Dennis McKiernan - Dragondoom

They sat in dark thought for long moments. And now it was Aranor who broke the silence between them: “They say that only eternal night rains down upon the dead.”

Tears in his eyes, the King of Jord looked long at the King of Kachar, as if waiting for confirmation. . or an answer. Finally Thork responded: “Not as long as there is someone left alive who still remembers. Not as long as there’s someone left alive who yet cares.”

Who yet loves . .

As if by mutual consent, they turned and slowly walked back unto the waiting entourages and bestrode their steeds. Without a word, each reined his mount about, and they rode away from one another, escorts following beneath grey flags, returning home.

And a chill rain began to weep from the leaden skies above.

It was in the early fall when a mud-splattered Châk came riding a pony unto Kachar through an afternoon drizzle. He spoke a word or two unto the gate warders, and was immediately escorted to Thork’s work chamber. The DelfLord sat gazing at a small crucible, remembering Brak, remembering his sire. Thork set the vessel aside and signed the young warrior, Otar by name, to speak.

“My Lord, I am come from Blackstone and I bear astonishing news: A great treasure we found in the very first chamber, the gate chamber: a Dragonhide! A full Dragonhide! Or nearly so. It lay upon the floor: empty, but for ashes within; complete, but for a swatch missing from its face. Never have I seen such wealth, nor had any of us; we were stunned, for it just lay there unattended, in the open for any to take, glittering in the sunlight when it shone through the portal, and in the moonlight at night. But none had taken it, this trove, and so it is rightfully ours.”

“Sleeth,” grunted Thork.

“Aye,” agreed Otar, “that is our thought, too. We believe the missing piece from his face adorns your shield. We also deem that Adon’s Ban reached through the hole left behind and turned the Drake’s innards to ashes.

“Ah, but the great glittering hide is untouched by the Ban. The things we will craft from it will be priceless. There is nothing else like it upon the face of Mithgar.”

“Except upon a live Drake,” responded Thork, and he fell into long thought. After a while: “What of the rest of Blackstone? How fares it?”

“Lord Thork, it be rich with ores. Gemstone lodes as well. It rightfully deserves to be called the Jewel of the Châkkaholts, for with labor we can wrest great wealth from Blackstone, from the earth below the Mountains that Elwydd gave unto us.”

“Good, Otar. Now would I have you come unto the baths, and make yourself presentable for my Counsellors, for I would have you tell them the tale you have told me, and more. And while you prepare, I will sit with you, and we will take a meal, for I would have a full report ere you speak to them. . Too, I have something to tell them as well.”

Again there was uproar within the Council Chamber, for DelfLord Thork had just announced that he intended to give half the Dragonhide unto the Jordians, or if not the hide itself, then half its worth. Debate raged back and forth: concerning who owned the hide; concerning the Jordians’ rights in this matter, since they themselves had abandoned the hide, since they themselves had told Baran that the Châkka were welcome to Blackstone and all that was therein-even though the Dwarves contended that Blackstone was always theirs, and so for the Jordians to grant such was moot; and finally, concerning the rights of a DelfLord to be so free with Châkka wealth. . should the hide prove to be fully theirs.

Yet in the end, after listening to interminable talk, Thork stood and declared: “Assault me no more with your arguments, for I would have no such clatterous cacophony assailing mine ears. Half goes unto the Harlingar, can we find a way to give it to them. So I have said; so shall it be.” And at these words all the Counsellors assented, for Thork had invoked the DelfLord’s decree.

As Thork walked back to his chamber, once again his mind stood before a dark cave leading into the Dragonslair holt of Black Kalgalath.

Thork, should you fall in battle and should I survive, I here and now renew my pledge to you: I will do all within my power to stop this mistaken War between our two Folk, I will share and share alike all Dracongield between Jord and Kachar, and make whatever amends are appropriate, cancelling all debt. .

My Lady, this pledge between us need not be renewed here and now, for it exists within each of us forever. . whether or no it is said aloud again. Yet would it please you to hear the words, then I do so swear once more.

I do so swear once more.

I do so swear once more. .

Thork went to seek out his mother, Sien, ready at last to speak to her of Elyn.

Fall, 3E1603

[ The Present ]

It took nearly three weeks for Thork to tell his dam the full tale-starting from when he first met Elyn in the Khalian Mire, until that fateful day in Dragonslair-bits here, pieces there, for each time he spoke, it was as if the telling made it happen all over again, and he was soon overcome with anguish and could not continue. Sien would sit quietly, saying but little, her soft words signifying that she understood. At times, Thork would resume the tale; at other times, he would leave. Yet always he returned, taking up from where he had last left off, as if no time had elapsed between. And so, as the days passed, in fits and starts Thork managed to tell her the whole of it, until the story was done.

And when it was finished, then it was Sien who came to be with him, for although the tale was told, she knew that her son’s heart was yet filled with anguish, and that he would not rest until this, too, had been spoken of. And so, she would sit with him and listen to his words, saying little unless asked, while his heart bled.

There came a day when they sat together in the throne room-Thork upon the chair of state, his dam, Sien, sitting among her veils upon the side steps of the dais-speaking softly, Thork’s words gentle, remembering:

“There was a time, Mother, when defeating the Jordians and regaining the trove occupied all my thoughts. And when Black Kalgalath stood in the way of that goal, I set out to defeat him as well. Yet little did I know that along the way, I would lose a treasure beyond calculation.

“-Her eyes held the starlight. . did I tell you?”

Sien nodded, saying nought.

“I did not tell her that I loved her.” Tears stood in Thork’s eyes.

His dam’s eyes glistered as well. “Fear not, my son, for if you loved her, then she knew. . she knew.”

Thork’s words fell to but a whisper: “That she loved me, I deem was so. . ” his mind flashing back:

Ah, Thork, what I am trying to say is that I do not want this to end.

“She pulled me from the swamp and changed my life forever. .

“Seven months we strode the land, arguing, disagreeing, agreeing, enduring-battling all comers. .”

… mayhap we should take to the road as sellswords . .

“. . nearly dying more times than I can count, yet somehow, by skill or chance, surviving. . until. .”

Would you fight to the death for that which you love . .

“Mother, she made a deliberate target of herself, so that I. .”

. . In a cause surely hopeless … for that which you love?. .

“When she lived, then it was that I too was truly alive; but now my heart is slain, Mother, and I am dying inside.

“Mother, I am in such pain. I loved Elyn so very much-”

“A Human ?” A voice sneered out from the shadows near the door, Bolk stepping forward, his face filled with scorn.