Delver Magic Book VII: Altered Messages (50 page)

"And do you continue to believe it was wise to exclude the dwarves from that decision?"

Ryson became frustrated. He could not understand why the dwarves refused to acknowledge what was happening. It seemed they wished to hold to a course that would allow the serps to dictate events rather than break away from serp influence. His growing annoyance began to overshadow his composure.

"Why are you all intent on doing exactly what the serps want? Do you know what that will get you? Suffering and death. My home was overrun by a horde of goblins because of the serps. My friend was killed because of them! I'm trying to stop anything like that from happening again!"

Bol decided to enter the disagreement.

"Ryson Acumen, you do not understand Therese's situation, just as I did not understand the true scope of the algors' loss. It is difficult to be a leader. Decisions are often complex, and her concerns may be far different than your own. She has to consider the well-being of an entire dwarf city, perhaps other dwarf cities as well. She has the right to be consulted on such matters."

Bol's words were empty to the delver in the face of such losses. Petty excuses wouldn't keep another war from breaking out. Ryson didn't want to see any further acts of violence such as the one that took Sy's life. He was tired of hearing justifications for behavior that would only lead to more conflict, more pain. The delver also wouldn't accept the argument that Therese was given insufficient warning.

"Bol, it's not like she was completely in the dark on this. I did talk to her. I told her about the serps. I told her about my friend. She was much more concerned with the elves."

"A leader faces complicated issues. If you explained to her why you thought it was necessary, she might have listened to you. You should have given her the benefit of the doubt."

"And if she didn't listen? What then? She could have stopped me from bringing you to the algors."

"Then that would have been her decision, not yours... and not the serps."

"I disagree," the delver argued. "I think the serps succeeded in bringing their influence to Dunop. You just said something about complicated issues, well I think the serps have made everything more complicated, and if we don't acknowledge that, then none of our decisions are truly are own."

"Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. What I know for certain is that she faces issues beyond what you think you understand. I know, because I faced those same issues. You told me that I failed the dwarves by walking away from the throne. You could be right. But if that's the case, how can you blame Therese for taking on even more responsibility?"

"I'm not. I have more respect for her than you can imagine, but there's a difference between acting responsibly and acting irrationally. I believe she's reacting to serp manipulations and I can't have that. I need her help."

Yet again, Geg exploded with condemnation for the delver's apparent insolence.

"You accuse the queen of being a serp puppet and then you tell us you need our assistance?!"

"I'm not accusing anyone of anything that hasn't happened to me and everyone else. We're being maneuvered... all of us. I'm trying to stop it, and I'm doing that by moving faster than the serps. It's the only thing I believe will work."

"Exactly what kind of help are you hoping to receive," Therese asked, attempting to make a more productive turn and reduce the tension that had grown so quickly.

"The dwarves need to stand down," Ryson stated firmly. "You need to recall all your warriors from the forest. Actually, it has to be more than just the warriors. You have to bring all the dwarves back underground, even those in Pinesway. You have to stay out of Dark Spruce."

"You mean obey Petiole's ludicrous edict?!" Geg shouted.

"I mean reduce the tension between the dwarves and the elves. Some one has to pull this back from the edge."

"And if I decline?" Therese asked calmly.

"That would be your choice," the delver responded, but then explained he wouldn't allow the queen to have the final word, "but I won't let it end there. There are others involved as well. You thought you should be included... I'm including you now, but I'm including everyone."

"Are you now questioning the authority of the Queen of Dunop?!" an outraged Geg demanded. "You think she has to listen to you?"

"To me? No, but she will have to listen to him," the delver claimed as he pointed to Bol Folarok. "Despite the fact that Bol's trying to defend the queen, I know he understands what's going on."

The exiled king immediately understood the delver's intentions. Bol knew he could be placed in a difficult and compromising position. He had abdicated the throne because he believed he had lost the respect of the dwarves. He did not wish to lead them, but he suddenly realized why the delver had brought him back to Dunop. Ryson was indeed moving quickly, and the path before Bol was not one he wished to travel.

"Do not do this to me," Bol pleaded.

"Sorry, Bol, but I'm not going to let you walk away again. You're going to have to make a choice here, just like the queen. Do you remember what you saw in the desert?  Do you want that to happen again? We were able to stop a war between the dwarves and the algors because you listened to the truth. What do we gain if we stop one war but let another occur? Are you ready to have that on your conscience?"

Bol glared at the delver and cursed silently.

Ryson turned his attention back to the queen.

"I'm going to ask you to order all dwarves back underground except one. You'll need to send a messenger to the elf camp and inform them you will stand down your forces and remain out of the forest for at least the next three days. That's the help I need."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I'll ask Bol to get involved."

Therese failed to see the effectiveness in such a ploy.

"He has no authority. He abdicated the throne."

"Unless I'm mistaken, he abdicated to Jon, his son, not you. But Jon withdrew, was unable to lead. You took over when you married Jon, but some might question the validity of that marriage or the legitimacy of your reign if Bol Folarok remains in Dunop."

"You dare..." Geg snarled, and the dwarf almost rushed at the delver, but Therese stepped between them.

"You are being very callous in your demands," the queen responded bluntly, if not angrily. "I do not like the coercion behind your words."

"I'm sorry. I hope you believed me before when I said I had the greatest respect for you. It's true. I don't want it to be this way, and I hope one day you can forgive me for this, but I'm realizing just how deep the serps have their claws into this. It's like I said before, you all thought I should have included the dwarves. I'm doing that now, but I'm including
all
of you. You're all going to have to decide what to do on this together. That's the only way I can be certain the serps aren't involved."

"But I don't want to be involved," Bol confessed. "I shouldn't be involved. This is up to Therese. "

"Not this time, Bol. I'm not going to allow a war to occur between the elves and the dwarves because you wanted to forget what happened in the desert."

"That's not it. I can't forget! No matter what I do, I'll never forget!"

"Then I guess you'll have to decide what's best."

"He may not have to decide anything," Therese stated boldly and resuming the full authority of her position as queen. "Whether you like it or not, Ryson Acumen, the decision is mine. I will not have you undermine my authority."

"That's not my intention, but I need you to do what's right."

"And I will do what's right... what is right for Dunop. It might come as a surprise to you, but I actually understand the basis for your request. To a degree, I even agree with it."

"Then you'll agree to help?"

"If
my
conditions are met. If you want to end the tensions between the elves and the dwarves, then bring me Petiole."

Ryson was not at all surprised by the demand, and he responded with absolute certainty.

"I plan to. I realize that's what started everything spinning out of control. Maybe I made the biggest mistake when I didn't just grab Petiole the first time I went to Portsans, but that's in the past. I need just a few days to get the right people together. I have to talk to the elves, and then I have to return to Connel. In three days, I'll be ready to go back to Portsans, but I need you to take this step first. It's a sign of good faith."

Therese was pleased to hear the delver admit Petiole's escape was the key event in the crisis, but she was not as certain about his proposed solution.

"It may also be a sign of weakness."

"Only if you believe the elves are responsible as opposed to the serps. Look, I'm giving you exactly what you wanted. I'm including you. I'm even asking for your help. No matter what your counselor says, I'm not trying to undermine your authority or put the dwarves at risk. It's just the opposite. I'm giving you a chance to stop something that is clearly getting out of control."

Ryson could see Therese was struggling with the decision. He honestly believed she was willing to help, but he could sense an internal debate within her. He wondered if it might have been the influence of the serps or if it was simply the desire to protect Dunop. Hoping to give her a final shove, he made one last promise.

"If Petiole isn't returned to you at the end of the third day, you can go to war with anyone you choose; the elves, the algors, even me if you want."

Therese surprised everyone in the room as she looked to the exiled king.

"What does Bol Folarok think I should do?"

"Do not look to me," Bol pleaded. "You are the rightful leader. You have to do what you think is best."

"Don't give me such useless advice. You were King of Dunop before I was queen. The king I remember ruled with honor. You also seem to have greater knowledge of what is happening than you wish to admit. Swallits were watching you, were they not?"

"Yes, but..."

"And you went to the
Lacobian Desert to speak with the algors. Something occurred in the sands to alter your opinion of this crisis. Ryson Acumen believes you would actually stand against me if I refuse his request. That is why he brought you here. Now tell me... what do you suggest?"

Bol sighed heavily. In one corner of his soul, he wanted nothing more than to grab the delver by the throat and strangle him to death. He did not wish to be in Dunop, did not wish to be placed in such a difficult position. Then, he recalled what he saw in the tunnels beneath the surface of the Lacobian. Tun's face began to haunt him once more. As he thought of his own personal loss, he wondered how many dwarves would lose a son or a daughter if war broke out between the dwarves of Dunop and the elves of Dark Spruce. His pain grew sharper.

"I'm not so sure how much honor I had," Bol finally confessed. "I do know that I made mistakes, mistakes I regret." The king paused and looked upon Ryson Acumen before making his final recommendation. "The delver's request puts no one in jeopardy. If anything, he seeks to avoid conflict. It is in direct contrast to what the serps wish to achieve. Be wiser than I was. Give the delver what he asks."

The elves would be as volatile as the dwarves, they had to be, or so Ryson reasoned. He had very little information on what was happening across Dark Spruce, but he doubted the serps' had ignored the elves. It was simple math. In order to start a conflict, both sides had to be engaged.

He learned from Queen Therese that the elves had expanded their patrols. Elf guards were watching the dwarves with growing concern and increasing frequency. There had to be a reason. Before Jure cast his spell of teleportation, the delver warned the wizard to be ready for a hostile greeting as soon as they arrived at the edge of the elf camp.

Ryson was not surprised when he and Jure were set upon immediately by guards leaping from the trees. He made no attempt to escape and showed even greater restraint when they took hold of him. He expected as much. He waited patiently for the inevitable arrival of the elf guard captain, Birk Grund.

Birk showed no outward animosity toward Ryson, though he had no great affection for the delver. He had much greater respect for the wizard. The elf captain was aware Jure cast magic in a pure white circle, and Birk considered the wizard a dependable ally. Still, the unannounced arrival of the delver during such troubled times was not a welcome sight. The elf was blunt when he spoke, but he kept his emotions in check.

"What brings you to this camp?"

"I need to speak to the elder," Ryson revealed.

"For what purpose?"

"I need the aid of the elves."

Birk found the delver's simplistic answers tiresome. He did not wish to play games. He remained concerned about the dieruhnes, and teleportation spells near his camp raised unnecessary anxiety. While he remained stone-faced in his expression, his words revealed a growing annoyance as well as a determination to obtain a full explanation.

"I do not wish to ask you a thousand questions. Tell me what it is you want."