Jeff Crook - The Rose and the Skull

"We may as well go ahead and draw the six lots," Tohr offered.

"That's a good idea," Liam reluctantly agreed. He gestured to the front row of Knights. "Everyone come up here and file by the table. When you reach the center, turn your head to the side and draw a single tile from the pot. We rely upon your honor not to look at the tiles as you draw them. Only those who have drawn black tiles shall cast a vote."

The first row of Knights rose from their seats and solemnly filed into the center aisle. One by one, they passed before the table, each stopping and drawing his or her tile from the pot. Some hid the color of the tile they'd drawn, some displayed theirs either with relief or dismay. At last, all the tiles were drawn from the pot, and the last Knight returned to his seat. Still Alya had not come.

Tohr rose from his seat and cleared his throat. "I received information this morning that a Knight was riding hard from Castle Isherwood, and that she is expected here at any moment. Until that time, I believe we ought to go ahead. If the decision comes down to her vote, then we can always await her arrival."

Liam considered for a moment. "I agree that it is better to proceed," he said. "There is but one more matter. As a nominee, I am not allowed to vote, but I have the right to choose someone else to cast a proxy."

Liam looked round the room. He was about to play his best card. He hoped the trust he was about to place in someone would sway that person's vote, and by the display of trust so sway the votes of others. "I choose Sir Ellinghad Beauseant," he declared.

"Liam!" Meredith whispered. "Ellinghad has privately expressed to me his admiration for Lady Mirielle."

"Sir Ellinghad is a man of great personal honor. I trust him to make the right choice," Liam answered in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ellinghad bowed solemnly in appreciation.

"Knights with black tiles, arise!" Ellinghad commanded.

Six Knights, randomly scattered throughout the chapel, rose to their feet. Liam noted with a glimmer of hope that only one was a Knight of Takhisis.

"Sir Trevalyn Kesper, how do you vote?" Liam asked.

"I vote for Lady Mirielle, of course," the Gray Robe laughed.

"Lady Mirielle," Tohr said.

Meredith stood to cast her vote. "Sir Liam Ehrling!"

Quintayne remained seated and refused to look at his fellow Knights. "Lady Mirielle," he said.

Now the six Knights who had drawn lots cast their votes.

"Sir Liam Ehrling," said the first, a Knight of the Rose.

Following the Lord of his Order, a Knight of the Crown voted, "Lady Mirielle."

"Lady Mirielle."

Again "Lady Mirielle." Liam's face fell as he watched his Knights vote against him.

"Sir Liam Ehrling."

To everyone's surprise, the sole Knight of Takhisis had cast his vote in favor of Sir Liam. A murmur went around the room. Liam counted the votes and sighed. He looked up mournfully at Sir Ellinghad.

Ellinghad had also counted the votes, and as he turned to face the table, beads of sweat broke out on his proud forehead. "I vote for Lady Mirielle," he said. "I am sorry, my lord."

Liam nodded and smiled weakly.

"Well, it seems we don't need the vote of Lady Alya after all," Lord Tohr said.

"It seems so," Liam agreed with a sigh.

He waved to a page, indicating that the white and black tiles should be collected and returned to the clay pot. The room remained quiet, although the outcome of the vote had never really been in doubt. During the weeks since the funeral, both veterans and Knights newly in spurs had been won over by Tohr's command. His tales of the deeds of Knights serving under Lady Mirielle had stirred their Solamnic hearts, one and all. They saw not dark days ahead under the leadership of a onetime servant of evil, but a glorious future under the command of a brilliant military mind. No longer would they bide their time. Once the forces had been consolidated, Tohr had promised, there'd be war, war against the alien dragons from across the sea, war against Pyrothraxus and his kind. Few resisted such visions.

Still, most realized that, with this vote, the Knights of Solamnia were truly finished. The end had come too quickly, too easily. There should have been more pomp and ceremony. Instead, the meeting came to an abrupt and unceremonious end when Tohr stood up and said with a barely suppressed smile, "Well, I guess that's it, then."

"When Lady Alya arrives, have her brought to me immediately," Tohr said to Ellinghad. Glad to be given the opportunity to leave, the room, Ellinghad bowed and turned to go.

Just then the doors at the back of the hall swung open and a dusty, road-weary Knight strode into the chapel. "Lady Alya will not be coming," he announced.

The knight stopped before the table and removed his helm.

"Sir Valian!" Tohr said with some surprise. "I thought you'd be in Xenos by now, inspecting our fortifications there. I sent a messenger to alert you of these proceedings."

"I never made it to Xenos," Valian said. "Pyrothraxus has crossed the border and attacked Isherwood!" he announced.

The chapel erupted with shouting. Sir Liam arose and pounded the butt of his dagger on the table until the excitement quieted. "Sir Knight, please explain yourself. ›When did this happen?" he asked.

"Two… no, three days ago, I think. I've ridden hard, the days have blurred," the dark elf said. "We were already headed this way when the messenger met us on the road with news of the Grand Chapter. When I heard that, I took the freshest horse and rode as fast I could. But I don't imagine the others will be far behind."

"Why didn't Alya come?" Tohr asked.

"She was not with us. She has gone north to scout the draconian stronghold," Valian said. Again, the room erupted with shouting. Liam pounded the table with his dagger, but Tohr didn't wait for the others to quieten.

He shouted, "Draconians! Explain yourself. Who is with you?"

"A former priest of Chislev, two gully dwarves, one of Gunthar's boar hounds, a hill dwarf, and Lady Jessica," Valian answered.

"This is very strange indeed." said Liam, "Perhaps you should begin at the beginning,"

Valian stood before the assembled Knights and unwound the tale of the last few days. He told them of Nalvarre Ringbow and what his story revealed, that Uhoh claimed draconians had been involved in Gunthar's death. At this point, the gathered Knights erupted again, some angry at the accusation, some furious that they were asked to credit the secondhand tales of a gully dwarf. Tohr ordered the chapel cleared, despite the strenuous objections of those evicted. Angry murmuring continued in the halls outside for some time afterward.

Meanwhile, inside, without noisy interruption, Valian continued his tale. "We followed the trail of the gully dwarves," he explained. "Soon I noticed another set of tracks overlying those of the gully dwarves. These tracks were draconian, kapak draconian I'm almost certain."

"How can you be sure?" Quintayne asked, but Valian ignored him.

"As we neared a cliff," the elf continued, "a second set of draconian tracks joined the first; these appeared to be a bozak magic user. We followed them to a cliff, where a secret door of unknown origin or construction, as our hill dwarf companion assured us, led into a passage that seemed likely to lead through. In any case, all the tracks led this way, so we followed.

"At the other side, we found a gully dwarf village. It lies in a great basin in the mountains, cut off from the outside world. Even rain does not often find its way in there, for the land was parched. As soon as we saw the place, we knew the draconians had been there before us, for some of the dwellings were destroyed and the gully dwarves scattered. That is where we met two of Uhoh's companions; they had accompanied him when he fled from here after Gunthar's death. They confirmed what the priest of Chislev had already told us.