Untitled
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 10:12 am
Chapter 1: A high meeting
The three high elves waited in silence, an air of impatience surrounded them. The sun was quickly receding below the green Ab’Dendriel skyline and nowhere could it be better admired than up here in the royal quarters of the Suntower.
Elathriel, esteemed scout and overseer of Hellgate and the prisons was the first to break the silence
“He knew where we were meeting…impromptu or not we were all told of this so he clearly has better things to do. Let’s just get on with it” His voice smeared with sarcasm.
“He is on his way” Spoke Eroth, in his usual calm and ever-knowing manner. The arcanist, high master of magic and education in Ab’dendriel carried an almost omnipotent air within the elven ranks and rightly deserved his place at head of the table. His brother on the other hand, Faluae, leader of the elven army, did not share the same demeanour but brought an aggression and steel to the Elves that had been missing for generations. Between them they brought a certain ying and yang that worked surprisingly well at the top of the Elven hierarchy.
The door burst open and Kunarueth almost fell into the room. Sweat covered his face and his hands were trembling
“Sorr…”
“You’re late.” Growled Faluae.
“No need for apologies Kunuareth my friend but please sit and we can proceed.” Eroth glanced at the scribble in front of him.
“This won’t take long we have just a couple of things to discuss. First of all – Elathriel, is the prison once again secure?”
“It is sir. I lost a couple of men but the trolls have been forced down into some caves beneath our basement and the prisoners have been returned to their cells. Our access to Hellgate is more…restricted…now, but things are looking better than they were a week ago.”
“Good. Faluae can you spare Elathriel some of your men until things down there are back to normal?”
Faluae scowled, he had always been possessive of his army and hated to see even a slight dent in the numbers available to fight on his command. He knew though that arguing was a waste of his energies in matters such as this.
“20 men, no more.”
“Thank you. Second on the agenda - we all know that the humans were growing in number here and were, shall we say…getting under our feet. Thankfully Banor’s people have settled in a rather large number just a day’s ride from here. Kunuareth I am of the understanding that you have sent your trade carts west with the humans onboard. They are all gone now?”
Kunuareth was staring at the floor. The silence around the room and eyes fixated on him woke him from deep thought
“What? Sorry! Yes. Yes, Faluae told me to but, yes. A lot of the humans have been sent west and there are just a couple more carts to go – probably in the morning.” Kunuareth feigned a smile but it fooled no-one “Is it really necessary? I mean, were they really in our way?”
“ENOUGH! ZATHROTH CURSE YOU!” Screamed Faluae.
“Brother!” Eroth demanded. He was rarely assertive but when he was, everyone listened.
“Kunuareth…we accommodated them temporarily, like was agreed, but even Banor knew we could not keep them here indefinitely. It is almost over, you will be able to resume trading in a couple of days and we will have our City back to ourselves.”
“I know…” Kunuareth’s voice trailed off and he slipped back into the thought that fixed his eyes on the floor.
“That is all for now my friends. Let us meet again in two days to revisit matters.”
Kunuraeth's concentration was grabbed once again as his eyes darted to the lips of Eroth.
“Thank you…” Kunuareth jumped from his chair and rushed for the door as quickly as he had come through it 10 minutes earlier.
“Kunuareth…a word please in private?” Eroth asked.
The others strode from the room and silence filled it once again.
“Kunuareth, I will keep this short."
Kunuareth's heart felt heavy. His diplomatic, financial or trade roles had never required a private word with the high elf. They had worked together for many years and had inevitably shared private jokes and conversations but this was the first time he had been summoned to stay behind for a private word. He feared that Eroth knew.
"I know why you arrived late, I know why you heard none of our words, and I know why you are in such a hurry.”
Kunuareth’s eyes grew wide as he stared at his leader. His pulse began to race as the many outcomes flew through his mind. Imprisonment? Extradition? Death? Surely not, but he had never heard of a situation quite like his own, who knew how harshly the others would judge his actions.
“You know I am a good elf Kunuareth, a patient and understanding elf, and an elf that has shared many years in your good company, company that I must admit I do enjoy." His face changed.
"But I must insist that the business that distracts you this evening – is concluded this evening. You are lucky that it is me who knows of your…betrayal…and not my brother, he would certainly have you in one of Elathriel’s cells already.” Eroth paused for a moment to let the words sink in.
“If you end this madness tonight then I will say no more, you are much too valuable to us to dismiss because of one mistake. But mark my words Kunuareth, I have eyes everywhere, and if any of them see that you don’t deal with this tonight, then I will let Faluae deal with it on my behalf. I'm sure you don't want that.”
Kunuareth went light headed. A simple, lovable elf who avoided trouble at all costs. Normally.
He nodded at his master and darted from the room.
The three high elves waited in silence, an air of impatience surrounded them. The sun was quickly receding below the green Ab’Dendriel skyline and nowhere could it be better admired than up here in the royal quarters of the Suntower.
Elathriel, esteemed scout and overseer of Hellgate and the prisons was the first to break the silence
“He knew where we were meeting…impromptu or not we were all told of this so he clearly has better things to do. Let’s just get on with it” His voice smeared with sarcasm.
“He is on his way” Spoke Eroth, in his usual calm and ever-knowing manner. The arcanist, high master of magic and education in Ab’dendriel carried an almost omnipotent air within the elven ranks and rightly deserved his place at head of the table. His brother on the other hand, Faluae, leader of the elven army, did not share the same demeanour but brought an aggression and steel to the Elves that had been missing for generations. Between them they brought a certain ying and yang that worked surprisingly well at the top of the Elven hierarchy.
The door burst open and Kunarueth almost fell into the room. Sweat covered his face and his hands were trembling
“Sorr…”
“You’re late.” Growled Faluae.
“No need for apologies Kunuareth my friend but please sit and we can proceed.” Eroth glanced at the scribble in front of him.
“This won’t take long we have just a couple of things to discuss. First of all – Elathriel, is the prison once again secure?”
“It is sir. I lost a couple of men but the trolls have been forced down into some caves beneath our basement and the prisoners have been returned to their cells. Our access to Hellgate is more…restricted…now, but things are looking better than they were a week ago.”
“Good. Faluae can you spare Elathriel some of your men until things down there are back to normal?”
Faluae scowled, he had always been possessive of his army and hated to see even a slight dent in the numbers available to fight on his command. He knew though that arguing was a waste of his energies in matters such as this.
“20 men, no more.”
“Thank you. Second on the agenda - we all know that the humans were growing in number here and were, shall we say…getting under our feet. Thankfully Banor’s people have settled in a rather large number just a day’s ride from here. Kunuareth I am of the understanding that you have sent your trade carts west with the humans onboard. They are all gone now?”
Kunuareth was staring at the floor. The silence around the room and eyes fixated on him woke him from deep thought
“What? Sorry! Yes. Yes, Faluae told me to but, yes. A lot of the humans have been sent west and there are just a couple more carts to go – probably in the morning.” Kunuareth feigned a smile but it fooled no-one “Is it really necessary? I mean, were they really in our way?”
“ENOUGH! ZATHROTH CURSE YOU!” Screamed Faluae.
“Brother!” Eroth demanded. He was rarely assertive but when he was, everyone listened.
“Kunuareth…we accommodated them temporarily, like was agreed, but even Banor knew we could not keep them here indefinitely. It is almost over, you will be able to resume trading in a couple of days and we will have our City back to ourselves.”
“I know…” Kunuareth’s voice trailed off and he slipped back into the thought that fixed his eyes on the floor.
“That is all for now my friends. Let us meet again in two days to revisit matters.”
Kunuraeth's concentration was grabbed once again as his eyes darted to the lips of Eroth.
“Thank you…” Kunuareth jumped from his chair and rushed for the door as quickly as he had come through it 10 minutes earlier.
“Kunuareth…a word please in private?” Eroth asked.
The others strode from the room and silence filled it once again.
“Kunuareth, I will keep this short."
Kunuareth's heart felt heavy. His diplomatic, financial or trade roles had never required a private word with the high elf. They had worked together for many years and had inevitably shared private jokes and conversations but this was the first time he had been summoned to stay behind for a private word. He feared that Eroth knew.
"I know why you arrived late, I know why you heard none of our words, and I know why you are in such a hurry.”
Kunuareth’s eyes grew wide as he stared at his leader. His pulse began to race as the many outcomes flew through his mind. Imprisonment? Extradition? Death? Surely not, but he had never heard of a situation quite like his own, who knew how harshly the others would judge his actions.
“You know I am a good elf Kunuareth, a patient and understanding elf, and an elf that has shared many years in your good company, company that I must admit I do enjoy." His face changed.
"But I must insist that the business that distracts you this evening – is concluded this evening. You are lucky that it is me who knows of your…betrayal…and not my brother, he would certainly have you in one of Elathriel’s cells already.” Eroth paused for a moment to let the words sink in.
“If you end this madness tonight then I will say no more, you are much too valuable to us to dismiss because of one mistake. But mark my words Kunuareth, I have eyes everywhere, and if any of them see that you don’t deal with this tonight, then I will let Faluae deal with it on my behalf. I'm sure you don't want that.”
Kunuareth went light headed. A simple, lovable elf who avoided trouble at all costs. Normally.
He nodded at his master and darted from the room.