Part Seventy
Denelas had deferred much of his duty in managing affairs within the Silver Wood to Lenaduiniel, sister of their own absent Lord and daughter of the Elf-King, to remain in charge of their defense force. Once in a position of command, Lenaduiniel had named her brother also among her war counselors and commanders. Denelas and Gwindor had recommended others who had some small experience with combat or espionage and so their defense force was formed.
The Elves were saddened that such measures were necessary, but now convinced that this course of action was the best. The decision already made, the Elves felt pride in their new defenders. They knew many tales of Elven bravery and superiority in combat. Elves of past ages had even slain large fell beasts and demons, and they were no different in body than those Elves.
Lenaduiniel said that tending trees and restoring the land must wait. It was good that Elves gently guided growing things so that they could thrive even as they benefited Elves, but there were times when the trees would be the Elves' protection. This was such a time.
Caratathren, and several other elder Elves of the wood, were charged with assigning new schedule of duties to those not directly involved in defense efforts. It was vital that production of clean water, food and medicinal items continued, but now they had great need of shields, arrows and may even require swords, spears or armor.
There was little metal found naturally in the Silver Wood and no time to go begging to Dwarven allies in the mountains or to Men. There was, Caratathren said, a stockpile of armaments and salvaged metal, and some others remembered this also. When Lenaduiniel's brother had first come to the Wood with small number of Elven kin, they had not only found the land sickened and eroded stumps remaining from great trees, but they had found so much debris of war. This narrows between river and mountains had long been contested and in the most recent war, Mannish Rangers had hindered enemy troop movements along the roads from their tunnels and caves in most novel method of warfare. There had been so many fallen arms and armor and even rotten corpses when the Elves had arrived that they had spent months pulling arrowheads and blades from trees and earth and disposing of remains. At first, they had deliberately placed swords and cast arrowheads around trees and plants, to return iron to the soil, which Elves knew caused some plants to thrive, but after a point, they had so many found weapons to spare that they had stockpiled them in a shed and nearly forgotten about them.
Now Elves were dispatched to open the doors to the shed and to draw swords from the earth if they had not deteriorated entirely. All this metal was carted to the Elves' forge, which they and ally Dwarves had built when the settlement was founded and they had need to craft tools.
All this happened quickly, so that when those who had gone to Eldsbridge returned along the road, armed Elven guards dropped from the trees to challenge them. Beryl spoke for the party saying, "We are friends who feasted with you only a few nights ago. Show us to Denelas and the children of the Elf-King, we must speak with them."
The guards replied that they could not leave their post, but they would find the Lady at her brother's house, near the pavilion.
There were seven that rode into the wood, Beryl, Tsuki, Dale, Duma, Fei, and Aud the Southman. They saw Elves drawing swords from the ground and smoke rising from the forge and ladders all drawn up onto the platforms in the trees to prevent easy entry. Prayers and warnings were sung out as branches were cut from the trees and fell, for want of wood for shafts, staves and shields for their armament. Those few guards who were visible, as the central parts of the settlement were reached, carried much impressive ancient weaponry, which was a sign that Elves had opened their heirloom chests and brought out the armor, spear or sword their grandsires had employed against beasts, Orc, and demon minions of one Dark Lord or other, which the young had cherished along with their jewels and antiquated silk clothing.
The guest house where the Orcs had been seemed empty.
Ugarit was with Lenaduiniel in this third level of the Lord's household, which was built upon platforms more than an Elf's height above the ground, where all the war counsel of the Silver Wood was gathered. Tashmetum was with them, because Ugarit would not leave her now, but Dog was left below, with Galadhiel to guard him.
These two saw the riders approaching and greeted them first, although word of their arrival had already been whistled to and confirmed on sight by those above. The Mine-Dweller and Grey Elf were able to leave their beds and sit at some simple useful craft, but their internal injuries still pained them and their bodies were no so strong that they could battle. Galadhiel bent her will to her healing and so long as she did, was confident she would live and perhaps if the future allowed, wed Gwindor. Tsuki's surgery and the healing droughts of Elves had helped her to mend, but her own will had insured her survival. Orcs were resilient, bred for their ability to continue the orders given them by a master injured and even to the point of death, and they could be most determined. The surgery had been successful and the gifts of blood and wizard-brewed broth had improved his health, but it was also true that Dog was responsible for his own survival; he was determined not to seem weak or failing to Orcs or Elves. They stopped their crafting of arrows only to greet the newcomers.
Dog looked at Duma, not expecting that he deserved to know what was going on, as he was only a pet, even if a very skilled one, but he wished Duma would give him some news. Duma looked up and saw Ugarit looking down at them, Tashmetum on her hip. He left Snaga with a pat on her neck and bent to speak to Dog. "Is Marduk coming? Are the Orcs close now?" he asked.
"The Elves do not tell me much, but the drums sound sometimes and say they are coming. I think Elves have gone to keep the Orcs to the road."
Duma gave a sharp nod. "Death-shadow is not our enemy, not unless Orcs make it so. There was a secret message sent from one Wizard to another and the Halfling carried it. The message is in a strange code, so none of us know yet what it may say about Orcs, but, I have learned that the Halfling was under a powerful spell and that even the Rangers have been tricked. We think there is some enemy that has been influencing the Rangers with trickery and stopping their communications. Dale never knowingly accepted any mission that would harm Orcs…"
Dog laughed, because it was funny that the forest boys had been fooled by anyone.
Dale grabbed Duma's right arm and drew him away from Dog.
"Back to work, if you do not need another rest," Galadhiel said.
Dog went back to the chore of putting arrowheads to shafts. He had been
in an unconscious state much of the time he was injured, but he knew something
had attacked him as he was pursuing the Halfling and this cross-dressing
Elf, and he knew it had also attacked the Elf he thought an enemy. Dog
had heard the stories from the rogues and he had understood a little of
what the Elves said in the presence of Men in the Common Speech. He believed
it was true there was some other enemy nearby. He knew Ugarit wanted Elves
and Orcs to face this enemy together. Dog did not really want to work
with Elves, but he did not like the alternative of facing some new enemy
and Elves at the same time. It was probably better to make a temporary
truce until the other enemy was found
out and defeated.
Lenaduiniel had called all the selected commanders of the defense force and the elders of the households of the Silver Wood to a counsel, where they would hear the report given by Beryl.
Beryl had accepted this task. He could do no more for Caerig now but to seek vengeance or resolution to the threats and enemies against them. Tsuki and Dale had been involved with the matter longer, but if there were to address Elves, it was better Beryl give the news and call on the others only to add evidence.
The meeting was near to starting, but they were awaiting some others to arrive from where they had been at their tasks and there was time for Ugarit to approach Duma. Dale was still with him. He laid no hand on Duma, but stayed close at his side, while Tsuki was speaking to Gwindor of what had happened since they left him.
"If you have both returned alive, then you must have some proof," Ugarit said sharply.
"We brought some, but it may come to argument if any of us are to convince Orcs. It is all a rather confusing plot, and we do not yet know everything," Duma confessed.
"Tell me you are not our enemy," Ugarit demanded of Dale.
"I have said it before. I am not the enemy of Orcs or any Orc Clan, so long as they do not make themselves my enemy. I kill them when they come after me or those I would call friends or allies."
"Is there much proof?" Ugarit asked. "Lena also wants to know what happened to the Halfling and Witch. Who is that dark man there?"
"There is proof, but it is all captured messages written in Elven and secret Wizard codes and the word of our returning party on what they saw. It is not good evidence for Orcs."
"Then explain to me. I am a smart Orc. I can argue for you. Maybe they will listen to me."
"What are you both talking about?" Dale asked.
"You know. Marduk expects me to kill you or show proof that you are not the enemy and some other person or party is. If I do neither…"
"Then he has failed Marduk."
"I do not see why you need to do what Marduk wants. You can stay with me if you want to. You can live among Men if you like."
"Do not listen to D-Dale, tell me what you know!"
Dale laughed.
Ugarit glared.
"She wants you to succeed to Marduk will give her to you. I think maybe you want the same. You are such Elves. An Orc takes what they want and does not wait for permission."
"You are mad, as Orcs say," Ugarit hissed. "You say this? To take? To take as Dumuzi stole you from your Clan? To continue actions that offend other races and do not bring peace?"
"Ugarit, do not challenge him. He is mad, but he is still very much the Orc Dumuzi made him, and if there were no so many Elves nearby he would whip you for forgetting to call him 'Chieftain'."
"I am Dale-Chieftain to you, girl-Orc."
"Female, but not 'girl' I think, Dale-Chieftain, and I will cut you if you forget that. I am still Marduk's Orc, as no one has taken me, so I will obey his orders and see that others do also. Even if he were to give me to Duma, Duma would have to prove he could keep me. Do not insult me by suggesting I would remain with any Orc that was not strong enough to keep me."
Duma snorted. "Well, I will honor Marduk's requests to me, because I have decided that though I am Dale-Chieftain's Orc as Spawn of his Clan and through fair trade, to fail all Orcs by not seeking and defeating their enemies would be something I do not wish and only make me weak and less than a pet in eyes of all Orcs. Ugarit is strong and smart and she can make beautiful drawings and catches more fish than I can, so it would be advantageous for any Orc to have her, and though I will accept gifts if they are given, I will not take what does not ask to be taken…but, even though I do not like fighting, I would fight anyone who tried to take from me what was given as a gift or in fair trade and did not wish to leave me."
Dale laughed, thinking it was funny to see Orcs so obviously in love. Ugarit looked so happy; she bared her fangs in a grin and probably looked frightening to most. Duma wanted to use his strength to protect her and not to harm her. That was how Ugarit felt about Duma. She wished for him to succeed, not because it meant she could go with him, but because she wanted Duma to have success. She could be near him if she wished it, she had already proven that. It did not matter whose Orc she was.
Maybe the wanting to protect and aid and not to harm was love.
"Dale," Tsuki said, coming to him. "It has been decided Beryl will begin his report shortly, and we would all like if you would translate for those who do not speak Elven."
Fei was there and Aud and the Orcs. Dale agreed with a nod. It made sense for Beryl to address the Elves in their own language.
Seats were taken on various stools and chairs set in a circle. Those who did not speak Elven fluently were seated one side of Dale. Tsuki was at his other side, but he actually understood Elven well. The Wizard had taught him because it was considered the language of the learned, and he had improved his accent and ability to recognize the dialects in becoming acquainted with Lenaduiniel and joining the Rangers.
Beryl stood and spoke the group. "I think that you all know who I am. I am Beryl of the Green Elves. I should tell you the most important facts first, but then I think some of you may need or want to know how this knowledge was discovered and what we can do from the present on. So, to begin…I can come to suspicions shortly, but I suppose I will start with absolute fact." Beryl then produced the letter Laurel and Fei had found with the dead pigeon and its message canister. "This is a message canister that was found with the corpse of a pigeon, by this Man, within the Silver Wood, and brought to our attention in Eldsbridge. Within was this small scroll bearing a message written in Elven."
As those who had come from Eldsbridge with Dale, including Aud, had already learned of the message, Dale did not translate all of Beryl's words, but said, mainly to Ugarit, that Beryl presented a Ranger message found in a canister strapped to a trained homing pigeon's leg and that this was a normal way for Rangers to maintain contact between forts.
Beryl then read the message aloud. It was addressed to Cinsley Ranger Captain of Woddhenge near Eldsbridge, from Anto Ranger Captain of New Haven Camp, and said that Anto was transcribing the portion of a message he had received from Barad and Duinhir both, in the north, with personal seals and multiple codewords known to him, which was relevant for Cinsley to know. The quoted part of the message said that all Rangers should be warned that it had been learned through personal contact between the Elf King and Duinhir, Ranger and Elf, that some previous orders reaching Duinhir from the Elf-King had been falsified. Persons appearing to be Elven Rangers had first delivered these orders to Duinhir and then departed his fort of River Forge. The implications of this were that based on the falsified orders, Barad had dispatched two of his rangers, Tsuki Eru, known to Previous Mannish commanders as Tsuki Skywanderer and Mapulinanlóme Tâd, known to Men as Dale Maple, as escort to a Hafling messenger who had come to him showing orders which they also now judged falsified. If Tsuki, Dale and this messenger were met by rangers, they were not to be challenged with violence. Tsuki and Dale had no knowledge of the false nature of their orders and should simply be ordered back to Stone Keep as soon as they gave a full report of their progress to the local Commander and could arrange safe passage. The messenger was suspect, but not confirmed dangerous of an enemy and should be held by Rangers in a secure location and questioned. Commanders of all the forts, camps and cities should take measures to secure lines of communication. The quoted passage ended there and Anto indicated that he had encountered the Rangers Tsuki and Dale, the Halfling and several companions of theirs before such time as he had received this warning from the north and gave testimony that these three had given aid to common folk and defended them against an Orc attack and that the Halfling had a good reputation in New Haven and though he agreed the Halfling should be questioned, he suspected if he was an enemy he was so under duress. Anto ended by giving his proper name, which Men used along with 'Anto' which rangers and Elves called him, his person seal in blue wax, and several codewords.
Dale did his best to translate all that Beryl had read into Common Speech.
"May we see the scroll?" Lenaduiniel asked.
Beryl walked over the planking to deliver the scroll and when Gwindor, beside his sister, extended his hand, Beryl gave the small canister to him.
"We must know if this message which warns of false orders is itself true," Elder Greenriver suggested.
"Lord Duinhir is kin to my father, and Gwindor and I know him. It seems suspicious that he could mistake imposters for messengers from my father, but perhaps, because he so wholly would trust my father's word, he pushed suspicion from his mind and was duped."
"The canister itself is Dwarvish, but it is a common enough thing for Rangers to use such things. Men among them admire Dwarven metal craft," Gwindor said.
"When did the Halfling defend people against Orcs? And where is he now, if he carries false messages?" Ugarit asked.
Seeing that Beryl had not yet continued and others were studying the scroll, Dale relayed Ugarit's questions to the others in Elven.
"You may answer, Dale, as you know."
"It is now called among its survivors Battle of the Hill," Dale said. He told briefly how he, Tsuki and Kato had first noticed Orcs and left the road and thus met Laurel. He explained that her people had captured them and Laurel had given them aid and that though it seemed the Orcs pursued Dale or perhaps Kato, the Witches had decided that they would leave their camp rather than risk the Orcs using them for sport. The parties had all met again on a hill between the camp and New Haven and in the night battled there. "I do not wish to describe the battle in detail."
"You poisoned the wine," Duma said.
Dale turned his head and glared at him. It seemed an inopportune time for Duma to reveal he knew this. It seemed madness to tell the Elves, as if to try to ask them to pity Orcs.
"I was not there, but I was told, the witches poisoned the wine left in the camp, and so many Orcs were angered and desired vengeance while there were also some who wished mainly to question your party."
Dale huffed. "They did not have to drink the wine."
Duma shrugged. His point was made. The Elves did understand Common Speech and so he had suggested to them that it was not true Orcs attacked Men with their females and young only for sport. Orcs could be offended and seek vengeance, and Elves understood vengeance seeking, it was just in their culture.
Lenaduiniel smiled. There were many foul Orcs; she was certain of it, but Duma's uninvited comment worked toward her goals. "And what of Kato? Enemy or not, though I would wish to believe not, I would not have wished him to perish."
Beryl answered. "He was attacked by assassins and suffered what may be a mortal wound. He has been taken to the capitol, of Mannish kingdoms that is, with Ranger escort. Laurel Poe, the Witch also goes with him as his nurse."
"Assassins?" Gwindor asked.
"I will come to that, but first, my next piece of evidence." Beryl then took several sheets of paper from Fei and held them up so that others could see. "Before falling unconscious from his wounds, the Halfling, Caerig Winnan, or Kato the Trader, repeated for us the message he had been carrying. It was in no language I understand, perhaps a foreign tongue or coded message, but, we do have here the way the message would be read. Here, transcribed by this Man, Fei Shih Lung, a scholar among his eastern people, as his people would write the words Kato sang, and here, written out by Tsuki and Dale, how the words would be spelled out if in Elven with notation for singing, as the message seemed relayed in specific tones and notes. We have not deciphered this message, but when we do, we will know with more certainty who our enemy is."
Lenaduiniel asked also to see the transcribed message and Beryl delivered the pages torn from Tsuki's tome.
"I thought we were to find who these enemies that will attack Orcs as easily as Elves were," Denelas said, "and who were the assassins. Gwindor has asked also."
"Now, I will answer, but first, there is one more piece of concrete evidence and then I can begin to present personal observation, suspicions and conclusions. Such evidence is quite debatable, and so I began with the most tangible proofs. Dale, Duma, the stones. Set them here on the floor, but do not yet uncover them."
They understood the request and so Dale and Duma each brought the seeing stone they carried and set them down as Beryl had requested.
"Look, all of you, I will only reveal them for a moment, as they have the potential to be dangerous, look quickly and then I will explain to any who do not recognize them."
Beryl drew the cloths from the stones and they glinted in the dappled sunlight, one a deep dark blue and the other bluish-white. Beryl covered the stones again and beckoned Dale to remove them with a hand gesture.
"Are those…?" Caratathren asked, and then covered her mouth with one hand.
"Seeing stones. Made across the sea and gifted to Men in ancient times. These are two of seven, and so they are not safe, as only three of the other five are accounted for. How we came to find them and who we obtained them from is of importance, so first, I will tell you how we came about the Star Stone and about Kato."
Beryl explained his most recent theory, which he had not yet revealed to any of the others. He said that the Star Stone, in ancient times known to have been kept by Men in the city now in ruins south of the wood, must have fallen into the river when the city was lost and been lost with it, until it was found by a fisherman. He sold it to the nearest trader, and this was Kato. I believe Kato was under a spell of compulsion. I have seen the effects of such spells. Tsuki has seen them also. Tsuki was once under such a spell and knows how they are worked. I think that the Wizard found Kato through another of these stones…"
"What Wizard?" Carver asked.
"Ai, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. A moment, please. I must tell you about Setsugekka."
Beryl then explained that Duma had been the one to find the Moon Stone and that it had previously been in the possession of a young woman from the east. This girl had related to them that the stone was a gift from her master. They had concluded that her master was a Wizard because she also seemed under compulsion and had various wizard made implements in her possession. The Moon Stone historically had been known as fallen into the hands of the Dark Lord, and as he had been defeated and destroyed, they could conclude some Wizard had traveled into that region to seek things left by the Dark Lord and had found the bauble in its damaged state and given it to Setsugekka, who then left it with Duma, who had restored it's surface, and they believed, its function.
"I think we must explain that the Orcs know more than we about some of this, about the Wizards, that is," Lenaduiniel said. "Ugarit, Duma, I ask you to please tell the others what you know of there being a plot against the Orcs." Lenaduiniel stressed 'ask', knowing that her alliance with Ugarit was a fragile one. They were agreed to cooperate in convincing Elves and Orcs to work together, at least until they sought and dealt with their suspected common enemy.
"You speak, I will tell you if you forget something," Ugarit told Duma. "You speak their language better."
Duma hesitated to stand, but he thought perhaps it would be better to stand to give the report, as Beryl had. He told the counsel as briefly and clearly as he was able how many Orcs had come to live in the mines. He told them there had been a summons from Wizards. The Elder Carver was curious about how such summons were given and Duma said that Wizards were not afraid of Orcs and would appear in a cloud and give the message to a small number of Orcs and command them to go to a stronghold of Orcs and repeat the message there. He told of the sickness and how Orcs had become angered with the Wizards and then tracked some parties of Elves from the tower to Ranger forts.
"Elves?" Denelas asked.
"They were probably the false Elves," Duma said.
"I shall get to that also," Beryl said, "please continue, Duma."
Duma said that he had said mostly what was known. There had been a summons. Orcs had gotten sick. Elves had been seen as allied to the Wizard. Orcs had tracked Elves. They had gone to Ranger. Orcs had tracked Rangers. This had brought them to discovering Death-Shadow was a Ranger. Marduk had tracked Dale, who was Death-Shadow and they had had several confrontations and so Dale and his companions had learned from Marduk or from Duma what the Orcs suspected and why the Orcs believed the Rangers their enemies, more than they had before.
"But these were false Rangers and false Elves," Beryl said. He then explained that Cinsley had been the one Kato contacted and that Cinsley had been accompanied by some Rangers, or persons who appeared at a glance to be Elven Rangers, but to Elves or observant Rangers seemed imposters. Kato had been taken away to deliver his message and had delivered it to a Wizard, and been released from his spell of compulsion through his will and some enchantment on Beryl's part to find his former companions and repeat the message for them. And clearly the Wizard had confirmed his message or had means of watching them, for he soon sent assassins against Kato.
"We do not actually have proof that the Wizard dispatched them," Tsuki said.
"Yes, that is true, and they wore masks and covered their bodies, however Dale suspects they were these same false Elven Rangers who perhaps fooled Duinhir based on the movement of their bodies."
"Their ears were Sylvan, perhaps that fooled Duinhir," Dale said.
"And the weapons of the assassins were of the east," Fei added.
"Yes, I believe the assassins had learned some combat in the east," Tsuki agreed.
"And these hidden enemies in the wood? Did you learn nothing of them?"
"Well, I greatly suspect the false Elves were these others in disguise," Beryl said, "Duma saw one of them."
"You should have said that straight away!" Ugarit scolded and smacked him in the chest with the back of her hand.
"Loriol had recovered and told us that he believes he glimpsed one of the creatures. Also, while you were gone, one of our scouts reported that he saw someone who may have been an enemy. We did not say so earlier, because we were interested in hearing what you had found. Duma, can you describe this one you saw."
"I will draw the picture!" Ugarit said.
Lenaduiniel nodded. Ugarit had not seen the drawings that the other Elves had reported or made. Lena had kept them secret, saying that she was thinking or that she wanted to hear more to be certain if these persons might be their enemies.
Duma began to describe Annavala; his nightvision was excellent and he had gotten a clear look at her. He began saying that she was female and tall like an Elf and rather slender, but muscled, like one who was a warrior and that she had been armed as such. He described her long pale hair, the shape of her nose and ears, and her painted skin. Ugarit draw on paper with pieces of charcoal and sometimes asked questions as to whether the nose was more flat or sharp or exactly how the ears were shaped or how large her breasts were.
Duma thought about that one. "Maybe like…Lenaduiniel."
Ugarit looked at Lenaduiniel, then down at herself, and then smacked Duma again before she continued drawing.
The Elves heard only the exchange of Goblin phrases and then saw Ugarit look at the Princess's chest before smacking Duma, and so they were variously shocked or amused.
"Like this?" Ugarit asked.
"It is very close!" Duma said happily. "The skirt draped differently, it was a strange fabric, almost like very thin polished paper. And also, she had strange eyebrows, a little like Tsuki does, but much thinner, and more hair here." He pointed.
Ugarit adjusted the drawing.
"An excellent likeness," Duma said, "show them."
Ugarit displayed her drawing of Annavala.
The Elves of the counsel were shocked by the Orc's ability to make art as much as by the creature's appearance.
"Here are the other two," Lenaduiniel said. One of these was only a sketch, but the figure conformed to the same racial characteristics as the drawing Ugarit had done, and to the third image, which had enough detail to identify the subject as a dark-haired, male, spear carrier of Annavala's race.
"Are they a new kind of Orc made by these Wizards?" Carpenter asked.
"I think they are the Lost Host," Beryl said gravely