The Dwarf Kingdoms (Book 5) (36 page)

Determined to make the Uruc resist him, Elerian invaded the creature’s shade, trying to wrest away from it the memories it still held. Instinctively the Uruc fought back. By the time he realized his mistake, his shade had vanished entirely, the last of its life force consumed by the brief struggle.

“Sarius,” thought Elerian to himself as the consciousness of the Uruc faded with a last despairing cry in his mind. “That was his name. All else that he knew he took with him.”

Closing his third eye, the first thing Elerian saw with his normal sight was Ascilius’s worried face. Although he lacked mage sight, the Dwarf had guessed at the invisible struggle that had taken place. Assured now that it was over, he lifted Elerian off his feet and, despite his protests, carried him over to a chair by the fireplace before thrusting a cup of wine into his right hand. He and Elerian then watched with somber faces as the armed Dwarves who had spilled into the chamber when the lock spell was broken by the death of the lentulus took away the bodies of their slain comrades. Quincius and another steward attempted to mop up the lentulus’s blood, but the steaming black pool consumed every piece of cloth that touched it before finally vanishing on its own, like steam from a boiling pot. Finally, Dardanus sent everyone but his family away before taking a seat near Elerian.

“You are a difficult fellow to deal with Elerian,” said Dardanus dryly in his deep voice. “On the one hand you disobey my command to come unarmed into my presence. Then you save my life and the lives of my family, making it impossible to hold any rancor against you.”

“It was not my intention to give offense,” replied Elerian gravely. “I am so used to carrying a knife in my boot that I forgot it was there.”

“A happy accident,” said Dardanus,” else this emissary of Torquatus would have slain all of the royal family.”

‘Except Herias,” thought Elerian to himself with sudden suspicion. “Was it chance or some darker purpose that took him from this room?”

“I warned you that no good would come of dealing with Torquatus’s creature,” Ascilius reminded his uncle. “Herias should never have brought him into the Caldaria.”

“He is young and hampered by impatience and inexperience,” said Dardanus dismissively. “Time will cure both faults.”

“Intentionally or not, Herias has allowed Torquatus access to the heart of our realm,” replied Ascilius somberly. “Those were Goblin hands that drew the lentulus through the portal. Will Torquatus be able to return to this room?” Ascilius asked, turning to Elerian.

“I think not,” replied Elerian after a sip of his wine. The talisman which led him here went with the body of the lentulus. To fix this place in his mind, Torquatus would have had to enter here through the portal so that he might see and feel its physical boundaries with his own eyes and mind.”

“There is no harm done then,” Dardanus assured Ascilius. “Now then, Elerian, what are your plans? I have rendered my judgment in your favor, so you may stay here in Iulius without fear if you wish.”

“I appreciate your generosity my lord, but I am minded to leave Iulius for Tarsius, for I have pressing business there,” replied Elerian.

“Ascilius has told me that you wish to wed Orianus’s daughter,” said Dardanus with a smile. “Fortunately, there is a secret way out of the Caldaria that leads to the pass through the eastern mountains. Ascilius can show you where it is.”

Elerian threw a surprised look at Ascilius, who looked both guilty and smug at the same time.

“You will not go empty handed either when you leave, Elerian,” continued Dardanus warmly. “I have a gift here for the services that you have rendered to me and my people.”

Opening a small wooden chest that rested on the floor by his chair, Dardanus lifted out, with his right hand, a pair of supple leather saddlebags that would not be too burdensome to carry. Opening one of the flaps, he exposed a collection of shining jewels before handing the bags to Elerian. “It would please me, if you take this, too, as a wedding present,” said the old Dwarf, taking a small silver case, its cover worked with ornate designs, from his pocket. After taking it into his hands, Elerian raised the cover, exposing a magnificent necklace lying on a bed of white velvet. Heavy links of twisted silver held a string of cobalt blue sapphires that would exactly match Anthea’s eyes.

“There is no need for such extravagance,” Elerian heard Eonis mutter. “The gems along would have sufficed.”

“I thank you for your generosity my lord,” said Elerian to Dardanus, suppressing a smile at Eonis’s comments. A sense of relief swept through him, for it seemed that in the space of a few moments all of his problems had been solved. He now had a path that would lead him to Tarsius and a treasure for a bride price. After he met Anthea on the plains, they could return to Niveaus instead of assuming the role of fugitives as they undertook a dangerous and uncertain journey to the Abercius. With the treasure given him by Dardanus, they could have the wedding that Orianus had promised them. If they eventually left Tarsius as Anthea wished, it would be by choice not necessity.

“I have nothing as splendid that I can give in return, but I have prepared these for you and your brother,” replied Elerian. From their blue velvet wrappings, he took the two small bottles of cut crystal that he had filled with aqua vitae. “Use these sparingly, for the liquid is potent as your brother may tell you,” he said to Dardanus as he handed a bottle to each of the old Dwarves. “It will banish old age for a time and fill you with vigor and well being.”

“This is a gift more precious than diamonds to the aged,” said Dardanus as he pocketed his bottle. “I give you my blessing, Elerian, to protect you on all the paths that you may walk in your life, for I do not know if we shall ever meet again. The fourth age is ending, and I fear what the next age will bring,” he said sadly. Turning to Ascilius, Dardanus said, “I give you my blessing also nephew. You have made me proud with your deeds.”

“This seems almost a farewell between them,” was Elerian’s puzzled thought as Ascilius and his uncle embraced. He noted that Eonis, too, seemed puzzled by the display of emotion between his brother and Ascilius. 

“May we meet in better times,” said Elerian to Dardanus. Then, with Ascilius at his left side, he left the chamber of the last king of the Dwarves in the east of the world, completely unaware that his old disguise had slipped over him again so that the Dwarves who saw him after he left the king’s sitting room saw a human man, his graying hair and worn face attesting to the difficult life that he had lived instead of a gray eyed Elf.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you knew a way out of Iulius?” Elerian asked Ascilius once they were out of earshot of Dardanus.

“I wanted to surprise you,” said the Dwarf innocently, a pleased smile on his face. “It was also quite entertaining to see you vexed for a change,” he added slyly.

It was a measure of Elerian’s happiness that he did not immediately begin plotting his revenge against Ascilius for the anxiety and uncertainty that he had suffered over the last few days.

“I will let him win this one time as a going away present,” he thought to himself. “Who knows if we will ever see each other again once I leave Iulius?

THE DEPARTURE

“Can we leave at once?” Elerian asked Ascilius after they returned to their chambers.

“I had planned on it,” replied Ascilius. “Without the body of the lentulus to prove the treachery of the Goblins not everyone will be comfortable with Dardanus’s judgment when it becomes known, for there are many in Iulius like Herias, young and inexperienced in the treacherous ways of the Umbrae. Some are certain to resent the fact that Dardanus has refused to trade you for their kin so, to avoid trouble, it would be best if we left this evening. Have you thought yet on how you will find Anthea in the immensity of the prairie once you are away from Iulius?”

“When I made the basin for Orianus, I also made two rings,” said Elerian, stripping away the illusion that concealed the ruby ring that he wore on the smallest finger of his left hand. Ascilius at once bent closer, examining the ruby set in Elerian’s silver ring. The blood red, faceted stone burned with a soft crimson light one moment and went dark the next, maintaining a regular cadence which reminded him of a heartbeat.

“A golden thread which is visible to my third eye connects this ring to its twin which Anthea wears on her own left hand,” continued Elerian. “I have only to follow the thread and it will lead me unerringly to Anthea’s side.”

“Why does your ring pulse in such a curious manner and why have you never shown it to me before this,” asked Ascilius with a frown. “I thought there were no secrets between us.”

“I thought it best to keep the rings hidden, lest Torquatus learn of them,” explained Elerian blandly.

“I will never hear the end of it if I tell him that the stones inset in the rings match the rhythm of mine and Anthea’s hearts,” he thought ruefully to himself.

“A wise precaution,” said Ascilius, accepting Elerian’s explanation without question, for he had other, more important matters on his mind. “Remain here out of sight,” he cautioned, “whilst I make arrangements for our departure.”

“Do what you must,” replied Elerian. “I will remain here in this room until you return.” Pacing restlessly back and forth with a light, silent step after Ascilius left, Elerian waited impatiently until Ascilius returned several hours later.

“It is time to leave,” said the Dwarf quietly.

Looking affectionately at his companion of many years and adventures, Elerian said with uncharacteristic seriousness, “It saddens me to part from you Ascilius, for you have been a true friend to me.”

“I never said that I was going to remain in Iulius,” said Ascilius with a smile.

All at once Elerian comprehended the reason for Ascilius’s meandering journey through the Caldaria. “Our carriage trip to Iulius was your goodbye to your uncle’s kingdom,” said Elerian quietly.

“If for some reason I do not return, I will still have the memory of my last journey through Dwarf lands to comfort me,” said Ascilius contentedly.

“I think that you should remain here, Ascilius,” said Elerian gravely. “Your people will have need of you.”

“You are speaking nonsense,” replied Ascilius gruffly. “Dardanus is an excellent sovereign. He will pass the rule of the kingdom to Eonis who will in turn pass it on to his sons. Through all of their reigns, Falco will command the defenses of the kingdom. If I remain here, I will rattle around, drinking too much and wishing that I was elsewhere. I am determined to have one last adventure, after which I may settle down.”

A distant look, hard to fathom, briefly entered the Dwarf’s dark eyes, as if he were considering some matter of grave import about which he still had serious doubts.

“Are you perhaps thinking of wedding a certain serving maid,” asked Elerian slyly.

“Never mind what I am thinking,” replied Ascilius, tuning a bright shade of red, a unique sight, for Elerian had never seen Ascilius blush before. “Take this,” he said gruffly as he handed Elerian a heavy cloak woven from dark wool.

After they had donned their mail shirts and had taken up their weapons and shields, Elerian found that the long cloaks he and Ascilius wore did a fair job of concealing their warlike appearance. The treasure bags gave him a rather humped appearance, however, so while Ascilius looked on approvingly, he changed the illusion which disguised him, reappearing as a long bearded Dwarf with no suspicious bulge on his back. It was the same disguise that Elerian had used to lure Ascilius into following the serving maid.

“You look familiar,” said Ascilius with a frown.

“I am sure you are mistaken,” replied Elerian, averting his face so that Ascilius would not see the laughter in his eyes.

“I am sure that I have seen that face before,” muttered Ascilius to himself as they left the apartment given them by Dardanus. After leaving his uncle’s home, Ascilius led the way down to the stables through remote, almost deserted passageways. There, in an isolated corner, a small, light carriage with a covered top and the curtains drawn awaited them. Two sturdy black ponies in leather harness stood patiently before it. Elerian was not surprised to see Falco sitting on the exposed driver’s seat, wearing a dark cloak like his own.

“I wish that I was going with you,” he said wistfully to Elerian who had now resumed his usual illusion, presenting himself to the world as a tall, dark haired man. “Life is likely to be peaceful but extremely boring after the two of you are gone.”

“I hardly think it will be boring with Torquatus’s armies camped before your gate,” replied Elerian with a smile.

Falco shrugged. “It is a standoff now,” he said dismissively. “The Goblins cannot enter the Caldaria, but neither can our forces push them away for good from the entrance to the valley.”

“Let us be on our way, for we have far to go,” said Ascilius, brusquely interrupting Falco as he climbed into the carriage.

With a wink to Falco, Elerian also climbed into the vehicle, sitting across from Ascilius. He set the leather bags given to him by Dardanus next to him on his seat along with his shield. Beneath him, the carriage jerked into motion as Falco drove it to the central ramp. He attracted little attention when his vehicle joined a stream of other carriages and wagons heading the same way.

“What about supplies?” Elerian asked Ascilius inside the carriage.

“Everything we need is packed into the luggage compartment,” replied Ascilius as he made himself comfortable. “Let me rest for a bit now, for I shall have to spell Falco on the reins in a few hours.”

Drawing his cloak around him, Ascilius immediately went to sleep, leaving Elerian alone with his thoughts. There was nothing to see with the curtains drawn, but sometime later, when the carriage picked up speed, Elerian knew that they had left Iulius behind and were finally traveling south through the Caldaria.

Listening to the low rumble of the carriage’s wheels and the steady clop of the ponies iron shod hooves, his left hand resting comfortingly on the treasure which would allow him to wed Anthea, Elerian soon lost himself in his memories, which took him to the east where his future and his heart’s desire both awaited him.