Bearers of the Black Staff

When they reached the King’s reception chamber, they took seats by a cold fireplace across from each other, sitting close in a wash of gray light that filtered through cracks in draped windows.

“I will tell you up front that I find this tale more than a little incredible,” the King began. “But not so incredible that I don’t believe it. Perhaps it is rather that I find it overwhelming. Five hundred years of safekeeping and now the protective walls are down. Without warning. Without apparent reason.”

“Not a reason we can discern, although the Seraphic will tell you it signals the return of the Hawk.”

The King made a dismissive gesture. “It signals the end of an age. It signals the beginning of a fresh struggle.”

Sider nodded. “That it does. What will you do?”

“In truth? I don’t know.” The King leaned back in his chair. “The boy’s promise to the Drouj that he would arrange a meeting is worthless. Even if I could identify who our leaders are, I could never manage such a thing. Most of them barely speak to one another. We’ll have to think of something else.”

“Agreed. The boy’s promise was made under duress. Given the circumstances, he gave the best response he could manage.”

The King shook his head. “Forgive me for asking, but is the threat from this Troll army as great as the boy thinks? Can we believe him?”

The Gray Man shrugged. “The threat is real enough. I saw the army, measured its size. It’s as Panterra Qu described. Still, it’s hard to be sure what to believe. The boy is young, and he doesn’t have the wisdom and experience to see things as clearly as I’d like. He sees too much with his heart. Losing the girl as he did makes his observations less than reliable. But he is no fool, either. On the face of things, what he’s told us makes sense.”

“But you are not certain?”

“I’m not.”

“About the Troll?”

“Not only the Troll, but the whole of what’s happened. The boy showed courage and quick thinking in making the Trolls think us much stronger and more united than we actually are. But he is still only a boy. He may be seeing things that aren’t really there, reaching conclusions that he shouldn’t. I don’t know. I’ll need to spend time with him to determine that. I’ll have to leave the valley again, as well. But first I’ll go south. I’ll take the boy with me.”

“To the villages of Men?”

Sider nodded. “I have an obligation to warn them. Whether they listen or not is another matter. But the passes must be fortified and defended, no matter the outcome of this business with the Trolls. Others will follow, sooner or later. It is inevitable. I’ll try to arrange for a defense of Declan Reach if you agree to send your Elves to Aphalion Pass. You had better fortify against an attack on your city, as well. Even if you can only manage to erect barriers on the ramp leading in, that will help. Send to the Lizards and Spiders, as well. Ask them to come join you. I don’t think they would do so for Men, but they might for Elves.”

The King smirked. “An irony that does not escape me.” He sighed. “I will have to tell the High Council of this. Some will doubt the need for what you are asking.”

“I won’t be the one asking. You will. They won’t challenge you.”

“Of course they will. They challenge me on everything. I let them because tolerance is necessary when you are King. I might have thought otherwise when I was young, but no more. Sometimes it’s like letting the fox into the henhouse.” He gave the Gray Man a look. “Your task seems the harder of the two. How will you make anyone believe you? Few believe you now. Some don’t even believe you exist.”

Sider Ament smiled. “That’s a problem. But we’ll need help from everyone if we are to survive. Prejudice and animosity will have to give way to expediency and common sense. A banding together of all the Races will be necessary. The Trolls are merely our first test in what I can only think of as a collision between two very different worlds. We have to prepare ourselves before it’s too late. Maybe I can make the councils of Men see as much.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” The King cocked a questioning eyebrow. “What about our visitor. What do you suggest I do with him?”

“What you have already done. Give him over to the care of the Orullians. Let them spend time together. Perhaps the brothers will learn something useful. But watch him, too. Just to be certain we haven’t made a mistake by bringing him here. I won’t be gone more than two weeks, time enough to return for the meeting with Taureq Siq.”

“That’s being optimistic. You won’t begin to reach all the southern villages before you have to come back.”

Sider shrugged. “Can’t be helped. I’ll try to arrange for others to act as messengers in my place. It’s the best I can do.”