David Dalglish - The Shadows of Grace

“Against who?” he asked.

“In the far southwest of the Hillock lives Sir Harford Kull,” said Richard. “He was a loyal knight once, and I rewarded him handsomely when he was betrothed to my daughter.”

Richard sighed and put down his cup.

“The matter is too personal,” he said. “I’m sorry. Sir Kull has gathered men and knights, fostering claims of brutality and murder to create war. Now he marches toward my castle. My patience has ended, and war he shall get. You come on an ill night, your elven grace.”

Aurelia pushed away her plate.

“This matter cannot wait,” she said. “Not if what you say is true. Richard… Lord Sully, what news have you heard of Veldaren?”

Some of the soldiers nearby heard her question and responded.

“Destroyed by winged men,” one said, laughing.

“Aye, red men with wolf pets and orc slaves,” said another. “I also heard a seven-headed dragon came out of the sea and swallowed the entire Mordan army.”

“This is no jest,” Aurelia said, her face flushing. “You must know Veldaren has been destroyed. You are not so far away as that.”

Richard crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.

“We’ve heard a few reports, though they are as conflicted as they are ridiculous. Wolf-men roaming the wilderness. Orcs pillaging within the city walls. A legion of undead marching like a proper army. Even worse, I had one merchant claim he saw red men with crimson wings flying among the stars. A poor excuse for abandoning your wares, wouldn’t you say?”

“They’re true,” Harruq said. “We were there.”

All around men laughed, then quieted by a single wave of Richard’s finger.

“You ask me to believe the unbelievable,” Richard said.

Harruq ignored the men.

“Karak stirred up the Vile Wedge and led an assault on Veldaren,” he said. “King Vaelor’s dead. Orcs will soon pour over the north unless you do something about it. Whoever this Sir Kull is, I doubt he’s as dangerous as my gray-skinned brethren.”

The silence that followed was deafening. After a moment, Lord Sully spoke.

“Your story sounds more like a bad dream than truth,” Richard said. “But it has been almost ten years since an envoy of the elves came to the Green Castle. I will not dismiss you so easily. What of the red men with wings? Can you explain that?”

“War demons of another world,” Haern said, chuckling as he said it. Harruq thought the assassin far too amused by their preposterous tale.

“Get these buffoons out of here,” an inebriated soldier called from far down the table. Richard glared but did not spot the offender. He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, looking directly at each member of the Eschaton in turn.

“My scouts along our northern border have reported orcs across the Bone Ditch,” he admitted. “Nothing major, not yet. They’ve crossed before and broke on the walls of Veldaren. Indeed, many were returning to the Vile Wedge, and I thought them defeated. Now you say they had victory. Will they come for us?”

“You must give up this silly fight with an errant Knight,” insisted Harruq. “We think the war demons will give chase after King Antonil and the rest of Veldaren’s survivors. The orcs will come for the Hillock, though. You need to muster your troops and protect your people!”

“It will be a cold day in the Abyss before I let a man of orcish blood tell me how to run my lands,” Lord Sully said, standing. “I will remove the danger within my own house before turning to the danger without. This feast is done. Return to your rooms. I will send a servant for you before I march.”

Harruq stood, biting his tongue to keep himself from saying anything that might earn him a stay in a dungeon cell. Two soldiers led them away. Once back in their rooms, Harruq stripped off his clothes, glad to be done with them. He put on his own outfit, feeling far more comfortable.

“What I’d give to have my swords back,” he muttered as he collapsed atop the bed. He shifted about and grunted. “Huh. At least the bed’s comfy. What is in here, anyway? Goose feathers?”

Aurelia lay down beside him and covered her eyes with her wrist.

“This is all a waste of time,” she said. “The last thing we need is the few troops here slaughtering each other. When the orcs do arrive, they’ll find the land ripe for the taking.”

“We hurt the orcs pretty bad at Veldaren,” Harruq said. He wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close. “If Lord Sully’s seen orcs moving back and forth, it means they’re trying to get back to the Vile Wedge. They don’t have the numbers to siege any castles. However; if it was Velixar got them into Neldar, I doubt it was over a bridge.”

“A bridge!” Aurelia said, bolting upward.

The door opened, and in stepped Haern. He, too, had changed back to his normal attire.

“Did I startle you?” Haern asked as he shut the door.

“The orcs will need far greater numbers if they’re to take either Felwood or the Green Castle,” Aurelia said. “What if they’re trying to build a bridge across the Bone Ditch? That’s the only real way for them to get reinforcements. It’d take months for them to go south and over the Rigon River, then loop all the way back north.”

“Bridges tend to burn easily,” Haern said, grinning at Aurelia. “Think you can make us some fire?”

Aurelia winked.

“Let me get out of this dress,” she said. “For now, let’s enjoy the beds we have and leave tomorrow morning.”

“Richard won’t be happy,” Harruq warned.

“Since when did you care about pissing off others?” Haern asked.

Harruq shrugged.

“Just saying is all. But I prefer to have my swords with me when I piss someone off.”

Haern laughed and left the room.

“They won’t dare detain us if I demand our leave,” Aurelia said as she removed the elegant dress and laid it out across the bed. “Now stop staring and help me with the laces.”

Harruq helped tie the back, then kissed her neck when she was done.

“Least we get something useful out of you being an elf,” he said.

She turned around and kissed his lips.

“Don’t worry about what Lord Sully said. About orc blood.”

Harruq laughed.

“Trust me. I’ve been insulted far worse, and that’s just from Tarlak. I’ll be fine. But after good food, good wine, and needless argument, I’m aching for a bed. Tomorrow we can worry about bashing in some orc heads.”

T he next morning, Harruq awoke with a throbbing headache.

“Ugh,” he said, rolling over and mashing his head between pillows. “What’d they put in that wine, gut rot?”

He splayed out across the bed, then realized he had far too much room. Poking an eye open, he glanced about.

“Aurry?” he asked.

Their quarters were empty. Harruq startled out of bed, flailing drunkenly against the multitude of bed sheets.

“Aurry!” he shouted.

He was halfway finished buckling on his armor when a blue portal ripped open above their bed. Giggling like a young maiden, Aurelia fell straight down atop the mattress, bounced once, and then vanished in a massive tangle of sheets.

“Where the Abyss have you been?” Harruq asked as the portal closed.

In answer, Aurelia lifted one arm free and showed him his two swords. Harruq grinned.

“That’s my girl,” he said.

“Lord Sully’s forbidden us from leaving until his army marches for the chipped fields,” she said, freeing her face from the sheets.

“Where’s that?” Harruq asked as he reattached the swords to his belt.

“About ten miles southwest,” Aurelia said. “We flew over them on our way here. Really flat hills, with ground too rocky for farming. Evidently Sir Kull has camped there, and Richard hopes to have his battle before the sun sets.”