Fool's Errand (21 page)

After retrieving Tropham from the quarters he had chosen to share with his troopers and gulping down a hasty breakfast, the seven leaders of the caravan headed toward the council chamber. As they approached, Duncan saw Geblig standing outside the chamber doors ready to announce them.

“Good morning, Priest Duncan, gentlemen,” he said, bowing politely. “I shall announce you at once. If you would kindly wait just a moment.” The young Durgak quickly returned. “The council will see you now,” he said as he opened the doors and ushered them into the council chambers.

The Great Hall, which housed the high council, was a magnificent display of Durgak stonecraft that never ceased to fill Duncan with awe. It was dug into one of the northern mountains with windows facing south and providing ample lighting. The chamber opened into a huge domed room adorned with intricate dioramas of Durgak history carved in bas-relief along the ceilings. There were stone tables and chairs, both Durgak sized and Adami sized, about the main section as if to house a great meeting of many races and nations. At the far end of the chamber stood a raised dais, and five seats were elevated behind a curving high table. In the circle in front of the dais, there were no chairs but rather an open space where petitioners could stand before the council and be heard. It was to this open circle they were directed.

Sitting behind the raised table were five distinguished-looking Durgak—the high council of Stonehold. The one in the center chair was advanced in years. He sported a long, flowing white beard, which had he been standing likely would have nearly reached his knees. He had piercing blue eyes and clad in shimmering silver silk robes. Duncan, who was whispering introductions to the company as they approached the central area, informed them this distinguished Durgak was Kenrick Longfather, current chancellor and head of the Stonehold High Council.

To Kenrick’s right was a Durgak with a full, gray beard and dark brown eyes. He was adorned in the priestly robes of blue and white, and his head was covered with the
talith,
the prayer shawl used by the priestly followers of the One Lord. Generally, such coverings were only used during times of prayer, but this Durgak, who Duncan introduced to them as Dalwyn Othblest, current high priest of Stonehold, wore it in this council meeting.

“Duncan,” Gideon whispered, “why is he wearing a
talith
in a meeting?”

“It is the custom that the high priest consider their service to the council as something to be approached as a servant of the One Lord, and any counsel they give should be done only after prayer and careful consideration. For this reason, the high priest always wears the
talith
prayer shawl in the council sessions.”

Duncan continued his introductions as they approached the council.

“The Durgak to Kenrick’s left is Field Marshal Guntur Bonecrusher, head of the Stonehold defense force.”

Guntur had a flaming red beard, already showing some salting of gray intermixed. He had deep green eyes, and wore his beard in a single braid.

“A single braid marks a Durgak as being in the regular army,” Duncan instructed. “Stonehold regular army troops wear their beards in a single braid while those in the Berserker corps, like my brother Donovon you met yesterday, wear their beards forked in a double braid. Scouts keep their beards trimmed short and generally unbraided.”

“Wow,” remarked Thatcher, “you can tell all that about a Durgak by their beards?”

“And a great deal more, laddie,” answered Duncan without further explanation.

Guntur was wearing sparkling silver plate mail armor of a metal-like few had ever seen. It was a Durium alloy, blended from a rare element highly prized by the Durgak. The Durgak were known for their unmatched armor-crafting skills, taught to them by their patron Malakim,
Hadaram. Hadaram was purported to have been the armorer of heaven at one time, and the skills and knowledge passed to the Durgak by their patron were unmatched anywhere in all of Ya-Erets.

The Durgak to the far right of the chancellor had a medium-length, graying-blond, unbraided beard and brown eyes. He wore a simple black tunic, but around his neck was a heavy metal chain from which hung a large, round medallion with the symbol of two crossed digging picks.

“That fellow there,” Duncan told them, “is my da’s cousin, Minister Farris Stonebender, the current minister of mining. Mining is the center of Durgak life, so the ministry is in charge of regulating and governing everything having to do with mining for all of Stonehold.”

The last Durgak to be introduced to them, sitting to the far left of the chancellor, wore a thin, pointed black chin beard, sported sparkling green eyes, and had a nose that was more pointed and extended than any Durgak the others had seen.

“That shiny-looking scoundrel there is the minister of commerce, Odon Longnose. He’s the richest merchant in the city.”

His lavishly multicolored tunic and bundle of golden chains beset with various-colored jewels seemed to confirm this assertion.

“The Longnose family,” Duncan continued, “have been wealthy merchants as far as the earliest records of Stonehold. There are very few times in the history of the city where a member of the Longnose family has not occupied the seat of the minister of commerce. In fact, it is a Durgak saying of someone who has become wealthy that their ’nose has grown long.’”

The whispered introductions concluded as they entered the circle before the council. Chancellor Longfather addressed the company.

“Welcome, Priest Duncan Silvermane. Welcome also to our visitors from the nations to the east and the nations to the west of our city. Your presence honors us.”

To Duncan’s surprise, even Xyer Garan bowed low with the rest of the company in acknowledgement of the greeting. Perhaps this might not end in a debacle after all.

“We were informed of your mission a few days ago by mounted courier from Aton-Ri” the chancellor continued. “We have kept the details within the members of the high council and necessary members of the military and diplomatic corps. I assume you have come to discuss the particulars of what assistance we may offer?”

“I have ordered,” said Field Marshal Bonecrusher, “that Donovan Silvermane of the Third Berserker Company join us as well.” At this moment, Duncan’s brother, Donovan, hurried into the chamber and quickly joined them before the council.

“My apologies for being late, Your Excellence, but we had a returning company of scouts from the western patrols, and I needed to hear their reports before the meeting. Their discovery will have some bearing, no doubt, on this morning’s proceedings.” The chancellor smiled and acknowledged Donovan’s reason for delay as valid and understandable. He urged Donovan to share his report before they proceeded.

“Well, Your Excellence, the patrols report increased Nephilim presence on the western borders. They have been seen in the company of Orcs, Hobgoblins, and even Ogres. They seem to be cooperating at a level we have not seen before. Tellik Sharpeye, the scout commander, even reported that Orcs bearing shields of formerly warring clans are traveling together as a single force. This matches the reports we had yesterday from the eastern patrols. Of course, I am but a simple soldier and defer to the wisdom of Field Marshal Bonecrusher, but in my estimation, I believe Stonehold needs to be prepared for an organized attack against our city.”

The field marshal’s booming baritone voice was the first to respond to the disturbing report.

“This does bode ill. We had originally planned to send you with additional wagons and the full one-hundred
bezrek
of Third Company led by Captain Silvermane, but in light of this news, I would say we cannot spare those men. If, Captain, you still desire and intend to accompany your brother on this mission, then I am afraid we can only spare twenty men from Third Company to go with you. We will put Sergeant Sharpaxe in charge of the remainder of Third Company during your absence. He is an able and experienced field commander.”

“I do still intend to go,” Donovan replied, “with your leave, field marshal. I would like to hand pick my twenty men, and I give my word we will well represent the Berserker Corps and Stonehold on this mission.”

At this point, the thing Duncan dreaded most happened. Xyer Garan spoke.

“I believe in light of the reports from the fine
Durgak
scouts, we might need to reconsider this mission.”

His odd emphasis on the name of the race spoke to the group that his respectful use of the proper term was only an undergirding to whatever it was he was planning to propose to the council and not in any way out of genuine respect.

“To continue this mission west at this time,” Garan continued, “is reckless and unwise. Clearly, if there is an organized cooperation of Nephelim and goblinoids working together, then whatever threat there had been to the caravans has been magnified. To venture west with such a small force would be as I have said before, a fool’s errand, a true a suicide mission.”

Odon Longnose twitched in his seat as he addressed the council. He had a look about him of a cat about to pounce on a wounded mouse.

“The Ministry of Commerce has recorded that the reduction of revenues due to the disappearance of westbound caravans combined with the reductions of eastbound caravans as nations of the west begin to stockpile their goods against the supply shortage has impacted Stonehold’s economy greatly. We depend on the caravans for our own goods, and while travel to Stonehold is apparently still safe for the moment, few nations have been willing to dispatch caravans here since these troubles began.

“If it was the decision of the collected nations at the council in Aton-Ri to put forth this company to deal with the troubles, a council, which included Ambassador Farspeaker representing Stonehold by the way, then I urge we honor the decision agreed upon and move forward with ending this matter the soonest possible.”

The driving factor behind Longnose’s urgings was clear. His coin pouch was being negatively impacted, and as long as someone else was risking their lives to restore his livelihood, he was all for it.

“The news is even graver than Captain Silvermane has told us,” Farris Stonebender added. “My men at our listening posts in the tunnels along our borders indicate sounds of unregistered mining, which seems to be approaching Stonehold’s eastern and western borders. Either there is an unprecedented number of rogue Durgak working unregistered mines near the city, or more likely goblinoids are tunneling deliberately to enter the city. I have asked Field Marshal Bonecrusher to put a company of troops at the disposal of the Ministry of Mining should we detect an imminent breach. According to our listeners, at the current rate, such a breach is likely still weeks away, but the Field Marshal has asked that the Ministry of Mining keep him apprised and that troops would be ready to respond should it become necessary.”

High Priest Othblest, with a concerned and thoughtful look on his face, cleared his throat and addressed the assembly in a calm but clear voice.

“Priest Duncan, I believe your large companion raises a valid point. If battle comes to Stonehold, we will certainly need all the soldiers we can muster but just as importantly, we will need healers here. I would urge you and your companions to reconsider this mission. We could use their strength here to protect the city, and we could use your healing
oth
to succor the wounded. Will youheed my counsel and stay?”

Duncan stood in silence for a few moments, which to him seemed like hours. While Xyer Garan may have provided the spark, it would be Duncan who caused the imminent embarrassment by defying the high priest. He knew this mission needed to continue, but how could he go against the spiritual leader of the city. He lifted a quick, silent prayer heavenward before addressing the high priest.

“Your Eminence, is this the word you have received in answer to your prayers for counsel from the One Lord? If so, I must respect your word, but I myself have received no such instruction directly.”

“No, my son,” the high priest continued, “what I have been told in answer to my prayers is that your heart will lead rightly, and you must follow it. For this reason, the counsel I offer for you to stay is my own, and I know it echoes the words of your companion as well as the heart of your father. Ultimately though, you must follow your own heart, and the church will respect and honor that decision and defend it before the council as the will of the One Lord.”

Duncan cringed at the mention of his father. He knew that his father did not want him joining the priesthood and wanted even less that he go on a valor quest without the military training that his older brothers had all received. He knew his father loved him, but his concern for Duncan’s safety put him at odds with Duncan’s heart.

There was no doubt at all where Duncan’s desire was in this matter. They had set out to destroy whatever was threatening the caravans. He was the only healer in the entire company. He would see their mission through to the end. With the certainty of his heart and the confirming words of High Priest Othblest, Duncan was sure he was walking in the will of the One Lord.