Tomas smiled, showing a youthful humour behind the warrior’s powerful visage. ‘It took a while for a lot of people around here to get used to it, Laro. You don’t mind if I call you that? I overheard your brother use it.’
Laromendis was startled, but the smile directed at him was infectious, even charming, and he said, ‘Why, no. I’d be flattered. He’s the only one who ever did, but please, feel free.’
‘So, why did you wish to see me alone?’
‘Not alone, for I am certain you’ll need to consult the Queen. I’m here at Pug’s behest.’
At the mention of his childhood friend, Tomas’s expression became concerned. ‘How is he?’
‘Well, I suppose. He took Miranda’s death very hard.’ The elf said, ‘I don’t know how such things are with humans, but I felt his sense of profound sorrow. Lately however, as the matters that bring me here have arisen, I think he’s beginning to come out of his darkness.’
‘That’s good to hear,’ said Tomas, adjusting the white tunic he wore when not armoured. Even without his helm and gold armour, he was an impressive sight. Laromendis was one of the few beings Tomas had met who was taller than him, yet the Star Elf was still in awe of the imposing Warleader of Elvandar.
‘To the point, then,’ said Laromendis. ‘Pug asks if you might be disposed to convey the following to the Regent Lord at E’bar: The Demon Legion may be arriving in Midkemia soon. Would he be willing to discuss a mutual defence?’
Tomas was silent for a moment, then laughed. ‘Why is he asking you to ask me, why not go yourself?’
‘Because I am not in a position to influence the Regent Lord and, frankly, you are the only other being he holds in…’
‘Fear?’ said Tomas with a slight smile.
‘I was going to say respect, my lord.’
Tomas inclined his head slightly, as if considering his next question. ‘Your Regent Lord is a complicated person. He exhibits a certain deference to my Lady and myself, yet I sense he also views us with suspicion.’
‘He is proud, full of ambition for our people and personally.’ Laromendis said, ‘My brother and I have spent more time here than any other taredhel, so we have begun to understand, at least a little, how profoundly the eledhel are tied to this world, this Home.’ He fell silent for a moment, then said, ‘But even we have no doubt that our branch of this far flung family is…’
‘Superior?’ supplied Tomas with a slight narrowing of his eyes.
‘I was going to say more advanced.’ He glanced around the room, fashioned from the living bole of a majestic Star, as Laromendis’s people called these magnificent trees. ‘I feel a fundamental rightness here, Lord Tomas. Those who remained kept the line of service intact and in harmony with the most important aspects of our world.
‘We who fled the Chaos Wars took only what we could carry, nothing more, and from that humble beginning, a ragged band of refugees conquered the stars.’ He looked Tomas directly in the eyes for perhaps the first time and said, ‘If we tend to be arrogant, we have earned the right.’
‘I have lived the life of a human, Laromendis, and recall the mantle of a Valheru; I have lived here with My Lady’s people for more than a century and I can only tell you this: power in and of itself is neither worthy of respect nor fear; it simply is. It is how power is employed, and towards what ends, that ennobles or denigrates the wielder of power. When I don my armour, there are few beings on this world who can rival my abilities, Pug being perhaps the only one able to best me.’ He smiled, revealing a boyish quality that was very unexpected, and added, ‘It’s certainly a good thing he is my closest friend and ally.’ His smile faded. ‘But during the early days of coming to my station I did things under the sway of my own power, things that I know now to have been cruel, base, and completely unworthy.
‘I tell you this to make it clear that while the eledhel may appear rustic, even primitive, to your people, they are far from it. The Spellweavers’s magic is subtle, but no less powerful than those of your people who can raise mighty cities by making the rocks flow and move as they wish. Your cousins, the Eldar, who reside with us, have much the same lore as your own ’mancers, yet they did not try to reshape Elvandar, rather they have adapted to it.’
He closed one eye and smiled. ‘Now, to the real reason you wish me to speak to the Regent Lord, rather than carrying Pug’s message yourself.’
Laromendis was forced to laugh. ‘As I said, the Regent Lord respects you. And, somewhat less importantly, he holds my brother and I in great disregard; our crafts are not highly valued by our people…Lastly, he most certainly thinks Gulamendis and I are dead, lost in the battle of the Hub.’
‘You’ve neglected to inform your people that you survived?’ Tomas said.
‘We’re not entirely sure our abandonment was an accident of war. In fact, it may have been designed.’