Long Lost Leaves - Part III

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl raised an eyebrow at that last. Glory, that belonged to the old days, and as for the others? It was foolish to set any worth by them. She had no wish to share these thoughts with the others, however, and so did not dispute Nami's claim.

It was a silent watch Tabrîl had kept while they had awaited the Ultai. She could not sleep, not in this place with what might lie before them. Yet there was a stillness about her, an air of calm, that same focus that every warrior of the Kindi cultivated before battle. There was a clarity to her thought that transcended her situation, this strange company.

And then.

And then it had been Hedrim, after all that, greed and treachery of the basest kind, and though Tabrîl had heretofore had little sympathy for the plight of the Entwives, now she perceived without hesitation where honor lay.

'It is so,' she told Radagast plainly, moving to his side, and her next words she spoke in a low voice. 'If you would have it, I will fight. Hedrim, or the Khagan himself if you wish it. This is not right.' Tabrîl did not know with certainty whether or not she could win such a duel, but it was the right thing, to offer it.

[Earniel]

"I thank you for your offer, Tabrîl." Radagast said earnestly. "I do not know whether it will come to fighting, but I am glad that if it comes to that, I know you will fight well."

Radagast was surprised by the offer, but pleased. Tabrîl had never shown any interest in their quest. She had not joined voluntarily and the only reason she therefor could have wished for the quest to succeed was so she could return home sooner. For her to judge their fight worthy of her involvement spoke of a change in that. Pity Haldis wasn't here to see.

"For now all we can do is wait, but our situation is not hopeless. Our position here in the caves is defendable, and our stores should see us through a while. The Khagan may likely not have the luxury of starving us out. He marches under his own personal flag, the black horse, not under the flag of the Ultai tribes. "

"That tells me he hasn't informed the council of Khans of this, and does not intend to involve them at all," Radagast explained as he stuffed some more pipeweed in the pipe. "Which means he has no other forces to draw on, he will have to do the job with what he has brought along. And he will have to do it quickly! He cannot risk prolonging this or the Khans will suspect something and he can come home to a rebellion. On top of that he has made a pact with the Dwarves years ago never to march with an army into the Iron Hills, as this is dwarf land. The longer he and his troops remains here, the more chance he runs that they will learn of his presence. And Dwarves take territory seriously so they will not hesitate march on him."

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl felt the faintest flicker of doubt. Wait? When she had offered to walk out and finish this for them? It was not the decision she had expected, and in truth even after she had heard Radagast's explanation she was not sure that it made any difference.

'Seth'enati,' she began, carefully, 'may I be certain that I have heard correctly? The Khagan and his followers ride here under their own banner, without the blessing of their Lady Teye? The Dwarves, should they learn of his presence, they too will wish to fight him?'

The Khagan was either a foolish man, to make so many enemies, thought Tabrîl, or he was entirely confident of victory. The problem lay in the fact that without sight of him, she could not begin to guess which. She looked at Radagast again. He who was wise in the ways of Mysteries would need her now to speak truth to him, just as her brother had spoken once to Mother Tathilei, before the end.

This is not like Keshai and Tathilei, not in the slightest, Tabrîl told herself, irritated by the unwanted thought that had arisen. There is hope still for us.

'If you have knowledge that the Dwarves will come - that they are coming - then it is right simply to wait. Yet we are too few to hold this place indefinitely, should the Khagan try to press us. If you will not send me out to fight him, then there must be some other way by which his stay might indeed be prolonged. Perhaps it would not be such a terrible thing, seth'enati, to discuss this offer he makes with him? To look upon him and hear his words? We might admit him here, to speak with us.' Tabrîl's eyes met Radagast's, just for a moment. He would know that the Kindi did not approve slavery. He would understand.

[Earniel]

"I doubt he would come personally, Tabrîl," Radagast said. "And I am not certain I would want him here. He's like a venomous snake, best kept at arm's lenght. Deception is not always frowned upon in Ultai culture, for it shows cunning which they value. And the Khagan is very cunning. So even if you do fight him, he may not fight fairly, and if you win, a favourable outcome is not garanteed."

"As for the Dwarves, I do not know when or if they will come while the Khagan camps before our door. I have a hope, yes, but no real evidence. The coming for the army has scared off most birds so I cannot ask them. But we have already delayed the Khagan longer than he had orginally planned, of that I am certain. He had undoubtedly hoped to surprise us, and he would have done so, if the shadow martens hadn't warned us of his arrival."

[Aikanáro]

After taking a moment to consider what Radagast had told her, Tabrîl nodded. 'I shall wait, then,' she said simply, and took a half-step backwards.

It had not before occurred to Tabrîl that the Khagan might not fight fairly, and the thought bothered her. The Ultai had seemed a decent, straightforward sort of people during the time the group had spent with them. Even so, Radagast clearly knew more of them than she did, and she was glad he had been able to tell her differently. Not all warriors were alike.

She sighed to herself as she rejoined the others. Uncertainty was always somewhat troubling.

[Earniel]

"So what happens now, wizard?" A whispy voice said in the vicinity of Radagast's knees. Radagast looked down to see one of the shadowy rodents.

"That depends," Radagast said. "Are you convinced now that we don't mean any harm to you and your eh... mother?"

When the creature didn't immediately answer, Radagast added: "Would you rather take your chances with the army outside?"

Another silent pause.

"They may not be here for you specifically," Radagast went on. "But they are here for the Entwives and the Guardi-, your mother is the only one who knows where they are. Now, we have no intention of hurting your mother, but they might not be so accomodating. They have after all come with an entire army ready for battle."

"What is that you're suggesting, wizard?" The creature asked slowly.

"Help us," Radagast said, "help us and in turn we will do what we can to help protect you and your mother."

"What would you require of us?"

"Primarily information. We do not know what the Ultai are up to."

"You would have us spy on them?"

"Essentially, yes," Radagast nodded. "Would that be a problem? You seem to be doing it all the time on us."

"I will see what we can do," was all the creature said before it rejoined its fellows in the second cave.

[Acalewia]

"Do you think they will help?" Aelfwine asked. She still had mixed feelings about the shadowy creatures. They hadn't caused them harm and they had informed them of the approaching army. But they become hostile when they thought the adventurers were going to harm their mother. Would they aid them?

[Earniel]

"I'm not sure," Radagast said. "They might, if they consider us the lesser of two evils. They do not appear to like us much, but I doubt they'd like the Ultai more."

[feawen]

"It would seem that not a lot of people like us now!" Nami added from her postion at the enterence of the cave, as she continued for watch of the opposing camp. "Alls fair in love and war as they say, if the shadow creatures want to help us anything is better than standing here and watching for the Ultai to make the first move."

[Earniel]

"No, we aren't particularly popular in these parts," Radagast agreed ruefully. "But we could use all the help we can get."

~~~

Elsewhere, in the Ultai camp, Hedrim was summoned to the Khagan's tent to report. The Khagan had taken his time so that Hedrim expected the Khagan had first interrogated his herald and the two soldiers before hearing Hedrim's version of the conversation before the cave.

"Well, Hedrim, what did your friends say to my invitation?" The Khagan asked, sitting leisurely on a pile of cushions. "I've noticed you have not brought them along."

"The wizard's suspicious," Hedrim replied. "It would have been better to have come without the army."

"Yet, you yourself had assured me they would be unaware of our coming. And when we arrived, not only were we met by two scouts right on your trail, but we find them here, all prepared and holed up in that cave."

"I don't know how they could have known," Hedrim said testily. "Maybe they had driven away the Guardian and were on their guard. When I left them they were still exploring the caves, none the wiser of your approach."

The Khagan fixed the other man with a glare. "Be that as it may, this has not run as we had agreed, Hedrim."

"I have not been paid as we had agreed either," replied Hedrim. "I have left you markers all the way so you could find the location of the Entwives without trouble. I have done my part."

"I will pay when I have what I was promised, King of the North. And I was promised the tree-spirits, not merely just their location."

The way the Khagan emphatised 'King of the North' made Hedrim uncomfortably wonder whether the Khagan knew. Not for the first time Hedrim rued having intercepted that message for his name-sake and true King of the North. But a quest had seemed a good way to raise a fortune and the people of the northern regions had become wise to Hedrim's scams. A change of scenery had not seemed a bad decision and why not impersonate a king while at it? But the Khagan couldn't know that, certainly. Not even the wizard or any of his companions had even gotten the slightest of doubt about his identity.

"I don't see what the fuss is about," Hedrim said at last. "You outnumber them greatly and even if they're blind to reason, they can't stay in there indefinitely. You have greater supplies, just wait and in time they'll come crawling out, starving and begging for bread crumbs from underneat your table. You can win without losing a single soldier."

"I do not intend to wait so long!" The Khagan said angrily as he thumped the side of his seat with his fist.

Hedrim remembered suddenly that Radagast had made mention of a treaty with the Dwarves that the Khagan was violating. No wonder the old wolf didn't want to hang around long! Oh, the Khagan was a clever fox, Hedrim knew that much. He had to be careful, the old man would not be fooled as easily as the wizard and his gang. And there was still a way to get the money.

"They don't need long," Hedrim said. "Give them another day. The wizard and some of the more crazy Elves may not be pursuaded, but they've got humans with them and a dwarf, and we both know how those are. They may be won by the promise of gold yet if they reconsider their chances against an army during the night."

"Perhaps," the Khagan said, sounding unconvinced. "We shall hold a war council tomorrow night, in the meantime, you will tell me all you know about your previous companions and your trip. Every single detail. Start with the wizard...."

[Earniel]

Back in the cave, the shadow martens were not very communicative if they had learned anything new or whether they had even gone to the Ultai camp at all. So the adventurers were forced to keep an eye on the Khagan's army themselves from the opening of the cave.

The day went by with little activity on either side. The following day started exactly the same way, making Radagast wonder briefly whether this was a game of psychological warfare, to see who lost their nerve first.

In the evening, torches were lit in the Ultai camp and people in various uniforms were summoned to the Khagan tents with much ado.

The Khagan's tent was prepared for the war council. The carpets and pillows were removed, and freshly smoothened sand covered the ground. In the middle of the tent, the Khagan stood at a table with papers. At every entrance of the tent, guards in polished armour stood to attention. Several servants waited with platters and large wine bottles, to serve the captains and officers of army that came to attend the war council. Hedrim was present too, but remained glumly in a corner of the tent.

When all had arrived, the curtains were drawn. The Khagan invited his officers to the table, and with goblets in hand, bent over the papers to device a plan to get the adventurers out of the cave.

A brief gust of wind played with the curtains of the tent. In the corner, Hedrim tensed. He picked up a glass bowl, casually, as if to look it over, but his eyes remained on the fine sand on the ground.

With great speed, belied by his heavy armour, Hedrim pounced. Quick as lightning, he quickly put the glass blow upside down on the ground and held it there. Inside the bowl something screeched and kicked up sand. A shadow marten!

"Well played, Hedrim!" The Khagan said. "The trap is sprung! Now we'll see if that wizard and his friends can't be pursuaded to come out."

A highpitched scream rose from the Ultai camp, causing a great ruckus amongst the shadow martens in the cave.

"What, what is wrong?!" asked Radagast when he heard the noise.
"There was a council held in the camp. Oe of us went there to listen. We do not know what has happened, but he's in trouble."
"A council? Ah, and when were you going to share this information with us?"
The shadow marten looked pained. "We wanted to know... "
"Which one of us was the lesser danger, us or the Ultai," Radagast finished the creature's sentence. "Well, I think you've worked that one out by now, didn't you?"

[Acalewia]

The sudden ruckus among the shadow martins startled Aelfwine. She darted over to where Radagast was speaking with them and only caught the last of Radagast's sentence.
"What happened?" She could see they were distressed. Highly distressed.

[Earniel]

"One of their friends had gotten into trouble in the Ultai camp," Radagast said. "I don't know what, but judging by their reaction, I'd say big trouble. Which means we'll probably hear about it soon enough."

[Acalewia]

"What do you think they'll do?" Aelfwine asked. "Should expect something drastic?" She wasn't familar with the ways of war of the Ultai, but she thought that if they knew somewhat of what to expect. Then a surprise from the Ultai wouldn't be a complete surprise.

[Earniel]

"I don't know," confessed Radagast, watching the creatures milling uncertainly and distressed around their feet. "But..."

The faint creaking of the Ultai elevator outside interrupted him.

"... we'll soon find out. About right now, I think. I reckon we're about to get visitors. Let us go to the entrance of the cave."

Radagast and the others returned to the cave entrance. Outside, Hedrim, followed by the same three Ultai companions as last time, strode triumphantly towards the cave. But not that close that the adventurers could do him trouble.

"Are you there, Radagast?" He called.
"Were you expecting me elsewhere, Hedrim?"

The supposed King of the North grinned. "No, I did not. Can you see the camp from here, wizard? We have a surprise for you."

Hedrim indicated the Ultai Camp above the slope. Near the edge, a soldier stood with in his hands a large glass stoppered bottle. He held it up to show it to the adventurers. Inside the bottle a small shape clawed at the glass, unable to break through it.

"In case your aging eyes trouble you, we have caught one of your rodent spies," Hedrim continued. "Yes, you've got to hand it to the Khagan. Not only did he suspect you'd ally yourself with those little pests, but that while they move like the wind, they'd have trouble getting through solid material. As demonstrated. And if it has enough corporeal form to be captured in glass, it has enough body to be seriously harmed..." Hedrim gave them a smug leer. "And we wouldn't want that, do we?"

"I suppose the Khagan send you here, not just to bother us with your threats, but with actual demands, yes?"

"Indeed, wizard. If you don't want your pet to be killed, you surrender the Entwives! The rest of you leaves the caves unarmed and can then bugger off unharmed back where you came from, which I think is more than you deserve. But the Khagan is more merciful man, so you better take your chances with him. You've got 30 minutes to decide."

[Midge]

Aerin and Magor sat with their backs to the cave wall. If Hedrim and the Ultai did not already know their number, they could have been fooled into thinking that it was only Radagast and those original guards who stood between them and the Entwives. Most of the inside of the cave was shrouded in shadows. Aerin and Magor looked at each other as Hedrim's threats and demands rang out through the cavern.

Magor had to stifle a snort when Hedrim demanded the Entwives be surrendered. Aerin agreed with his thinking. What a fool! Though we know we are close to the Entwives, we do not "have" them, nor are they "ours" to give anyway. But Aerin was a little worried. Though she took comfort in the fact that they knew not exactly where the Entwives were at the moment, she did wonder if it would be better to know or not know while dealing with this unexpected enemy.

Magor was only glad that Hedrim and the Khagan did not draw out their demands. Half an hour was better to wait than many hours for a resolution to this situation.

[Varnafindë]

Barufiniel narrowed her eyes. So they came to direct threats now?

If only she could shoot at the bottle to break it, but without harming the shadow marten inside ... but the distance was too great for her to be sure of such a risky target. Her father might have been able to do it, but she was not a good enough archer. If only that soldier would come closer ...

And currently - which Hedrim seemed not to be aware of - they weren't even able to "surrender" the Entwives, even if they had been great enough scoundrels to want to do so.

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl did not see why they would need thirty minutes. She did not think they would need even one - they literally could not do what the Khagan requested, and if there had ever been any hope that the Dwarves would arrive, it seemed now faint and improbable. Delay was no longer necessary.

She stood by Radagast and glared across at Hedrim. If there were ever a man who needed to be called out for challenge, this traitor was he. It was not the time for such things, however, to her regret, and so she simply waited to see what answer Radagast would give him.

[Earniel]

Outside they could hear the elevator working again. Ropes too were lowered from the side and Ultai soldiers came down unto the lowered valley. The troops assembled on the grass a short distance from the cave. It seemed the Khagan was upping the pressure, making sure that the alternatives to not meeting his demands were very unappealing.

"Wizard," the shadow martens pleaded near Radagast's feet. "You cannot let them hurt our sibling."

"I won't if I can help it," Radagast said. "But I can't risk anybody else's life in the process. The Khagan has got us checkmate alright, but there has to be a way to break it. Let me think for a moment."

Radagast started pacing the cave floor to do just that. He wished he had his pipe ready, it helped him think, but time was already short.

A while passed when a thought accurred to him. He stood still. "Yes, there might be a way... But it will be tricky. I do not have a lot of time to explain it entirely but I have to ask you all to trust me in this."

[feawen]

Nami kept her post at the caves mouth, listening to all that went on. As Radagast spoke she turned her head. "Well we have trusted you this far and we have come even further. It would seen a shame to go home empty handed as it were. Whatever you have in mind ill go along with it!"