Part Eighty-Four
Tsuki had done it! He had chased the Dragon and now he rode on its back. He faltered just a moment as his boots slipped on the scales, but recovered his three points of contact. He had twisted his staff into the back of his sash so that he could make the leap with both hands free, and was able now to keep one hand free for use while maintaining his balance, though it would seem this had to be the hand attached to his broken arm.
The pain did not matter anymore. Tsuki had his injuries still, but being so near to death caused his body to draw on its last reserves, and strength and power coursed through his body. Tsuki was determined that he would find a way to keep the device from exploding within the Mines and spreading destruction and poison from the mountains.
Lord of Eagles had rent the Dragon's right wing and thus the Dragon had difficulty in keeping over the mountains. It was sinking, and Tsuki suspected this might come from its overuse of fire for defense and that whatever process within the belly that gave it loft could not recover from such sustained venting.
The sinking was not to Tsuki's advantage, as it would only take the Dragon down onto the mountain. Even if the bomb exploded atop the mountain, it would have disastrous effects for the river valleys and settlements below and perhaps add the threat of land and snow slide to the Golden Wood.
There was no time for very careful planning. Tsuki took a jump, and grasped a rib of the Dragon's left wing in his good hand. He had thought it would be easier to swing down below the Dragon, but the Dragon apparently possessed significant wing strength.
Tsuki glanced down at the rocky snowcaps seeming to speed by far below for just a moment. He wrestled his shorter sword from its scabbard with his right hand and jabbed at the skin between the ribs of the wing. He shifted his weight, into his feet and the hand holding the sword, and slid down the wing as the sword blade sliced through it. The Dragon was writhing through the air and beating its wings all the time, of course, and for a split second, Tsuki was in free fall again, until he caught the Dragons' forearm under his knees. He had only dreamed that his heart had been beating as fast as it was able.
Tsuki quickly swung his body to grasp the clawed foot with his left arm. The talons dug into his shoulder, but the pain only fed his strength now. He cut at the festering incision with the sword he had drawn. The box fell from the Dragon.
Now, there was no way to save his own life, but there was one chance left to save many others. Tsuki let go the Dragon's leg, made his body rigid, with arms pressed to his sides, and dove after the box.
The mountains were closing on him. Tsuki sheathed the sword quickly and drew the staff from his back with his left hand. One quick incantation and a great force of will and the rectangular metal box split into two parts. The lid seemed to float for a moment as Tsuki fell past it. The box was beneath him, falling toward the mountains, as he was falling. Tsuki could see the inner workings of the device. It was just as in the schematic. Two lumps set to collide as the box made impact.
There was almost no time to think. Did he attempt to make render the device inoperative, or did he force it to explode here. It would take less time to explode it. Tsuki reached out with his staff and set off the bomb.
The flash of light was always seen before the explosion was felt. The Grey saw the flash and had but a second to turn before a great booming sound and a wave of heated air struck his balloon and basket and threw it onto the mountain.
The Orcs in the Mines saw no flash, but several tunnels collapsed and a great rumble was heard from above.
Elves making preparations to leave the Golden Wood, either to make a journey north to their kin and the passes through the mountains west before winter set in, or to cross the river to the Silver Wood, saw the flash in the sky like a second short lived Sun, followed by the unrest of the forest wildlife, and then felt a strange wind.
The people of New Haven in the west saw a great light above the mountains when the Sun was already risen and began countless rumors as to its nature.
Those within the Silver Wood, yet engaged in battle, saw a distant flash of light in the sky to the northwest and both sides called a temporary retreat, wondering if the great weapon had been used as the Wizard had planned or if the flash was a sign of some other end to it.
The very moment the bomb exploded Dale screamed and dropped from Fei's back to the ground in a convulsive fit. When his companions went to tend him, they found him alive, but again unconscious, and were unable to wake him.
The Grey woke to darkness and finding his staff still clutched in his cold fingers, made a small light for himself. He was trapped in a small pocket between snow and the flying contraption's basket. He felt the air was thin and his legs were buried in snow, so that it seemed the basket had overturned on him, but as the ends of his beard fell into his face, he determined that his body was turned upside down in a righted basket, buried under some depth of snow. Knowing that, he began the task of burrowing his way to the surface.
The Orc-dug trenches within the Silver Wood were filled with the dead of several races so that one could walk over the bodies to reach the other side. Trees had been burned and felled. Houses had been plundered and lay ruined. There were bodies hanging in trees and littering the paths and road. The air was thick with smoke and a stench of sweat, blood and decay.
No longer was army set against army, but small parties faced each other in constant bloody skirmishes through the settlement and outlying areas. All sides had attempted to maintain order, but the days of battle and the ugliness of war had worked on the defenders and their enemies, such that several Elves had been asked to fall on their sword for Orc deaths that could not be explained away as accidental friendly fire, and several Orcs had been beheaded by their Leaders for the slaying of allied Elves. Yet, the treaty held.
There were now several mixed companies, which had been formed out of necessity when certain Orcish or Elven companies had been halved by battle. Carver had fallen and Dernder had been seriously injured. Gwindor had assumed command of the remnants of Carver's swords and assimilated them into his diminished company. The few that remained of Dernder's command after a particularly bloody battle in defense of old growth had joined with Marduk's Orcs.
Lenaduiniel had retreated to her brother's house to guard the central part of the settlement, where many wounded now filled residences as well as the House of Healing and the bathing pavilions. Those females among Elves or Orcs, who had not joined companies led by males, followed Sarpanit if they had strength to wield swords, or Annavala if they had use of some other melee weapon.
Denelas had been slain and Tigh and Galadhiel, who had returned to the settlement once the young ones were removed to shelter, had stepped to command of the companies of Archers, each having some Orcs among their Elves.
What Men remained stayed fast to Sam, who led them, though they had suffered more losses of horses than Men and now fought primarily with spears and sword as foot.
Galen, though injured, remained on the field in command of the spears, and still held a line along part of the trench.
The Rómendar had been similarly diminished by battle. It was their way to fight grouped by Clan, so that one defended their closest kin, but they had lost such numbers that they also had reformed companies for battle from those that had dwindled.
It was also true that Orcs in combat usually followed ranks more strictly than they did when between raids and battles, the main difference was that Orcs found themselves promoted when stronger ones were slain by enemies, and not because they challenged one who had been more highly ranked. A Chieftain led the Clan and his strongest or smartest Orcs were Leaders and each of those led a Band, and when a Chieftain or Leader fell, the next strongest Orc was to take their place.
This battle through the Wood had left even the fully Orc companies mixed between various Clans. Often it became unclear to Orcs when a Leader fell who should take up the whip, and there were many instances of Orc bands splitting and their members going over to follow several different Leaders, if not an Elf.
Already the Orcs who had come into the Wood and been allied to Marduk
had strayed from their old ways and belonged to Clans containing various
breeds of Orcs, but now the Orcs often chose their next Leader, regardless
of the Clan they had been with before.
Marduk's Band remained strong, though many had died and been replaced by newcomers. Dog was with him, though he was still considered a Chieftain himself, and Dogs remaining followers fought with them also, North and Bau surviving to guard Dog in battle. Dog, skilled with knives, guarded his Orcs as well. The females of Marduk's Clan were away with Sarpanit and Lucky lead other Orcs in a different part of the Wood, but Marduk maintained a guard of Westerners and half-breeds about him and had a small patrol of Orc archers among his followers to give cover fire on the battlefield. There were Elves among them, from the swords, most notably Loriol, who seemed to Marduk now a slightly less mad, black-haired Death-shadow. He had gone into a rage when they learned from some Elven allies that the one called Denelas had been killed by the Rómendar. The Elf had regained his calm only after Dog commanded North to smack him about.
Let the Elves question and make accusations of torture if they survived the day. Such discipline was necessary in battle. Marduk did not want to have to fetch an Elf to ask permission to have Loriol fall on his sword. It was much more useful wielded against their common enemy. Loriol had been even more efficient in killing enemies since his friend had died.
Marduk's band were beyond the trenches now, in the area which had been held by the Rómendar, before their number had been spread out. There were still many of the Elves of the east to fight in this area of the Wood and most were willing to take on Marduk's Band. This band had already gained a reputation among them, and they were eager enough to test their skill, where others had failed. Annavala was not alone among her kind in seeking glory through battle.
Marduk's scouts reported they had identified the company the enemy leader was with. Forhrondo's Rómendar had also sighted Marduk's Band on the field and alerted their Lord.
The trees were sparse where they met, either felled during the war in recent years or to feed the current need for war machines. These devices still operated, periodically causing small eruptions of earth, smoke and debris where they struck and adding to the din.
Marduk ordered the archers to fire wile the parties were still at a distance. Forhrondo did not have archers with him, but he ordered shields put up, and casualties from that wave were few.
"Flame arrows!" Marduk ordered. The Elves would be grieved and try to negotiate a way out of their treaty and promises tomorrow, but Marduk would use the fire today. They had learned quickly enough that these foreign Elves, even if skilled in combat, were lightly armored and wore so much wooden ornamentation, garments beaten from bark and long hair that they were laughably combustible to Orc eyes. They forged blades and heads for their weapons, but their shields were made of wood.
"Elf in the Cook Pot!" Marduk called, giving the formation his followers should make. His Elves learned the slang and formations quickly.
The Rómendar charged.
"Fight!" Marduk ordered.
"Slice them to pieces!" Dog called as they ran.
Some of the Elves made a battle cry, which one had translated as "Death is upon you!"
A number of Orcs responded, "ORCS!" as they joined the charge, because "upon you" was Elvish wordiness. They had learned that Elves were not completely unlike Orcs. Elves often gave cries entering battle to identify their group. They would be "Green Leaves" or at worst the "Spider Brothers." Orcs also gave such cries, particularly if many Clans were involved in a battle, but their names were not so dainty. They might be "Maggot Feeders" or "Death Dogs."
"Stoke the flames!" Marduk ordered and the rear ran out to each side to outflank the opposing wings that had been trying to outflank them.
"I see the Leader. He is mine," Forhrondo commanded.
Marduk sought Forhrondo also and soon the two opposing leaders were met in battle. Their warriors fought all around them, but left the leaders to their duel.
They fought on, both Marduk and Forhrondo skilled in battle. The Lord Forhrondo was older, and possessed of Elven strength, but he was yet less powerfully built than a Westerner Orc, which also surpassed the race of Men in strength. Forhrondo's movements were crafty and elegant, but Marduk's strikes were more forceful, if primitive in their directness. Forhrondo had spent his recent years mainly in commanding the actions of others, while Marduk, only being a few years old, had been a warrior since the night it became clear that no more siege ladders would aid the Orcs. He thought about fighting and struggle constantly.
Forhrondo made a cruel hit to Marduk's face that would have been followed by the killing blow, but Marduk, one-eyed and gushing blood from the wound, fixed his remaining eye on the Lord of the Rómendar, who was vulnerable and too confident as he drew his arm back, and took his head with the Marshal's Sword he had made his own.
Bau and Dog closed in on Marduk, as it was proper for Orcs to guard a Chieftain when he needed patching up, unless they intended to take his whip for themselves. Loriol, North and the Elves and large Westerners near them cut a wide swath through the Rómendar all about Marduk. The Chieftain sheathed his Marshal's Sword, pressed a hand to the left side of his face that was torn, and took up Forhrondo's sword.
Marduk roared loudly and shouted at the Rómendar around them. "Your Leader is Fallen! Marduk has taken up his sword!"
The cry was repeated through the Wood with various slight changes, "Their Lord is slain. Marduk has taken his sword!"
The Rómendar signaled retreat and fell back to the northeast.
"Stay wary," Marduk ordered. "Do you want to fall to poison
darts now?"
Loriol hissed and went to Forhrondo's body and stabbed his sword into the corpse many times and cried out that Rosenrod and Denelas were dead and that he despised the Rómendar.
The Orcs and Elves gathered only watched, until North stepped in and slapped Loriol in the chest with the back of his hand. They looked at each other. Loriol was covered in splatters of red and black blood such that his skin had the marbled pattern and coloring of a Westerner. "Rorii is too pretty to be an Orc. Go to your own kind and cry like an Elf." North gave Loriol a push toward the remaining Elven Swords in their company.
Loriol would realize later, it was the kindest thing anyone had ever
done for him.
When Dale was brought down the mountain to the others there had already
been a day for messages to be sent through the various kingdoms of Dragon
sightings, strange lights in the sky, foul winds and several days for
word of suspected massively destructive weapons and smoke coming up from
the Elves' Silver Wood to travel. There were seven that came down from
the mountain paths in their party, and all carried some injuries and were
bone weary. They pressed on, rather than camping or resting, because they
feared one among them or another might die untended or because they were
also desperate to hear word from the west, to learn what had become of
Tsuki and the weapon.
They were found upon the trade road, just east of the Ranger post of Woodhenge by an encampment of Men prepared for battle. Specifically, the one who first sighted them was a flaxen-haired Elf upon a white horse. He gave a call to the Men and rode ahead, seeing in his eyes a party of Easterlings, Orcs and mysterious cloaked figures, which seemed highly suspicious to him, if not outright evil.
Fei had a keen understanding of misconception and feared he was about to fall into some new misfortune in the west due to his appearance. He had not met this Elf, though he looked familiar.
Duma was half asleep, leaning on Ugarit's shoulder and looked up then to see why Fei had called a halt. "Do you think this Elf is Lena's brother?"
"This is not Gwindor," Fei said.
The Elf in question suddenly swung a Dwarf down from behind him and in less than a second had a bow and arrow aimed at Duma's right eye, while the Dwarf threatened the others with his axe.
Duma laughed. "Oh, but you must be he, to have a Dwarf tucked under your cloak."
"You dare speak such names familiarly, Orc!"
"You cursed delirious black-blooded Elf, we are in no condition to battle or flee. Apologize or some Elvish thing!" Ugarit snapped and shoved at Duma so that he swayed and nearly fell to the ground.
Duma snarled at Ugarit. He wanted her as his, but sometimes she expressed the love she claimed for him rather cruelly. Duma set his face straight then, turned to the Elf and Dwarf and made bows to them. "My Lords," he said and then switched to Elven. "Forgive me if I have you at a disadvantage in recognizing you, but it is true I am known to the Elf-King's children and they have described their brother often. Duma Yrchelen Mapleseed, at your service. My father fought for yours in the war, and he is here," Duma made a flourish toward Dale, on Fei's back, "gravely injured. We have just returned from a most perilous undertaking and wish to travel these roads and enter the Silver Wood, where we are know, to seek healing there…or to give aid if we are still able. We have noticed the smoke rising there since we came down from the mountain."
"What is he saying?" the Dwarf hissed. "Does the Orc speak Elven?"
The Elf did not answer, as they were then joined by some Men who had come from the camp after the Elf's horse. Duma and Fei recognized one of these also.
Duma made another bow. "Lord Royalhill."
"They are known to us," Royalhill said in a loud clear tone, "bring them into the camp. They have injured."
"They have Orcs among them," the Dwarf said.
"Do we complain that there is a Dwarf in the camp?" Ugarit asked.
The Dwarf seemed startled. "I think it is a female! Never seen a female Orc."
The Elf said nothing, but looked as if he smelled something rather foul and then lowered his bow just slightly, and led his horse from the road to make way.
"Duma, Fei Shih, what can you tell us?" Royalhill asked. The two he addressed were the only ones he recognized immediately. "Is the Elf, Beryl still with you, or Tsuki?"
"Beryl is here," Aud said, "we cannot reveal his face."
Royalhill turned as they were walking and looked to the tall figure wrapped in a red cloak.
"He can hear and speak," Fei said.
"We have some doctors in our camp."
"He would sooner…" Aud broke off suddenly as he heard Beryl whisper, "that is, Beryl thanks you, but is in need of a skilled Elven Healer."
"Come," Royalhill said and walked on more quickly. "We always keep a wagon reserved for My Lady, but she prefers to ride. We can lay your most injured there." Royalhill continued, explaining that he had mustered this small force as soon as he learned the Wood was in need and hoped that they were not too late to give aid. His Men had spoken with the Rangers at the nearby post and with the citizens of Eldsbridge and learned of the suspected Rogue Wizard plot and the possibility of a great weapon and also that Lady Lenaduiniel had assumed leadership of her brother's domain.
They came to the central part of the encampment, which was in the process of being struck, for it was early morning now and the Men had already traveled the day before in coming this far. They would not have thought it wise to press on only to go into battle weary. Royalhill's wife was present, The Lady of the Shield Arm, herself a heroine of the war.
"I sent for food, water and our Doctor. I offer my wagon for the injured. Is Beryl yet with your company?"
"Here, Lady, he will speak to you if you stand at his side," Aud said.
The Lady understood at once that Beryl must be covering severe injuries. "This is Dale, yes? Help him into the wagon. Does he have wounds?"
Some Men took Dale from Fei and bore him into the tented wagon.
Beryl went to the wagon and leaned against a post at it's rear and the Lady came to him. "I know your voice, My Lady," he whispered, "My…there are some burns I must keep covered. Some horses were brought to Eldsbridge…"
"Yes. We learned from the villagers that a party had gone into the mountains to confront the Wizard. Shall I fetch these horses?"
"I cannot ride, but the horses should come with us."
"I can retrieve the horses," Aud said, "If Beryl is content in your care, My Lady."
"This Man, Aud, fought with us and was poisoned by spiders," Beryl whispered, "My Lady, if it does not trouble you, send Men with him to bring our horses and see that this Man finds good food and rest, with his people here, or among your company."
"Duma must lie down also!" Ugarit said loudly.
The Lady turned and truly saw Ugarit for the first time. She was not ordinarily one to miss details or overlook someone due to prejudice, but she had caught rumor that Beryl's companions were in the camp and acted mainly in concern for him. "Yes, Duma the Half-Orc is friend to us. If he is injured, we will give aid to him," she smiled at Ugarit. "Sometimes in desperate times we can neglect good manners. My names and titles have become rather long; you may address me as Lady Royalhill. I am the wife of the Leader of this camp of Men. Are you, well, 'young females' might suffice, friends to these who accompany you, Duma and Beryl…?"
Fei noticed their conversation and said to the Lady. "This one is Setsugekka, a Priestess, that is a woman devoted to service of the gods, and she has come from the east recently and not of her own will and does not speak well the Common Speech of the west."
"Setsugekka," Setsugekka said. She made a full bow. "I go with Dale until My Lord returns," she said then in her Elven.
"She is Tsuki's sworn vassal also," Beryl whispered, "she will tend Dale; she has some knowledge of healing."
Some Men came bearing water in skins and buckets and roasted meat and vegetables in metal dishes and a pot of clear broth. One among them carried some bags and wore an apron marked by old bloodstains that had not completely washed away. "Where are the injured?" this Man, the doctor, asked.
Before he was answered, another Man, one of the soldiers, ran to them and reported that they would move north shortly.
"Inform Lynn that my guard will stay with the wagon long enough to settle the injured and collect some horses we have sent for in the village and then follow."
The soldier bowed and then ran to carry out his orders.
"Doctor," the Lady said then, "you understand the Elven healing is unlike our manner of healing. I ask that you leave some clean dressing and ointments and allow my guests to tend their own injuries."
The doctor did not seem pleased, but opened his bags to load some supplies onto the wagon. There was one pallet within, which Dale had been placed on, and a few chests, which were no doubt such luggage as seemed fitting for a Lady to be kept comfortable away from home. Beryl climbed into the wagon then and sat near the open rear flap. He disliked closed spaces, which was not uncommon for an Elf.
"Duma," he hissed. His voice sounded harsh, as he tried to speak louder than a whisper. Beryl continued quietly, "Ugarit is correct, you need to lie down. Climb in. There is room here beside Dale."
"I am not hurt so badly."
"You are. You emptied our flasks." Ugarit growled and stalked away, but not very far. There were Men with swords standing nearby.
"Duma, do not make Beryl raise his voice," Fei whispered.
"I understand. I am not a stranger to battle myself," The Lady said. "You must all be famished and lacking sleep. Eat. Rest. I give my word that you will be taken to the Wood in safety. You are safe. All of you."
Duma and Setsugekka both climbed into the wagon then. Setsugekka reached out to collect the containers of food from the Men who had brought them and placed the food and water atop the luggage.
Fei found a place to sit at the end of the wagon's bed and took up one of the dishes to eat. Duma sat and also took some food to eat.
Ugarit returned to the wagon and made a small bow to Lady Royalhill. "I am called Ugarit."
"Uh-gar-it?"
"Ug-ar-it." Ugarit said, "You do not look like these Men. I think you are Horse-boy breed."
The Lady studied Ugarit critically. She was tall, blue-skinned and unevenly pigmented, with eyes colored like dark amber, dark tightly curled hair, strange Orcish features that made her appear vaguely feline. She was armored mainly in leather with some chain mail and plate and had bow, quiver, and knives on her. She had strange ornaments on her: fangs, spider legs, and a horsetail among them.
"Yes," The Lady said flatly, "I married Royalhill, but my own people are called Horse Lords in the Common Speech."
"I too 'married' into a Clan that was not spawned into," Ugarit said carefully, "and I too come from the land of Horse Lords. I climbed half-grown from the earth of the land you also call home. I did not know those who spawned me. I woke knowing many things and was driven to travel to find other Orcs and found them further North and was taken to the Mines. I came out of them with other Orcs after there was argument. We pursued Dale through your lands. I entered your city, but Duma drove me away."
"You did?"
"Yes. Your Men pursued our Clan as we pursued Dale. Orcs did not wish our females to be seen or known then. Orcs did not always have females. Now, we may be female or male and some Orcs feared to let Men know. So, if Men saw us, we had to kill them."
"If Men saw the females?"
"Yes. And some of your Horse Lord Men saw me and the females of our Clan. We killed them, but I told the others not to spoil the bodies. It is offensive to Men, like Orc heads on pikes are offensive to Orcs. When we killed them, I took only locks of hair and did not cut flesh more than was needed to kill. I do not know these Men. I think these Men have fought Easterner Orcs often, but I am Westerner and Northerner. I know of your Men, but not all their customs. Among Orcs, if I needed patching up and wished to enter a camp unchallenged, I would have to bring meat or offer my body for sport. I do not have meat and I do not wish to offer my body to Men. Do you like gems? I will give you one, and my promise not to do harm, if you also give promise not to harm me and allow me to travel with you."
"I have already promised safety for your party."
"How may I trust that will be if I do not give you reason to accept me?"
The Lady smiled rather mischievously. "Your head is not on a pike already. I have offered you hospitality; it is for you to repay or to not repay with like kindness. Save your treasure for inn keepers. They offer hospitality only to those who will pay, until another offers to pay more to take their room or their life. It is a custom of Men that you not treat a Lady as you would an Innkeeper."
"Lena is 'Lady' among Elves. Are you then not the one who tends the fire at your hall, but the one who commands another female to tend the fire for your Lord."
The Lady laughed. "Yes, but there are some things I would command no other woman to do for my husband."
"There have been female Orcs only in recent years. I think I will have to fight another female if she tried to attract Duma to her. I poisoned one for…for what she did with him. He was not mine then, but she was a foolish woman. I had to be certain she would conceive no half-breeds. I did not kill her. She was a 'Lady', and there would have been trouble."
"Cirsten?"
"She did it the way of breeding, not pleasure only. Duma did not wish it. He did not wish for children. He could not stop her. If she was angered and called for Men, Duma's head would have been up on a pike!"
The Lady trembled with sickness and anger. Ugarit was crying. The Orc. The Orcs had covered her face with her hands and was sobbing. Was it true, she wondered. She knew the sort of woman Cirsten was, but she would never imagined her to do such a thing as to allow, even invite…with an Orc! Duma must have forced her and lied to Ugarit…but then, there were Men who had made her feel dirty to be near and she had sensed nothing of that nature in Duma.
Ugarit was an Orc, not half, an Orc. Yet, apart from that, she was female and young and likely on edge from battle and lack of sleep. The Lady embraced her. She felt Ugarit's clawed hands upon her shoulders. The girl-Orc was crying still.
"The first ones we had to fight were Men, and then there were those strange Elves. What is wrong with me? Orcs must be strong. Orcs are bred for battle. How can they do it? Generations of Orcs making battle for Masters and Wizards and making raids? How can they do it? I never want to kill people again. I do not want to do it, but Men hate Orcs! And what if the other Elves do not honor the treaty? Why am I not strong like those Orcs?"
Ugarit's legs went out from under her and she drew the Lady to the ground with her. The Lady understood it was not hostile, but several of her guard started. "Please help us," she called, "bring a cup of water."
Ugarit beat at the ground beneath her. She felt the fingers upon her face. "If those are the feelings you have, Ugarit, then you are just like me."
"I?"
"We are just the same. I do not know if all other Orcs feel such things, but you are…you are normal. You need to sleep."
A cup of water was offered and the Lady took it and held it to Ugarit's lips. Ugarit gulped and then took the cup into her own hand.
"No one can answer all those questions right now. Sleep. Please trust that you will be safe. These are my guard, they follow my orders, and I would not have you harmed. You will be all right. It will not be so bad if you and Duma convalesce together. That is how my husband came to me."
"Ugarit," Duma called from the wagon. "Come and rest here with me. I know you helped me down the mountain, but I promise I will be strong and keep you."
Ugarit drew herself up, shuffled to the wagon and climbed inside. She was soon curled in Duma's embrace.
Lady Royalhill swept dirt from her skirts and returned to Beryl's side, at the rear of her wagon.
"It is true, about Cirsten," Beryl whispered, "but let us never speak of it again, please."
"As you wish. Are you in a great deal of pain?"
"A great deal."
"The Wizard?"
"Killed by the Dragon he attempted to tame, I am told. I did not make it that far; I was waylaid by a Demon."
"We have heard of the Dragon sightings. What of the weapon? Was there some weapon?"
"I believe there was. Fei says it was sewn inside the Dragon, to be carried to a place where Orcs were gathered."
"Some say now that the strange lights in the sky were the working of the weapon."
"Lights? We have not heard of this before now."
"Yesterday, during daylight, there was a strange flash of light above the mountains. No one knows what it was, but some that know of the Wizard plot say it was the weapon. We do not know if the flash means the weapon worked as planned or…something else."
"Tsuki followed the Dragon. Tsuki was there. He would have done whatever he could to save the most lives."
"I am sorry. He was your friend, was he not, from the war?"
"Yes, we were friends."