OUTLANDER

 

As Dax sits watching the flames in the hearth dance, sending embers in flight of freedom up the chimney of his fireplace, Ceric announces himself at the heavy oak door to the outside. After Dax yells for him to enter the dwelling, the mage complies and closes the door behind him.

“You appear preoccupied Dax, did your talk with the prisoner divulge more than you expected?” Ceric asks him in a tone of sincere interest.

“It divulged nothing but more questions, if not lies. But he did talk, at least for a few moments, and then said, he had said all he would say to anyone again.” Dax replies without looking up.

“So then what did he reveal to you?” Ceric asks.

“According to him, the rebels were after me and something I possess. But I know no one in Lagdian, nor is there any of my meager belongings that could be worth such a venture and cost in life.” Dax tells him with all honesty. “At least nothing that I can think of, and believe me I have thought about it at some length.”

“Then I can see your quandary, would you allow me to see these so called meager possessions? Maybe I could see some value in something you do not know about.” Ceric tells him.

“I suppose so Greyhair, let us move to the larder table and I will get my satchel.” Dax says as he rises from his chair and goes into his sleeping room to retrieve the leather sack.

Once Dax comes into the larder and unties the bag, he carefully takes several objects out and places them all on the table. Then he folds the satchel over and lays it to the side, just before he sits in the chair across from Ceric.

“I see some things I can recognize by like at least. However what is in that tiny bag tied with cord?” Ceric asks.

Dax unties the cord and lets two different looking stones, a small bundle of fuzz of some type and a clear crystal, lightly roll out onto the table. “This is merely my fire starting things, Greyhair.” He says as Ceric watches.

“Oh I see now, even though the crystal I would not have expected. You always seem to pique my curiosity at the knowledge you have. I also recognize the tooth, am I right in that it is of a long tooth from the Fire Mountains?” Ceric asks to be certain.

“Yes it is, I keep it as a memento, to remind me of that day. The shell comb was my mothers or so my father told me.” Dax replies.

“A very nice one it is, not unlike many I have seen. What I do see is that it is thicker than most and that there is some etching on the edge of the handhold. Is it just artwork, I don’t recognize it as any known writing? There is this metal disk with the pin back that seems to remind me of your tattoos?” Ceric adds rather than a reply to Dax’s statement.

“Just artwork I believe, my father said little about it. The disk is a pin or badge if you wish. I used to wear it on the cloak I wore as part of my uniform, when I was in service to Damna the Great.” Dax says.

“Then your service was in his forces there, such a pin for a cloak might mean you were a man of some rank in his army or guard.” Ceric questions more than states.

“You are very well informed and knowledgeable Greyhair. I was of some mediocre rank in his guard for a time.” Dax replies.

“Might I ask how mediocre that would have been Dax? I thought that men of rank were in his service for life.” Ceric continues asking.

“They are usually, you are correct. I was a captain of his guard. My leaving was of my choice, not his.” Dax answers with a sound that no more questions on this would be necessary.

“Humph. This other wood carving appears to be another fetish, like your metal one of the dragon there close to it. What does it represent?” Ceric asks.

“I have never been exactly sure; it was a gift a long time back from a woman I knew. She said it would bring me good fortune, but that I must never lose it or give it away as that would reverse the omens attached to it. So I just keep it, it is not heavy or large.” Dax answers the mage.

“I agree, nothing seems to be especially valuable enough for the rebels to seek you so far from where they normally operate, or of some hidden meaning that I know of. So what is it we are missing here, that Fargyn would send men to steal it for himself, or maybe someone else?” Ceric ponders out loud rather than just thinking to himself.

“I do not know Ceric, but for me, I think, I at least need to find out.” Dax says.

“Not just for you Dax, this has now become a matter where distant rebels are operating in Marden. I think we should meet with, at least the council, and discuss all around what you learned and yet neither of us can discern.” Ceric states rather flatly.

Later that afternoon the two of them did sit in a meeting in the council chambers. Lord Daka, Wedan and Peldar (two men that had been there before, who Dax did not know), and Thane Erik himself was there. Dax had taken his satchel with him to the meeting, at Ceric’s suggestion, and there was similar conversation from Lord Daka and Thane Erik to that Ceric had made that morning in private. Lord Daka and Erik were definitely interested in the fact that Dax had been an officer in Damna the Greats guard. Peldar seemed to be more interested in the two effigies, especially the dragon.

In conclusion, however, Dax had to agree with Lord Daka, that, if there was one Lagdian rebel here looking for him, then, there were probably more nearby.

Thane Erik interjected at this point leaning forward on his elbows and looking directly into the eyes of Dax saying. “Were I as impulsive as you, Dax of the outland, I would probably decide to either expel you from my realm, thinking these rebels would follow you. Or I might imprison you again for bringing such intrigue into my lands, or I could just have you killed publicly giving these interlopers no reason to stay. However, I am responsible for all here in Marden, as my line has been for hundreds of years, and I will not condone rebel and outlaw incursions here for any reason.” Erik said with solemn force in his words. “I have listened to you and Mage Ceric’s words, looked carefully at these possessions of yours and find nothing in either to warrant such dire consequences to you or excuse for you to be hunted. I am now glad at least that you followed Ceric’s advice in talking to the man alone. We now have a reason why the man is here spying on someone in my service.”

 To this thought, Dax convinced Lord Daka and Thane Erik to let the prisoner go and expel him from Throgmarden; however he (with others of Daka’s command at Lord Daka’s insistence) would shadow him secretly to flush out just how many rebels were in Marden. Lord Daka agreed to assign the same four men who had accompanied Dax when they were originally attacked. The prisoner it was decided would be released the next morning, taken to the city’s Arn River gate and warned to leave the realm or face more stringent arrest and jailing.

To this end that night Dax, with Ruthor and his men, left the city by way of little known waste channels underground that opened up at the shoreline of the sea. They then took the night making a circuitous route to the gate where the prisoner would be expelled from the city. They were especially careful not to be seen by anyone possibly watching from hiding.

                                                                 ****

“I say we have waited long enough.” Mogn complained to Wilan. “Beldan is either caught and in the city’s dungeon or dead. He has been gone too long without contacting us.”

“That may be, but our orders are to wait and watch. Beldan is still in command here and I serve as his second, so until he returns or we are sure he is captured or dead, we wait and watch. Now, make your way around to the others and report back to me with any news.” Wilan orders him.

“Yes sir! But mark this Wilan, nothing good will come of this.” Mogn said in retort.

“Go, now before I lose my temper with you.” Wilan commanded.

Mogn moved on begrudgingly and Wilan turned his attention back to the gate near the river Arn. It was well into the night and just before the first amber rays of the approaching dawn would streak the seaward sky.

At midmorning Wilan’s continued vigilance was rewarded. There in plain view four soldiers escorted a man outside the city gate and shoved him to the ground. Other people going to and from the city either stopped and watched the spectacle or hurried away in haste. There was some yelling at the man to get on his way apparently, considering the gestures being used by the soldiers, since Wilan was too far away to hear their words. The man slowly got to his feet and started moving away from the city down the road paralleling the river. By the clothes he wore, although now in poor condition, Wilan was certain it was Beldan.

Wilan moved farther away from the city in stealth until Beldan was out of sight of any still watching him. Then he made their signaling bird whistle and waited. After a couple of attempts his calls were not only heard but slowly acted upon by Beldan as he started to move off the road and into the forest. After enough time to be sure Beldan was not being followed into the forest Wilan showed himself to his comrade and friend.

“What has happened to you, Beldan?” Wilan said as he grabbed Beldan who finally felt safe enough to collapse to the ground. “You are starved and look beaten.”

“I was Wilan; my ruse did not work as well as I thought. But I did see him, they had him come and question me while I was chained to a dungeon wall.” Beldan relates to him in hushed and haggard breaths.

“So does he know we are here for him?” Wilan asks.

“Unfortunately yes, but only he knows. So we wait, he cannot hide in that city forever.” Beldan says flatly. “Get me somewhere to rest and eat. Then get the others here so we can plan.”

“Of course, come let’s go to a place of safety.” Wilan replies then hoists Beldan to his feet so they can move deeper into the forest.

                                                                         ****

“You were right Dax.” Ruthor said just above a whisper. As he and Dax lay behind a dead tree trunk watching the two Lagdian rebels move deeper into the dense forest.

They with their companions had watched from across the Arn River as the Prisoner, now released, moved off the road and into the shelter of trees. Then they had swam the Arn, crossed the road themselves farther down and moved slowly and with great stealth until Dax spotted the two men. The two Lagdians had only talked a few moments before the second one assisted the former prisoner to his feet and now slowly walked deeper into the heavily wooded forest.

All five of them now moved very quietly and only as Dax lead. They were staying far behind the Lagdians, following them more by their almost nonexistent tracks, than by sight. Eventually the two stopped in a small clearing almost hidden from view. The second one left the prisoner for a time, and then returned with a fresh killed rabbit. Dax and his comrades moved somewhat closer while the second man lit a small smokeless fire and cooked the rabbit. Once he was done they could barely make out the conversation the two were having. Then the second man walked slowly off in the general direction of the city.

“Where do you think that one might be going?” Ruthor asked Dax.

“My guess would be there are more of them and he is going to bring them back here.” Dax replied.

“You are probably right. So what do you want us to do?” He asked.

“For now we wait. We will take turns on watch, while the rest of us relax. We can eat a little of our provisions, no cooking yet. Later we will see how many of these rebels are here. Then we make a plan.” Dax told his closest companion among these men.

During the mid afternoon another rebel appeared in the small camp, then another and another sometime after that. By the time that dusk had almost become night, the last two came in, or so it appeared since one of them was the one who left earlier that day. All in all there now were eight of the rebels and they still had a small smokeless fire going in the small clearing. Their conversation was almost too quiet to be heard, so Dax and Ruthor had moved in a short distance closer on their bellies to hear them better.

As the rebels finally started to sprawl about the fire and fade off to sleep, Dax and Ruthor rejoined their companions.

“Soon they will all be asleep; except for a guard on watch I am sure.” Dax told everyone in almost a whisper. ”Cran after there is only one man awake on watch and you can be sure the others are soundly asleep, could your arrow find it’s mark so well that he would die without yelling for help?”

“I think so, but I would have to be where I could see him in good light without anything to deflect the arrows flight. You know as well I cannot guarantee how much noise he will make falling.” Cran answered.

“This I understand, so do it when he is seated and maybe he will only slump over.” Dax answered.

“As you wish, I will start to move around now, over where the ground is somewhat higher than their camp. But you want me to kill only the one rebel?” He asked.

“Yes if no one else wakes up, then only the one. I have a plan and will explain later. But watch for any signal from us if my idea is not right or the others wake up. Lastly under no circumstance kill the prisoner.” Dax says.

“Alright Dax, that I can do.” Cran said and then rolled to his belly, to move off into the dark alone.

“Vlad could you go back the way we came quietly, get to the city delivering messages and return before dawn?” Dax asked the other man as Cran was crawling away.

“I am sure I can Outlander, it is not that far.” Vlad replied.

“Good, then I want you to go and tell Ceric the Mage and Lord Daka what we have seen and what we are doing. But be sure to tell The Mage first.” Dax tells him. “Tell them my plan is to drive them back to where they came from in a way that Fargyn gives up his quest.”

“Alright I will, The Mage first and then The Keeper of the Gates.” Vlad says in answer just as he turns to back down out of the forest in the direction they had come from earlier that day.

“Dax, why is it we do not just kill them all. When Cran kills the one on guard we could sneak in and kill the others easily I think.” Ruthor asks.

“If we just kill them, then Fargyn might send others later to try again. If we can drive these back and he sees his plan is known, then maybe he will give up on whatever he is seeking.” Dax tells his recently new found friend.

“Oh, yes now I can see your reasoning.” Ruthor answers.

Dax, Ruthor and Ofid keep watch for the next two hours waiting for Cran’s shot at the Guard. Finally it comes and in that moment: all is perfect, the arrow hits its target so well that death is instantaneous and all the guard does is slump forward onto his chest. Now the three men take turns watching the camp for the next man to wake. Since the guard is not there to wake his replacement. 

Cran comes crawling slowly back into their camp over an hour later, not rustling as much as a leaf. No one is as yet stirring in the camp. In the last of the full dark night Vlad returns from Throgmarden with news of accomplishing his mission. He tells Dax that The Mage said that Dax’s plan sounds like the right way to accomplish the better good. Lord Daka agreed to wait and see if it works but he would just kill them all.

Just as the first faint graying of the seaward sky starts to overpower the dark, one of the rebels stirs. He is at first startled by the apparent coming dawn, without being awoken earlier for his guard duty. Then he sounds the alarm to everyone, seeing the guard on duty slumped over and dead of an arrow.

“Quiet now, Cran be at the ready to loose another arrow at my signal, if they act as though they are going to do anything other than leave.” Dax tells the archer in hushed tones.

“I am ready on your signal. Do I kill another one?” Cran replies and asks at the same time.

“Yes, anyone except the prisoner.” Dax answers him.

Dax is close enough to make out most of the excited chatter coming from the camp. It becomes apparent that they are disoriented and surprised enough to just try and run for it. Their departure is quick, yet with an attempt at stealth before the coming dawn lights up the forest completely. The rebels grab only their weapons in planned escape, even leaving their fallen comrade to whatever fate has in store for him.

During this entire day Dax and his men merely shadow the escaping Lagdians, far enough behind them to remain unseen or heard. This works until it appears that they may be trying to circle around rather than continue in the direction of the Arn’s flow from the Fire Mountains. With this unwanted movement Dax has Cran shoot two more arrows to their flank within very close proximity. This has the desired effect and the rebels return to a course toward the Arn’s drop out of the mountains.

                                                               ****

“We are being driven Beldan, like cattle. I do not like running from hiding cowards.” Mogn says.

“Stay then if you wish fool. The rest of us will live to fight another day. We know not who or how many prod us with arrows. Tonight, maybe, we can plan some surprise for this unseen enemy. I am sure it is him and some number of soldiers from Throgmarden.” Beldan replies without slowing his pace.

                                                             ****

Dax, Ruthor and the others followed them the rest of the day. They had dropped back though to allow the rebels into a false sense of losing them as pursuers. With the nightfall the Lagdians made a camp to rest, but without a fire and this night without a meal. As it appeared they were turning in for sleep, Vlad told everyone that there were two standing a watch.

Just before there would be any graying of the sky before dawn, Vlad crept in close to their camp at a small rise over them. He then rolled the head of the one killed the day before by Crans arrow down the rise so it would be seen by them all. Ruthor had ordered Ofid to get it from the man’s corpse as they were starting to follow the rebels that morning for possible later use, now that he knew Dax’s plan. Once he let the head loose, Vlad crept back in the direction of his companions.

The uproar of first; shock and then unbridled anger awoke all the denizens of the forest nearby. Curses were yelled, poisonous threats and vulgar insults. But at the very onset of what appeared to be an instant of bravery Cran shot three arrows one rapid fire after another with the third one hitting its mark and killing another of the Lagdians in stride.

Now the rebels were in full rout headed in the direction Dax desired, down to six of their original eight. The next two days saw no stopping of their flight until they were well into the canyon the Arn followed out of the Fire Mountains. There was only rugged terrain on all sides, with only boulders and a few water loving trees for cover for the fleeing and Dax with his men as well.

Dax had his men walking somewhat higher into the foothills for better surveillance of the rebels, than the rebels were taking near the river’s edge, for better footing. 

As they watched Ruthor questioned Dax’s plan. “When do we stop our harassment of these men Dax and return to Throgmarden?”

“You and the men have done well Ruthor. You can return any time; I am going to push them all the way to Lagdian. I have altered my plan, I am going to not only drive them there somehow, but make sure no one from there comes after me again.” Dax tells him. “I am sorry if this does not agree with your orders.”

“My orders are to assist you in every way to get these rebels away from Marden.” Ruthor says. “I do not remember anyone saying how far or how long that would be. I know I speak for us all when I say, we are with you until we all return home.” Vlad, Ofid and Cran nod their heads in accord to Ruthor’s words.

“Thank you everyone, then when we are done with this we will all return to Throgmarden.” Dax says. “Vlad, you, Cran and Ofid stay to these higher trails and keep pushing them up to the Eagles Plateau. I know another trail that will get Ruthor and I there ahead of them. We will all meet up in Eigle in a few days; I have a surprise in mind for the rebels and a reward for us if you are game. Just keep them moving that way without risk to yourselves.”

“That sounds like a plan we can accomplish Dax; go on, we will see you there in a few days then.” Vlad answers.

At this Dax turns and with Ruthor following him they start a short climb higher up the mountain. The climb is broken several times by lateral paths then another ascent. Finally they are walking on a high animal path paralleling the river’s course without its meandering.

“How did you know this would be here Dax?” Ruthor asks.

“I have had occasion to use this route before, Ruthor. The last time was just before I entered Marden.” Dax tells him.

“What animals follow this path, these look like hoof prints of some sort?” He says.

“Many in fact, but those are of mountain sheep and they become followed by dire wolves and long tooth. The great golden eagle needs no path, yet they do nest up here on the higher peaks.” Dax tells him. “There is other life here, however.”

“The Arn looks like nothing more than a loose thread from here.” Ruthor says.

“That’s because we are already as high as the Eagles Plateau, our journey will be less strenuous now, since we have made the vertical climb all at once rather than throughout the trip as Vlad and the others will do, following the Lagdians.” Dax answers.

“I had never heard of people using these types of trails through the Fire Mountains.” Ruthor says quizzically.

“Only a very few do, a very few in truth.” Dax answers rather quietly.

That night they camp long after the dark has set in. The light in the sky seems to last longer at this elevation than it does in the canyon or forests. The two men replenish their strength on the provisions they brought rather than hunt, and they warm themselves with a low, high banked fire. With the early dawn Dax and Ruthor are up and walking ever toward where the sun had sat yesterday. For two more days they continue in the same manner. On the fourth day around mid afternoon Dax stops abruptly and motions wordlessly for Ruthor to do the same.

Ruthor cannot believe what he sees ahead of them. Walking in their direction on the same path is what, at first, looks to be a child but as he nears closer is a man. Or at least it appears to be a middle aged man, but of only about half a man’s height. He is fully bearded and with long hair: the hair is pulled tight at the back of his head and the beard is braided in several places, also he carries a pickaxe of such heft that a full height man would need to be of some strength to carry it. The man wears, what appears to be, a mountain ram’s fur for a cloak.

“Humph, I was right; I thought it was you I have smelled for the last two days. I only doubted it because there was the scent of flatland boar; I suppose that is because of this pig eater with you.” The small in height man says in a deep hearty tone, almost a laugh. “How are you, Dax? It has been some time.”

“Greetings Iron Beard, I had not thought to see you this day. How is that wife of yours, does she cook you that foul smelling gruel of mountain sheep, you so dearly love?” Dax says in reply.

“Of course she does and had better continue to do so. I might not bring her that which she likes most if she stops.” Iron Beard says and then laughs a hearty deep throat chuckle. “That being myself, of course.”

“There is no accounting for taste, is there my friend.” Dax replies and joins in the laughter.

When they pause in the bonded laughter, Iron Beard says. “Where are you off to this time and why with this flatlander?”

“As of today we are on our way to Eigel, then farther on toward the Windless Sea.” Dax answers him. “We have business with some men of Lagdian.”

“Humph, as you said there is no accounting for taste. You know she waits for you up ahead, close to where you left her.” Iron Beard says rather flatly. “I hope this companion of yours is respectful, you know her moods with men.”

“Then she lives and is still there?” Dax asks.

“Oh my yes, she lives and prospers. I hope your reunion goes in the way you want.” Iron Beard replys. “Well I must be off; Esdonia will clobber my knob if I keep her waiting too long.”

“Good luck to you Iron Beard, I hope to see you again.” Dax says as the dwarf starts to pass them by.

After the dwarf is around a curve in the path Ruthor asks Dax questions. “I have only seen one Dwarf in my life and that was long ago when I was a child. You seem to know him well and he has a wife to boot.”

“Yes I know them both, they are both dwarves, I am surprised you ever saw one. They tend to shirk being seen by the likes of us, only harassment and pain do they expect from those other than their own.” Dax answers as he turns to head off down the path.

Sometime later in the afternoon Dax stops abruptly again. This time he almost whispers to Ruthor. “Do not move, do not sweat or even blink. Show no aggression or fear of any kind, it would be our undoing.”

“What, why do you….” Ruthor cuts his question short; as he sees the largest dire wolf he has ever seen directly in the path before them. To the rocks on either side are four more wolves not quite as large as the one issuing the deep guttural snarl and bearing sharp fangs.

Dax stands statue still as the wolf moves slowly closer, never taking its eyes off of its shared stare with Dax. The growl permeates the air between and around them as the wolf takes one achingly slow step after another in Dax’s direction. While the other four wolves move ever closer on both sides in concert with those of their apparent leader.

Finally after what seems an eternity to Ruthor, the wolf is standing right in front of Dax, within hands reach. To his utter amazement Dax starts to raise his hand and ever so slowly places the back of his hand to the wolf’s nose. As the wolf slows its growl gradually and lowers its head, Dax strokes the wolf on the top of its skull, between its now not so erect ears. The other four wolves now begin to lay down on the ground in wait.

“Ruthor, I call this mother, Darma. I see Iron Beard was right, she prospers. These are her pups.” Dax says.

“Pups, you call these, pups? Is this the She, which the dwarf spoke of? I thought it was some woman you left behind.” Ruthor answers but does not move as yet.

The wolf now sighing at Dax’s touches and her not so small pups now venturing closer to their mother. Dax explains to his friend and companion. “I found her some time back; I was looking for a man here in the mountains, a man who had done some bad things. I came upon a large wounded male dire wolf and had to kill him in self defense, the wolf however had already killed the man I was looking for, probably defending his mate and territory.” Dax stops a moment and then continues. “Later I found Darma; she was delivering her litter in a small cave just up ahead. She was in bad shape from what looked like a wound from the man her mate killed. She was hungry and hurt. So I went and killed a small mountain sheep and drug it back here and placed it so she could eat. Without food she could not have nursed her pups, she had six, it looks like two of them did not make it. I tended her wounds and stayed close until she was healed enough to forage for herself and her litter. Then I headed on, I ran into Iron Beard shortly after that and told him of her and her litter.”

“So have you known these dwarves long? She seems to accept you.” Ruthor asks and says.

“Yes Iron Beard and others knew my father and me. I was also in hopes Darma would remember me, she is a part of my plan for the Lagdians.” Dax answers Ruthor.

“Others, do you mean other dwarves?” Ruthor asks.

“Yes, many other Dwarves, my friend. I will explain better later. There is much that you do not know, that almost no man knows, except for the Eigle.” Dax answers.

That night the two men camp out in front of the small cave that these wolves den in. With their small fire outside, the wolves tend to lay just inside their cave at the edge of the fires light.

“I am going to see if the wolves will accompany us on our way to Eigle. I have a plan to use them just before the Lagdians come up the pass into the city. If it works they will rush for the city and if they get the reception I believe they will, they will not linger there long.” Dax tells Ruthor as they watch the embers glow from their fire in the nights light.

“We do as you plan Dax; it has worked out thus far. What though is it that you were going to explain later?” Ruthor asks.

“Oh yes, I did tell you that I would explain more about the Dwarves and Eigle. What I am about to tell you has not been shared with many, only a very select few in fact. I trust you Ruthor, and believe you will not divulge this confidence in you.” Dax says quite solemnly. “Dwarves were persecuted and or mistreated throughout history by everyone, everywhere. Their physical difference believed to be somewhat ugly or somehow tied to evil or less than purely human by some.”

“I did experience this myself with the only one I met and unfortunately, I must admit I fell into that common thought at the time. Still probably in fact, if it were not for how I saw you and the man, Iron Beard, relate to one another.” Ruthor answers.

“I understand that, so you should be able to understand that they do not seek outsiders in their midst, or even that outsiders need know of their existence.” Dax says, pauses and then continues. “Hundreds of years ago, the first of them that found a way to escape the outside world, came into the Fire Mountains. A place most men did not find worth settling, too foreboding in terrain, climate, food sources and all sorts of reasons. Then as time went on more were found and brought here, now they live outside the knowledge of man almost exclusively.”

Dax stops a moment, takes a drink of water and then continues talking. “What most people never understood is that they are really no different than the rest of us, just physically different. Most in the beginning were born to normal people. Even now a man and a woman dwarf can occasionally have a normal child. But they do not intermingle with the rest of us as a rule of their own making. Since they have made a place, even yes, a world all for themselves, normal sized people no longer fit. So when they do on occasion have a normal sized baby they bring them to Eigle as infants and are taken in there. From almost the beginning of Eigle, the people there were actually descendants of dwarves. The Eigle are the visible arm of the Dwarf people, without the outside world knowing it.”

“What, I had no idea about that. Does anyone know this?” Ruthor asks.

“No, not even the Mages or royal families know this, only the Dwarves and the Eigle.” Dax tells him. “This is the reason the Eigle have stayed neutral in all alliances and have become the mediators of peace and trade throughout the world.” Dax tells his friend.

“But, if no one knows or ever has, then how can it be, that you know and why are you telling me now.” Ruthor asks.

“I know because of my father and I am only telling you because I have come to trust you and you need to understand how we are going to be doing, what we are going to do in the next few days.” Dax tells him.

“Your father, what does that mean?” Ruthor asks.

“My parents were dwarves Ruthor, although I never knew my mother.” Dax says in flat earnest.