novelxo Chapter Chapter Thirteen
The next morning brought more poor news. Several other troops had been found killed as well as a number of the local lords that had joined the army. The lords though had been set upon by the horse of Lord Feragett. The leader of the patrol had overheard them speaking of the bounty they would collect for the betrayal of the army moving south to the border.
“Tallic Parc prepares now for a war to end all wars. The Dark Knight has called in all of his forces from around his realm and asked that all his vassals bring in all their troops as well least he be forced to march on them when he is through with us. We have learned that the dwarves have been moved into a position to attack our right flank as the battle begins and that he has his own dragon prepared to attack on our left. My lords it is not too late to call this off. We are still hopelessly outnumbered and now surprise is no longer ours. I am afraid and so are the men.” said the patrol’s leader.
“I will address you all as we move onto the plain just after noon. I need time now to collect my thoughts if we are to continue. I need a moment my friends and father.” said Tanis to all those gathered around him.
With that Tanis moved away from the rest and sat upon a log and appeared lost in thought for many a moment. After what seemed an eternity to those waiting his word, Tanis stood and did as he often did as when he was troubled. He went to speak to the dragon.
“Old one!” cried Tanis to the dragon. “I need your counsel, please, lean down your ear so we may speak.” The dragon leaned down to the young man and the elven king and other nobles of the lands suddenly found themselves unable to hear the conversation between the two.
“That is a fine how do you do,” said Nargus, “he hides behind a wall of magic to keep us from eavesdropping and what does it do? Prevents us from listening in too! Some things are just too rude.”
The small group laughed quietly and failed to hear the approach of Tanis and the dragon, who at that precise moment choose to release a booming laugh that stopped all conversation and laughter as he leapt into the air and flew away to the south. In the stillness Tanis climbed to the top of a small boulder that littered the roadway that the army passed upon.
“My faithful friends and troops. You have come far to fight a battle with evil and a great deal is being asked of you. You go now into a battle many of you feel is a lost cause. If this is your true feeling, then leave. Open a path to those who choose to leave for home. I apologize but we will have to retain you armor, weapons and horses for the coming battle though. There is no disgrace at leaving. If you will leave, leave now. Once this begins any who try to leave will be struck down for cowardice. None will look less on you for your decision.
“To those of you who stay to fight, do not taunt or hinder those who leave us. They are our brothers and they have their own priorities. We march into a battle and war that may very well be our last. There will be neither any quarter given nor any received. I will not lie to you, many of us will not return from this battle. Many of us that do return will be too injured to ever return to what we were before this battle began. But know this; whether you stay or go, you are a hero already. Just for coming this far you are heroes. It will be as an army of heroes that we march on our enemy. Not as an army of men. This is the advantage we show to our enemy. So prepare and make your choice. The avenue home or the avenue to war. The final leg of the march begins now and I for one will march to war.”
At that Tanis climbed from the rock and began preparing for the last leg of the march. Picking up his own belongings and packing them was one of the few chores Tanis preferred to perform for himself. It made sure he could still fit into his helmet he said to all who would ask why he would choose to do such labor when so many would do it for him willingly.
Picking some dirty stockings from the ground and shoving them into his bag he noticed the small trail of blood trickling under the tent. Dropping the bag, Tanis ran around the tent to find the source of the small puddle of blood that had stained his tent. On the ground near the tent he found the source of the stain. A dagger lay discarded amongst the twigs and dirt that had been moved when his tent was erected. On the handle, the mark of Lord Nargus stared back at him. The blade was covered in blood.
Tanis scooped the blade from the ground and ran to the other leaders gathered awaiting their servants to complete folding the tents and packing their gear. The others saw Tanis running toward them and waved in anticipation of the young man joining them. Tanis ran to Nargus and dragged him off to the side leaving the others dazed and confused. “Where were you last night before you joined the rest of us at the fire?” demanded Tanis. “Tell me where you were and how I came by this dagger wet with blood and I will spare you.”
Nargus looked at the dagger and looked confused. “Lord Tanis, This is not my dagger, but a well made fake. Here, look to the mark. All my daggers are made by the same dwarven smith. This is not his mark. Only the dwarves could make a piece of beauty out of so much gaud and gold. Also this piece is a front balance dagger. I use only the rear balanced type of daggers because I am no knife fighter. I use it solely as a tool, not a weapon. I assure you sire, this is not my dagger, nor has it ever been my dagger. I would look to another who knows my daggers well to find your murderer. This piece misses the part of the crest that is my own. See. My dagger has my initials engraved under the crest. This has only the crest. The initials are missing. I will swear under any oath that you choose that the knife in your hand does not belong to me. I will also obey whatever edict that you choose to pass on me. I will accept it, but I assure you I have had nothing to do with the deaths of last night or this morning.”
“What deaths this morning?” Tanis asked, “How do you know of deaths that no one else knows of and I find your dagger near my tent. You must be the one who has performed these killings. Tell me now why I should not mingle your blood on this blade with those valiant men you have sent to their graves. Tell me why I should not kill you now!”
“My lord, do as you wish but I know of the deaths of several dozen more of our troops only because a patrol of elves reported them a few moments before you burst from the tent. I was with Talis this morning since the fire broke last night. I could not sleep and spent the night with the elf. He seems to not need sleep.” replied Nargus.
Dragging Nargus to the others Tanis threw him into the dirt and asked his father, “Was he with you last night father? The entire night?”
“Allow me to help you to your feet, Nargus. My son has forgotten the manners I taught him as a youth. Tanis he was indeed with me. What is the meaning of this?” demanded King Talis. “Have you completely lost all grasp of your senses?”
Tanis slumped to the ground beside his father looking abashed into the flames of the fire. Events of the past few days where beginning to weigh upon him. If things continued as they were, there would be no army to continue with. “Lord Nargus, please accept my sincere apologies. My mind has been troubled by the recent attacks that have occurred along our path. Finding your dagger at the scene of the latest crime made me jump to conclusions that I should not have. Please allow me to return your blade to you.” Tanis stood up and handed the ornate piece to Lord Nargus and returned to his seat around the fire. Lord Nargus turned the jewel encrusted dagger round in his hand and looked at it. Nargus rose from his seat and tossed the blood soaked dagger into the fire and watched as the false gold and gems popped and melted into ruin.
“If only it was as easy to remove the problems of our world as it is to destroy one instrument of the pain that rules our world,” said Nargus as they sat and watched the remaining pieces of the murder weapon destroy itself.
“Prepare to march!” Screamed Tanis as he lifted his pack and moved toward the empty field that would be the scene of the coming battle. Looking back along the path of those who would leave showed that none chose the easy road. They would all move forward together.