The Fall of Dorkhun (21 page)

“Welcome to Dorkhun,” Roskin said.

“It’s not home, but it’s closer than I ever thought I’d be again.”

“I know what you mean.”

“Guys,” Bordorn interrupted. “Does anything seem odd to you?”

“How do you mean?” Roskin asked, not wanting to taint Bordorn’s response with an affirmation.

“I’ve just been thinking. Master Sondious came here ahead of us. You’ve had all those feelings or whatever about some disaster. We just encountered a cave troll higher in the kingdom than they’ve been for ages, yet everything seems normal here. It doesn’t add up.”

“Cave trolls are a portent of bad things,” Krondious added. “We need to stay on guard.”

“I agree with both of you,” Roskin said. “Master Sondious may have set some kind of trap.”

“I’m with you, Roskin,” Krondious said. “Make no mistake about that, but he’s my uncle. I don’t want to see him hurt.”

“Both of you listen,” Roskin said gravely. “No matter what happens, we don’t seriously hurt any dwarf. These are our brothers and sisters.”

“Agreed,” Bordorn said.

“Thank you,” Krondious said.

“We’ll settle this as peacefully as we can.”

Behind them, the first of the king’s army turned onto the avenue and started for the capital. Roskin signaled for them to halt. He wanted to speak with his father and then try to meet Captain Roighwheil before the army surrounded the Halls of Gronwheil, where Sondious had likely entrenched himself. He was certain the soldiers who had followed the Special Advisor would obey Captain Roighwheil once he ordered them to lay down their weapons. Then, Master Sondious would have no choice except to surrender. Once that happened, Roskin would do everything in his power to keep his father from hurting the crippled dwarf.

“You’ve had a hard march,” Roskin said to the captain of the regiment. “Let your men rest while I speak to the king.”

The captain agreed and issued the order to his sergeants. Roskin motioned for Bordorn and Krondious to follow him and strode down the avenue away from the capital. As he passed the soldiers, he noticed most ignored him, and he thought about what Captain Roighwheil’s son had said about the rank and file resenting him for the war. Somehow, he would have to win them back before he became king. Otherwise, he would never fully feel like their loyalty was sincere. Those thoughts weighed on him as he made his way to his father to explain his plan.

Chapter 13

Foundations Tremble

Roskin sneaked down the alley between the palace and the stable. Once he reached the dead-end, he glanced over his shoulder to make certain no one followed and, when satisfied he was alone, found the lever that opened a false panel, revealing a staircase spiraling up into the rock. He stepped inside and returned the panel. He ran up the steps, taking two at a time. The top opened onto a courtyard above the palace, an area carved into the foundation as an area for the king and his family to have private moments.

There were only two entrances – the one Roskin had just used and another inside the palace. Outside of the royal family, only a handful of trusted servants and the captain of the king’s personal guard knew this place existed. As long as Dorkhun had been the capital, none of the council members had been told about it. King Kraganere had rarely used the courtyard. Occasionally, he would come alone to quiet his mind, but that was all. For as long as he could remember, Roskin, on the other hand, had enjoyed hiding here, especially during his teenage years when his temper had kept him in trouble.

Since the courtyard was secret, it was the perfect place to meet with Captain Roighwheil. Roskin had sent a runner to get a message to the captain, and as soon as the runner had returned to announce the message had been delivered, Roskin had sneaked into the capital and made his way here. In order for his plan to work, he had to know that the soldiers with Master Sondious would obey Captain Roighwheil’s orders as soon as the signal was given. Without any soldiers, Master Sondious would have no choice but to surrender. If everything went smoothly, order would be restored without bloodshed.

As soon as Roskin stepped from the staircase, the captain rose from his seat at the far end beside the other entrance. Each dwarf walked to the center and shook hands. Stress showed in Captain Roighwheil’s face, and the tension was palpable as he greeted the heir.

“I wasn’t cut out for spying,” the captain said, chuckling nervously.

“Me either,” Roskin said. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll make it, but things aren’t good.”

“Do you still have Master Sondious’s trust?”

“As far as I know, I do.”

“Okay, fill me in.”

“Master Sondious believes your father’s lost his ability to lead, and he’s seized control of the Halls of Gronwheil. He says he now rules the kingdom.”

“I figured as much.”

“He has a fair number supporting him.”

“Will they follow your orders?”

“I believe most will, yes.”

Roskin described his plan. He and his father would request a meeting in the Grand Courtyard behind the Halls of Gronwheil. Both the king and heir would arrive unarmed. The king’s army, however, would have every passage around the palace and the Halls guarded. King Kraganere would attempt to persuade his old friend to surrender, but if that failed, the army would move in, and Captain Roighwheil would order the soldiers with Master Sondious to drop their weapons. Once the king’s army had regained control, the king would reaffirm his status as the sole leader of Dorkhun. Then, after the situation had stabilized, he would reinstate the Council, sans the special advisor, of course.

“Even if those soldiers resist, there aren’t enough to hold off the army,” Captain Roighwheil said once Roskin was finished. “But they have fortified the Halls of Gronwheil. It won’t be easy to clear.”

“I don’t want any dwarves hurt,” Roskin said, shaking his head. “Mending this rift will be hard enough without that.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best.”

Roskin thanked the captain and assured him the entire army knew not to harm him. They shook hands again, and then, both dwarves scurried back to their respective staircases. Roskin rushed down as quickly as he had ascended but crept through the alley, staying in the shadows. He worked his way through the city, using every secret passage and alley he had used as a youth sneaking around when he was supposed to be studying. Finally, after more than half an hour of winding and snaking through rarely used paths, he reached the outskirts where the army waited to advance and restore his father to power. Ever since he had returned to Dorkhun, the dark fear had receded, and no visions or feelings of turmoil had come, but deep inside, a lingering feeling gnawed at him that something terrible was about to happen.

***

Krondious and Bordorn peered down at the Grand Courtyard from their hiding spot in a tunnel to the south of the Halls of Gronwheil. A handful of soldiers were with them, and the rest of the army were dispersed in a wide perimeter around the palace and Halls. If any of Master Sondious’s soldiers attempted to flee or if anyone made a threatening move at Roskin or his father, they would descend upon the Halls and quell the uprising.

Scanning the distance, Krondious calculated that he could sprint from the hiding spot to the Grand Courtyard in about twenty heartbeats, and while much could happen in that span, he kept telling himself Roskin could defend himself for that long. He hated being in the shadows; he would rather be right behind the heir. But Roskin was afraid his presence might complicate his uncle’s emotions, so he had relented and agreed to stay with Bordorn.

Roskin’s weapons remained with the pack horse, and as he walked the marbled path between the palace and the Halls, he looked vulnerable. Krondious had his large battle axe at the ready, and Bordorn had his shield strapped on and his sword drawn. The other soldiers with them had their weapons ready, also, and the tension in the cramped tunnel was stifling. While Krondious understood Roskin’s desire to end this peacefully and didn’t want any harm to come to his uncle, part of him wanted to crush the uprising with brute force to send a message. To him, diplomacy was a waste.

“I knew him when he was just a reckless kid,” Bordorn whispered. “Can’t believe how mature he’s become.”

“He’s a strong leader.”

“I had my doubts before, but now, he’ll be a good king.”

“He’s fair,” Krondious whispered.

“And just,” Bordorn added. “And for what it’s worth, I’m glad he brought you with us.”

“That means a lot,” Krondious said, nodding at Bordorn.

He looked back at the Grand Courtyard where Roskin and King Kraganere had reached a metal gate that separated it from the pathway. In the center of the courtyard, Master Sondious sat in his chair, and behind him were two dozen heavily armed Kiredurks, including Captain Roighwheil. Just inside the doors of the Halls of Gronwheil, many more soldiers stood ready. Krondious tightened his grip on the battle axe and clenched his jaw. Up until this moment, he had believed in the plan, but now, a bad feeling overtook him, and he wished that he had insisted on staying near Roskin. He focused on the scene, watching for any signal that he needed to bolt from the tunnel.

***

Master Sondious remained as still as the stone walls while Kraganere and Roskin opened the gate at the far end of the Grand Courtyard and moved to him. He locked his gaze on the deposed king and didn’t blink. To his credit, Kraganere held his stare, but Master Sondious knew his former friend’s will was weak. While the force holding the Halls of Gronwheil was much smaller than the army surrounding them, they had enough provisions stored to remain locked inside for at least a month, and they had reinforced the Halls to withstand any siege Kraganere dared try this deep in the kingdom.

Master Sondious had no intention of fighting Kraganere’s force strength for strength. Instead, he planned to wear them down and break their spirit. In addition to heavier fortifications, the Halls now had a broad array of siege counter-measures, such as holes etched out for flaming oil and heavy crossbows. The soldiers with him had resolved to restore the kingdom to honor and power, and to a dwarf, including Master Sondious himself, each one was prepared to die to that end. In his heart, he knew Kraganere didn’t have such resolve.

As the pair neared the center of the courtyard, they held up their hands and spread their fingers to show they had no weapons. Then, they turned around slowly in a complete circle so that Master Sondious could see they had nothing hidden. He wasn’t concerned with that, however. Neither dwarf was the kind to stoop to treachery after requesting a peaceful meeting, but Master Sondious did enjoy watching the dwarf who had ordered his nephew beaten mercilessly humiliate himself in front of the Halls of Gronwheil. If the kings of old could have seen him showing such passive weakness, their beards would have fallen out.

“Master Sondious,” Kraganere uttered loudly enough for the soldiers around the perimeter to hear. “There is no need for this treason.”

“You are the traitor, Kraganere.” At the insult of not hearing the title “King” before his name, Kraganere winced. “First, you recklessly led this kingdom into war, and then you surrendered to a weakened foe.”

“Sondious, there was no surrender,” Kraganere said, exasperated.

“Is that so? These dwarves with me beg to differ.”

“Master Sondious,” Roskin said, holding up his palms. “Please, listen to reason. You know this cannot succeed. Please, end this now.”

“Roskin, this is not your fight.”

“I stand by my father. Any quarrel with him is a fight with me.”

“Sondious, Roskin is the one who wants to end this peacefully. I am prepared to raze these Halls, but he has convinced me to try reasoning first. You should thank him that you still draw breath.”

“One so far from his army should not hurl threats.”

“My patience is waning,” Kraganere said.

Master Sondious smiled. His old friend was reacting as anticipated. In a few moments he would give the signal for the army to sweep in, and that’s when Master Sondious would show the former king the newly installed crossbow batteries. While the archers shot down the first wave of Kraganere’s army, Master Sondious would retreat into the Halls and secure the door. Then, the real fight would begin.

***

Roskin’s temper rose as Master Sondious smiled at him and his father. The arrogance of this dwarf who his father had groomed for the council and had trusted all these years ran down Roskin’s spine like cold water. If he had had one of his throwing axes at that moment, he might have hurled it into the dwarf’s forehead and ended this once and for all. Instead, he focused on his breathing and reigned in his emotions. This was not a moment to lose his wits.

His father began speaking again, telling Master Sondious the conditions for a peaceful surrender, but Roskin hardly heard his words. The dark fear had suddenly risen, as intensely as ever, and his mind filled with the all-too-familiar image of Dorkhun in ruin. Buildings lay as rubble, and fires spread throughout the city. Everywhere voices screamed for help, and confusion shrouded everything like morning mist. As the dark fear overwhelmed him, Roskin stepped back and doubled over in pain.

Master Sondious and his father stopped talking and stared. He tried to warn of danger, but his voice caught in the bottom of his throat. All that came out was a raspy gasp. In the distance, a low noise rumbled deep within the earth, and in a flash, the images from the dark fear finally made sense – earthquake.