The Dreaddrac Onslaught (Book 4) (33 page)

“So she’s queen,” Bodrin interjected.

“Don’t you see, Bodrin? As Sengenwha’s sovereign, she’s now solely responsible for the kingdom. If she married me now, her people would see it that I married her to get the kingdom, and distrust would explode. They might even see it as her selling them out to Neuyokkasin to save herself. They might abandon her when the kingdom needs all the unity it can muster. They have no one else to rally behind. She knows this, as well.”

“What a tragedy this is,” Bodrin said, lowering and shaking his head. “Where do you suppose she’s gone?”

“Somewhere we can’t find her to take her away, somewhere she can rally her last loyal subjects in defense of the kingdom.” Saxthor wandered somewhat aimlessly back into the city as night fell, smothering his dreams in the darkness.

* * *

In the royal palace in Graushdemheimer, King Grekenbach held court. He was reading a petition when the doors of the grand audience chamber swung open. A disheveled, muddy courier rushed past startled courtiers, tumbling to the floor, prostrate before the dais. His sandals and his armor scraped on the marble floor, bringing a hush to the whole chamber. The man’s heavy breathing beneath his pulsing body alarmed the assembly.

King Grekenbach looked over the now agitated court that sprang back to life, mumbling. He dropped the petition, rose, and stepping from the throne, reached down and raised the man trembling before him. 

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“Majesty,” the man said, his breathing heavy, eyes blazing, and lips quivering.

“What is it man?”

“Hador is breached!”

Grekenbach stumbled back, and the man lowered his head. The king looked over the great hall, hoping no one heard. Stepping forward again, he grabbed the man’s arm, all but jerking him up and leading him out of the grand hall to a private chamber beyond. The king nodded to the chamberlain as he passed.

“The court is dismissed,” the chamberlain proclaimed, clacking his staff on the floor. The official’s elaborate robes fluttered as he hurried, following the chatra behind the king. 

In the private audience chamber, Grekenbach hurriedly poured the man a goblet of water. The courier gulped it down; the excess ran down his chin.

The king turned to the two officials. “Chamberlain, go to the guards at the audience hall doors. Ask them what this man told them to gain entrance to the hall. If either mentions Hador, have them confined without contact with anyone until I can get the bottom of this. Chatra, summon all generals within the capital to meet with me this afternoon. Neither of you is to mention anything about this man, not anything or your instructions. Tell the generals this is a royal order and no absences will be excused. Go quickly!”

When the door slammed shut and the courier recovered, Grekenbach turned to him. The man dropped his head and began trembling again.

“I’ll not harm you; tell me everything.”

“Majesty,” the courier took another draft of the water as if to avoid speaking what must be said.

“Out with it man.”

“Majesty, Dreaddrac has tunneled beneath the Hador Mountains. Legions of orcs have spilled out on the Hadorian Plain beneath Hador’s guardian citadel. The way is open to Graushdemheimer. Nothing stands between Dreaddrac’s army and the capital.” Again lowering his head, the man withdrew a crumpled scroll from his blouse, handing it up to his monarch.

Grekenbach felt as if he’s been slammed in the chest. The impact took his breath. He stared at the scroll almost reluctant to take it as if denying it would repudiate the horror of the verification within. He broke Duke Jedrac’s seal and unrolled the parchment.

“For the eyes of King Grekenbach of Graushdem from his obedient servant, Duke Jedrac of Hador.”

Things must be bad if Jedrac is admitting his subservience to Graushdem after generations of proclaiming his semi independence, Grekenbach thought. He unrolled more of the scroll and read on.

“The mighty Castilyernov of Hadorhof has been bypassed by the forces of Dreaddrac through a tunnel beneath the mountains. I’m informed by a message smuggled in from King Ormadese of the Hadorian Dwarf Kingdom that rock-dwarves tunneled through the mountain. An orc army has passed through the passageway undetected onto the plain south of the mountains. Ormadese has counter tunneled to the great lake before Hador and flooded the tunnel, drowning those within and temporarily closing the passageway. We have no idea how long before the enemy can reopen the corridor. For the moment, we think about half the orc army has passed into Hador. They are forming up on the plain, but it isn’t clear if they intend to wait for more forces, attack our citadel, or to march south on Graushdemheimer. We are at present unable to attack those forces as we are cut off from the outside by the draining of the great lake. We beg your majesty to assemble whatever forces you have at your command to defend Graushdem should the orc army move south on your capital.

                                                        As ever your servant,

                                                        Duke Jedrac”

Grekenbach let the scroll roll up with a snap in the silent room. He settled back against the great desk behind him, appraising the situation and the vast implications. Rising, the courier broke his concentration.

“Guard,” Grekenbach called. The sentry opened the door and snapped to attention. “Take this man to the chatra. Have him settled comfortably but in confinement with the audience hall guards within the palace. Have the chatra see to it someone brings him food and drink. The chatra will know of the arrangements.” The guard bowed.

Grekenbach turned to the courier. “Go with the guard. You are to speak to no one, is that clear?”

“Yes, Majesty, speak to no one.”

As the courier bowed and backed to the door, Grekenbach turned again to the guard. “Send in the chamberlain on your way out.”

When the guard left with the courier, the chamberlain entered and bowed deeply.

“Chamberlain, for the moment, you know nothing, is that clear?”

“Yes, Majesty.”

“Go to the chatra and find out when he’s scheduled the meeting this afternoon with the generals, then arrange a meeting of my ministers two hours later. Go now and send me the court wizard and Queen Nonee.”

When the chamberlain closed the door and Grekenbach was alone, he sat at his desk and buried his head in his hands, running his fingers back through his curly black hair. I should have built a fortress on the border with Hador. My father said we should, but we both feared antagonizing the duke. We decided to rely on his Hadorhof to defend the northern gate to Graushdem. Who would have thought the Hador Mountains could be breached. 

Grekenbach looked up at the coronation portraits of his father and grandfather on the walls of the private audience chamber. Their proud confidence showed in their regal faces, holding the orbs and scepters amid ample flowing robes, jeweled swords, and medals of the esteemed orders of the realm. Will I measure up to them through this crisis? he wondered.

His moment of peaceful, but troubled, introspection ended abruptly when a knock on the door announced Court Wizard Tolalo.

“Wizard Tolalo, what we are about to share with you is for your ears only. A word of this before a response is in place could spread panic through the court and kingdom. Word will spread fast enough when refugees reach the city. I need from you a plan to defend the city from attack.”

“Attack, Graushdemheimer attacked?” Tolalo gasped then bowed, realizing he’d breached court etiquette and spoken before being addressed to do so by the king.

“Put simply, Hador has been breached, and an orc army is on the plain south of the mountains and the fortress. We do not know yet if the army will remain in Hador or march south. Understand, we must put a defense plan in place immediately, as there is little to stop or even hinder Dreaddrac’s forces should they march south.

“I understand, Majesty.”

“I need from you and the generals a plan of defense should the army march on Graushdemheimer. I’m meeting with the generals this afternoon, with the ministers two hours later. Go now and devise your contribution to the defense of the city.”

The wizard bowed deeply and slowly withdrew, leaning heavily on his staff, a dazed look in his eyes.

Tolalo passed Queen Nonee coming in as he passed out. He glanced up at her, then left, closing the door behind him.

Grekenbach rose and came round the desk to embrace his new queen. Nonee looked back at the door where the wizard had passed. She turned quickly to Grekenbach, scanned the room,and turned back to him.

“What is it, My Lord? What has the chatra in a near panic?” She turned again to the door. “And the wizard, he looked like he’s aged ten years.” She turned back to face her husband. 

Grekenbach went back to sit behind his desk. How do I tell her? he thought. “Nonee, Dreaddrac has breached Hador. Rock-dwarves have tunneled under the mountains, bypassed the Hadorhof guarding the pass above, and an army is now assembling on the plain south of the city.”

“What does it mean, Grekenbach?”

“It means war, and we’ve little to stop that army between there and Graushdemheimer.” He lowered his head, again running his fingers through his hair.

Nonee drew up a chair in front of the desk. “Are they coming here now?”

“We don’t know that as yet.”

Nonee came round the desk to wrap her arms around her slumped husband’s neck. She massaged his tense shoulders. The warmth of her hands sent ripples of relief through his chest. “We’ll manage a good defense, my dear. We’ll manage a good defense.” She stopped massaging and went back around the desk. “What may I do to help?”

“Say nothing as yet, I’ll let you know shortly. I just thought you should know. I didn’t want you to hear it from your ladies-in-waiting. I’m meeting with the generals and ministers this afternoon, and I’ll let you know more at dinner.”

Nonee turned to go.

“Nonee, I’m sorry I took you from the security of Helshian Court Palace and your brother and brought you here to this.”

“Oh, my dear, I waited all my life to be with you. No army will take you from me now. We’ll manage this crisis and be all the stronger for it. We were bred for this, My Lord.” She looked up at the portraits on the walls. “They’ll be proud of us; you’ll see.” She stood erect and swept out the door, head held high, the confidence in her husband like a steel rod in her spine.

*

That afternoon, King Grekenbach met with the assembled generals that could be found in the capital. There was much squabbling among them as to the best course to take. Some wanted to rally the available troops, take the initiative, and attack the orcs before they could reform into an army. Others wanted to use the troops to strengthen the city’s defensive fortifications, while waiting to see what the orc army would do. Still others wanted to call for troops from Heggolstockin to bolster the city’s defenses. Grekenbach listened to the arguments, weighing the pros and cons. 

“Gentlemen,” Grekenbach said, ending the dissention in the room, “we want you to collectively make a list of the fortifications, armaments, troop dispositions, and the forces each of you commands. We will have that on our desk in two days’ time to the hour. Meanwhile, we shall send a message to Duke Heggolstockin informing him of the situation, warning him to mobilize his forces and be on the lookout for attack there. Also, we will ask what forces he might contribute to the capital’s defense.”

“What do we tell those that ask what has happened?” a general asked.

“Say nothing; just go about your duties. We’ll make a plan with the ministers next and give out a proclamation tomorrow morning. We must not delay further. The court and kingdom deserve to be made aware of the situation so they can make their own plans. We’ll require the military road north to Hador be kept clear of civilian traffic, but other than that, we may expect refugees to start south immediately. They will likely come to Graushdemheimer for protection. You must have a plan to fortify the city and stock it with supplies by the end of the week. You are dismissed.”

As the generals filed out of the audience chamber, the chamberlain led in the chatra, followed by the ministers. A similar meeting occurred, but the ministers clamored louder about civilian issues. Orders were to go out immediately, commandeering food stocks and supplies to be brought into the city and to Fortress Tossledorn on the southern border with Neuyokkasin. The chatra was to issue a proclamation to the kingdom’s citizens to be posted in each town center stating the threat in the north, the probability of an attack on Graushdemheimer, and recommending all to secure their property. Each must decide if they needed to refugee south should the orc army move to attack the capital. All citizens were encouraged not to panic; the king was making preparations to defend the kingdom.

Individual messengers were sent to the palaces of the city’s nobility, apprising them of the situation and recommending any with estates in the north to evacuate their vassals south. The ministers, still grumbling over details, were dismissed to attend to their responsibilities.

Grekenbach trudged into dinner in the state dining room that evening not quite sure what to tell Nonee. She rose from the table where she had been waiting and rushed to embrace him. The warmth of her hug released a lot of tension. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her to him as if a drowning man clutching a float. Then he noted the quiet in the room. Only liveried servants stood back against the walls under the flickering candlelight to attend on the royal couple at dinner. The room’s silence was extended by the quiet in the streets below the palace windows. It’ll be the last quiet we hear in the city for a long time, he thought.