In Treachery Forged (The Law of Swords) (20 page)

“The truth was, he never left Borden Isle. Instead, he declined his birthright years before his mother’s passing and retired to a barony with his wife. He was a nobleman married to a commoner, himself, and didn’t want to cause further tension after the unrest caused by his parents marriage. It was Elaneth who spun the tale of Koheil’s death, and none of us were aware of it until after he had already launched the rebellion.”

Euleilla shifted slightly. “A royal marrying a commoner caused tension?” she whispered softly.

Maelgyn squeezed her hand reassuringly; that conversation needed to be held in private. “So that means you’re-”

“Prince Uwelain, Baron of Swathburg, and currently second in line for the ‘throne’ of the Borden Isles,” he explained, and then hesitated. “I won’t mislead you on where I stand. My grandfather renounced his claim to the throne, but not those of his descendents. Since he was the elder child, his son – my father – should have been next in line. In which case I would now be ruling the Borden Isles.”

Maelgyn nodded slowly. “With your aid, perhaps we do stand a chance of getting Borden Isle on our side... as long as we have your support.”

“Exactly,” Uwelain agreed.

“That still leaves the problem of convincing the Golden Dragons that our treaty should be honored once more,” Maelgyn mused. “And dealing with the Sho’Curlas army. It’s not looking very good.”

“I agree,” El’Athras said. “So we’ll have to see what else we can do to tip the scales in your favor.”

Gyato was the one who explained. “Since the dawn of time, there have been five true ‘Major’ races which made themselves a part of this world: The Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Nekoji, and Merfolk. The Elves are nearly extinct, I’m afraid, but some like Hrabak, Lady Phalra, and Wangdu, here, remain prominent in the affairs of others. The same is true for all the races besides Humans. We are all dying out. Something needs to be done to preserve us, so El’Athras and I decided on a plan.”

“You seem to have omitted many races bred by the Elves, including the Centaurs, whose creation many regard as the peak of modern Elven achievement,” Kazdre said, laughing. “But I may be a bit biased.”

“Regardless, friend Centaur,” Gyato said, bowing to him, “Despite the Griffons and Dragons that the Ancient Elves created, and the Modern Elves’ attempts to reclaim that former glory with the Centaurs and Dryads, and even the minor intelligent races such as
kappa
whose existence has nothing to do with the Elves or any other race’s intervention
,
in truth there are only five major races on this world, races which are strong enough, organized enough, plentiful enough, and civilized enough to form societies with governments, laws, and influence on the state of the world. Of those, only the Humans thrive.

“Because of this, I contacted El’Athras some three years ago with a proposition. It was my belief that, if the stone of the Dwarves and the fire of the Nekoji would combine, we might prove to be a greater power ourselves. If my nation and the last Dwarven nation merged, I believed, it would spark the resurgence needed for us to remain important in this world. It was my hope that together we could keep ourselves from dying out.

“To my surprise, El’Athras, who at the time had only just ascended to become the High Merchant Prince of the Mar’Tok Dwarves, had been planning something similar for several years, and our envoys crossed paths with each other.”

“I wish you success in the joining of your two nations,” Maelgyn replied. “But I’m less clear what that has to do with me?”

El’Athras snorted. “I thought it’d be obvious by now, but there’s one more piece to add to what Gyato was saying so let me finish. In the past twenty years, Mar’Tok has made itself a refuge for people of all lands who wish to leave war-torn countrysides or oppressive leadership. We have Centaurs, Dwarves, Nekoji, and even the odd Dryad in our cities and caves. We’ve been building a unified nation, much like Oregal. But, while a scattered few such as Dr. Wodtke are present, Humans are rare here... and it is Gyato’s and my plan to make this a greater nation of
all
races, utilizing each of our strengths. We intend to have both our kingdoms join your own – to unite our banners under your protection. That is what this has to do with you.”

Maelgyn’s jaw dropped for a moment. “I... must have misheard. Are you offering me the fealty of the last independent kingdoms of the Nekoji and the Dwarves?”

“Indeed, we are,” Gyato said. “It is our belief that our survival as independent powers will not last, and
we
want to be the ones to choose who will claim us.”

“And the rest of you – the ones from Oregal, Poros, Squires Knot, Bandi, and so on – what is your role here?”

“We are here merely to assure you that the rest of the world will not contest this claim,” Kazdre said. “Provided you take these lands and use them to stop the threat of Sho’Curlas once and for all.”

Maelgyn realized with a shock that the conversation had shifted from being a history lesson to being an event that would be taught
in
history lessons for generations to come... and that it was his decision that would determine the outcome. He looked around at the men and women who stood there, staring at them as if burning the moment into memory.

Gyato broke the silence, mistaking Maelgyn’s moment of reflection for indecision. “Perhaps you are wondering if you have the authority to conclude this treaty?”

Maelgyn shook his head. “No. With no king in Svieda, the Law of Swords is in effect. Any Sword has the authority to make treaties for their home province as if they were Kings. You would be ceding your countries to Sopan Province directly, and then I would need to designate them as separate provinces so that indirectly they... oh, never mind. That is for the barristers to decide. There are no precedents, so we will have to set our own. Indeed, for Svieda to survive this war, I fear I would need to accept even if I was less sure. But if I am to lead you, then I need to understand. Why choose Svieda?” he asked. “Why not Oregal, which already protects others of your races?”

“Because there, all non-humans are treated as inferiors,” one of the Oregal Dwarves explained. “There we are all serfs at birth – in a land where serfdom ended six hundred years ago among Humans – and can rise to be nothing more than second-class citizens. Only those who serve in the army may own property, and the taxes are tripled even for those who do.”

“The only way for any of our peoples to not just survive, but thrive,” Gyato noted, “is to find a nation that may respect us enough to treat us as equals, and join with them. And we judge Svieda to be such a nation.”

“To be honest, we’re taking advantage of you,” El’Athras admitted. “We were considering forming an alliance with the Bandi Republic instead, as you weren’t a possibility while you were allied with the Sho’Curlas, but things have changed. Svieda is the better option, and you need us.”

Maelgyn nodded. This was the sort of thing he would have expected his father or his cousins to decide... but he saw no alternative. They had to have this alliance. Without it, Sho’Curlas would wipe out Svieda and the question about authority would be moot. “Draw up the treaty. We have much to do.”

Chapter 13

Spearmaster Wangdu, after doffing his Squire’s Knot regalia to reveal more traditionally Elven clothing, led them out of the chamber. He was obviously anxious, but even so he did better guiding them on their way out than El’Athras had on the way in. Of course, it helped that he was taking them out through the modern entrance, and not the Dwarven Path of the Ancients.

“Wangdu,” Dr. Wodtke said to the Elf, breaking the silence which had endured since Maelgyn had dubbed El’Athras and Gyato Counts of Svieda. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. What is your story?”

“I have been the primary messenger between El’Athras and his spies in Squire’s Knot these past four years, I have. And I’ve done some spying of my own, I have. In fact, if it had not been for me, it hadn’t, Elm Knoll would have been lost, it would.” he replied. “And while we’ve never met, we haven’t, I’ve seen all of you from time to time, I have.”

It took a moment for Maelgyn to realize just what Wangdu was talking about. “The messenger to Elm Knoll...”

The Elf laughed. “Yes, that was me, it was. I was in such an obvious hurry, I was, that your militia captain never even looked to see that I was an Elf, I was.”

“Is Squire’s Knot really in Sho’Curlas hands, then?” Maelgyn asked.

Sobering, the Elf nodded. “Yes. And as soon as this council of war is over, it is, I must head back and try to save my country, I must. I fear this will be my last war, I do, and the Elves will be losing another of their kind once again.”

“Why bother returning to Squire Knot, Spearmaster?” Euleilla asked hesitantly, unsure if she had the right to actually speak to him. Elves were often superstitiously thought of as being slightly ‘above’ Humans by the peasantry. She was a peasant by birth, and while Ruznak had worked hard to remove those superstitions she must still have a few. “It is admirable to resist an invasion, but now... it’s just suicide.”

The Elf paused mid-step, and everyone else stopped around him. He turned to her, and with an appraising eye, asked, “And just what else would you have me do, my Lady, what else? I am a Spearmaster, I am – one of the last wielders of the Elven Spears my Ancient brethren developed, they did. My home has been sacked, it has, and there seems little else for me to do but to fight, it does.”

“You could join me,” Maelgyn offered. He, too, had reservations dealing with Elves, but only because he knew they were some of the most powerful beings in the world... and some of the most manipulative. Even the strongest of First Class Mages were considered inferior in battle to an Elven child, so gaining a veteran Elven Spearmaster at his service would be a small coup in and of itself. Besides, any Elf involved in this war, on either side, would need close watching, and what better way to watch someone than to have them nearby? “At least as far as Sopan. Once there, we can see what we can do. Depending on how things turn out, I might be able to provide you with enough resources to restore Squire’s Knot, if that is still your wish. As it is, one lone man cannot restore a kingdom.”

“I am an Elf, I am,” Wangdu noted, his eyes glinting fiercely. “You might be surprised at what I could do alone, you might.”

“I might,” Maelgyn agreed jovially. “But only if you’re around to surprise me.”

The Elf laughed slightly. “Perhaps,” he said. “I’ll think it through, I will. El’Athras wants us both to wait for a couple days, he does, before we leave. Perhaps I’ll have a decision by then, I will.”

Maelgyn raised an eyebrow. “A couple days wait? I’m not so sure about that. I want to get to Sopan as soon as possible.”

“As your wife’s doctor, I’d strongly advise rest,” Wodtke noted. “The poor girl just recovered from a plague, so the least you could do is give her a couple days to get her strength back.”

“Right, of course,” Maelgyn agreed, berating himself mentally for having forgotten Euleilla’s health problems. “Well, I could always see the sites. Never been in a Dwarven cave-city before this trip.”

“I could, too,” Euleilla added. “I’m having fun.”

Maelgyn raised an eyebrow. “‘Fun?’ We were nearly killed several times by mudslides, we have twice fought in battles to the death,
and
you contracted some kind of
plague
, yet you find it ‘fun?’”

“Yep.” She smiled mischievously.

He grinned. “Good.”

Wangdu shook his head sadly. “You humans are a strange lot, you are.”

“Well?” El’Ba asked as they returned. “What did the old man say?”

“Old man?” Maelgyn asked, surprised. “What old man?”

“El’Athras!” El’Ba exclaimed. “He’s the only merchant prince in the city who’d consent to see a human prince. Most of them’d rather kill ya than talk with ya.”

Maelgyn blinked. “I suppose that’s why he told me not to let anyone know who I was.”

El’Ba snorted. “You did a right good job of
that,
now didn’t ya? Ah, well, it don’t matter. What’d he say?”

Maelgyn hesitated, and then relented. The news would soon be public, and El’Ba had earned his trust more than most. He had helped arrange for Euleilla’s care, and would soon be entrusting his son to Maelgyn’s service.

“You deserve the truth, but I’d ask that you keep it to yourself until it is formally announced. El’Athras and Emperor Gyato of Caseificio ceded their nations to me,” he explained. “It was as much of a shock to me as I expect it must be to you.”

El’Ba blinked. “Oh. Well, that’s not as much of a surprise as you might think. It’s just what El’Athras’ rivals accused him of planning. The only reason most Dwarves have yet to rebel is that they see the sense of it. Mind you, some do care, and very strongly, so be careful who you say that to.”

“I imagine the word will come out soon enough,” Maelgyn said. “El’Athras is preparing his cavalry and archer corps to join the war effort against Sho’Curlas. There are representatives from several other nations who may let something slip. Oh! And there’s an Elf I’m hoping will stop by to discuss some things, later. I trust that won’t be a problem?”

“Oh, no!” El’Ba laughed. “More business for me, after all, though I dunno about Elves. Our two peoples have had their differences, that’s for sure, and I’m not regretting it that they’re dying out. But no, what worries me is what will happen when the other Merchant Princes learn that you’re here. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of
them
came to visit, as well. Only they wouldn’t be as good for business, I fear.”