Chapter 2

 

 

King Brodon was a worried dwarf as he paced to and fro across the floor of his throne room in the citadel of Dorn. Beyond tall arched windows in one wall a blizzard raged, its howling wind shaking and rattling them their frames. Driven snow was piled up against them, reaching a good third their height.

 

He had never seen such a blizzard, worse than any he had witnessed in the worst of winter’s. It was the third blizzard in a fortnight and this one had been blowing for three days.

 

Even though it was nearly noon, lanterns were still alight in the room as the daylight was gloomy and grey. A roaring fire blazed in a cavernous fireplace in one wall, providing some warmth against the bone numbing chill that had seeped into the citadel.

 

A great arched door studded with bolts of pure gold was at one end of the room. At the opposite end was a low stone dais and sitting on it against the wall was a large throne. It had been cut from a single piece of marble, a snowy white except for thin streaks of bright blue.

 

Hanging on the wall on either side of the throne were two double-bladed axes, their hafts pointing to the floor. A little above the throne hung a great silver shield, its surface etched with the likeness of a fierce snow bear.

 

There were two others in the room with King Brodon. Seated at a round table of polished, dark brown wood was Merril, his Queen and his younger sister Rena, Dorn’s guard commander. He and Rena were dressed in the guard uniform of black tunic and trousers stitched with bright silver thread. Merril was wearing a pale lemon dress, not about to let a blizzard come between what was proper and correct for a Queen.

 

‘We must agree on a course of action, Brodon,’ Rena was saying in her gruff manner. ‘It’s been more than week since Eldor left for the Barren Hills and no word has come from him. It was bad enough learning that Mogrom is using the old castle there, but we must face the fact that she may have captured him somehow.’

 

‘But how could that be, Rena?’ Brodon replied. ‘Mogrom has never had the magic to defeat him.’

 

‘Then where is he?’ Rena went on.

 

‘Delayed…. delayed by this foul weather perhaps,’ Brodon said, though his tone didn’t sound confident.

 

‘Then we should go our looking for him. He may be hurt somewhere… in need of our help. A small group would be enough.’

 

‘And of course you would lead them!’ Brodon grinned knowingly.

 

‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘Who else?’

 

‘Well, there is me for a start,’ Brodon replied. ‘I am king after all and I am just as concerned about Eldor as…’

 

‘Now don’t start thinking you can rush off like you used to in your younger days, Brodon,’ Queen Merrill interrupted firmly. ‘And the same might be said for you too, Rena. You have almost as much grey in your hair.’

 

Brodon gave an uncomfortable cough under her firm gaze. He might by King of the Dwarves, but Merril could sometimes scold him as if he was a child again.

 

‘But my dear, we must do something!’ he said in defence.

 

‘But not go rushing off on some brave, but foolhardy quest,’ she replied. ‘Your place is with our folk at this grave time.’

 

Brodon went to say something more, but was cut off by the sudden trumpeting of great horns from somewhere in the citadel. At the same time the door burst open and through it rushed his son, Lore and his good friend, Nyssa the elf. They ran up to the table, their faces filled with excitement.

 

‘Father!’ Lore exclaimed. ‘Goblins have arrived!’

 

‘What!’ Brodon said in shock. ‘In this blizzard?’

 

‘I think there is magic with them!’ Nyssa said in excited nervousness. ‘The blizzard lifted away from them as they came up the citadel road!’

 

‘Nyssa is right,’ Lore nodded. ‘What’s going on, father?’

 

‘Nothing that the two of you need worry about,’ Brodon said firmly. ‘I don’t want either of you getting close to these goblins.’

 

‘But...’ Lore began, but was silenced by the sound of tramping boots coming from the corridor outside.

 

In the next moment several guards came hurrying the door. They all carried battle-axes and wore silver chain mail vests that gleamed in the lantern light.

 

‘You have news, Cullen?’ Brodon asked one dwarf as they came up to the table.

 

‘Goblins have arrived at the citadel, your majesty… though I think you already know that,’ he replied with a wink at Lore and Nyssa. ‘They are led by their chieftain, Craw…’

 

‘Good dwarves!’ Rena suddenly cussed. ‘That cursed rat!’

 

‘Indeed and he demands an audience with Brodon,’ Cullen said.

 

‘Does he now!’ Brodon growled. ‘Well, you may bring that one-eared mountain goat to me and we’ll see what he wants.’

 

Cullen nodded and he and the others left the hall, their boots tramping loudly on the floor as they went. Then Brodon turned to Lore and Nyssa.

 

‘Right you two… to your rooms!’

 

Lore was about to argue, but the serious look in his father’s eyes stopped him. His shoulders slumped and he and Nyssa turned away, their expressions glum. As they left the room, Merrill glanced at Brodon with a worried expression.

 

‘I would spirit them away somewhere safe if I could,’ she said.

 

‘There may be a chance for that if necessary,’ Brodon said with a look at Rena who quickly nodded. ‘But for now, let’s deal with Craw and what he wants.’

 

*

 

As Lore and Nyssa headed down a corridor toward their rooms, Nyssa gave a sour mutter.

 

‘It’s not fair! We should be allowed to know what’s going on.’

 

‘I think father just wants to protect us,’ Lore replied. ‘And you’re our guest… he wouldn’t want anything happen to you.’

 

‘Maybe… but we both know Eldor left for the Barren Hills a week ago and hasn’t been heard of since. This Craw may have news of him… perhaps evil news!’

 

‘You don’t think Mogrom could have… captured him, do you?’ Lore asked, aghast at the thought.

 

‘I don’t know…’ she said in a hesitant tone. ‘I’d just like to hear what this Craw has to say.’

 

At that Lore suddenly stopped, a mischievous smile creeping across on his face.

 

‘What is it, Lore??’ Nyssa asked as she stopped with him.

 

‘There is a way to hear them,’ he replied.

 

‘There is! How?’

 

‘Well… the citadel is full of hidden passages as you know,’ Lore explained. ‘One of them climbs to a room above the throne room. It lies behind the shield above the throne and there is a small window there. We could hear everything!’

 

‘Then what are we waiting for!’ Nyssa urged. ‘Let’s go!’

 

They headed back the way they had come for a short way, then turned down a narrower corridor. Lore counted off some paces and then stopping, pressed his hand against a wall. They heard a dull clunk and a section of the wall suddenly swung inwards with a groan of grinding stone.

 

Beyond was a small chamber, full of cobwebs that indicated it hadn’t been used in a while. Lore took a lantern off a wall nearby and then stepped inside. Nyssa followed and found a stairway climbing upwards. Lore pressed his hand against a wall again and the door swung closed again.

 

They climbed the stairs to a narrow passage and headed down it. They turned down a couple of bends before arriving at a small wooden door. Lore opened it and inside was another small chamber. In the wall that faced them was narrow gap and in the lantern light they could see the silver reflection of the shield above the throne.

 

‘We’ll have to be very quite… sound carries easily up here,’ Lore whispered.

 

Nyssa nodded and they settled down on the floor to await the arrival of Craw.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile King Brodon was sitting on his throne, his forehead wrinkled in worry as he and Rena waited for Craw. He was afraid at what the arrival of the goblins could mean. Normally they would have been chased away with arrows and a troop of dwarves swinging their axes. But they had carried a white flag of truce and Brodon had to honour it.

 

He had never met this Craw, but Rena had some years ago. He and a band of his goblins had attacked a gold shipment travelling up from a mine and escaped with it and some prisoners. But Rena and some guards had been in the area and quickly tracked him down. A fierce fight had ensued and Craw had lost an ear to her. From Rena had told him, Craw would relish a chance at revenge.

 

‘Be careful with Craw, Brodon,’ she said, standing next to him and perhaps reading his thoughts. ‘He has a temper to him I’ve found out.’

 

‘Much like yourself I dare say,’ he replied with a grin at her. ‘I know how much you would like to take his other ear.’

 

‘His head would be better,’ she growled.

 

‘Indeed and he’ll get no kindness from me. We can’t show any weakness, no matter what news he brings.’

 

Suddenly there was heavy knock on the door.

 

‘Enter!’ Brodon called out.

 

The door swung open and Cullen and a troop of dwarves came marching in with Craw. He was wearing leather armour and whilst a good head taller than a dwarf, was not nearly as broad in the shoulders. A smug, knowing grin was on his face and he was carrying something long and thin wrapped in a blanket.

 

What could that be Brodon thought in puzzlement?

 

‘My king,’ Cullen said as he stopped before the dais. ‘This is Craw, chieftain of the goblins of the Midnight Mountains.’

 

‘So… we meet at last, Craw,’ Brodon said curtly. ‘What is Mogrom’s pet doing so far from home?’

 

‘Come to see you grovel, dwarf!’ Craw snapped, bristling at Brodon’s insult.

 

‘You’ll never see a dwarf bow before a goblin, Craw,’ Brodon replied icily. ‘You’d better state your business before I let Rena take your other ear.’

 

Craw’s hand came up to touch the scar and his face twisted in anger.

 

‘Soon both of you will be calling Mogrom queen.’

 

Brodon laughed.

 

‘And what battle has been fought that gives her that right?’

 

Craw grinned knowingly.

 

‘I take it you’ve noticed the nasty weather you’ve been having lately?’ he asked.

 

‘It’s a bit cold for this time of the year,’ Brodon replied as casually as he could. ‘What of it?’

 

‘It will grow a lot worse if you don’t surrender the citadel to me,’ Craw said. ‘And I understand your wizard friend is missing. He is now Mogrom’s guest and his safety also depends on what you do.’

 

Brodon started at that, his eyes drawn to what Craw carried and hollow pit of dread opened up inside him.

 

‘What… what have you done with him?’ he asked.

 

‘Nothing…yet!’ Craw replied and then dropped the blanket away to reveal Eldor’s staff.

 

Gasps of shock went up from everyone.

 

‘How… how has this happened?’ Rena asked in disbelief, her fists clenched and barely stopping herself from leaping at Craw’s throat. ‘Mogrom has never had the power to snare him.’

 

‘She does now, dwarf!’ Craw replied smugly. ‘Mogrom has joined forces with Orcon, the Ice Lord of the North. Together they captured Eldor and now they are ready to take control of all of Lendor.’

 

Brodon felt the blood drain from his face at the mention of Orcon. All dwarves knew of the Ice Lord. The northern fringe of the Chill Mountains edged his ice realm far to the north and all knew how cold and bleak it was.

 

‘Is Mogrom mad?’ he exclaimed. ‘Orcon hates anything that lives… even goblins! He’ll destroy all life in Lendor he gets the chance.’

 

‘Not us,’ Craw replied. ‘We have a pact with him.’

 

‘You’re a fool if you believe that, Craw!’ Rena said. ‘Nothing will survive Orcon’s rule.’

 

‘Save your breath, Rena!’ Craw snapped, already planning an end to her once he had control of the citadel. He wanted to wear both her ears around his neck as trophies.

 

He tossed Eldor’s staff onto the floor, the wooden clatter an ominous sound.

 

‘Eldor’s life is in your hands,’ he said. ‘Surrender to me… or he will die and Orcon will cover your citadel in snow and ice and bury you here.’

 

Brodon’s heart sank in despair. With Eldor captured there was no one they could turn to for help. They were faced with either Orcon’s wintry death or grim slavery under Mogrom’s rule and there was only one choice he could make.

 

‘Very well!’ he replied and almost choked on his next words. ‘I surrender.’