yet, Ican admit to you that there is one among our party who is already known and hated by Orc-kind. The Elves called him 'Orc-killer' as he slew many in the war. Orcs fear him, but they also hate him, and hatred and whips always drive Orcs into battle."
"Hatred and whips," the King mused.
"Dale," Reif decided.
Some distance away Dale heard his name and made a point not to respond. He and Kato were pretending to play a game with opposing stone markers as they eavesdropped.
"When the Ladies took their leave, you had been telling us of your ways and how you were spawned in the wild and came to the mines," the King said. "You broke your story to answer Reif. Tell us now how you came to travel with Men and Elves and learn their manners?"
Duma almost reminded the King that there was a Halfling also, but he thought then it was wise not to contradict one who was more powerful in his own dwelling.
"Tell them," Beryl suggested calmly.
"I was taken from the mines by my...Chieftain. We met Dale's party along a road. The Orcs call him 'Death-shadow'. The Chieftain offered Dale something precious as a bribe not to fight."
"Do Orcs now bargain their way out of battle?" Reif laughed.
"Orcs understand bargaining," Duma said slowly. He saw the King wished to continue and perhaps was a little agitated by his kinman. "Another Orc disagreed with the Chieftain, and he was a strong band Leader.He did nto think the Chieftain should give away precious things and other Orcs also agreed. The Leader then attacked and slew the Chieftain, and took his whip. I became this new Chieftain's Orc as the whip became his. He offered me to Dale in trade for the precious thing."
"They sold you?" The King asked seriously.
"'Sold' is not a good word, but it is accurate," Beryl explained.
"Then Dale is your...Master?" The King asked.
"Orcs do not have other Masters now," Duma said. He did not think he could explain to the Men the difference between being one of a Chieftain or Leader's Orcs and being pet to a Master. And he might not be able to explain that 'Masters' were also Wizards, Sorcerers and dark Men that had possessed the loyalty of various Bands and Clans in the past. It was true enough to tell the King Dale was not his Master, but he was by one interpretation of Orc custom, Dale's Orc, which to the Men might have seemed the very same.
"You are with this party, so we can assume the trade was made. Did Dale grant you freedom then?"
"I am not certain of your question, Your Highness. Forgive me."
"Among our party we consider him a ward, you might say," Beryl offered. "Duma has proven useful and worthy of some trust and at times loyal, and so we give him freedoms. He was never deprived of the rights that all free peoples should possess, while in our company, but when newly acquainted with our group, we make certain demands of him and set certain rules he must follow. We asked of him the same courtesies that would be asked of any in mixed company."
"Then, Duma, you are not truly free to go where you will?" The King asked.
"I am content to remain in Dale's company now. He will send me back to the Orcs if I am not good. I do not want to hurt anyone. I understand that I am strange, but I like meeting Dwarves, Halflings, Elves and Men. I have never been to such a large Man-city before. There is much to learn in such a place. I would like to learn more things."
"Would you go back to the Orcs and teach them what you learned?" Reif asked.
Duma looked up, a little confused. It seemed to him that Reif was altering his tone to suggest Duma was a spy, but he was not so accustomed to Men that he was certain. Beryl was certain, as was the King.
"Duma," The King said, "Why did you drive the Orcs from our city?" He saw his sister waiting on them.
Duma thought a moment. "It would have disturbed me to see their heads on pikes, even though they intended harm to me and others in this city."
"That is a nasty business," The Lady broke in, "but we must make it clear to Orcs that we will not tolerate such activity and threats as we have had from them in the past. Orcs seem to understand the language of threats."
"Yes. We understand."
"The Kingdom must be defended," The King said.
"The Orcs are afraid of horse-boys..." Duma spoke, and then realized his used of slang might have been offensive.
The King laughed.
"As my husband is occupied, I hoped that Beryl might escort me outside for some air," the Lady said.
"You have my leave," the King said, "though I would speak to Beryl when you have returned."
The Lady curtseyed as Beryl glanced almost nervously from Duma to Reif. The Lady held out her hand and helpless to refuse, unless he show poor manners, Beryl offered his arm to walk the Lady outside. "Your companions poorly disguise their eavesdropping and will certainly be there for Duma should he need them."
Beryl nodded slightly and did not look back, but walked the woman out through the receiving chamber to the steps at the front of the King's hall. Beryl remembered the Lady standing here many days in the past. She recalled also that she had often come to this place to watch for the return of the Men who had gone out riding. She had been melancholy then. Many times Beryl had seen her and come to comfort her by making flowers appear from his sleeve or guessing the card she had drawn from a deck.
The preparations of a signal fire were set on the flagstones near the large doors, but no fire was lit in this time of peace. Only several small torches lit the landing and steps in the night, and moonlight. The city was populated enough that smoke from cook fires and workshops cast a thin veil over the stars at night, but there were no clouds and Beryl could see each point of light through that veil.
The guards stood straighter as the Lady passed by, leading Beryl past the cold signal fire into the shadows of the hall. "We used to meet here not infrequently."
"Yes, My Lady."
"I do not perceive this to be a costume. You are truly and Elf who was always disguised as a Man."
"Yes."
"You seem even less merry than when you were a Man. I was not aware that we lived in dark times any longer."
Beryl laughed softly. "Forgive me. I am happy to see you again, and your brother."
"Yes. I think you always wished us well. My family thought well of you, though it is true we did jest that you must be a spirit. You no longer seem so, even as an Elf, but perhaps I have become accustomed to Elves."
"Elves often seem as spirits to those to whom we are strangers, but we are flesh. Immortal and first born, but still flesh, and not like spirits or gods."
"Yes," the Lady said slowly. She was certain that there were Elves who would never admit such a thing to mortals, but she believed that Beryl told the truth and that he was telling her after a fashion that Elves suffered from the same weaknesses that Men may. Perhaps begin the first race, like elder siblings they were wiser and hid their flaws more successfully or possessed more self control, but they were still capable of making mistakes. They were as capable of longing. It was said that Elves felt deeply, and so perhaps they felt longing more keenly and only hid their need with their greater self control.
They stood in silence, watching the city and the sky, and then the Lady spoke again. "I used to feel caged."
"It is not necessary for you to tell me." Beryl knew what this woman had suffered and loved her for remaining strong when she was needed. She did not need to explain anything.
"It is necessary for you to hear, Beryl."
"I-"
"You will forgive me for being so direct. I used to feel caged. Useless. I loved the Men in my family and I hated them for always leaving or becoming weak and leaving me to be strong. I hated the people for relying on me. I hated myself. I swallowed it all down and became cold. I wanted to just be released from it all. I wanted to ride away or fade. Sometimes the snake spoke to me and I feared I would stop resisting. I hated him as well, for knowing my plight and yet being part of its continuance. I despised his control of my uncle, and yet sometimes, I really feared I would not resist. I thought, maybe, maybe I could feel something but cold hatred. It is said I did something very heroic, but when I rode out, it was for selfish reasons. I was not so…beautiful."
"My Lady, no. You suffered in a time when all suffered. Perhaps you suffered greatly, as a woman and as a person, but you were never an ugly person and not so cold. You simply grew of age. You realized that you had no control over your destiny and that this displeased you, and so you chose fighting the fate you perceived. It was not selfish. It was a necessary step in finding your path through life. It is not for anyone else to say you were right or wrong, but to understand that you needed to take care of yourself before you could give. And yet, somehow, you were strong enough that others could rely on you, even if you hated that responsibility. You left for yourself, but you did all the world good in following your own path. You are as you were: beautiful and strong. Your husband is blessed, My Lady."
"I am blessed."
"Yes."
"I know how you feel. I see how you are when he is near. You hate yourself when you look at him, because you fear you will lose control. I do know."
"Yes. I will not argue that. I knew…"
"If you had not sometimes appeared when I was so dead inside then I might have taken a wrong step."
"I do not assume responsibility."
"You did help me. You have always helped my family."
Beryl laughed. "Not always, only in this present generation."
"I wish to repay the kindness, Beryl. Is there not anything I can do for you? It must be so difficult for you now. I thought in the past you were the bad influence, but now I see that he must have kept you out drinking and throwing dice. You just…"
"That is why I admire you so. The difference between us is that I did everything the snake asked of me. Your help comes to late, though I appreciate your intentions greatly."
The Lady frowned. "Everyone makes mistakes. I do not find you ugly for your past mistakes. I know that you are kind and good and I wish you to be merry again. What is most important is that you do not walk that same path again." The Lady pointed toward the sky. "If you are lost, choose a star to guide you and correct your course. You are immortal, and so you can afford to take ages to arrive at the place you are meant to be."
"At times, that place seems so unclear to me. His smile sweeps the stars from the sky."
"My cousin is not so charming as that," the Lady laughed. "If I cannot console you, I can at least point out the stars for you as I see them." The Lady turned and gestured over the roof of the hall. "That way is east. Our Marshal's lands are there, but you will find many stars beyond. The Evenstar is in the east."
Beryl smiled.
"Or perhaps, I should advise you to do as you have perceived me to do and look to yourself for guidance. Without your masks, you need only look in a glass or still pool to find a star."
"I lately feel this star is falling."
"Then I make a wish for you to find your place, Beryl."
"I hope you wish shall come to pass, My Lady, for both our sakes."
Within the hall, the King had heard Duma's story and was satisfied with his knowledge of the half-Orc and the party he traveled with. He then invited Duma and all his companions present to come with him and receive gifts from the King's Horde as reward for their service in pursuing thieves and Orcs. Beryl had not returned, but the King said he believed he knew the reward Beryl would ask and they could settle later.
Several guards joined them, though the Lady's bodyguard remained behind to wait for her mistress. The nine present companions were led through rooms of the King's hall to his vaults, where surplus weaponry, armor, equipment and assorted items that had been inherited or received as gifts from allies or vassals were stored. The Queen was with them, as she had returned with Lenaduiniel, who was wearing a new blue gown embroidered with white flowers. Reif and the Lord Royalhill followed.
The vault keeper opened the doors for them and the King led the way inside. Pure precious metals and gems were kept elsewhere in a treasury, but there were many objects here that were bejeweled or made of precious metal. In a corner metal weapons and equipment taken from Orcs was piled, but elsewhere everything was neatly arranged and sorted. Many things had hand written tags fixed to them, detailing the origin of the item.
The others were allowed to wander, with vault keeper and guards watching from afar, but the King seemed interested in what reward Duma would choose and made it clear by his posture that he would keep close. Duma stood looking into the room and did not move. Then the King asked what Duma would have, or if there was anything he needed."
"Are there good bows here? I lost my bow to the Orcs. It is the weapons I have proven most able with thus far and I will not be able to practice or hunt without one."
"Then the bow you like best shall be your reward! This way. We have many stored here."
The King showed Duma where the bows were stored; across a narrow aisle were various quivers and bundles of arrows, and on the wall a thickness of straw covered in cloth with which to make a close-range test. Duma began to look at the bows when Lenaduiniel joined them. She had already received a gown as a gift, but was decided to have a reward as well, unless the King or Queen spoke against it. She was not certain what reward she would choose, but wanted to be certain Duma had her advice in making his decision.
Duma tried to read the labels, but he was unable. "If you please, is there anyone who could tell me what this says?"
"You do not read?" The King asked.
Duma clacked the bar in his tongue against his teeth and the sound startled the King.
"Orcs, like Dwarves never adopted the runes Elves and learned Men now use," Lenaduiniel explained. "Duma is quite learned for an Orc, but is still learning to read and write Elvish and Common Speech as it is written in these times."
The King only half listened, as he watched Duma's mouth for the source of the strange sound. Duma stuck his tongue from his mouth, not thinking that it might be rude to do so before a King.
"Strange device," the King whispered. "It is as the fixtures on your face and ear? A sign of strength among Orcs? I never understood before why they wore metal on their faces."
"In some cases the plates or rings are set there to close large wounds and remain," Duma said casually, "Mine are not that sort." He turned again to the bows. He reached out for one and then saw Lenaduiniel shake her head slightly. She tipped her head to the right and Duma shifted his gaze that way.
"You like this one?" the King asked as Duma took the bow from the rack to try it for size. The King looked to the tag. "It was salvaged from a Ranger stash along the Great River, near an old watchtower."
"I trust that is so, but it was made by my people," Lenaduiniel said, "In fact, I recognize the bow in particular and would be pleased for you to allow my apprentice to receive it. The bow belonged to my younger brother."
"You are certain?"
"Any of our bows might be made of such wood and strung with spider silk, but each is crafted by hand and distinct to our eyes. Can you see the slight scarring along the bow? Do you see, Duma?"
Duma looked. When he looked closely he could see signs of battle damage. "Made by goblin blades. This bow has been through the mines."
"It is true," the King said, "then it was discarded when the previous owner gave chase to the Orcs who took his companions. I trust your word and would not deny your family's claim to the bow. Duma, you may choose another reward."
"Your Highness is generous. If Lenaduiniel would allow me to use this bow, then I lack for no equipment. I ask that Your Highness choose for me. Is there some small item made by your people that I can carry with me as a souvenir?"
"Perhaps some brooch or belt buckle?" The King suggested.
"I would gladly accept such a reward," Duma said, then bowed.