Patrick said, “What does all this mean?”
Calis said, “Pug and Nakor both hold that these creatures aren’t natural.” He returned to the table and sat. “They claim that these were created by an ancient Dragon Lord, AlmaLodaka.” Calis let his eyes drop a moment, and William and Nicholas both understood that this strange man, half-elf by birth, was revealing lore to non-elves that no full elf would volunteer. His half-human nature felt no such prohibition, and he knew that he served a greater good by being frank in all matters concerning the Serpent Men, but that still didn’t make it any easier for his elven half to accept. Those things were not taught; they were inbred. “If this is so, that may explain a low birth rate. Or perhaps they have never had a large population. They may even have some queens, as insects do, or there may be a special holding area for females. We don’t know. But if there is a crèche, the females can’t be far away.”
Patrick said, “I’m still unclear on one thing. If the majority of fighting men and magicians are with the army of the Emerald Queen, what do we gain by raiding those birthing caverns . . .?” His words trailed off as his eyes widened. “You’re going to slaughter the young?” he asked, almost gasping in shock.
Calis’s expression remained calm. “Yes.”
“You’re talking about waging war against innocents!” said Patrick, his voice taking on an angry tone. “Keshian Dog Soldiers may slaughter women and children in their rampages, but the last man caught at that during a Kingdom war was hanged before the assembled rank and file of the army.”
Nicholas glanced at Calis, who returned the look, then nodded.
Duke James said, “Patrick, you’re new here, and you don’t have all the information—”
“My lord,” interrupted the Prince, “I realize you’ve held high office since Grandfather’s youth and were my father’s chief adviser in Rillanon, but I am now the ruler of the Western Realm. If there is something you think I should know, why have I not been informed?”
Duke James looked at Prince Nicholas.
Nicholas sat back, recognizing his nephew’s mood. The new Prince of Krondor was revealing himself to be a young man of some temper, touchy disposition, moods, and not terribly secure in his position, so he tended to magnify every slight, real or imagined.
Knight-Marshal William took charge. “Your Highness,” he began, formally emphasizing the young man’s title, “what I think Calis means is that we were all here during these events, which are only dry reports on paper before you.” He paused, then went on, “We’ve seen the damage these creatures can do firsthand.”
It was Calis who said, “Would you not kill a poisonous snake because it was its nature to be a viper?”
Patrick looked at Calis. “Say on.”
Calis said, “You’ve cities within your borders that were once Keshian. But those who live there are Kingdom by birth, though their ancestors were loyal to the Emperor of Great Kesh. To them it makes no difference. They were raised within the Kingdom, they speak the King’s Tongue, and they think, as we all do, that this is their homeland.”
“What has this to do with the matter under discussion?” asked Prince Patrick
“It has everything to do with it,” said Calis. He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You may somehow think that these creatures are born innocent. That is not the case. Everything we know about them says they are born hating from the moment they hatch from their eggs. They are created to be the way they are. If we killed every adult and child, and took the eggs, and hatched them in this palace, raising those who were born here, they would come to consciousness hating us and seeking to reclaim this ‘lost goddess’ they so mistakenly believe in. It is their nature to be this way, as it is the nature of a viper to bite and poison. They cannot help it any more than can the viper.”
Seeing that the Prince’s objections were wavering, Calis pressed on. “You may someday forge a treaty with the Brotherhood of the Dark Path, as you call the moredhel. You may see goblins obeying Kingdom law and visiting our town markets in some dimly imagined future. You may see open borders with Great Kesh and free travel between the two nations. But you will never know a moment’s peace in this world so long as a Pantathian draws breath. Because it is in his nature to scheme, kill, and do whatever needs to be done to seize the Lifestone in Sethanon and reclaim the ‘lost goddess’ AlmaLodaka, the Dragon Lord who created him.”