She focused on her bond to Ice king and really searched its value. It was slipping away, it was flowing through her fingers like sand on the beach. Too Fast, something is wrong. “Ice King” She sobbed

  She tried not to think of it by trying to focus more on where she was, what this place was, how she could get out of here, but the idea of spending a year down here to have it turn out to be twenty or fifty years on the surface had suddenly become a reality. There was no landing so she simply turned and sat down on the stair, the whole concept baffled her and she didn’t know if there was anything she could do about it. She put her face in her hands to wallow in self-pity when she felt a sudden rush of air.

  The way had been clear. The thoughts came unbidden as she pulled back up to see Nigel not six inches from her face. She gasped and pulled away only to be stopped by his words.

  “What is it?”

  “What?”

  “You felt some thing or had a realization, what, was…it?”

  “Oh…” Juil was flabbergasted, he had come so silently and so quickly that she could still feel the air currents swirling around her and she really didn’t know what to do. Should she try and run or attack? They are known to be feasters of the flesh of sentients, so should she retaliate in some way? She didn’t know if she could, he was too close. She did notice that he was much more interested in his question than he was in eating her. At least for now that is.

  He had been watching me, following all along. What is his game?

  “Tell me, please!”

  “Okay, okay…back it up a bit and I will,” Juil started warily. “I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.”

  “What’s your question?” he replied as he pulled back to a sitting position.

  “I don’t know yet; I mean I have tons of questions, but I have to decide which is the one I want to know most,” she said and waited as he thought it over. “I would guess that asking you if—”

  “Way out? That would be a foolishly wasted question. If I knew the way out, I would be back on the surface to finish this damn war,” Nigel said but Juil didn’t hear it clearly as she was searching her mind for the question she would ask as her hand slowly made its way to the knife on her belt. The one on her sleeve might be enough except that Nigel was big, probably even big for an aerial and that hidden blade was probably too short.

  “Deal,” he finally said. “So, tell me, what was it?”

  “It was…my horse. We were bonded at birth and I felt the bond slipping away. It takes five days apart to get where we don’t long for each other and it is almost gone already.”

  “Oh, so it was some silly emotional thing was it? I should have guessed that from a woman.”

  “Don’t be insulting, angel boy, its more than that if you give me a minute. You were so earnest about your question I thought I would at least take the time to tell you the whole answer.”

  “Go on.”

  “Are you going to stop being a prick?” Juil had had enough, elves are not rude people no matter how snobbish they come off.

  “Yes, I’m sorry,” he drolled out.

  “Alright then, you see the bond starts to dissipate after five days…yet, it has only been a day since I got trapped in here, not even a full day. I arrived here not an hour before I met you.”

  “That is quite puzzling, an anomaly that I have to admit I have wondered about in the few years that I have been trapped here.” He said and then leaned in really close to her face and smiled showing oversized canine teeth, his black hair perfect, his skin so deep purple in this light almost black and she shuddered, she knew what came next.

  “Ask your question.”

  “What?”

  “We had a deal, ask…your…question.”

  “Oh…” She gathered herself and then it came to her in a flash.

  “What war?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You said, get back into the war. What war?”

  “Surely the war hasn’t ended, it had only just begun in the last decade.”

  “War? There hasn’t been anything more than raids and skirmishes in over three hundred years,” Juil replied, only to receive a blank stare from the aerial man as his mind raced. Then his face dropped and the energy seemed to have been sapped from him. He pulled away from her but then looked into her eyes.

  “You know we hate that, don’t you? Being called angels, we know what that means, it is derogatory and rude.”

  “Oh, sorry… I didn’t know.”

  “It’s alright, just don’t do it again.”

  “Do aerials really eat other sentients?” she blurted out just wanting to know if that was his intent. He looked at her aghast and pulled back further.

  “You’re kidding right? You all are imbeciles, I swear it.”

  “You’re being rude again,” she said, which he ignored.

  “We drink the blood of our enemies after battle, that’s it and we don’t do it for sustenance, it’s…kind of a religious thing.”

  “Religious? What god wants you to drink blood?”

  “It’s more complicated than that, but either way, I never did it and stayed away when the groups that do that partook of their spoils, so to speak. They were dead any way. Now, I know I told you that I was going to maybe sample you, but that was all scripted,” he said and Juil was starting to feel like she was just talking to some guy in a bar. She pulled her pack off and dug out her wineskin, which she hadn’t even touched yet.

  “Scripted? What the hell do you mean scripted? By who?”

  “Hey, you already asked your question.” He smirked in satisfaction, then froze when he saw a tiny purple rivulet run down her chin from the flask held to her lips. “Is that wine?” he asked with a hungry look.

  “Hey, you already asked your question.”

  “I hate you,” he said as he stared at the skin.

  “Really?” Juil laughed, I’m finally starting to warm to you… a little.”

  10

  Slavers

  Crack! The sound jolted the Har Karoome awake and on his feet, scanning his surroundings. His fire was banked before sleeping so there was no smell or light. Ice King stood looking to the north, his ears pricked forwards before lying flat…something wasn’t right.

  Crack! The sound echoed from the north causing the elf to pack his minimal gear and mount up. The first rule in combat is be ready to move without hesitation. It is best to be ready for fight or flight, especially in this wilderness. Ice King wasn’t tense ,so they walked slowly to the north until they came to a small ridge or rise, he couldn’t quite tell in the dark. It overlooked a large valley that was ringed with more mountains even farther to the north. It looked empty at first but then heard some harsh whistles as well as several more cracks from the lash as it’s whirling tip broke the sound barrier. Shouting and coarse commands came to his ears as Ice King pulled back into the brush out of direct sight. The voices were human but he had never thought humans could survive this far north.

  It is the warm season so maybe they are working their way south, but doing what? Driving cattle? He speculated knowing that humans had a propensity to eat the bovine’s meat, of which he also enjoyed upon the rare occasion that he came across it. Why are they driving cattle at night?

  Drick reached back into his pack that was actually the pack of the princess. She was the ambassador for the elves and as such she always had things to pass out, which in this case was several monoculars made of thick leather bent to a tube shape with two pieces of ground glass on each end. He put one to his eye and looked to the herd.

  He studied the scene and noticed that the legs upon what they drove were way too thick and short to be cattle so he wondered if they were sheep. Who drives sheep with a whip as opposed to using a dog? He also didn’t hear the telltale braying of the woolly beasts as he typically would. He wanted to watch more, but then realized they were in the herd’s path so he took his leave intending to watch the herders from behind. Somehow, he didn’t think they were sheep, they just didn’t look right.

  As he was making his way around to the back of the column, he realized he just didn’t care enough to pursue his curiosities, in truth, it wasn’t his goal or mission and it would still take him several hours to reach the town he had seen on the horizon that was just a pinprick even to elven eyes. The sun was starting to rise so he headed off that way at a canter instead, knowing that it would be late enough in the day by the time he got there for a beer and maybe a steak. A lot of elves prefer the things they find in the forest and crop type vegetables for sustenance, feeling that the eating of flesh was crude and barbaric. Drick was not one of them, he liked meat. From lokai to mutton, he would eat it all and feel no guilt. We all have tendencies, he thought as he made his way into another fingerling of forest between him and the town.

  Drick stopped and prepared his appearance before he came into the town proper. Elves weren’t always welcomed by other races, so he dug a fur cap out of his pack and unstrapped the ear flaps to hang low and cover his points. He also rubbed some dirt into his face to cover his fair complexion. There wasn’t much he could do about his armaments except drape a coat over his body to cover the hilt of his sword and strap his bow under his bedroll. Hopefully nobody would look too closely and if they did, hopefully they wouldn’t care. He knew nothing of this town, they had never traded with it or heard of anyone trading with it as it was far off the main trade routes. He could pull no name for the place from his memories and doubted that any elves except for the most-bold adventurers from Noril would even know of its existence. The chances of meeting anyone from Lilieack, was virtually impossible in the Har Karoome’s mind. He decided to play it cautiously and reminded himself to stick to common tongue and avoid the elvish that so many of his people chose to speak in.

  There was a sign on the border, a half mile before the gates to the walls that surrounded the city, the walls proving that they had experienced their share of hardships. He didn’t know if giants would come this far away from the Spires which were now barely visible as distant points on the eastern horizon, or not.

  The sign’s message was written four times; first was common speak or human as some call it. Underneath was dwarvish followed by elvish and completed by the secret language of the messengers which is referred to as sprintish. The thought of having access to a sprint excited him, he could send a note to Noril and Pine Hold and another to Lillieack.

  The city had a name that was somehow familiar to the Har Karoome. There was a city once of the same name of Follock, but it had been turned to rubble by aerials and giants as well as being over a thousand miles from here, or maybe it wasn’t…he didn’t know. The stonework here was of an older style but it was crisp and new though already scared. They displayed clean lines without the telltale signs of wind and rain erosion that should be evident in this climate.

  He came to the gate that stood opened to the city with guards posted high on the walls to either side.

  “Greetings elf, welcome to Follock. State your business please,” the guard said in elvish causing Drick to shake his head at his own foolishness. Of course these people would recognize an elf. This may be unfamiliar territory to him but it is a city in the middle of the wilderness so it would be used to varieties of people.

  “Hello, I am Drick from Pine Hold,” he lied not wanting to reveal his rank or homeland. He used Pine Hold as most of his cousins and siblings lived there and even used his name of Drick when they were kids. “I would like to hire a sprint or two if I may and possibly get a beer and a steak.”

  “Very well, enter through the gates and I will meet you for a further interview. Nothing to worry about,” the guard said in a conversational tone. The other guard merely glanced at him keeping his eyes on the tree line.

  Drick entered through the gate, relaxed. As big as this place was, it didn’t feel like a regular city. More like an advanced fort.

  “So, what brings you up into this neck ‘o’ the woods?” the familiar looking human said. It wasn’t common for the Har Karoome to see humans, but he remembered seeing this man when he was actually at Pine Hold long ago.

  “I know you,” he said. “I remember you doing business with my Uncle Dandrick in Pine Hold years ago.”

  “Aye, that could be. I am known by many folk from all over the north land, call me Bryan. I have to be honest with you, master elf, I do know who you are and I understand your need for secrecy, especially out here in the wilds.” He paused and gave Drick a meaningful look. “Now I remember you as being called Drick and I remember you from Pine Hold so let’s just go with that…for now. Now why are you up in this country?”

  “It’s the princess, Juil of Lilieack. She was captured by giants and I am on their trail,” Drick said throwing away the secrecy in the presence of a familiar face.

  “Well, we have had some problems in this area, but we ain’t ever seen a giant up here abouts.”

  “I was afraid of that, trouble, what kind of trouble have you had?” Drick asked.

  “Slavers, been sneaking in and taken people at night. They even assaulted a whaling party north of here killing most and taking away the rest.”

  “Slavers? I think I saw them, it was night and I mistook them for sheep in the distance.”

  “The dwarfs will appreciate that information. Their guild is down four blocks and take a left for two. Right next door is the messenger’s station. Two blocks further is my tanner shop, meet me there and we’ll catch up with that steak and beer after I am done with my civic duty.” He smiled and headed back up to the wall.

  “Hey, Bryan,” he said and tossed him the monocular of which he had many. “Thanks.”

  “No kidding? I’ve heard about these things.”

  “This is a quick-made field version and by no means the quality that Lilieack put its stamp on, but it works pretty well. It will expose that tree line well for you, but not much farther.”

  “Thanks, talk to you later.”

  “You’re welcome and you will.” He finished and pointed Ice King toward the dwarfs guild house. Most dwarfs worked through the guild house for many different trades and stayed loyal to it throughout their careers, even if they owned their own businesses. It’s what made them a force to be reckoned with in both business and war. Fortunately, they were peaceful folk and much more concerned with getting whatever job they are doing done than fighting. Their guild hall was actually an apartment building with restaurants, bars, and meeting halls on the lower floors. It was such an extensive complex that it took up at least half the block but there was only one entrance onto the street.

  “We don’t get many of your kind here, master elf, strange that you arrive in such dark times. How may I help you, Har Karoome?” the dwarf behind what could only be a reception desk said, having recognized the elf for who he was.

  “Broclad, how did they get you up here?” Drick replied knowing quite well the assistant director of Riverhouse. “Did they finally boot you out of Riverhouse? Did you get caught with the neighbor’s—” He stopped realizing that they weren’t the only ones in the room. A human also sat in the room watching the scene intently.

  “It’s nice to see you again, Drick. This is Erin Forsyth, he is the head of security in our northern division.”

  “What is this place?” Drick asked

  “Follock is simply an outreach program of Riverhouse to try and establish better trade in this area. As such it is my duty to inform you that whatever status you hold in Riverhouse you retain here in Follock, as well as credit. Now we understand that your princess is missing and you also know something about the slavers, is that correct?”

  “Yes, word from the gate travels fast. I don’t think that you can help me with Juil. The slavers though, I saw something very strange this morning, not a half days ride from here. I thought they were sheep because they were far away and it was still dark but now that I know you’re having problems, I’m thinking it was more. Why would you drive sheep or cattle at night with whips?”

  “Where?” Erin jumped to his feet and quickly unrolled a map on the desk.

  “Right here there is a valley that is bordered by a six or seven-foot ridge on the south side. I was here when I heard the whips and walked to here before I saw them. They came from this direction and were headed here.”

  “How fast were they moving?” the security head pressed.

  “To be honest, I think that they were stopping. There is a huge dead zone coming up ahead of them and they will want to replenish some things before they head out into it I would think.”

  “Yes, yes…of course they will. I will have fifteen riders here within the hour,” Erin said and waited for a nod from Broclad, then with a quick nod of thanks to Drick, headed out the door.

  “Grodeg, get twenty ram riders mounted up immediately,” he shouted out to a back room only to hear an “aye aye” in response. “I can’t tell ya how much we appreciate the help here, Har Karoome. This slavery business is an act of vile men. I don’t see good dwarfs or self-respecting elves getting involved in this kind of evil.”

  “To be honest with you, Broclad, I didn’t know it was still in practice anywhere. It was made illegal after every war it seems. Good folk don’t tolerate it and if I would have known what was going on, I would have done something about it this morning. I’m going to take care of some business next door and then head out with you. If your mounts are fresh, we could be there in a couple of hours.”

  “I’ll settle for late afternoon; the rams get a little winded on long sprints and are more suited to mountains and mines and not designed for long hauls,” Broclad replied, then added, “I’ll have a draft and some meat here for ya before we head out.

  “Maybe I should take the humans out, faster to track their progress and possibly distract them while you come up from another angle,” the Har Karoome suggested.