ã€ŠInclusions: An Elves of the Taliswood Taleã€‹


 Chapter 1: Among the Elves

    In the far northwestern quarter of our continent, Telia, some 350 miles inland from the Hard Coast, lies the enormous woodland we call the Taliswood, what the Elves call Imsk¨ªli, or the ¡°High Forest¡± in their tongue. Their kind has been in our world for over 9,000 years, so they''ve earned the privilege of calling it what they will.

    My name is Tendil Liste Bascombe, Esq. I am Human, come to be among the Elves here in their forest home for a short time. I come from the city of Wikehold on the Hard Coast in the Kingdom of Feersland. Wikehold is the largest city on the coast, a major trading port if you aren''t familiar. Home to half a million souls, they say.

    I live in Almsbury Court, North Wall District, of course. I come from a family of traders, merchants, and generations of wealth; their connections, along with my legal and negotiating acumen, are what have brought me here in this capacity.

    I am the leader, well, the only member actually, of a trade delegation sent at the behest of Charles Maignard, the majority shareholder in the Hard Coast Company. My own father serves on the board.

    The mission here for me is to attempt to lock up the trade of amber with the Elves, or at least a large portion of it. That is the gold of this forest kingdom, amber. Specifically, it''s what the Elves call ¨¦liks, their word for honey.

    They don''t use the stuff as currency. No, they make baubles and trinkets for the wealthy dowagers and second wives on the Hard Coast.

    I take that back. I''m sorry, but it''s been a frustrating few days getting settled in here. I don''t travel much.

    The Elves I''m dealing with are Gray Elves, the oldest subspecies of that ancient race that first graced our plane so long ago. I''m currently in their city, Nez Ambr¨ªl. That means ¡°New Home¡± in Elvish by the way, with both the Wood Elves and High Elves next on the agenda.

    Please, let me take back my earlier comment. The Elves are known for their fine workmanship, especially with metal. The Gray Elves take that to a different level. They make jewelry of such quality as to leave one in awe. It really is extraordinary.

    As good as the jewelers are, though, it''s the amber, the ¨¦liks, that steals the show. The color is so rich and clean and clear, looking like it''s trapped a piece of sunshine in its grasp and isn''t giving it up. It quite literally seems to be giving off a living glow. I''m a man poor for words; you must excuse me. I can''t do the stuff justice with quill and parchment.

    So, allow me to tell you who I''m up against in these negotiations. Firstly there are the High Elves. Their kingdom is mainly the city of Nez Clar?, ¡°New Kingdom,¡± and its environs, roughly 75 miles to the west of Nez Ambr¨ªl on what they call the Inix¡¯Shert, or Wheat Garden. And more like Wheat Planet! By the gods, it''s all you see for a day''s ride into that city. That''s their bargaining chip. Wheat. And military assistance and kinship, and so on. I''ve an uphill battle there.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    So, the High Elves, party number one. Then there are the Gnolls, the hyena people coming out of their homeland far to the east, the great oasis city of Yis-Gl¨¢z. That bustling center of commerce is located on the western terminus of a large trade route that runs across the enormous desert known as the Waste, far to our east. The Gnolls are

    not sending an emissary, rather, they are sending their leader, the Witch Queen, Mag¡¯stula, their L¨¢z-Gn¨¢draz or ¡°Great Mother.¡±

    The Gnolls have had a long-running animosity with the Sand Elves of the Waste, thankfully out of the equation, so it should be interesting how that plays out. If I''m not mistaken, and I''m not, Gnolls used to quite prize some tasty Elf flesh when they could get it. I would be an absolute devil to bring it up. I''m sure it''s a sore spot.

    Speaking of devils, there is also another delegation of Humans, slavers from the South. Their Kingdom of Swalesia is huge, more than twice the size of Feersland with twice as many people. There is much wrong with Swalesia other than slavery. They encourage piracy in their waters, treat women like animals, and are widely known to send out Assassins when things aren''t going their way diplomatically. Oh, and they also train, reputedly, the world''s greatest Assassins.

    The second son of the Khan of Swalesia, who they call the Mouth of God, Prince Anoresti, a slimy creature with no conscience whatsoever, will be representing them in negotiations. I''ll have to watch my back, front, and sides with him and the Swalesians present.

    Lastly, there is the Wood Elf contingency headed by their monarch, King Mestil, II. These Elves are the most congenial I''ve come across in my limited travels, but I can''t let that interfere with my purpose here. Their Mestil is fast friends with Queen May of the Gray Elves. That may give them an insurmountable advantage. I can''t worry about that now. I must first worry about myself and get some sleep after a hot toddy I believe. I have an early start in the morning.

    I have rooms at the Royal Palace, beautifully done. The city of the Gray Elves here is built into a forest of massive redwoods. Most every building is in the trees, built around them, and far up. The Elves get around by a network of rope bridges and pulley platforms. Just absolutely stunning.

    My valet came promptly when I rang for him. ¡°Hot toddy, Sir? Or perhaps something a touch lighter this evening?¡±

    I wasn''t sure I liked his tone. It''s certainly not his place to order for me. ¡°The toddy will be fine, Greer, why do you ask?

    ¡°Not to stick my nose in, Sir, but your trips to the privy last night woke up the wing. We were all terribly concerned but didn''t want to disturb you.¡±

    Greer was an older Gray Elf. Gods knows how long he''d been a valet. Gray Elves can reach 1,000 years old. He struck me as being at least in his 800s. It was in his manner and the slow speed at which he walked. But it''s really impossible to tell with the Gray Elves. They all have silvery gray hair, grayish skin, silver eyes. They''re shorter than Humans, but not by much. Definitely thinner, with long, pointed ears.

    Right now I was to take him to task. ¡°Mister Greer, your impertinence is unnecessary! We don''t talk about these matters socially or professionally!¡±

    What he was hinting at was last night. I had more toddies than I should have, and not enough food to absorb the alcohol. I was up for over an hour filling my chamber pot with what food there had been along with regurgitated toddies. Apparently, I was loud.

    ¡°Oh, no, Sir! Nothing meant by it. Merely professional concern.¡±

    He turned to go and, over his shoulder, asked, ¡°So it''ll be just the one, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Greer! Just the one!¡± and I slammed the door to my chambers. The rascal seemed to be implying that I had a problem with drink! Why, the audacity!

 Chapter 2: The Queen and the Count

    The following morning, Greer woke me with the sunrise, a steaming pot of coffee, cream, sugar, lemon curd, and scones, piping hot and fresh.

    ¡°I hope you slept well, Sir. Busy day and I''m to get you properly dressed and on your way within the hour.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Greer. Thank you. I''ll dress myself. Bring my high lunch wear, that should be suitable.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir. That should be quite fine. I''ll fetch you when the Queen is ready.¡± And he left.

    Today was an early tea and luncheon with the Queen and her trade advisor, Count Pelisir. I had never met with either one, much less in such an intimate setting, and frankly, I was terribly nervous. I was terrified that I would say something inane or, worse, flirtatious. Understand me, the woman is beautiful beyond words, but she is also something like 500 years my senior.

    I said my last silent prayer as I followed Greer to the conservatory where I assumed we''d be having our meeting, but we passed that door by. Going further down the hall, we began to ascend a staircase off to the side. It looked like it would lead to servants¡¯ quarters, so I was trying to figure out the ruse when we came to the top of the stairs. Greer knocked on the door there, opened it, and said ¡°Mister Tendil Liste Bascombe, Esquire, late of Wikehold, Feersland for you, Your Majesty.

    And she was certainly there. This was apparently her private quarters, and I blushed like a child.

    ¡°Oh, you Humans and your things!¡± She laughed, ¡°Come in, please Mister Bascombe, and have a seat!¡±

    I bowed deeply and walked over, trying not to make eye contact.

    She and Count Pelisir were seated at a small wooden table with three chairs by a window, sunlight spilling through iron bars and across the table and floor. The room was very plain, spartan almost.

    ¡°Greer, perhaps another pot of coffee and some biscuits. We''re going to be a while.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he said as he turned to leave.

    ¡°Is Greer behaving himself with you, Mister Bascombe?¡± Not giving me time to respond, she said ¡°You know they just installed those iron bars last week. Something about the Swalesians being in town.¡± She smiled at that. The Swalesians¡¯ reputation preceded them.

    Queen May looked amazing in light gray robes and silver silk slippers. Her hair was elaborately braided around her head, but not perfect. She didn''t seem to care. I could feel those clear gray eyes sussing me casually, sizing me up. Her skin had that light gray pallor of her subspecies. She was thin, with a long neck and long fingers. She had a knack for looking completely relaxed while her back was as straight as an iron bar.

    Count Pelisir rose as I crossed the room, taking my hand and shaking it firmly. Again, those long Elven fingers. These people seem so damned frail. But I''m not all new to their species. I know what damage these seemingly delicate creatures can do.

    Pelisir was in a white linen tunic with black chausses, and black leather shoes. His wide black belt had a scabbard clipped to it holding a handsome rapier with a sapphire the size of a chestnut in its golden pommel.

    Like the rest of them, it was impossible to judge his age. My guess would be that he was in his 500s, contemporaneous with May. His hair was very short, lightly greased into a part. He had a military bearing that seemed more formal than required in this environment. One could almost hear his heels click together as he said ¡°Ah, Mister Bascombe! It is indeed an honor and a privilege!¡±

    ¡°For me as well, Count Pelisir. For me as well. I''m thrilled to have this opportunity to meet with the two of you.¡±

    I must say he seemed sincere, still grasping my hand and looking into my eyes. I had a sudden flash that he was getting much more from me than a handshake.

    He sensed my sudden unease and released my hand. ¡°Please, Sir, have a seat.¡± He indicated the empty wooden chair at the table.

    Bowing to the Queen and seating myself, she addressed me directly, ¡°So, Mister Bascombe, you have some hurdles to clear if you want the market on the ¨¦l¨ªks, I''m sure you''re aware?¡±

    Well, straight to the point. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, very aware. I do think, however, we can meet or exceed any other offer on the table, there ¡­¡±

    ¡°You do understand, Mister Bascombe,¡± she interrupted, ¡°this is about much more than gold?¡±

    ¡°I do Your Majesty, and ¡­¡±

    ¡°Frankly, you can''t compete with the Swalesians if it comes down to gold. I would think you''d understand that. Their kingdom is twice the size of yours with three times your coffers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but, if I may, we want your trade more than they do. I don''t believe Prince Anoresti has been given authority to place a bid as high as the one we would place. And, frankly, I don''t think you want to do business with the Swalesians. Or the Gnolls for that matter.¡±

    ¡°You''re absolutely right, Mister Bascombe. So, you think you''ve won? Don''t forget the Wood Elves. I don''t want to do business with them either. I want to do business with you.¡±

    An unexpected turn of events, to be certain. Had I honestly come in and won their trade with no effort?

    ¡°Your Majesty, I''m speechless.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it''s not over, Mister Bascombe. Far from it. I said I want to trade with you, and that''s true, but it''s not a matter of what I want.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry, Your Majesty?¡± I didn''t understand what she was trying to say. Of course she''s the ultimate authority. She''s had their Parliament wrapped up for 100 years. She controls them like a master puppeteer.

    ¡°Mister Bascombe, it doesn''t matter what I want; it''s what''s good for my people. And I don''t mean Elves; I mean Gray Elves. Wood Elves be damned. As much as I love them,¡± she sighed.

    ¡°You''ve never been to Iln¨ªst, have you?¡± she asked.

    Iln¨ªst, the capital of the Wood Elf Kingdom, about 50 miles southeast of Nez Ambr¨ªl. Allow me to fill in some blanks here for readers who aren''t as familiar with the world beyond the Hard Coast.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    On a map, the Taliswood, or I should begin calling it Imsk¨ªli while I''m here, is an irregular circle roughly 200 miles across. It''s massive. Surrounded by plains except for the southern extreme which is an enormous swampland.

    The great forest is bisected west and east by a great iver, what the Elves call Embrist Celedil, or the Quiet River. Quiet it may be. A sleeping giant, 300 yards from bank to bank. Ideal for commerce but not used for that purpose until much further south. It would be ideal for logging here in the forest, but the Elves won''t allow it.

    The worst troubles to start between Elves and Humans were over those damned trees in the south of the Taliswood. Men from the East who wanted to send timber through the fens and to market in Swalesia. They were the Hask, a barbaric people who lived a semi-nomadic existence on the plains between the Taliswood and the Waste. They tried to come in force on the Wood Elves, wanting to take the Taliswood. They had no idea.

    The Elves let them come all the way into the deep woods, some 15,000 strong or thereabouts. The trees all around the Humans came alive with Wood Elf snipers, arrows raining down by the hundreds and thousands. The Wood Elf ¡°cavalry,¡± gorgeous giant red deer and riders with lances, rode down every Human trying to get away from the slaughter. There were no survivors. That was perhaps 700 years ago. That lesson is still known to all Humans.

    I was terribly curious as to what the issue was with the Wood Elves for Queen May to not just deal with them and not bother going through with this bidding charade. Certainly they were the obvious choice.

    ¡°No, Your Majesty, I''ve never been to Iln¨ªst, but it''s on the itinerary.¡±

    ¡°Well, enjoy Nez Ambr¨ªl while you''re here, Mister Bascombe. This is the last truly Elvish city you''ll see on your journey.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Your Majesty? She just seemed sad when talking about the Wood Elves, yet they had such a reputation for being welcoming and pleasant.

    ¡°They have let that city turn into ¡­ well, it might as well be one of those Human monstrosities on the Hard Coast; their streets are full of strangers, there''s crime, foreigners. It''s mostly Wood Elves, yes, but they''re losing their identity by letting the world in.¡±

    She locked eyes with me, and I could see her passion. Count Pelisir finally spoke then.

    ¡°We simply value what we have, Mister Bascombe. We''ve been in this very spot for 9,000 years ¡ª 9,000, Sir. The oldest Human civilization first sprang up some 3,000 years ago, and it''s already gone. Rubble to be dug up by other Humans unaware that a civilization was ever there to turn to rubble and be buried. Forgotten to time. That won''t be us, Mister Bascombe.¡±

    ¡°No, I should think not, My Lord. What you''ve created and maintained here is beyond my limited imagination. But there''s still the kinship and proximity.¡±

    This was what was curious. The Wood Elves already had a hand in the amber trade. These woods, after all, were filthy with the stuff. But they controlled the South of the Taliswood. The amber they dug up was a little more rare and of poorer quality. They wanted to control the whole market to improve their offerings.

    The Wood Elves also already had a booming amber market established with prices being set daily and speculation on supply and demand pushing those prices up and down throughout the day. That''s not something I could see being established here in Nez Ambr¨ªl. Too loud and chaotic. It also attracted traders and merchants from all corners of the continent. Doubtless it came with ample profit for the Wood Elves, but they lost a bit of their soul at the same time.

    ¡°Yes, so you see the dilemma we''re facing, Mister Bascombe.¡±

    I hadn''t said a word out loud. ¡°Are you reading my thoughts, My Lord?¡± I was extremely irritated to only just now be realizing it.

    ¡°Please Mister Bascombe,¡± the Queen interjected, ¡°it was at my command. Count Pelisir means nothing by it.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I replied, ¡°I understand my place at this table, and that you are royalty, and he is who he is, but this is unacceptable ma''am, Your Majesty, I''m sorry. If you know all my strategies and hesitations and judgments, you have a horribly unfair advantage!¡±

    ¡°There''s certainly no need to raise your voice, Sir! I''ve offered them once and I shall offer them again, my apologies. There is too much at stake here though, Mister Bascombe, to not use what means we have at our disposal to determine our best path forward. What say you, Pelisir?¡±

    The Count still looked as at ease as one can look which I found rather disturbing. The mood was suddenly tense and he was as calm as a spring morning.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I wouldn''t call his intentions pure, per se, not by any means. He seeks personal glory and the approval of his father. Other than that, I see nothing malicious about him. It would take a face-to-face meeting with Lord Maignard and the board of the Hard Coast Company to determine more. He really is just a negotiator. It''s not clear why he was trusted with this task.¡±

    ¡°Well, My Lord,¡± I was turning red in the face, ¡°I''m sure, if you''re through invading my privacy and insulting me, there is a reason why I was chosen. As you know, my father is on that board. I have been trained from my youth for what I do now. Part of my training was learning how to read people. I know, for example, that you are hiding something very important in this equation. Now, can we start over and negotiate this matter with all of our cards on the table?¡±

    The Queen was smiling despite keeping a stern disposition, ¡°Calm down, Mister Bascombe. You''ve passed the first test admirably. You just need to keep your temper tamped down. It serves no purpose here.¡±

    I tried to relax, but it felt like my whole body was flushed and rigid, my heart beating quickly, beads of sweat on my brow.

    ¡°Apologies, Your Majesty, My Lord, perhaps I take offense too easily or don''t understand the cultural differences here.¡±

    Count Pelisir spoke, ¡°No, you''re quite right to be upset, Sir. It''s never appropriate to be invasive like I''ve been. We''re just in a position here where there is a great moral dilemma being faced, and we have to be certain we make the right move. I''ll allow my Queen to do a better job of bringing you up to pace.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, My Lord, has something happened?¡± I was clearly not aware of some part of this picture.

    Queen May let out a sigh and sat back in her chair. ¡°Mister Bascombe, I''m quite certain the Board of the Hard Coast Company knows much they haven''t told you. And it''s for good reason that you don''t know. This lack of knowledge has allowed you to come to us like this, we reading your thoughts and seeing no ulterior motive. Had you the whole story, you would have known how great the stakes are, and it may have impaired your negotiations. All you know now is that the Hard Coast Company, with or without the King of Feersland¡¯s approval, is willing to bid whatever is necessary. Do you know why the stakes are so high, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°Apparently I don''t, Your Majesty. I thought it was simply that you have the most beautiful, most pure amber in all the lands. That''s certainly the opinion of many.¡± I didn''t like this position at all. The studying I had done on the market, the strategies I had. I didn''t know where I stood now.

    ¡°You''re right on some counts, Mister Bascombe. You certainly have a grasp of the amber market. But you''re very wrong about the purity of our product.¡±

    Well, this was unexpected. What in the world did she mean? Had they been disguising impurities in order to boost the demand for their amber? ¡°Please explain, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Much of our amber is of exceptional purity, clarity, void of inclusions. But we do have a fairly large percentage of amber with substantial inclusions. What this is all about is the market for those inclusions. Do you know what an inclusion is, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. I''m not a dunce.¡±

    ¡°Your temper again, Mister Bascombe,¡± she said calmly.

    Deep breath, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Inclusions. It''s bits of debris found in some pieces of amber. Pieces of bark, or dirt, or insects. It''s the difference in a piece of amber being valuable or being better suited to make varnish. Correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister Bascombe, you''re quite the expert on the matter. The thing is, all of the drama here isn''t about bits of dirt. It is, however, about the insects.¡±

    So now we were talking about bugs rather than about a beautiful piece of ornamentation. I patiently waited to see where this was going.

    ¡°I''m certain, Mister Bascombe, that you know very little about magic?¡±

    Well, that was out of the blue! ¡°Not much to be certain, Your Majesty. I''ve tried to learn a cantrip or two, but I simply don''t have the gift.¡±

    ¡°Well, it''s enough that you know the fundamentals, that magic is possible because of the ability to extract Mana from the Weave. That it can be used for good or evil. That it can be extremely powerful and extremely dangerous.¡±

    She leaned forward with her firearms on the table. ¡°When this world was younger, Sir, Mana rippled through the sky like clouds. It permeated everything. It''s certainly not that rare even these days, but it was much more plentiful and powerful once upon a time. We don''t know why or how it''s been depleted to such a degree. It''s not just less though. The Mana around us today is of a weaker quality, much weaker. Perhaps for the best, yes? I mean, who wants more powerful Wizards running about?¡±

    She laughed lightly, sadly, and continued, ¡°Those inclusions in that amber, Mister Bascombe, they are from a time when Mana was exponentially more powerful than it is today. Those insects are infused with it. The Swalesians, and maybe others, have apparently perfected a method for extracting and distilling this Mana into a liquid form that can be used to create spells of unimaginable power. So you see where this is going, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    There came a knock on the door at that moment and Greer stepped in, ¡°Your Majesty, the Gnoll Queen arrives momentarily. You said you wanted to be there to greet her.¡±

    ¡°Dammit!¡± It''s rare to hear a royal curse, and coming from someone so lovely, looking so fragile, I had to chuckle.

    ¡°It''s not funny, Mister Bascombe. You really do need to be brought up to speed. Greer, bring Mister Bascombe back around for afternoon tea, please. And Mister Bascombe, Count Pelisir, if you''ll excuse me, I need to tidy up for the Witch Queen.¡±

 Chapter 3: Cometh the Witch Queen

    It wasn''t long before the quiet of the early afternoon was broken by the peal of trumpets, drums, and finger cymbals as the great Imgril Sh¨¢r, the ¡°Silver Gate,¡± began to open for the royal procession of the Gnolls. I had to admire it. For a monarch to travel this far without an army for protection took some nerve.

    As it was, there was a fine host. Perhaps 100 Spotted Gnoll soldiers in purple tabards over chain mail, halberds gleaming in the brilliant sunlight of the beautiful summer morning. Behind these soldiers in the procession was what appeared to be what those in the military call a battlewagon ¡ª an extended carriage with metal plates all over it. Only slits to peer through as the world rolled by outside. I''m certain it was comfortably and richly appointed inside, but good heavens, what a monstrosity.

    I had gone down to the forest floor to watch the arrival, and I wasn''t disappointed.

    ¡°Quite the spectacle, eh?¡±

    I jumped hearing the voice so close behind me. It was Count Pelisir.

    I gave the Elf a slight bow and said, ¡°Yes, My Lord, they''ve certainly taken precautions.¡±

    ¡°You know, they used to eat us?¡±

    I turned to him quickly, ¡°You''re in my head again, My Lord!¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± he seemed startled, ¡°merely stating a fact. Was that what you were thinking as well?¡±

    I wasn''t sure I believed him. ¡°Not just then, My Lord, but I''ve mused about it being a negotiating strategy if they appear to be too much of a threat.¡±

    ¡°So you know, Mister Bascombe, I can only do that little mind trick once a day. It weakens me.¡±

    We were silent for a bit, taking in the sights as the Gnolls marched rhythmically with the drums and trumpets down the city''s main boulevard. They are impressive creatures to be sure. I am guessing that the royal guard is all female. It''s only the Spotted Gnolls, but with them, the females are larger, stronger, and more aggressive than the males. They''re all about seven feet tall, humanoid in form but with the heads and coats of hyenas. They are striking.

    As the soldiers passed us by and the battlewagon approached, trumpets sounded behind us as Queen May was being lowered on a very fancy version of one of their pulley platforms. My gods she had changed much in an hour or so. Now, in a beautiful silver silk gown with matching gloves and a crown that literally made me gasp. It was silver and tall, with amber stones placed all about it. And she looked absolutely lovely.

    The coordination couldn''t have been better as the battlewagon and platform each reached their destinations at the same time. Queen May stepped forward to what I guess was a marked spot for these occasions, and Count Pelisir left my side to go stand behind her and to the right. A guard unit of Gnolls rushed to the door of the battlewagon, standing in two rows of five with their halberds crossed in an arch as the door squeaked open on its hinges.

    There was much murmuring from the gathered crowd, and then gasps as the Witch Queen, Mag¡¯stula, began to descend a small flight of fold-out stairs to the stone paved path below.

    Incredible. Draped in purple silk and more gold jewelry than I''ve seen in my short life, with a beautifully elaborate crown of gold and amethysts, her paw touched down and she looked around, sniffing the air.

    Queen May waited patiently with a cordial smile on her lips, trying not to look as enthralled as I''m sure she was. As we all were. This wasn''t  something you saw every day in the North Wall District or in Nez Ambr¨ªl.

    As the Witch Queen continued sniffing, you could quite literally feel the power coming off of her, like a static energy. I had heard that she was a Witch of great strength, but to feel it is a different thing.

    And then, for the briefest of moments, she locked eyes with me, and a voice entered my head, ¡°Mister Bascombe, I look forward to getting to know you better,¡± and then it was gone.

    I looked over at Count Pelisir and he was glaring back at me, a look of concern on his face. I gave him a quick nod and waved off his concern. He knew what had just transpired. She may have done it to him too. He had his negotiator''s face on now though. She wouldn''t shake him that easily.

    As Mag¡¯stula approached her, Queen May was absolutely beaming, extending her hand to take the Witch Queen''s into hers. I think May intended to kiss the Gnoll¡¯s cheek or something. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward before thinking better of it. Mag¡¯stula was at least two feet taller, making May look and feel like a child. Then there was a moment of tension as they looked at one another rather too deeply, each showing a light strain on their countenances. I knew that meant that there was a little mental jousting happening. It was only a moment, and very subtle, but it was there.

    I was not prepared for all of these magical and psychic elements that were presenting themselves. And perhaps May and Pelisir were right, maybe I had been duped in order to keep me purposefully naive. I couldn''t take offense, could I? Still, it''s not a good feeling being lied to like that. Even if it''s a lie of omission rather than a direct one.

    The two queens made some brief small talk. I couldn''t make out what they were saying. Queen May''s back was to me and I had trouble getting a read on Mag''stula because of the shape of her muzzle. I was well-trained in the art of lip reading, but this was the first time I''d ever been this near to a Gnoll. My gods, what a fascinating beast she was!

    Without getting too graphic, in Spotted Gnoll society, I''ve already allowed that females are dominant in the species. It goes further than that. In Humans, men have a man''s bits, and a lady has a lady''s bits if you catch my meaning. For Spotted Gnolls, the lady''s bits are more similar to a man''s bits. You would need to learn more from a natural philosopher who has studied the creatures, but it''s a definite curiosity.

    After a few moments, Queen May swept her hand toward the Palace, indicating that Mag''stula should follow a group of attendants to her rooms. With a quick thunk, thunk, thunk, Mag''stula¡¯s ten guards double-timed to escort her, five to the fore and five behind.

    The small retinue May had with her followed her back to the Palace except for Count Pelisir who came over to me.

    ¡°Mister Bascombe, would you please accompany me for lunch? I''m headed to the Esti Pl¨¢d, I believe that''s the ¡°Warm Loaf¡± in the Common Tongue?¡±

    ¡°That sounds excellent, My Lord. I''m most famished!¡±

    He smiled genuinely back at me, ¡°It''s just across the boulevard and up over there,¡± he said, pointing at a large pulley platform that led up to a series of shops and houses wrapped about a massive redwood. Rope bridges and more pulley platforms joining it all together. I could already smell bread baking and a dozen other scents of unfamiliar herbs and spices. And of course, the warm, enveloping aroma of amber perfume which permeated everything in Nez Ambr¨ªl.

    As we walked toward the heady smell of bread in the oven, the Count put his arm on my shoulder and asked, ¡°Are you okay, my friend?¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I was momentarily confused. Then realized his meaning, ¡°You mean after the mind rape? Yes, My Lord. My head aches something awful. She was certainly in there.¡±

    He nodded and patted my shoulder, ¡°Yes, Mister Bascombe, she''s incredibly powerful. She''s not called the Witch Queen as a scare tactic. They say she''s the most powerful in the land. And that leads to a whole other conversation.¡± He pulled a small parchment packet from his satchel and flashed it at me, ¡°First, let''s take care of that headache and get some food in you. We''ve much talking to do before we see the Queen again this afternoon.¡±

    We seated ourselves at a small table on what could best be described as something of a boardwalk. It was a wide avenue of wood that went from tree to tree with intermittent pulley platforms going up or down to either another wooden avenue or the forest floor. I was spellbound watching it all work and amazed that my fear of heights wasn''t crippling me. I think I''ve read that these Gray Elves give off a sort of calming scent. Perhaps that''s true, because I was perfectly at ease except for my throbbing headache. Once we had been seated, a young, female Gray Elf came to our table to see what we''d like.

    Normally I would have been a little offended, but as relaxed as I was, I didn''t care that Pelisir ordered for both of us.

    ¡°Yes, Sidra, how are you this beautiful day?¡± The Count was obviously a regular.

    ¡°I''m well, My Lord. Just been watching the magnificent procession of Gnolls! How wonderfully exotic they are! What can I get for you, um, My Lords?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I''m not a Lord, My Lady,¡± I protested.

    ¡°Oh hush, Lord Bascombe, of course you are!¡± Pelisir was chuckling at his own humor and the harmlessness of the ruse. ¡°Alright, Sidra, we shall have two cups of the barley and leek soup, four penny cakes with herb butter, and two of the coldest mugs of pear cider you can conjure, all while remaining as beautiful as you always are, and pretending not to be my niece.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Unc ¡­ sorry, My Lord Pelisir. I''ll be right back with your ciders.¡±  She curtsied and went into the small cafe.

    Pelisir smiled at me, ¡°My eldest brother married a commoner and was cut off from the family. Sidra is their daughter. I''m not supposed to be coming here, much less being cordial with her, but I make sure they want for nothing. Anyway, Sidra is a most charming girl and none of it was her decision. Now, let''s fix that headache.¡±

    When Sidra reappeared with the mugs, they were so cold that they were covered in condensation, forming pools on the bare wood of the table. Before I could take a sip, Pelisir dumped the contents of the parchment packet into my drink. It was a light green powder that dissolved into the cider immediately with the slightest wisp of smoke.

    Evr¨ªm Qualt¨ªr is the Elvish word for it, ¡°Dream Herb¡± in the Common. Colloquially it''s known as Goblin''s Nog, he laughed. It''s a mild sedative with analgesic properties.¡±

    Hesitantly, I took a quaff. The flavor was amazing, the drink as cold as snow. Perfect for a warm summer¡¯s day, and I immediately felt the effect of the drug. My body relaxed, it felt like the pain literally floated out of my head and left a soft and fluffy empty space. Sounding like a child having their first ever taste of ale, I embarrassedly said, ¡°Ooh, tingly!¡±

    ¡°Never been out with the grown-ups, Mister Bascombe?¡± Pelisir asked. And we both had a good laugh at my expense.

    ¡°I''ve just never done anything like that, My Lord. I believe Goblin''s Nog is illegal in Wikehold.¡± And indeed it was.

    ¡°Well, Mister Bascombe, while you''re in Nez Ambr¨ªl, you''re obliged to do as we do so as not to make an affront, right? You wouldn''t want to hurt my feelings.¡±

    ¡°Yes, quite, My Lord. I would hate to offend your generosity.¡±

    ¡°Now, give it a moment, Mister Bascombe. Enjoy the feeling, enjoy your food. I''ve much on which to catch you up in regards to this whole scenario. There are many moving parts.¡±

    With that, Count Pelisir eagerly went about devouring his soup and rolls, ordering another and then a third pear cider. Initially, my mind was swimming from the Goblin''s Nog, but it slowly wore off. The pain was gone and I could finally think clearly once I''d done with my last roll. The food was fabulous.

    Finally, the Count spoke. ¡°First, the Gnolls. Unbeknownst to Mag''stula, theirs isn''t the only delegation of Gnolls to be arriving today. In fact, another should be here shortly though with much less fanfare. That would be the Aardgnolls. They come in secret to join the bidding process.¡±

    I''d only read a few lines regarding the Aardgnolls. They were a much more rare subspecies of Gnoll who lived in the plains, 100 miles to the west of the Spotted Gnoll city of Yis-Gl¨¢z, land contested by the Hask as well as the Sun Elves. I told Count Pelisir the extent of my Aardgnoll knowledge.

    ¡°Well, that''s all correct, Mister Bascombe. And their subspecies is certainly related to the Spotted Gnolls. They are much smaller though, smaller than Elves. Dwarf sized but thin. Golden pelts with russet colored stripes. Very distinct. Their capital is a city called Yagdiz, well out in the savannah to the west of Mag''stula and her people.¡±

    ¡°Yagdiz is small by any metric. No more than 5,000 souls in burrows they dig by hand, or paw, or however you wish to describe it. But their digging is what brings them today. Where they do their digging, out there in the plains, is a marvelous source of gold. They are fabulously wealthy. And Yagdiz is a center for the gold trade, long coveted by Mag''stula.¡±

    ¡°Like most, you''re probably wondering why Mag''stula hasn''t just taken it, and that''s a fair question. The Aardgnolls have a leader, a Sidraz, that''s their word for Father, named Mal¡¯friq, an exceptional warrior and well-loved by not only his people, but the populations of Brown and Striped Gnolls who make up a good percentage of the population of the species. Mag''stula has to be concerned that a move on the Aardgnolls would bring the other subspecies together against her. So she has to walk a fine line diplomatically. You may meet Mal''friq today, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I relish the opportunity to meet him, My Lord. I really know so little about the world beyond Feersland, it seems. The school books I had growing up could certainly use some broader perspective.¡± I was embarrassed to be so ignorant.

    ¡°That''s hardly your fault, Mister Bascombe,¡± he replied, ¡°Humans are given very little time in their lives to study as we do. And our libraries have over 9,000 years of the works of Elves trying to make sense of it all. I think the oldest surviving Human writings are perhaps 2,000 years old? Less, more, what does it matter? It''s not much to go on.¡±

    He was just trying to make me feel better, and I appreciated it, sincerely. But I have my pride, and looking like an undereducated primitive isn''t boosting that to any degree.

    ¡°You''re too kind, My Lord. Truly. I''ll take it on myself to try to learn more about these things before I''m sent on another trade mission.¡±

    He smiled at me like I was a child just trying to do my best, then got very serious. ¡°What you don''t seem to understand, Mister Bascombe, is your place in all this.¡±

    He was right on that point.

    ¡°When all of this is over, I invite you to stay for as long as you wish. As long as you live if it be your choice. You may have full access to our libraries and teachers and all the knowledge therewithin. But for now, put aside your pride. You need to understand that we want you to win this bidding process. The other options are far too dangerous. Those outcomes bad for this world in ways we don''t even want to contemplate.¡±

    ¡°I''m trying to wrap my head around it, My Lord.¡±

    He leaned in, ¡°Okay, here''s the whole thing in a neat packet for you. We don''t want the Swalesians to have it. They''ll use the magic to go about enslaving the rest of the world. They are an evil people with evil goals. We don''t want Mag''stula to have it. A Witch like her with that much power is unconscionable. And Mal¡¯friq and his people? We aren''t convinced that they can keep Mag''stula at bay for long. If it went to the Wood Elves, it would just destroy their culture and ours wouldn''t be very far behind.¡±

    ¡°Well, My Lord,¡± I was doing my best not to appear dense, but I couldn''t just pretend to understand his meaning. This was too important. ¡°With the fear of appearing to be dense, why this whole charade? Why not just give us the concession?¡±

    He sighed and sat back. ¡°It''s not that you appear dense, Mister Bascombe. There''s just too much for you to take in as quickly as is needed.¡±

    He called his niece over and ordered us two more ciders. I certainly didn''t need one. The ciders here are much more potent than those back home, and I was already running my brain at full capacity just to keep up.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he continued, ¡°So the Wood Elves are the easiest party to understand. Their threat to our way of life may not be so obvious to you but it makes enough sense that you can accept it. The Swalesians, we fear that if they think the process is rigged, they''ll go out of their way to eliminate me, Queen May, you, anyone they need to do away with to get what they want. We don''t desire getting our people involved in a war. So we have to maintain the appearance of fairness, and that includes in our dealings with the Gnolls.¡±

    I was beginning to feel a little better about myself as it all began to come clear. ¡°And what about my people, My Lord? Why do you trust us?¡±

    He smiled grimly and asked ¡°What instructions were you given on the bidding for the amber with inclusions, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°Well, none now that you mention it, My Lord. In fact, I was tasked with trying to make sure the included amber wasn''t part of the deal,¡± I replied honestly.

    ¡°And there you have it, Sir.¡±

    But I hesitated. ¡°Now that I know the full scope of all this, I need to go back through all of my paperwork to make sure our intentions are being honestly represented, My Lord. It hurts me to have to say it, but the Hard Coast Company isn''t exactly known for fair business practices.¡±

    He had a good laugh at that. ¡°No, Mister Bascombe, they are not!¡±

    Something seemed to pop into his head, ¡°I forgot to mention. The Aardgnolls are also known for their Assassins,¡± he laughed again, ¡°It will be an interesting week, yes?¡±

 Chapter 4: The King and the Killer

    Back in my quarters, I had time for a quick nap before Greer came around to fetch me. It felt like I had just laid down. I splashed some water on my face and fell in behind the old Elf as we slowly made our way to Queen May''s rooms. It was pleasant to not have Greer talking. I was getting the feeling he was starting to get used to me being around.

    When we arrived, neither the Queen nor Count Pelisir were there. Instead, a small, cloaked figure sat at the table eagerly gulping down a bowl of some thick looking stew and a mug of ale. It was a Gnoll, I could tell that much, and I was assuming it was an Aardgnoll based on what limited knowledge I had.

    In between mouthfuls, he, I was guessing, said, ¡°Ah, you must be Mister Bascombe! Have a seat, Sir!¡± Another mouthful, then ¡°My apologies, good Sir, I''m just coming off the road, all very hush hush, and haven''t had a scrap of food today. I''m Mal¡¯friq, by the way.¡±

    I bowed at the waist and said ¡°Your Majesty, my sincerest apologies! Had I ¡­¡±

    He cut me off quickly. ¡°Formalities are not required, Sir! Being the king of 10,000 or so subjects and living in a hole in the ground, I don''t feel I deserve much special treatment. Granted, it''s an extraordinarily nice hole and I am wealthy beyond your wildest imaginings, but it''s the principle of the thing. I''m merely a titular king.¡±

    I had to laugh at that. All of that. I liked this little fellow, king or not. He wasn''t five feet tall. Couldn''t have weighed more than eighty pounds. And to what he was saying, he certainly didn''t act like a king. Nor did he eat like one.

    ¡°Your Maj ¡­ sorry, how should I address you, Sir?¡±

    Mouth still full, he said ¡°How about Sir, or Mal''friq, yes, Mal''friq, and I shall call you Bascombe and we shall be fabulous friends, good Sir!¡±

    ¡°Very well, Mal''friq, where are the Queen and Count? I was assuming they''d be here.¡±

    ¡°Called away on some matter of state or other. I don''t know the specifics. I think you''re here to keep me company. We two adversaries in this bidding war.¡±

    I had completely forgotten why we were here. The amber. ¡°And what do you want with the amber, Mal''friq? Why are you here?¡±

    His eyes went wide, ¡°Why, to keep it out of the hands of Mag''stula, my friend! Why else?¡±

    ¡°Well, Sir, Mister Mal''friq, I wouldn''t be doing my due diligence if I took you at your word on that. Although a quick read makes me believe you''re being honest.¡±

    ¡°Another mind reader?¡±

    ¡°No sir, nothing magical, just studies of mannerisms and body language. I''ve not a magical bone in my body,¡± I said smiling, though it was a bit of a sore point. I had so wanted to be a Wizard as a child. Instead I''m an advocate and businessman like my father and his. No adventuring for the Bascombes.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Well good. I''ve quite enough of it with my Witches and Sorcerers back home. By the gods, they''re a needy sort.¡±

    He suddenly grew very serious and added, ¡°In all honesty, good Bascombe, if it weren''t for them, Mag''stula would have offed me years ago. They''re my front line against her magics. Just damned annoying people.¡±

    He looked at me square in the eye. ¡°And don''t misread the situation, Bascombe. You''ve read me well. The truth is though, I have magic-users in my court who covet that included amber as much as Mag''stula does. I have to be careful with them. They don''t know my suspicions, but a purge may be in order if my suspicions are accurate. I''m not keen on the idea of creating another Witch Queen.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mal''friq. Your candor is much appreciated. And refreshing, I might add.¡±

    He sat up stiff as a board and said ¡°I am a warrior, good Sir, a great one at that. I don''t have the time for all the lying and scheming and games of court. Come to me plainly and we''re fast friends, if not, at least respectful associates. I''ll treat you as you treat me, Mister Bascombe. Are we in agreement?¡±

    I smiled, ¡°Of course, Mal''friq! I would like nothing more,¡± and we shook hands, satisfied that we had achieved something that might be of great value in our futures.

    ¡°Now, I''m sure you''ve heard, Bascombe, of our talents with the Assassins and all that, eh?¡± He squinted at me waiting for an answer.

    ¡°Yes Sir, of course. The reputation precedes you. I''m glad to be friends, heh.¡±

    ¡°Well one of my missions here is also to be on the lookout for Assassins with the Swalesian delegation. Their reputation precedes them as well.¡±

    I was curious how he''d manage this on his own and asked ¡°When is the rest of your delegation due to arrive?¡±

    He laughed at that, and I didn''t see the humor.

    He spoke to no one in particular, ¡°Yun¡¯quin, show yourself.¡± And a shadow moved out from the wall not five feet away from me. I jumped and reached for my dagger as Mal''friq shouted, ¡°HOLD, GOOD SIR!¡±

    I sat back in my chair abruptly, realizing that this Yun''quin fellow was another Aardgnoll like Mal''friq. I guess he had been there the whole time.

    ¡°Rest easy Bascombe. Well not too easy, you must still try to be more aware. But you see the skill of our Assassins. I cannot attest to the skill of the Swalesians except to say that the score is one to nil in our favor, so far.¡±

    I didn''t catch his meaning. ¡°One to nil, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Bascombe. One of the Swalesians sent to kill you has been dispatched. He was waiting in your rooms for your return.¡±

    I was speechless and a chill ran down my spine. ¡°Yun''quin here will be guarding you from now on. Don''t worry. But they will try again, you can be certain.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Thank you both. My gods. Their delegation isn''t even here yet.¡± That might be the closest I''ve ever come to death and I didn''t know how to react.

    ¡°Don''t worry, Bascombe. We''ve gone over everything in your rooms and secured the window.¡± Mal''friq spoke reassuringly, ¡°I''ll have Queen May assign guards for you once I have a chance to speak with her. Until that time, Yun''quin will be watching you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you again, Sir. It''s been a true pleasure making your acquaintance. Sincerely. I do believe I should like to go to my rooms and have a nap before we sup this evening. I''m sure I''ll see you then, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Not quite yet, Mister Bascombe. No one knows I''m here except for a few trusted friends. That gives us leverage against the Swalesians and their kill crews.¡±

    ¡°Until our next meeting then, Sir. It''s been an honor.¡±

    I turned and went back to my rooms, looking under the bed like a frightened child before putting my head to pillow and dozing off. Despite the concern, I went to sleep as soon as my eyes shut.

 Chapter 5: Take Me to Church

    It couldn''t have been but a few moments later that a rap on my door came followed by Greer announcing, ¡°Sir, you are needed directly at the Royal Chapel. I''ll be right outside the door here, please let me know when you''re ready.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Greer,¡± I croaked. Was there no respect for a moment''s nap in this tree?

    I had to chuckle. Living as these people do in these great treehouses. Certainly there''s some magic at work. No one is so great at woodworking to do what these Elves have done without it. Yet, there are wonders in this world greater than this I imagine. I''ve been exposed to so very little.

    The Chapel he said? What could this be about? The Elves, by the by, primarily worship a being they call ¨¦lois, their All Father, I suppose something like our Woten or something. A being who takes many guises, god of farming, god of mixing bowls, god of war and peace at the same time, that sort of nonsense.

    You''ll forgive me, dear reader, if in fact anyone reads this, but I don''t truck with gods and demons and all that fanciful drivel. Maybe I should shut my mouth though as I find out daily here how little I do know.

    I couldn''t guess who wanted to see me. I was guessing it to be Count Pelisir.

    I got dressed quickly, splashing some water on my face, and followed Greer to a part of the Palace to which I hadn''t yet been. It was a much less trafficked branch off the main level, further up into the tree.

    ¡°Here we are, Sir. She''ll be with you shortly.¡±

    ¡°Who wi ¡­¡± Before I had asked the question, Greer had gone. I swear the Elf moved like a snail until he didn''t. He could fly like lightning if it was his wont.

    The Chapel was small. Surely not the only place of worship here. It was approximately fifteen feet square with some wooden pews in neat rows, cushions of a beautiful lavender paisley design for kneeling, and an altar featuring a wooden carving of the seven-pointed star associated with ¨¦lois. There were beautiful stained glass windows behind the altar giving me some sense of location. That side of the room faced East it seemed. It''s terribly easy to lose your sense of direction in a Palace built in graduating loops around a tree like this.

    There were no cushions on the pews, but I had a seat at the front, facing the altar. I felt I should say a prayer or something but, before I could formulate anything suitable, the doors behind me opened again and a woman appeared, one I hadn''t yet seen.

    She was a Gray Elf, taller than most of her kind and very thin. I couldn''t tell her age, but she gave off the sense that she was more than middle-aged. Like Greer, it was in her bearing. She wore a lavender robe with full sleeves and a high collar. Her hair was braided in an elaborate bun. She was completely unadorned except for a large silver ring on the middle finger of her left hand, covered in Elvish script and holding a huge amethyst.

    I stood as she came in and bowed deeply although I wasn''t sure yet of the etiquette involved here

    ¡°Thank you, Mister Bascombe, you may rise.¡± She spoke with a voice both louder and deeper than other Elves I had met, giving off an aura of great authority.

    ¡°I am Mother Felistia,¡± she said, extending her left hand. I went to take it in a left-handed handshake and she quickly interjected, ¡°No, Sir, you kiss the Ring. Have you not been prepared for this meeting?¡±

    I was suddenly very embarrassed. No I hadn''t been prepared at all. I hadn''t heard of this woman at all, much less what etiquette was required when meeting her.

    ¡°Many pardons, Your ¡­ uh, I''m very sorry Ma''am, I don''t know how to address you. I was not prepared.¡±

    I bowed again, red in the face and supremely annoyed that I was having this sprung on me unannounced.

    ¡°You shall address me as Your Grace, Mister Bascombe. And don''t blame anyone but me. You weren''t supposed to meet me just yet.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Grace, please forgive my lack of knowledge regarding all of the Elves who were certain to be on my itinerary.¡± I leaned forward and kissed the ring. It seemed far too large for her long, thin fingers, yet it fit perfectly somehow.

    ¡°It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Grace. I should have assumed that the Church of ¨¦lois would have a say in all of these arrangements. The oversight is mine.¡±

    ¡°That is to be certain, Mister Bascombe. I knew you were raw, that this is your first attempt at a negotiation of this level.¡±

    I reddened at the near insult.

    She laughed out loud. ¡°I also know of your temper, Sir. Be calm. I mean no slight. It''s simply the nature of these proceedings. The Hard Coast Company trusts you. That''s all that''s important here. Come and let''s sit. I simply wanted to get a read on you before things got any further along.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, Your Grace, that I''ve been thoroughly vetted. By Queen May, Count Pelisir, even the Witch Queen herself.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, Mag''stula! Isn''t she an amazing beast?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Indeed, Your Grace! She certainly let everyone know she was here. The power she exudes is likely to push the air out of a room.¡±

    ¡°And you''ve met Mal''friq as well, Sir?¡±

    I wasn''t sure how to answer this. Did she know he was here? Was she fishing for knowledge?

    Noting my hesitation, she said ¡°Oh stop, Mister Bascombe. You''re in well over your head insofar as all of the backroom games and subterfuge go, I assure you. We Elves have hundreds of years individually and thousands of years collectively on you there.¡± She smiled broadly.

    I was beginning to warm to this woman, as condescending as she could be. It certainly wasn''t unwarranted.

    ¡°Apologies again, Your Grace, you''re right. I am in well over my head here, and I''m made aware of it with each passing moment. I do pick up on things quickly though. I just ask that you be patient with me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will be, Mister Bascombe. This isn''t my first time dealing with a Human. My first husband was a Human, some 500 years ago. That was a mistake. We were so in love, and his life was such a bright candle to just flicker out so quickly the way it did. I wasn''t prepared for that.¡±

    She could see the emotion on my face.

    ¡°Oh that was so very long ago, Mister Bascombe, but your sentiments are appreciated. I was almost disowned over that whole episode. I''m May''s aunt you see? Queen May, I should say. Her father, King Hembrik, was my brother. That''s how I''m found at my current position. It''s all very nepotistic.¡±

    ¡°That doesn''t dilute my power though. Of all the Elves who worship ¨¦lois, Gray Elves, Wood Elves, High Elves, all of the various subspecies, I am the Supreme Voice of the God. And He does appear to me in dreams. I''m not here to proselytize to you though, Sir. In fact, ¨¦lois has been silent with me on anything to do with the amber, and I don''t understand it. It''s certainly a matter of great import for our world, not just for Elves.¡±

    ¡°I''m shocked, Your Grace. But, for me, that''s for the best. It means I can trust you implicitly. If you were a faker, you''d pretend to everyone that you knew everything about what ¨¦lois wanted regarding the amber.¡±

    ¡°Your point is valid, Sir. I was hoping you''d pick up on that. You see, you''re the only one here without motives that could lead to great troubles for everyone involved.¡±

    She looked into my eyes intently for what seemed like several minutes. I sat quietly allowing it as she had already gained my trust.

    ¡°Mister Bascombe, I''m going to tell you some very important things right now, and you need to take them to heart.¡±

    She seemed so incredibly sincere. Yet I must still be careful who I trust in all of this. It seems there are no innocent parties but me involved, and even I didn''t know the full intentions of the Hard Coast Company.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace, I sincerely appreciate your confidence in me. I hope it''s well-placed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is, Sir. Okay, listen and remember. You may trust me. You sense that. You may also trust Queen May and Count Pelisir.¡±

    I nodded as she spoke, taking it all in deeply. If I was wrong about her though ¡­

    ¡°You can trust Mal''friq to a degree, though I''m concerned he might use the power of the amber to take out Mag''stula and himself become a despot. Power can corrupt like that, Mister Bascombe.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. I have read much about situations where it happened to royalty and leaders of every stripe.¡±

    ¡°You''ve read many fictions, Mister Bascombe. Please don''t rely on fictions to guide you here.¡± She laughed at herself and I got red again.

    ¡°Stop it Mister Bascombe, I''m sorry. It''s just you Humans study much more that isn''t real than that that is. And with so little time in this world. Not your fault, Sir. It''s a fault of your species for which you can''t be held to account.¡±

    She patted my knee as she said this last bit, catching me off guard. The familiarity wasn''t expected, and the almost motherly gesture made it seem that she knew me much better than she let on.

    ¡°I''m sure you know not to trust Mag''stula or the Swalesians? You''re much smarter than that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. That goes without saying. Either of them having the amber concession is unconscionable.¡±

    She patted my knee again and said ¡°Good, good. Yes, quite. And there''s one more party of whom you must be particularly aware, a Gray Elf with considerable power here. The gentleman''s name is Margrin Ephisiery¨®n. He is an amber merchant and broker who has been in the business going on 300 years and who has amassed considerable wealth in the process. He deals mainly with the amber coming through the Wood Elves at Iln¨ªst for now. Having a greater hand in the trade here would make him far too powerful, and in all honesty, it would not be surprising if he weren''t already doing business with the Gnolls or the Swalesians.¡±

    Margrin Ephisiery¨®n I had heard of. He came through Wikehold on occasion with the merchant caravans from the East. He didn''t have a pleasant reputation. In fact, he was rumored to have a hand in organized crime syndicates up and down the Hard Coast.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace, I know the name fairly well. If rumor is fact, I hope not to cross paths with him at all.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow and said ¡°Oh, but you shall Good Sir. Don''t you doubt it. If not him directly, one of his agents. But, Mister Bascombe, don''t fear, please. If he hints at any violence or force, you are being carefully watched, as is your family back home.¡±

    That last part left me feeling more scared than even talk of Swalesian Assassins. Even though an attempt had already been made on my life, I was familiar with the syndicate and what they could do from entanglements they had with the Hard Coast Company. It made me feel better that my father wasn''t part of all of that. But there were times when we had guards outside the doors of our quiet little mansion on Almsbury Court, much to the consternation of our neighbors. I know he and the Hard Coast Company had run afoul of the syndicate a time or two.

    ¡°Very well, Mister Bascombe,¡± she said, patting my knee again and standing, ¡°let''s keep this meeting to ourselves for now, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace of course, and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to meet you in advance.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you''ll be tired of me before it''s all said and done, Mister Bascombe! Greer!¡± she shouted and the valet appeared immediately.

    ¡°Take Mister Bascombe back to his rooms and make sure he''s able to get at least an hour¡¯s sleep. He looks like death. Good day Mister Bascombe. Oh, and you can trust Greer, Mister Bascombe. He''s a good one.¡±

    ¡°Good day, Your Grace.¡± As I left, she stayed in the Chapel, turning to the altar and kneeling at a cushion there obviously reserved for a priest.

    It was just now four bells or so, and I had a chance at getting a decent nap in before I was called to sup. If I could sleep that is. My brain was sorting through all of the new information I had received. My concerns regarding my safety were resting heavy on me.

 Chapter 6: Hes a Good One

    As we walked back to my rooms, Greer spoke over his shoulder, ¡°If I may, Mister Bascombe, the reason you''re feeling so tired is the, um, the Goblin''s Nog, Sir. Humans don''t handle it quite so well as we Elves do.¡±

    That made sense. I was fine before taking the dose. ¡°It''s just that Mag''stula was ¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir, I''m aware of her invasive tactics. She isn''t as gentle as Count Pelisir. And, before you ask Sir, yes I do know everything that''s going on. I''ve been with this family for over 800 years. I''d be a poor servant if I knew less.¡±

    ¡°I see, Mister Greer, well that certainly makes sense. Allow me to apologize then for speaking down to you. Had I know¡­¡±

    ¡°Quite alright, Mister Bascombe. I am a servant after all. Just be aware that I''m one of the ones looking after you. All is not what it seems with me,¡± he laughed, ¡°I''m more than capable of defending you as well as any Assassin from Yagdiz.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    I laughed as well. ¡°Mister Greer, one thing I''ll be grateful for is when my presuppositions once again mean something. I thought I had a good head on my shoulders when I came here and now I don''t know if any of my knowledge is worth a damned thing.¡±

    ¡°Well, Sir, I can tell you for certain, when it comes to your experiences in Nez Ambr¨ªl, follow your eyes and your heart before you rely on your mind. If you have any questions, please come to me. And I mean come to me first before you bother Queen May. She has much on her plate these days.¡±

    ¡°You''ve got a deal, Mister Greer. After a nap, I may have some for you.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it, Mister Bascombe. Oh, and no need to check your underbeds, you''ve had no new visitors. Not since the last one at least.¡±

    He left me to my rooms and to my bed, and I fell into a sleep as deep as the Abyss.

 Chapter 7: The Prince Arrives

    I finally felt well rested the next time a knock came at my door. ¡°Come! If it''s unlocked!¡±

    I threw my robe about myself as I saw it was not Greer, rather, it was Count Pelisir. I blushed at my mistake. One should be fully dressed for a noble!

    ¡°It''s quite alright, Mister Bascombe. I gave Greer a quick break. You''re quite fine. I just came to get you because the Swalesians are about to make their grand entrance.¡±

    I suddenly realized that I should have been awake for this already. ¡°My apologies, My Lord, I should have been dressed to meet you down there.¡±

    ¡°Again, Mister Bascombe, it''s no worry. They are arriving much later than expected. I don''t think you''ll get to see their barges, but I''m sure their arrival here will be impressive enough.¡±

    The Swalesians relied on slave labor for their trips upriver. The aforementioned barges being hundred foot long galleys rowed by slaves to the beat of drums and whips. An absolutely disgusting display. They had been told that anything to do with their institution of slavery wasn''t welcome in Nez Ambr¨ªl, nor in the Taliswood at all. They had already ignored one condition of their participation, not counting the Assassin.

    ¡°It''s said they ran into some Hobgoblin trouble coming through the swamps down in the South. Had to take a circuitous route through the fens.¡±

    ¡°Look, Mister Bascombe, get yourself pulled together and meet me where you stood for the Gnolls¡¯ arrival. I''m eager to lay eyes on these horrid people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord, me as well. I''ve seen their ships in the harbor at Wikehold, in Sheerpoint Bay. Never met one though. Sorry, let me get dressed and I''ll meet with you shortly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister Bascombe, if you''ll hold a moment, I''ve brought some more appropriate clothes for your wardrobe. Until we meet again, Sir!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what ¡­¡± But he was gone and six junior valets came in my rooms with enough clothes for a month of formal events, filling my wardrobe and laying out an outfit, a gorgeous lavender linen tunic with a silver silk jacket, black breeches and gray hose, with black leather shoes of a softness so as to make slippers obsolete. The kit was made whole with the addition of a stunning silver pommeled rapier hung by fine silver chains from a broad black leather belt. Like Count Pelisir¡¯s this pommel featured a fantastical gemstone. Utterly too big to be a diamond, the cost would be obscene, but by the gods what an exceptional bit of fakery!

    I had to take a long look at myself in the mirror inside the door of my wardrobe. I cut a very fine figure if I do say so. The outfit matched my black hair and blue eyes well. That had to be a fake diamond.

    I was escorted to the viewing area by four of the Palace Guard, their purple tabards with the seven pointed star stitched in white on their chests. They carried glaives that looked too elaborate to be anything other than ceremonial, yet their gleaming chainmail told me that they were ready for any eventuality. Their helms were topped with spikes that caught every bit of light that came their way, bouncing it about the corridor as we approached the pulley platform.

    My stomach sank as I stepped onto the contraption. I could see through a gap how far up we were and I had to fight myself not to turn around, or worse, throw up.

    One of the guards detected my hesitation and said, ¡°Just look straight ahead, Sir. Be over before you know it.¡±

    Noting his rank, I answered, ¡°Thank you much, Lieutenant. That should do the trick. Are you permanently assigned to me?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes Sir, but I''m not supposed to be talking to you like this,¡± he whispered back.

    ¡°Ah, understood Lieutenant. My apologies and as you were. Thank you again, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± was his response. And his advice truly did help. I just focused on the little shops along the boardwalk across the way and we had settled down no sooner than I had thought about looking to the ground.

    I had seen Sidra at her cafe but she didn''t see me. I guess waving would have been awkward and perhaps someone would want to know how I knew her. I wouldn''t want to cause trouble for her or the Count.

    Count Pelisir was standing precisely where he said he would be. Greeting me warmly he said, ¡°Now see, Bascombe? You definitely can look the part with some proper clothing. I know you''re a bachelor, but you mustn''t always look it!¡± He laughed at himself as he always did. I was a little embarrassed at being called out as having not dressed myself.

    ¡°My Lord, the clothes are splendid. They must have cost a fortune!¡±

    ¡°Ah, that they did Bascombe, that they did. I warn you though, if you misplace the Star of Innial¨ªn, it will be your hide!¡±

    Seeing my confusion, he said ¡°The diamond Mister Bascombe, the ever loving diamond! Surely you noticed?¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    I was speechless. A diamond that large would be worth half a million in gold at the very least. ¡°My Lord, if you''re not jesting, and I hope you are, I can''t possi ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hush, Mister Bascombe. Now there''s an end to it. Rejecting gifts? Why a Goblin has better etiquette. You should be ashamed!¡± And he laughed heartily at his humor.

    ¡°What else have you accomplished today besides being in your cocoon? I know you were able to meet Mal''friq.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord, we got along swimmingly. Very interesting character, that one.¡± I hesitated for a moment, not knowing if I should mention Mother Felistia. I really didn''t want to hide anything from Count Pelisir, even as I told her I wouldn''t say anything.

    ¡°I had a meeting with Mother Felistia as well. Also a most wonderful person.¡±

    He looked into my eyes, almost angrily, ¡°Impossible, Sir! She''s in Iln¨ªst for the rest of this week! Wanted to be away from all the spying and assassinating and what not!¡±

    ¡°I assure you, My Lord, why would I make up such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Did anyone else see her Bascombe? Think!¡±

    ¡°Well, of course, My Lord, Greer took me to see her in the Chapel.¡±

    Turning to my guard, he barked. ¡°Get Greer, straightaway, and bring him here with utmost speed!¡± The lieutenant I had spoken with earlier double timed back to the pulley platform to fetch Greer.

    He looked thoughtful, ¡°Maybe she snuck back in for a chance to meet with you. I could be mistaken.¡± He bade me describe her and allowed that it was a perfect description, even down to her mannerisms, and that ring.

    The next few moments were really very tense as we awaited Greer¡¯s arrival. When he finally did appear, Count Pelisir held him by the shoulders and asked directly, ¡°Have you seen Mother Felistia, Greer?¡±

    Greer¡¯s response chilled me, ¡°Of course not, My Lord. She''s in Iln¨ªst. Are you feeling okay?¡±

    I interjected, ¡°Greer, who did you take me to see in the Chapel this afternoon?¡±

    My jaw dropped when he said, ¡°Why, it was the Queen, Sir, Queen May! What goes on here?¡±

    ¡°And Queen May was with me the whole afternoon,¡± said the Count,  ¡°discussing the Swalesian issue. You both have been played!¡±

    He was pacing the paving stones. ¡°Dammit! It was likely Mag''stula herself casting illusions. From now on, you go nowhere without me.¡±

    Giving Greer a blistering gaze, he said ¡°You''re slipping, Good Sir! You couldn''t detect the illusion? Nevermind, you obviously neglected to try. She tricked you with a child''s spell!¡±

    ¡°Now see here¡­¡± I felt I should defend Greer. He was but an old Elf after all, but Count Pelisir gave me a withering gaze and put his finger to my lips to quiet me. ¡°Remember your place, Mister Bascombe! You probably should know now that this has happened, that Greer here is using the same spell. We sent the real Greer on holiday to the High Elf city of Nez Clar? so that we could proceed with this ruse while you were here.¡±

    He was whispering through gritted teeth. ¡°The Elf before you is ?rdelon, our greatest Wizard! As powerful as Mag''stula, yet she has come in and gotten past him with a damned parlor trick!¡±

    Just then, the great Silver Gate began to open to trumpets blaring and drums beating thunderously.

    Count Pelisir''s gaze went back and forth between the two of us, Greer, or ?rdelon I should say, and me. ¡°We''ll discuss this later, ?rdelon! You''re dismissed!¡±

    Bringing his eyes back to me, he said ¡°I can''t fault you for this, Mister Bascombe. ?rdelon, on the other hand, will feel my displeasure I assure you! This is unconscionable! Okay,¡± he breathed deeply, in and out a few times, ¡°now let me get my pleasant face back on.¡±

    And just like that, he was affable and welcoming Count Pelisir once more. ¡°You too, Mister Bascombe!¡± he said as he reached into my beautiful jacket to tickle my ribs.

    I was caught completely off guard, giggling like a child as I protested. He quickly pulled his hand away. ¡°Now, you look the part again. We must present the Swalesian delegation with a face showing little concern. We''re quite happy they''re here!¡±

    The trumpets sounded behind us once again as they did that morning while Queen May was being lowered. Radiant as usual.

    I''m guessing there were 100 soldiers ahead and behind the carriage of  Prince Anoresti. All large Human males wearing lamellar armor with scarlet tabards showing a golden fist, their helmets like spiked metal caps tied up in scarlet turbans, the late afternoon sun reflecting off of the rows of poleaxes, all of it moving in perfect rhythm.

    Queen May had arrived at her mark as the Prince''s carriage pulled up to his mark. A young valet jumped down from the footboard to open the carriage door with utmost ceremony. The carriage¡¯s window coverings had thus far been drawn, allowing no one a sight of the Prince.

    As the door gently opened, a white stockinged leg capped with a bejewelled black slipper swung out onto the carriage''s steps. There were breeches of golden brocade, followed by an arm clothed the same, and finally, the Prince fully emerged.

    He wore no crown, his longish black hair rustling against itself in the light wind. His complexion was lightly swarthy, like amber perhaps, his eyes blue. He was neither tall nor short, light not heavy, perfectly average but a good looking man to be certain. He had a reputation for that. Possibly why he was the representative here today.

    Outpacing his personal guard, he walked briskly up to Queen May who tittered lightly at the sight of the soldiers rushing behind the man. He bowed deeply before her and she gave a minor curtsy in response. He leaned forward to whisper something in her ear, and I felt Count Pelisir bristle. He wasn''t behind her as he was this morning. It was just the monarch and the monarch-to-be standing on that paved path.

    Again, the tittering and Prince Anoresti smiled at his effect on the woman. As with the morning¡¯s reception, Queen May extended her arm toward the Royal Palace, inviting the Prince to his rooms.

    Count Pelisir spoke hotly, ¡°And now that that''s over! Come with me, Mister Bascombe. We need to take care of a few things before we sup.¡±

    We stepped quickly back to the pulley platform, and on to what I assumed were the Count¡¯s private rooms. I had the feeling I was in trouble and was being called to the headmaster''s office.

 Chapter 8: The Count and Me

    Count Pelisir''s rooms were lavishly appointed when compared to Queen May''s. The lobby was a sitting room with book- and scroll-lined walls that looked absolutely ancient. He indicated that I should seat myself in one of two wingback chairs of silver and lavender damask on either end of a counter level with a settle that matched the chairs.

    As I sat, Count Pelisir rang a tiny bell on a side table and a junior valet came scrambling. ¡°Hm, let''s see,¡± the Count said, ¡°It''s Timmins, yes?¡±

    The child absolutely beamed, ¡°Yes, My Lord! Just so!¡±

    ¡°Very well Timmins, have one of the others ready us a coffee service. A pot, two cups, sugar, cream, etcetera. I need you to run across the street to the Esti Pl¨¢d and grab me a sack of penny rolls and herb butter. There''s a gold piece in it if you do well, Timmins!¡±

    The boy quite literally looked as if his head would explode from joy as he tried to run in three different directions at once. Then he stopped. ¡°Um, My Lord, I haven''t any pennies to buy the rolls.¡±

    He looked horribly downcast until Count Pelisir gave him a small purse swollen with coins. ¡°No worries Timmins. Take this purse, pay for the rolls, keep a royal for yourself and give the rest to the waitress Sidra. You know the one I mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord, your nie ¡­¡± He caught himself quickly, ¡°I mean yes, My Lord, the pretty one!¡±

    Pelisir''s face grew grim for a moment. ¡°There''s talk about her, isn''t there Timmins? Be honest!¡±

    ¡°Y-y-yes, My Lordship!¡± The lad was starting to cry, ¡°but I didn''t start none of it. My Lord, you must believe me, Sir!¡±

    ¡°There, there Timmins! Don''t be in such a panic! I know it wasn''t you. But you''ll help me find the scoundrels spreading these rumors, won''t you?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, My Lord! I overheard Mister Greer and the old Wizard talking about it! I don''t think they meant to spread it and I shouldn''t have been eavesdropping, I''m sorry, My Lord, but they do speak rather loudly and it''s usually juicy stuff!¡±

    ¡°Why those gossiping old hens! I''ll fix that. Thank you Timmins, now off with you!¡±

    The boy sprinted out the door like a gazelle, and Count Pelisir took the seat opposite me, crossing his legs and folding his hands.

    ¡°Well, I guess that secret¡¯s out. If Greer and that fool Wizard know, then it''s common knowledge.¡±

    ¡°I admit to not knowing the entire situation, My Lord, but it''s usually the case that secret''s like these are best aired out. You obviously care a great deal for the girl; you shouldn''t have to hide it.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    He sighed and changed the subject. ¡°Prince Anoresti¡¯s entourage was something to see, hey?¡±

    ¡°It most certainly was, My Lord. And I didn''t feel any special powers coming from him, except for being good looking and dashing if any ladies still fall for that tired old routine.¡±

    ¡°Hah! Makes you jealous, does he, Mister Bascombe? Yes, me too. Thank the gods he won''t live for long! Oh er, apologies, Sir, I forgot your Humanity for a moment. Here''s to hoping you''ll live a long life!¡±

    He laughed, ¡°And nothing to toast it with. Where''s that coffee?¡±

    Just then two of the junior valets scurried in with the coffee service, asking if we needed anything further.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Count replied, ¡°one of you bring me the book entitled Tales from the Hard Coast from my personal library. It''s in burgundy leather and bound by a clasp.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± they chirped in unison.

    ¡°Are you going to teach me about the Hard Coast today My Lord? I have my failings, but that is a matter in which I''m well-versed .¡±

    ¡°Just be patient, Mister Bascombe. There are lessons you didn''t know you needed, I assure you.¡± Again chuckling under his breath. This time like the cat who''d cornered the mouse.

    Both boys came running back into the room, each with a hand on the book in question. ¡°Thank you boys both. Now leave us. And if I catch anyone eavesdropping around here, it''ll be the lash!¡±

    They couldn''t have moved any faster. Apparently spying was something of a pastime in Nez Ambr¨ªl. The two rascals certainly looked guilty enough.

    ¡°Now, Mister Bascombe, I have a gift for you. Please hand me your rapier.¡±

    I unhitched the thing from my belt and handed it over. He pressed the top of the pommel down and turned it slightly, the diamond popped right out.

    ¡°Aha!¡± I proclaimed, ¡°I knew you wouldn''t let me keep such a treasure!¡±

    He looked at me dryly, ¡°Don''t be simple, Mister Bascombe. This is but a chunk of quartz. Did you think I''d gift you the Star of Innial¨ªn? It''s a treasure of our people and worth half a million royals if it''s worth a copper! Egad, Sir, I''m not that soft in the head!¡±

    As I watched, he opened the clasp of the book and revealed an empty space inside, perfect for secreting away worthless chunks of quartz. I was fairly perturbed about the diamond thing.

    I watched as he pulled a replica of the quartz from the hidden compartment and snapped it into place in my rapier¡¯s pommel. Giving it a twist until it gave a satisfying click.

    ¡°There now, Mister Bascombe. You''re all ready for your next adventure.¡±

    ¡°Is that the true Star of Innial¨ªn, then?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Mister Bascombe, don''t be preposterous! For your needs right now, it''s better!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Count Pelisir? Half a million gold royals would take me far on the Hard Coast. That''s more than my father has, I believe.¡±

    As I was musing and spending my non-existent wealth, Timmins came back with the penny rolls and the Count and I set to on them and some good strong coffee.

 Chapter 9: An Eye for the Truth

    Count Pelisir''s rooms were lavishly appointed when compared to Queen May''s. The lobby was a sitting room with book- and scroll-lined walls that looked absolutely ancient. He indicated that I should seat myself in one of two wingback chairs of silver and lavender damask on either end of a counter level with a settle that matched the chairs.

    As I sat, Count Pelisir rang a tiny bell on a side table and a junior valet came scrambling. ¡°Hm, let''s see,¡± the Count said, ¡°It''s Timmins, yes?¡±

    The child absolutely beamed, ¡°Yes, My Lord! Just so!¡±

    ¡°Very well Timmins, have one of the others ready us a coffee service. A pot, two cups, sugar, cream, etcetera. I need you to run across the street to the Esti Pl¨¢d and grab me a sack of penny rolls and herb butter. There''s a gold piece in it if you do well, Timmins!¡±

    The boy quite literally looked as if his head would explode from joy as he tried to run in three different directions at once. Then he stopped. ¡°Um, My Lord, I haven''t any pennies to buy the rolls.¡±

    He looked horribly downcast until Count Pelisir gave him a small purse swollen with coins. ¡°No worries Timmins. Take this purse, pay for the rolls, keep a royal for yourself and give the rest to the waitress Sidra. You know the one I mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord, your nie ¡­¡± He caught himself quickly, ¡°I mean yes, My Lord, the pretty one!¡±

    Pelisir''s face grew grim for a moment. ¡°There''s talk about her, isn''t there Timmins? Be honest!¡±

    ¡°Y-y-yes, My Lordship!¡± The lad was starting to cry, ¡°but I didn''t start none of it. My Lord, you must believe me, Sir!¡±

    ¡°There, there Timmins! Don''t be in such a panic! I know it wasn''t you. But you''ll help me find the scoundrels spreading these rumors, won''t you?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, My Lord! I overheard Mister Greer and the old Wizard talking about it! I don''t think they meant to spread it and I shouldn''t have been eavesdropping, I''m sorry, My Lord, but they do speak rather loudly and it''s usually juicy stuff!¡±

    ¡°Why those gossiping old hens! I''ll fix that. Thank you Timmins, now off with you!¡±

    The boy sprinted out the door like a gazelle, and Count Pelisir took the seat opposite me, crossing his legs and folding his hands.

    ¡°Well, I guess that secret¡¯s out. If Greer and that fool Wizard know, then it''s common knowledge.¡±

    ¡°I admit to not knowing the entire situation, My Lord, but it''s usually the case that secret''s like these are best aired out. You obviously care a great deal for the girl; you shouldn''t have to hide it.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He sighed and changed the subject. ¡°Prince Anoresti¡¯s entourage was something to see, hey?¡±

    ¡°It most certainly was, My Lord. And I didn''t feel any special powers coming from him, except for being good looking and dashing if any ladies still fall for that tired old routine.¡±

    ¡°Hah! Makes you jealous, does he, Mister Bascombe? Yes, me too. Thank the gods he won''t live for long! Oh er, apologies, Sir, I forgot your Humanity for a moment. Here''s to hoping you''ll live a long life!¡±

    He laughed, ¡°And nothing to toast it with. Where''s that coffee?¡±

    Just then two of the junior valets scurried in with the coffee service, asking if we needed anything further.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Count replied, ¡°one of you bring me the book entitled Tales from the Hard Coast from my personal library. It''s in burgundy leather and bound by a clasp.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± they chirped in unison.

    ¡°Are you going to teach me about the Hard Coast today My Lord? I have my failings, but that is a matter in which I''m well-versed .¡±

    ¡°Just be patient, Mister Bascombe. There are lessons you didn''t know you needed, I assure you.¡± Again chuckling under his breath. This time like the cat who''d cornered the mouse.

    Both boys came running back into the room, each with a hand on the book in question. ¡°Thank you boys both. Now leave us. And if I catch anyone eavesdropping around here, it''ll be the lash!¡±

    They couldn''t have moved any faster. Apparently spying was something of a pastime in Nez Ambr¨ªl. The two rascals certainly looked guilty enough.

    ¡°Now, Mister Bascombe, I have a gift for you. Please hand me your rapier.¡±

    I unhitched the thing from my belt and handed it over. He pressed the top of the pommel down and turned it slightly, the diamond popped right out.

    ¡°Aha!¡± I proclaimed, ¡°I knew you wouldn''t let me keep such a treasure!¡±

    He looked at me dryly, ¡°Don''t be simple, Mister Bascombe. This is but a chunk of quartz. Did you think I''d gift you the Star of Innial¨ªn? It''s a treasure of our people and worth half a million royals if it''s worth a copper! Egad, Sir, I''m not that soft in the head!¡±

    As I watched, he opened the clasp of the book and revealed an empty space inside, perfect for secreting away worthless chunks of quartz. I was fairly perturbed about the diamond thing.

    I watched as he pulled a replica of the quartz from the hidden compartment and snapped it into place in my rapier¡¯s pommel. Giving it a twist until it gave a satisfying click.

    ¡°There now, Mister Bascombe. You''re all ready for your next adventure.¡±

    ¡°Is that the true Star of Innial¨ªn, then?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, Mister Bascombe, don''t be preposterous! For your needs right now, it''s better!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Count Pelisir? Half a million gold royals would take me far on the Hard Coast. That''s more than my father has, I believe.¡±

    As I was musing and spending my non-existent wealth, Timmins came back with the penny rolls and the Count and I set to on them and some good strong coffee.

 Chapter 10: A Feast and a Knave

    The fake Greer was waiting outside for me when I stepped from my rooms. It was pleasant to see that my four guards were still on duty. My guess was that their shift would be ending soon and another four would take their place. The corridors were dark now save for well-placed candles along the path.

    I could hear the Great Hall already. Wooden chairs squealing and scraping across the wooden floor. The hustle and bustle of the servants and the kitchen staff coordinating the service. Plenty of chatter and the occasional laughter.

    But this wasn''t an occasion for fun. Not really. This was a grand show, bringing all of the parties in this amber war together to thump chests or however that looked in the diplomatic arena. I was shown to my seat at the table against the far wall, the center of which was reserved for Queen May. Count Pelisir sat to her right and my seat was next to his. A terribly provocative move on their part, I thought. Seating me so close to the decision makers. I guess being a delegation of one has its privileges. The other guests had already arrived except for Prince Anoresti and Mag''stula. King Mestil, II of the Wood Elves was to Queen May¡¯s left.

    The Gnolls were at the table against the left wall of the room and the Swalesians to the right. I tried to pick out Margrin Ephisiery¨®n and was certain I had him. Longish hair for a Gray Elf, wearing clothes and jewelry that could buy a small kingdom.

    I asked Count Pelisir as we waited for the Queen''s arrival. ¡°Yes, indeed, that''s the Elf himself. Cuts a figure, does he not?¡±

    I had to agree, but the Elf also looked evil in a way I can''t explain. Like someone who abuses animals or picks on the weak for sport. Just something in the eyes, predatorial. He caught me looking at him and gave me a smile and a nod. I wasn''t entirely certain, but I had the sudden image of him being at our house in Almsbury Court when I was a child. But then I was sure. My father had entertained this horrible creature at some point, and it made me question my mission here even more. Was I as pure as all that, after all?

    Hiding my mouth with my hand to deter lip readers, I let Count Pelisir know of my memory.

    ¡°That wouldn''t be entirely unusual would it, Mister Bascombe? I mean both men are well off, primarily merchants. Though your father is known as a very effective advocate in criminal proceedings. Perhaps he had been sought out for that purpose?¡±

    That made good sense. My father did have a reputation for getting his hands dirty with his legendary criminal defense work. He didn''t even need the money; he just enjoyed the fight and the attention he garnered in the courtroom.

    Had I not known better, I would think Margrin Ephisiery¨®n couldn''t possibly remember me. But, like the rest of us, he''s certain to have done his due diligence before showing up here. He has a biography for every seat at these three tables.

    I should make a disclaimer. I did not do my due diligence, obviously. There was far too much that I didn''t know.

    One thing that has tugged at the back of my mind over the course of this long day was why the Gray Elves wanted to dispense of the amber concession in the first place. That was something I needed to bring directly to Queen May. It would have been her decision, at any rate. But why?

    Count Pelisir leaned over to me and said, ¡°You have so many questions, Mister Bascombe. And no, I''m not reading your thoughts. It''s on your face like newsprint.¡±

    ¡°I don''t mean to appear distracted or distant, My Lord. But you''re correct. I have many questions. Eventually I''d like to know how we plan on pulling this off.¡± And it was my turn to chuckle.

    ¡°We haven''t come that far just yet, Mister Bascombe. Rest assured the greatest minds in the kingdom are on it.¡±

    ¡°Meaning you and Queen May, My Lord?¡±

    ¡°Your senses grow keener by the hour, Sir.¡±  We both laughed out loud , drawing unimpressed glances from the Gnolls and Swalesians.

    Finally, a single trumpet indicated the arrival of the Queen and King Mestil. The assembly stood until they had been seated. Mag''stula and Prince Anoresti were still absent. It was horrible etiquette to come in after the Queen and they knew it. Just some sort of power play. I wondered if they were together.

    And just like that, the main doors opened and both stepped in to take their seats to much murmuring. Once they had been seated, Count Pelisir rose from his chair and waited for quiet before he spoke.

    ¡°It''s good to see all of our friends, old and new, gathered for this occasion. If anyone is unaware then I''ve done a poor job, but I am Count Pelisir, Chief Trade Advisor to the Queen. I welcome you all.¡±

    There was a brief round of applause as everyone congratulated themselves for being in attendance.

    ¡°We''re not here to talk about me, of course. We''re here to talk about amber. Particularly, about ¨¦liks, the most pure, most radiant, most expensive ¡­¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Numerous greedy chuckles here.

    ¡°It''s the most desired amber in this world, without question. In fact, it''s one of the most prized substances in this world. More so than the costliest spices from the South and East. By carat weight, it fetches more gold than rubies, sapphires, emeralds; only diamonds have kept even with ¨¦liks on the market.¡±

    Many murmurs of agreement.

    ¡°To this point, we''ve skirted the main issue, however, and it''s time we began to include it, pun intended, in our conversations regarding the ¨¦liks. We''re all keenly aware that the pure amber isn''t the biggest prize here, rather it''s the stones which carry inclusions, particularly the trapped bodies of ancient insects.¡±

    At this point, there was utter confusion. No one in attendance would have thought the matter would be addressed directly. Above all the conversation this had started, Count Pelisir tapped his water goblet with his table knife until quiet was restored.

    ¡°Yes, my friends, there''s no sense in dancing around the issue. We know what''s in the ¨¦licks and we know how it might be used. This ups the ante considerably. The included amber must be considered to be worth at least twice as much as the pure product.¡±

    There were numerous gasps at this announcement. Many in attendance were hoping to pay market value and take the haul of ancient Mana as well.

    At this point, Queen May stood, and a shocked Count Pelisir took his seat. Obviously this was unscripted.

    ¡°Quiet!¡± Queen May bellowed. Like a lion''s roar from a house cat. It got the attention of everyone gathered.

    ¡°The fact is my friends, that we have much deliberation ahead of us on this issue. It''s not a simple matter of who takes what to market. There are considerations of abuse of the power. War is a very real outcome, potentially. We Gray Elves would as soon be done with the whole mess. We don''t want the concession, and thus, why you''re here. But we''d be doing the world a disservice by being poor stewards of the amber while we still have options. We will not go down in history as the race that allowed genocide and despotism. Nay, not allowed, but facilitated it. Collectively, our conscience is better than that!¡±

    As she paused, the room was as quiet as a mausoleum. No one was quite sure what to make of all this honesty being thrown about. That wasn''t diplomacy. That was lunacy.

    Queen May resumed, ¡°In the end, no one party will leave here with the concession along with all of the included amber. All of the amber with inclusions, along with included amber from the Wood Elves stores, will be divided among the various parties here, including the Aardgnolls.¡±

    At this point, Mal''friq showed himself, coming to sit in the heretofore empty seat to my right. As he entered the room, Mag''stula¡¯s glare could burn holes through steel.

    ¡°I object!¡± she bellowed slamming her great paw down on the table, knocking over wine and candles. As servants rushed over to contain the mess, she said ¡°There was nothing in our invitation that suggested that the Aardgnolls would be represented! They have no power! No authority!¡±

    Queen May addressed Mag''stula calmly, ¡°They have gold, My Queen. And much of it. That''s the common denominator between all the representatives here ¡ª the desire and the ability to pay.¡±

    Mag''stula was having none of it. ¡°Him being here unannounced is an ambush! It endangers the trust we have in the process!¡± she shrieked.

    Queen May attempted to calm the Witch Queen, ¡°Your Majesty, Mal''friq, the Aardgnolls¡¯ lone representative , made a sufficient case that his safety was at risk if his presence was to be announced aforehand.¡±

    Before Mag''stula could fire off more objections, Queen May said in as calm a voice as she could manage given the situation, ¡°For now, good friends, let us enjoy one another''s company, have some wonderful Elven food and drink, enjoy some Goblin''s Nog if you wish but only in moderation!¡± She looked at me as she said this last bit.

    Mag''stula stood again and yelled over the din of servants bringing in the food. ¡°And, as usual, there will be no meat for those of us who are carnivores?¡±

    Queen May quickly responded, ¡°I think you''ll be surprised, My Queen! Our Wizards have been hard at work in an attempt to satisfy all appetites!¡±

    With this announcement, eight servants brought in two halves of a spit-roasted bull, placing a half on either end of the Gnolls¡¯ table. It was quite pleasant to see Mag''stula at a loss for words as her entourage began to feed with gusto.

    Count Pelisir leaned over to me and said, ¡°Our Wizards created all that meat using beans and magic, Mister Bascombe. Basically out of thin air. No animals were harmed at all.

    As impressed as I was, I found myself wishing I was at the Gnolls'' table. The smell was intoxicating. We did have an excellent lentil soup with garlic loaves, cheeses and fresh tomatoes, mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, and the wines were heavenly, but the meat. I sighed.

    I was having a wonderful time eating and chatting with the Count, Mal''friq, and Queen May, but I kept catching the same three glaring at me: Mag''stula, Margrin Ephisiery¨®n, and Prince Anoresti. They were not at all happy with my place at the table. My whole presence there would take some diplomacy to smooth over. I was the outlier.

    They all knew the incredible wealth and power of the Hard Coast Company. Perhaps I put too soft a face to that reputation.

    As the evening wrapped up, there was still some tension in the room, but a full stomach will quieten the loudest voice. I made my goodbyes and slipped out before I got trapped in conversation for which I wasn''t prepared. I hadn''t overindulged on the wine, but I was definitely feeling its effect.

    Before I could reach my rooms, I could hear the quick clopping of shoes on wood and quickened my pace. My guard was with me so I don''t know why I was so anxious.

    ¡°Mister Bascombe!¡± the cry came. And I turned to see to whom the voice belonged. It was Margrin Ephisiery¨®n. Of all the luck! I didn''t stop.

    ¡°Mister Ephisiery¨®n! Well met, Good Sir! I''m afraid you must forgive me. My stomach is at war with itself as I speak! Too much cheese, I believe!¡±

    I could hear his footsteps slow, ¡°Oh dear, Mister Bascombe! Have your guard bring you some water from the mineral springs anon! It does wonders. I shall accost you tomorrow Sir. We''ve much to discuss! Goodnight!¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, Mister Ephisiery¨®n. I look forward to it!¡±

    Finally back in my rooms, I disrobed and put my head directly to pillow, shutting out the world as I shut my eyes.

 Chapter 11: Rapiers at Dawn

    ?rdelon/Greer woke me with the sunrise the next morning. Back to the land of the living! I had been out like I was dead last night. No dreams ¡­ no, wait, there was a dream.

    It was Margrin Ephisiery¨®n with two very thuggish compatriots, chasing me, saying they just wanted to talk. It was brief, thankfully. I wouldn''t be able to elude him so well in my waking hours.

    ¡°Good morning, Mister Bascombe. I trust you slept well?¡±

    ¡°Is that you talking, ?rdelon? Or is it Greer''s doppelganger waking me?¡±

    ¡°Sir,¡± he whispered, ¡°if you please, the Queen insists we continue this ruse for the time being. Someone may be listening.¡±

    ¡° I see. Very well. I slept splendidly, Greer!¡± I said for the world to hear.

    ¡°You''ll be pleased to note, Mister Bascombe, that my fellow Wiz¡­ er, the Wizards here have created you a magnificent, non-vegetarian breakfast! How does that sound?¡±

    ¡°It sounds wonderful, Greer. Let''s see what they''ve come up with.¡±

    I pulled my robe about me and took a seat at my breakfast table. A cloche was there waiting along with a coffee service for one and a glass of what looked to be freshly squeezed apple juice.

    As I picked up my fork and knife, Greer uncovered the cloche and presented me with a splendid looking array of breakfast foods. Hot scones, a rasher of bacon, crispy fried potatoes, and a soft-boiled egg with a tiny pitcher of butter on the side. My mouth was watering as I spoke next.

    ¡°Sir! Tell your associates that they have surely outdone themselves. What a splendid looking plate!¡±

    I dove right in, eating as if I hadn''t eaten since I''d arrived. The effort put into making me feel comfortable was very much appreciated, and the food simply fantastic.

    ?rdelon had obviously played a large part in putting this together because he watched me eat every bite, bouncing up and down on his heels to see if everything was satisfactory. Then he started trying to get my attention, pointing to himself then at the food, letting me know it was his creation.

    ¡°Yes, yes, thank you sincerely, Greer, that will be all.¡± What an annoying Elf that one is.

    Before he left, he interrupted me trying to savor my breakfast once again, ¡°Mister Bascombe, when you''re ready, Sir, Count Pelisir has requested your presence in the gymnasium. I''ve brung an outfit for you to wear in the armchair over there.¡±

    ¡°By the gods, the Elf does love dressing me. I feel as if I''m a plaything, Greer!¡±

    ¡°There are much worse places to be than on Count Pelisir''s good side, Mister Bascombe. You should enjoy it. You can learn much from someone who has lived over 500 years as well!¡±

    ¡°You''re right, my friend, I just get irritated easily. I''ve been told I''m the world''s youngest curmudgeon by women who''ve left me for it. I have no idea why I''m here, Greer. The more I think about it, I''m supremely under-qualified and I don''t get along with people very well. Surely, that''s one of the more desired traits for a diplomat?¡±

    ¡°One would think so, Sir. But I''m not going to feed your self-pity. I have much better to do, no offense.¡±

    ¡°How am I not to take offen¡­¡± Cutting me off mid-sentence, the Wizard said, ¡°I''ll be waiting for you in the corridor, Mister Bascombe. I''ll escort you to the gymnasium. Please wear what I''ve brung.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I''ll play the doll once more. Let''s see what the Count has dressed me as today!¡±

    It was a simple outfit, white linen tunic, black hose, broad black belt, and black slippers. In the gymnasium. This was a fencing date. I clipped my rapier to the belt and stepped into the corridor to follow my valet/Wizard/spy to meet up with the Count.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    <hr>

    The gymnasium was rather large for the size of the Palace in general. Perhaps one hundred feet long by fifty feet wide. There were a number of fencing blades, rapiers, ¨¦p¨¦es, foils, sabres, all blunted and dull.

    I think the Count underestimated me this time. I''ve taken many hours of fencing lessons and typically have at least two bouts a week back home. I''m no elite swordsman, but I have won multiple matches in Wikehold and on the Hard Coast. I went to have a look at the practice blades in case I might need to use one.

    As I was browsing the inventory, a shout came from behind, ¡°En-garde, you knave!¡± As Count Pelisir came at me waving his rapier wildly. I got into my stance and replied, ¡°En-garde, you loathsome ne''er-do-well!¡±

    As I assumed he would, the Count went for the lunge immediately. I performed a fluid esquive, stepping to the side, letting his inertia carry him through and past me. The Count stepped into a forward recovery, planning to surprise me. On his next lunge, I employed a prise de fer, disarming him, and put my rapier¡¯s point to his neck.

    ¡°Ah! Well the man is full of surprises! That was quite good, Mister Bascombe. I sought to play with you and got played with instead.¡±

    ¡°I must be modest, My Lord. Two lunges? That''s amateur fencing, Sir. No disrespect intended.¡±

    ¡°No, you''re right, Mister Bascombe. You''re clearly my better here. Perhaps you can show me a few maneuvers?¡±

    ¡°Of course, My Lord, but let''s play with practice blades, shall we?¡±

    Just then, four men stepped into the gymnasium, four Humans. One of them was Prince Anoresti. The other three I recognized as officers from his Royal Guard. They were all dressed as were we.

    Count Pelisir leaned into me and whispered, ¡°They say he''s the best swordsman in the land. You should challenge him.¡±

    I laughed heartily at that, the Count clearly misreading my abilities.

    ¡°Is there something funny, gentlemen?¡± the Prince asked us.

    ¡°Ah, no, Your Royal Highness! My friend, the Count, was just suggesting that I challenge you, but he apparently knows very little about swordplay. Your reputation precedes you, Sir.¡±

    Good gods this man looked insufferably arrogant, and I certainly didn''t intend on running afoul of him and his rapier.

    ¡°But, Mister Bascombe, you laughed as if you had seen something funny when we entered this hall.¡±

    ¡°Again, Your Highness, I was merely laughing at the mistake my friend the Count was making in his assessment of my sword skills. Nothing more, Your Highness, I assure you.¡±

    ¡°You speak with a diplomat''s tongue, Sir. Whether I can trust you or not, I don''t know. Maybe we should have a little assault so that I might judge your skills for myself. It''s a shame to see the Count''s faith in you go unrewarded. Please, Mister Bascombe, humor me. I, too, love laughter and joy.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Your Highness, but no blood and we use the practice blades.¡±

    ¡°Count Pelisir, am I wrong in believing that the highest in rank picks the terms of engagement?¡± the Prince asked in his thick Swalesian accent. It''s unusual that these days Common is spoken almost universally as the first language. In Swalesia, it''s a distant second to their mother tongue. Their grasp of Common is typically rather limited.

    But the question was posed to Count Pelisir and there was only one correct answer. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the ranking individual chooses the terms. Sorry Bascombe.¡±

    ¡°Quite alright my friend. I''m the idiot who laughed, after all.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Mister Bascombe, the terms are standard rapiers and first blood.¡± Then it was his turn to let loose a hearty laugh. ¡°We do this honorably. As men. We are no longer children, Sir!¡±

    I unsheathed my blade and took the center of the piste as Prince Anoresti slowly sauntered over to his position. An elderly Elf with competency as a referee, observed the proceedings.

    ¡°En-garde!¡± he called. We both raised our blades. ¡°Pret!¡± I''m quite sure I was visibly trembling, but I took a few great breaths and calmed myself to what extent I could. ¡°Allez!¡±

    The match had begun and Prince Anoresti began beating my blade with his to distract me. I stomped my foot on the ground, which caught the Prince off-guard momentarily. He suddenly looked a little unsure.

    Ah! But there it was, that overabundance of confidence coming off the man like a stink. It blinded him. And then, you can''t be serious! A hop and a lunge, then my parry and riposte. I didn''t even move my feet. His rapier clattered to the straw mat upon which we stood and he looked at me in bewilderment. I flicked the top of my blade across his Adam''s Apple. Just enough to get a nice trickle of blood.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I believe that concludes today''s practice.¡±

    ¡°I want a rematch!¡± he said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Apologies, Your Highness, but you made the terms. First blood. We''ve had first blood. Thank you for the match.¡±

    The man was absolutely fuming, but the Code was the Code. ¡°I''ll have my satisfaction, Mister Bascombe! Of that you may be certain!¡±

    For some reason, that morning, I was forced into making a powerful enemy. I would see a lot of him in the coming days. Oh, and he had Assassins everywhere. Hopefully Mal''friq would handle his end of that bargain.

    Word went around Nez Ambr¨ªl like wildfire that day that Prince Anoresti had been bested with sword. And apparently he was so angry over the matter, that he killed one of his officers during some light sparring after we left. I feel that keenly, though the man be Swalesian, he didn''t deserve death.

 Chapter 12: Unwelcome Guests

    It wasn''t even yet eight bells. I was, well, I don''t know how to describe the feeling. My mind was racing thinking about that officer, if he had a family. He was a slaver. I had to keep telling myself that.

    I had put Prince Anoresti in his place. Made him look like a fool in front of his men. But it''s slightly hollow knowing that it was his arrogance and not my skill that was primarily the reason for that morning''s outcome. I won''t say I''m bad, but it''s a reach to imply that I should be called a swordsman of any stripe.

    And now the Prince wants me dead. He has the means to make that happen. I needed to speak to Mal''friq. ?rdelon. Someone with abilities beyond my limited martial skills.

    At just that moment, a knock came on the door. ¡°Come! I''m dressed!¡± It was the pretend Greer. I quickly put the gem to my eye and was shocked to see a different older man, one I hadn''t met yet. ?rdelon, I was assuming.

    ¡°Who gave you a gem, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°It was given to me by Count Pelisir, ?rdelon. I am to rely on it more and on my own senses less.¡±

    ¡°It''s a powerful stone, Sir. Be cautious with it. If any of the bad players here knew you had it, they would instantly become harder to detect. Mister Mal''friq already has his hands full. Paws? Are they paws or hands?¡±

    ¡°Please, if you will, ?rdelon, can you drop this glamour? Just show yourself to me as you are? I''ll draw the curtain in the window here¡­.¡±

    As I went to pull the curtain across the window, a plink sound and then the tinkling of glass caused me to reflexively drop to the floor.

    ¡°Stay down!¡± ?rdelon yelled at me from behind a chair.

    ¡°No, wait, the gem! That was a crossbow bolt. It will take a few seconds for them to reload!¡± I pulled the gem from the pommel of my rapier, placed it to my eye, and quickly stuck my head out the window. I saw the Assassin immediately and ducked back down just in time to miss another bolt as it whizzed over my head, sticking into the wooden wall across the room.

    ¡°?rdelon, have you any offensive spells readied for today?¡±

    ¡°I have several Mister Bascombe, why? Do you expect me to try my luck at the window too?¡±

    ¡°Don''t be a coward, Sir! I''ve seen her, the Assassin. She''s just across the way in that tall tree, in the limbs, about two thirds of the way up. She''s camouflaged to look like redwood bark.¡±

    ¡°Look, I''ll take the risk.¡± I tossed the gem to him. ¡°Put it up to your eye when I say so. I''m going to pop my head up to draw her fire, then when she''s reloading, look out the window through the gem and blast her back to Swalesia.¡±

    ¡°A swordsman like you can be cavalier about these things, Mister Bascombe! I''ve only killed goblinoids in my lifetime. Never a woman and never a Human. That''s a line I hadn''t thought I''d cross. Not today at least!¡±

    ¡°Just be ready please. This may be part of a larger attempt!¡±

    I crawled on hands and knees over to the broken glass on the sitting room floor. Took a few deep breaths, and popped my head up into the window, letting it sit there for slightly longer than I felt wise, and I could hear the twunk and zoooose of the crossbow being triggered, its bolt flying just over my head as it came through the window and almost hit the bolt already in the wall there.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Now! Blast her now, ?rdelon!¡± And he stood fully in the window and released six or seven bolts of bright, white light making quiet vwip, vwip, vwip sounds as they left his fingertips.

    I heard from across the way a painful grunt, then a few second¡¯s hesitation, then a thunk as the Assassin''s body hit the forest floor. There were screams and yells from the pedestrians below. Eyes scouring the trees for other enemies.

    ¡°Get down you fool!¡± I yelled at the Wizard who seemed to be guiltily admiring his handiwork. ¡°If you''re going to expose yourself, use the gem and see if it''s clear out there!¡±

    He did do that. Standing there for a solid minute, scanning the surroundings.

    ¡°It''s clear Mister Bascombe. I want to have those bolts there looked at.¡± He indicated those stuck in the wall.

    ¡°If they''re using poison, and it would be a surprise if they weren''t, we need to know what it is so we can ready an antitoxin.¡±

    ¡°Traditionally, they use toad venoms that are enough alike as to allow for a general antitoxin, but we''d be stupid to rely on tradition and supposition.¡±

    He allowed the glamour that was disguising him to go away then. Exposing the true ?rdelon. He looked like a child of course, at 500 plus years old. Probably 700, dressed in beautiful clothes of court. Definitely not a stereotypical Wizard.

    ¡°We need to go see someone about that Assassin. Will you come with me as yourself, ?rdelon?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Sir. I was growing tired of Greer anyway.¡±

    I stuck my head out the door, ¡°Lieut ¡­.¡± quickly ducking it back in.

    ¡°There are four bodies in the corridor, ?rdelon. The guards.¡±

    ¡°Gods! That means they''re not through here.¡±

    I put my finger to my lips, urging him to be quiet. Putting my ear to the door, I listened intently. What I heard on the other side, in the corridor, unnerved me profoundly. It was just the sound of two knives being scraped together, blade to blade, sharpening them, biding their time.

    There was no way of knowing how many were out there. Aside from the metal scraping metal, there was no other sound.

    ¡°Wait, ?rdelon, I have an idea! Give me the gem please!¡± He only hesitantly handed the thing over and I gave him a wicked glare.

    Holding the thing up to my eye, I could see through the wall and into the corridor. There was one Assassin kneeling in the middle of the passage, going over a spell scroll. Getting as close as I could, I could see that the spell would turn him into a gaseous form in order to breach our door.

    He was only rubbing the blades together absent-mindedly, but it looked like he was getting ready to read off the spell.

    Very quietly, I asked ?rdelon if he had a spell that could transport me to a point just behind the Assassin. ¡°Fifteen feet that way,¡± I whispered.

    Of course he did! ¡°Before he can read that spell, put me five feet behind the devil, now!¡±

    Everything went white momentarily. When it cleared, the Assassin''s back was right before me and I ran the villain through! My rapier piercing his heart so that I could still feel it beating through the grip as he expired. I pushed him off my blade with my foot and wiped it on his tunic.

    From down the winding corridor I could hear the clump, clump, clump of double-timing feet marching and knew help was finally on the way.

    The lieutenant I had spoken with earlier was there dead on the floor with his three comrades along with the corpse of a dead Swalesian Assassin here and another on the forest floor outside. All because of me. All in an attempt to keep me from ¡­ what? Why all the effort? Surely it wasn''t simply the duel. No, that Assassin had been outside already. There was something about my mission here that wasn''t adding up, and I needed to get to the bottom of it before more lives were needlessly lost.

 Chapter 13: Father Issues

    It wasn''t even yet eight bells. I was, well, I don''t know how to describe the feeling. My mind was racing thinking about that officer, if he had a family. He was a slaver. I had to keep telling myself that.

    I had put Prince Anoresti in his place. Made him look like a fool in front of his men. But it''s slightly hollow knowing that it was his arrogance and not my skill that was primarily the reason for that morning''s outcome. I won''t say I''m bad, but it''s a reach to imply that I should be called a swordsman of any stripe.

    And now the Prince wants me dead. He has the means to make that happen. I needed to speak to Mal''friq. ?rdelon. Someone with abilities beyond my limited martial skills.

    At just that moment, a knock came on the door. ¡°Come! I''m dressed!¡± It was the pretend Greer. I quickly put the gem to my eye and was shocked to see a different older man, one I hadn''t met yet. ?rdelon, I was assuming.

    ¡°Who gave you a gem, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°It was given to me by Count Pelisir, ?rdelon. I am to rely on it more and on my own senses less.¡±

    ¡°It''s a powerful stone, Sir. Be cautious with it. If any of the bad players here knew you had it, they would instantly become harder to detect. Mister Mal''friq already has his hands full. Paws? Are they paws or hands?¡±

    ¡°Please, if you will, ?rdelon, can you drop this glamour? Just show yourself to me as you are? I''ll draw the curtain in the window here¡­.¡±

    As I went to pull the curtain across the window, a plink sound and then the tinkling of glass caused me to reflexively drop to the floor.

    ¡°Stay down!¡± ?rdelon yelled at me from behind a chair.

    ¡°No, wait, the gem! That was a crossbow bolt. It will take a few seconds for them to reload!¡± I pulled the gem from the pommel of my rapier, placed it to my eye, and quickly stuck my head out the window. I saw the Assassin immediately and ducked back down just in time to miss another bolt as it whizzed over my head, sticking into the wooden wall across the room.

    ¡°?rdelon, have you any offensive spells readied for today?¡±

    ¡°I have several Mister Bascombe, why? Do you expect me to try my luck at the window too?¡±

    ¡°Don''t be a coward, Sir! I''ve seen her, the Assassin. She''s just across the way in that tall tree, in the limbs, about two thirds of the way up. She''s camouflaged to look like redwood bark.¡±

    ¡°Look, I''ll take the risk.¡± I tossed the gem to him. ¡°Put it up to your eye when I say so. I''m going to pop my head up to draw her fire, then when she''s reloading, look out the window through the gem and blast her back to Swalesia.¡±

    ¡°A swordsman like you can be cavalier about these things, Mister Bascombe! I''ve only killed goblinoids in my lifetime. Never a woman and never a Human. That''s a line I hadn''t thought I''d cross. Not today at least!¡±

    ¡°Just be ready please. This may be part of a larger attempt!¡±

    I crawled on hands and knees over to the broken glass on the sitting room floor. Took a few deep breaths, and popped my head up into the window, letting it sit there for slightly longer than I felt wise, and I could hear the twunk and zoooose of the crossbow being triggered, its bolt flying just over my head as it came through the window and almost hit the bolt already in the wall there.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Now! Blast her now, ?rdelon!¡± And he stood fully in the window and released six or seven bolts of bright, white light making quiet vwip, vwip, vwip sounds as they left his fingertips.

    I heard from across the way a painful grunt, then a few second¡¯s hesitation, then a thunk as the Assassin''s body hit the forest floor. There were screams and yells from the pedestrians below. Eyes scouring the trees for other enemies.

    ¡°Get down you fool!¡± I yelled at the Wizard who seemed to be guiltily admiring his handiwork. ¡°If you''re going to expose yourself, use the gem and see if it''s clear out there!¡±

    He did do that. Standing there for a solid minute, scanning the surroundings.

    ¡°It''s clear Mister Bascombe. I want to have those bolts there looked at.¡± He indicated those stuck in the wall.

    ¡°If they''re using poison, and it would be a surprise if they weren''t, we need to know what it is so we can ready an antitoxin.¡±

    ¡°Traditionally, they use toad venoms that are enough alike as to allow for a general antitoxin, but we''d be stupid to rely on tradition and supposition.¡±

    He allowed the glamour that was disguising him to go away then. Exposing the true ?rdelon. He looked like a child of course, at 500 plus years old. Probably 700, dressed in beautiful clothes of court. Definitely not a stereotypical Wizard.

    ¡°We need to go see someone about that Assassin. Will you come with me as yourself, ?rdelon?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Sir. I was growing tired of Greer anyway.¡±

    I stuck my head out the door, ¡°Lieut ¡­.¡± quickly ducking it back in.

    ¡°There are four bodies in the corridor, ?rdelon. The guards.¡±

    ¡°Gods! That means they''re not through here.¡±

    I put my finger to my lips, urging him to be quiet. Putting my ear to the door, I listened intently. What I heard on the other side, in the corridor, unnerved me profoundly. It was just the sound of two knives being scraped together, blade to blade, sharpening them, biding their time.

    There was no way of knowing how many were out there. Aside from the metal scraping metal, there was no other sound.

    ¡°Wait, ?rdelon, I have an idea! Give me the gem please!¡± He only hesitantly handed the thing over and I gave him a wicked glare.

    Holding the thing up to my eye, I could see through the wall and into the corridor. There was one Assassin kneeling in the middle of the passage, going over a spell scroll. Getting as close as I could, I could see that the spell would turn him into a gaseous form in order to breach our door.

    He was only rubbing the blades together absent-mindedly, but it looked like he was getting ready to read off the spell.

    Very quietly, I asked ?rdelon if he had a spell that could transport me to a point just behind the Assassin. ¡°Fifteen feet that way,¡± I whispered.

    Of course he did! ¡°Before he can read that spell, put me five feet behind the devil, now!¡±

    Everything went white momentarily. When it cleared, the Assassin''s back was right before me and I ran the villain through! My rapier piercing his heart so that I could still feel it beating through the grip as he expired. I pushed him off my blade with my foot and wiped it on his tunic.

    From down the winding corridor I could hear the clump, clump, clump of double-timing feet marching and knew help was finally on the way.

    The lieutenant I had spoken with earlier was there dead on the floor with his three comrades along with the corpse of a dead Swalesian Assassin here and another on the forest floor outside. All because of me. All in an attempt to keep me from ¡­ what? Why all the effort? Surely it wasn''t simply the duel. No, that Assassin had been outside already. There was something about my mission here that wasn''t adding up, and I needed to get to the bottom of it before more lives were needlessly lost.

 Chapter 14: An Accounting of Allies

    <figure></figure>

    ?rdelon himself escorted me to the Queen''s quarters. On arrival, she seemed excited to see me, there with King Mestil having coffee. Both were casually dressed.

    ¡°Ah, ?rdelon! Are we ?rdelon now?¡± she inquired, noting his lack of disguise.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It just seemed more appropriate today.¡±

    ¡°I respect that, My Mage. I''ve heard about your activities this morning. Not even brunch yet and you''ve both earned medals!¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, Your Majesty, that''s hardly necessary.¡± I begged. I didn''t want that sort of fuss when real soldiers were dead trying to defend me. I explained my position and she agreed.

    ¡°You''re a good man, Mister Bascombe. Most would just allow the glory to be draped across their shoulders without complaint. You haven''t had the opportunity to truly speak with King Mestil here,¡± as she said this I bowed deeply.

    ¡°No, Your Majesty. We merely exchanged pleasantries at the dinner last night.¡± Turning to him again, I said ¡°Again, Your Majesty, the honor is mine.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry you''ve been through so much this morning, Sir. I''m afraid you''re getting much more than you bargained for.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, Your Majesty, that''s something of an understatement,¡± I allowed. Addressing the Queen, I said ¡°Ma''am, Your Majesty, I know the good King Mestil will be part of this process, and I need to discuss a matter with you relevant to how I proceed. Might we speak in private?¡±

    Queen May and King Mestil exchanged a glance and smiled. She said ¡°No, that won''t be necessary, Mister Bascombe. He''s on our side. Unfortunately, he''ll be set to gain handsomely however this goes.¡±

    I was confused. ¡°I don''t understand, Your Majesty. You seemed so sincere about the impact of the outside elements coming into the Taliswood, er um, Imsk¨ªli, apologies.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mister Bascombe, that''s partly what we''re discussing right now. Having merchants come in on a lottery system in order to control that. It won''t be popular with them, but it''s a necessary measure.¡±

    ¡°We need to bring you in on another matter of importance. Both of you. I don''t know how well you know your geography, Mister Bascombe, but the fens to the south of us are neutral country. No one has dominion there except the Hobgoblins, and they aren''t even that invested. To the south of the fens is the mountain kingdom of Dh?rkil, Dwarves and their several kings. It''s a very loose confederation. South of the mountains is Swalesia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I am aware of the political boundaries in this part of the world.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Mister Bascombe. Well, the Dwarves are neutral, as I''m sure you know. They''re too concerned with their gold and stone to worry about external affairs. But one of their kings, Altar the Vain, has informed us that troops are amassing to their south. Swalesians. I don''t believe Prince Anoresti is here to bargain in good faith. I believe, as does Mestil, that they plan to invade if they don''t get their way. Maybe even if they do.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    King Mestil joined in, ¡°And no, it isn''t about your run in with him this morning, Mister Bascombe. They''ve been staging for at least two weeks. It''s not clear though if they mean to take us, or the Dwarves, or both.¡±

    ¡°How many troops, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°King Altar has told us that it looks like more than 200,000 at this point, with more coming daily. From there, and they''d have to skirt the fens, they''re a one week march at least. More likely ten days.¡±

    ¡°This is troubling news, Your Majesties. How many troops have you?¡±

    Mestil answered, ¡°50,000 Wood Elves, 50,000 Gray Elves, and 50,000 High Elves. It would be suicide to try to attack us here, in the forest, with those numbers.¡±

    ¡°And the Dwarves, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°They have something like 20,000 fighting ready. But we would throw in with them if they needed us.¡±

    I was busy doing mental math when I asked, ¡°What about the Gnolls, Your Majesty? Would they throw in with the Swalesians?¡±

    The Queen spoke, ¡°We''ve no way of knowing, Mister Bascombe. Historically, they''ve ¡®thrown in¡¯ with nobody. Not even other gnolls. But there''s always a first time, isn''t there?¡±

    ¡°Well, Ma''am, perhaps it''s a good time to bring my concerns to light regarding the Hard Coast Company. I''m not sure I''m here in good faith either. I think I may be a distraction from their real plan. But, that''s merely an intuition. I don''t have anything to go on yet. That''s what Mister ?rdelon and I have been discussing this morning, trying to better determine their motives if we can.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°That would be most welcome information, Sir. If there is duplicitousness in their presence here, then the whole thing should just be taken off the table. We''ll hold what''s ours. Let them attack.¡±

    Mestil spoke, ¡°Now, we don''t believe Feersland has an actual role in any of this, do we? It''s all the Hard Coast Company?¡±

    I answered, ¡°To the best of my knowledge, I believe this to be true Your Majesty. But the Hard Coast Company does have its own army, mercenaries 100,000 strong. And they have the ear of the king in Feersland, Cromar. He''s but a child and likely easily duped.¡±

    Queen May laughed and said, ¡°Oh, he''s much worse than that! He''s a teenaged Human boy! Throw a woman his way and you''ll have whatever you want!¡±

    Mestil brought gravity back to the discussion. ¡°We need to find out what the true lay of the land is. Who we can trust. What will the Gnolls do? There are too many questions at this point. For ¨¦lois¡¯ sake, we''re Elves, we shouldn''t be in this situation! No offense, Mister Bascombe, but we''ve had long enough that we should be better prepared for these eventualities.¡±

    ¡°If I may, Your Majesty,¡± I said, ¡°I feel you give your trust too freely.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister Bascombe, there is that, and ancient races should not be so naive. It just feels so empty to have to suspect everyone you deal with of having ulterior motives. It''s a sad state of affairs.¡±

    ¡°It''s a very Human state of affairs, Your Majesty, I''m afraid. It is definitely that. In my society, you''re a fool to trust anyone. Here I am today wondering if my own father isn''t a villain in this tale. You should be able to trust family, but with Humans you do so at your own risk.¡±

    ¡°Damned pit vipers.¡± he mused.

    ¡°There may be more honor among pit vipers, Your Majesty.¡± I put in. ¡°And if we may be excused, ?rdelon and I have much work to do this day.¡±

    ¡°Ah, very well,¡± said Queen May, ¡°but you''ll join us for supper this evening? Seven bells?¡±

    ¡°We''d be most honored, Your Majesty. Seven bells it is.¡±

    With that, we returned to my rooms to begin planning out a strategy. One that wouldn''t attract attention. When we arrived, Count Pelisir was there waiting.

 Chapter 15: Tea and Symphony

    ¡°¡°Well, the busy bees are back! Mister Bascombe, Mister ?rdelon, I''m glad to see you''re both safe!

    ¡°Quite so, My Lord, it''s been something of a morning.¡± I said wearily.

    ¡°I should say so. Can''t leave you alone for a moment, can I?¡±

    ¡°No offense intended Count, but I get in just as much trouble with you.¡± I retorted.

    ¡°You have me there, Sir. What are you two doing today?¡± He asked of no one in particular. He seemed preoccupied.

    I told him of what we had discussed with the Queen and King Mestil as well as about my concerns regarding the Hard Coast Company. That caught his attention.

    ¡°I see. And how strong are these intuitions, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°Strong enough for me to investigate my own father, My Lord. Something just doesn''t feel right.¡±

    He was thoughtful for a moment, ¡°You need to find someone here or bring someone here who is closer to your father. ?rdelon can transport someone if you can narrow it down. Surely you have that ability, ?rdelon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir, of course, My Lord. But that may not be necessary. There''s someone right under our noses who might be very helpful ¡­¡±

    It dawned on me immediately, ¡°Margrin Ephisiery¨®n! Of course! By the gods, he may be here working for my father as we speak.¡±

    Count Pelisir considered this, ¡°But this is a delicate matter, Mister Bascombe. If he is working for your father, then he doesn''t need to know what we know or even suspect.¡±

    ¡°Just last night, the man said he wanted to speak with me, but I avoided him. I was too drunk to talk, truth be told.¡±

    ?rdelon couldn''t contain himself, ¡°Far be it for me to ever suggest there might be a problem there!¡±

    I realized somewhat belatedly, that this was the Greer I had met on my first nights here. How confusing. ¡°Perhaps there''s something to what you say, Mister ?rdelon. My apologies for being so blind to my own faults.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it, Mister Bascombe. Just realize that you are to us and yourself so much better when your head is clear. Many lives are at stake.¡±

    ¡°Apologies to both of you, Gentlemen. You''ll both help me stay temperant while it''s needed?¡±

    The Count patted my shoulder reassuringly and said ¡°Have no doubts, Mister Bascombe. You have friends in this room, in this kingdom. We''ll not let you down.¡±

    ¡°Very well then,¡± I said, ¡°I need to connive a way to cross paths with Margrin Ephisiery¨®n without it seeming planned.¡±

    ?rdelon said, ¡°He has tea in the conservatory every day from noon to two bells. Just listens to the music. Very intently I might add. He appears to be quite the music enthusiast.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± I said, ¡°But I''m not, so I won''t try to engage him that way. What''s his tea?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that''s easy,¡± said the Count, ¡°it''s the Green Dragon Dung tea from the East. It''s outrageously expensive, but it''s all he drinks.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Right, growing up in a Hard Coast Company household, one thing I do know is my teas. The manure from a Green Dragon supposedly holds excess poison that they produce which has a pronounced stimulant effect. I''ve had it before and I didn''t sleep for two days.¡±

    ¡°Elves don''t sleep anyway, do they Mister Bascombe?¡± The Count had me there.

    ¡°No, My Lord. I forgot about that. Well, I need to stay sharp so none of that. I''ll come up with something as impressive. He should be in the conservatory now. You''ll excuse me, Gentlemen l, while I freshen up and take a tea with the Elf.¡±

    I knew eyes were upon me everywhere I went, but I felt blissfully alone walking around corridors until I could hear the sonorous call of a cello in its lower register. That''s what I was looking for. It wasn''t yet one bell so he should be here.

    I noticed Margrin Ephisiery¨®n immediately as I stepped into the room but pretended not to see him. Trust me, dear reader, it was not an enviable task. He was seated perhaps ten feet from the cellist, his arms and hands flailing about with the music as if he was conducting an orchestra.

    No one else was in the room save for a young valet and two thuggish looking Humans who were obviously with the one I was looking for. Perhaps I shouldn''t be so quick to judge; maybe they were music lovers as well.

    Margrin Ephisiery¨®n caught my eye and beckoned me over just as the two monstrous creatures had risen and were headed my way. He waved them off to remain seated and they immediately obeyed. So much for questioning my judgment.

    The Elf indicated that I was to take a chair opposite him at the table. ¡°Mister Bascombe! Finally! Will you join me for some tea?¡±

    ¡°Hah! Not what you''re having, Mister Ephisiery¨®n! I like my sleep too much!¡± He chuckled along with me at that.

    ¡°Please, call me Margrin, my last name rolls hard off of Human tongues. Your first name is strange too, so I''ll call you Bascombe and a smooth, easy to pronounce friendship we''ll have!¡±

    I''ll give the bastard this, he was charismatic beyond any definition of the word with which I''m familiar. It was like some form of innate magic, something he was born with. I took my seat and he asked me what I would have.

    ¡°I believe I''ll try their Purcha Berry; I prefer a good black tea. No cream or sugar, please.¡±

    He looked as if he might have underestimated me and was just catching himself. ¡°Aha! Kudos sir on an excellent selection. Comes from the family business, does it?¡±

    ¡°If I''m versed in anything it''s my tea, Margrin. And exchange rates.¡±

    ¡°Yes, quite so, Bascombe! Do you remember meeting me all those years ago? How long has it been, twenty years?¡±

    He cut right to the chase. Good. ¡°I was very young, Sir. I have no context for the meeting. But, yes, I remember your face. We didn''t have Elves about with any regularity.¡±

    ¡°You know, I''m the one who recommended your fencing master to your father. He was mine as well for a time.¡±

    ¡°Then I''m indebted, Margrin. His teachings came in very useful this morning on more than one occasion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Bascombe, I heard. Very impressive indeed. It''s been quite some time since Prince Anoresti lost a match and the man who beat him last died that night.¡±

    I''m sure I gulped visibly.

    ¡°Ah, but you have round the clock guards, Sir. No worries.¡±

    ¡°I''m short four guards this morning already, Margrin, thanks to the Prince''s Assassins.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, I''m terribly sorry about that Bascombe. Despite my reputation, I do try to make sure innocents aren''t harmed. I''m guessing you know my reputation at any rate?¡±

    ¡°Quite so, Sir. Quite so. I was nervous about meeting you. And you''re so charismatic, it''s hard to tell where I stand. You''ve a true talent.¡±

    ¡°Well, Sir, my reputation should mean nothing where you and I are concerned. Right now, as we speak, I am an Elf. There are those who think I would do anything for wealth and power. Generally they''d be right. When it comes to selling out my people, they''re very wrong.¡±

    He stared at me with cold, hard eyes. ¡°This isn''t the place for this conversation, Sir. We''ve much to discuss and I trust no one.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, ¡°Where should we go?¡±

    ¡°Oh, not quite yet, Good Sir. You haven''t had your tea yet and I''m not through enjoying my music! We''ll go back to your rooms at two bells if you be amenable.¡±

    ¡°An excellent suggestion, Margrin. I was looking forward to a good cup and the music is simply transcendent.¡±

    He closed his eyes and went back to his conducting duties. I wondered how the cellist had gotten along without them. I looked over to her and got a quick eye roll. That was either very brave or very stupid. Either way I laughed. She must not know who this crazy man was.

 Chapter 16: Trouble to the South

    When we got back to my rooms, aside from the guard of four, we were alone. To my surprise, Margrin pulled a Gem of Pure Sight from his jacket pocket and began scanning the room. I also noticed for the first time his ring. Not as large as my father''s and on his left pinky, but there was the ship with HCC stamped beneath it. I guess connections to organized crime will take you many places.

    ¡°Yes, Bascombe, you''re seeing all my cards on the table. I obviously can''t have anyone digging in my head. By ¨¦lois, the number of people they could lock up without a fight. It would take down the Syndicate!¡±

    He put the gem back in his pocket, ¡°You''re clear here.¡±

    He went over to the sitting room window, the broken pane already replaced, holes in the wall patched, ¡°Over there, there''s a Swalesian, but he''s not armed with any ranged weapons. He''d be a magnificent specimen if he could throw a dagger that far. Most likely just a spy. Nonetheless, I''ll draw the curtain. Maybe he hasn''t noted me being here yet.¡±

    He sat in the chair opposite me and looked impossibly relaxed given the situation. I tried to match the attitude, but I''m certain I was unsuccessful. I have a hard enough time looking relaxed when I''m sleeping.

    ¡°First, Bascombe, let me assure you that I know all of the things that you know. That will save us some time. I also know much you don''t. That''s why we''re here, to get you up to speed.¡±

    I stopped him. ¡°I don''t know if I can trust you with that mental barrier you wear, Margrin. I do understand the reasoning for it. But it could also be used to dupe me here and I''d be none the wiser.¡±

    ¡°I think I can remedy that, Bascombe. Give me a moment.¡±

    He went to the door and asked one of the guards to send for a priest of ¨¦lois. Saying it didn''t need to be someone of very high rank. ¡°This will solve that, Bascombe. In the meantime, let''s have some more tea. Will you have a valet bring some around?¡±

    I ordered the Green Dragon Dung tea for him and the Purcha Berry for myself along with some biscuits and we sat for a moment sussing each other up.

    The tea and the priest both came at the same time. I motioned for the priest to wait a moment while the tea was poured and the valet left.

    ¡°Okay, Margrin, what''s the trick?¡±

    He spoke to the priest, ¡°Sir, you know some spells, I''m sure. Don''t you have access to one that would make me tell the truth?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Sir,¡± the priest responded, ¡°For a donation of 10 royals to the Church of ¨¦lois, I''d be happy to cast it on either of you.¡±

    ¡°A bargain at twice the price! I''ll give you 20 to cast it on both of us.¡± Margrin was going for his purse.

    ¡°It doesn''t work like that, Sir. It covers an area. As long as you both are in the area, you''re compelled to tell the truth. But the 20 royals are most welcome!¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°What say you, Bascombe? No lies from either of us?¡±

    I wasn''t sure what I was getting myself into. I''d heard of this spell being used in court from time to time, but it was controversial. It could be resisted, but one could supposedly tell if a party was resisting. I didn''t see the harm in it. It was certainly worth 20 royals of someone else''s money.

    The young priest stood in the center of the room, made some motions with his hands, spoke some Elvish and then said it was done.

    How to test it? Margrin made that decision quickly, ¡°Did it feel good beating the Prince in that duel today, Bascombe?¡±

    He figured that I''m far too modest to make a big deal out of something like that, but I responded, ¡°Yes, it certainly did! The bastard had that and much more coming!¡± It was out of my mouth before I even knew it. Impressive.

    The priest said, ¡°It lasts for ten minutes, My Good Sirs. If you need more time, simply call me back. I''m Father Vastila.¡± And he left. So it was just Margrin and me and honesty for ten minutes. Best make the most of it.

    ¡°I''m not going to ask any questions yet, Margrin. You obviously have much to tell me before I even know what to ask.¡±

    ¡°You''re right, Bascombe. Stop me if you need clarification on any of it though. So many moving parts!¡±

    ¡°First, let''s start with your father. You know he still loves the law. That''s my connection to him. I''ve retained that firm for over thirty years now in case I get in trouble in Wikehold, or anywhere else along the Hard Case for that matter.¡±

    He grew grim. ¡°I don''t work for him, he works for me. Understood? His capacity with the Hard Coast Company doesn''t come into play in our arrangement. That being said, I don''t know how much he does or doesn''t know about the included amber. I think it''s his understanding that it''s to be sold at a discounted rate to make varnish and cheap jewelry.¡±

    ¡°Charles Maignard, on the other hand, I do work for, and others on the board of the Hard Coast Company. Maignard plays a very dangerous game. He merely wants to become the sole broker of the ¨¦licks, and he knows the value of the included stuff.¡±

    ¡°The man wishes to be the one Mag''stula and the Swalesians come to pay top gold for it. He''s sent you as his negotiator in this because of your naivety as you''ve suspected. That move on his part has already had an effect on May and Pelisir, thinking the Hard Coast Company is some benevolent player here.¡±

    ¡°What May and Pelisir are just finding out, is that the Gnolls and the Swalesians are planning to take the whole thing by force, ostensibly sharing the included amber and each party staying within a well-demarcated sphere of influence after it''s done. The Gnolls controlling the North of the Taliswood and Feersland and the Swalesians in the South of the Taliswood and controlling the High Elven city of Nez Clar?.¡±

    ¡°Charles Maignard feels secure behind his army of mercenaries, but they can be bought out from under him with ease by the Swalesians. Then there''s an attack force sitting inside Feersland already. The king there would capitulate. He''d have to.¡±

    I interrupted. ¡°Before you get too far, Sir, tell me, are your people worth more to you than gold and power? I need you to convince me that you''re one to trust.¡±

    ¡°Bascombe, first you must understand that the ¡®Syndicate,¡¯ of which I''m a member in very high standing to be certain, doesn''t deal with slavery, trafficking, dangerous drugs, there is a lot of gambling, there''s prostitution for sure, but we aren''t out there shaking down shop owners or buying out politicians. We''re not so nefarious. And that''s the prime driver of my poor reputation. I am no monster, Bascombe.¡±

    ¡°But, to your point, in this thing we''re discussing here, the amber concession and all that entails, I am on the side of the Elves. These other players in this gambit have no compunction with wiping out my whole species. There''s too much power in these woods for their tastes. Just to be abundantly clear, I would kill the Khan, the Prince, Mag''stula, Charles Maignard, all of them before I harmed a hair on the head of Queen May. These are my people, Sir. That means something to me. Now''s the time to get it out of me, there won''t be any lies for another five minutes. If then.¡±

    ¡°Hah! Very well, Margrin, tell me, you are completely enamoured with Queen May are you not?¡±

    ¡°Bastard! Unfair Bascombe! Well, there''s nothing for it. Yes, I''m quite in love with her. Have been for over 200 years. She needn''t know this, Bascombe.¡±

    ¡°No, Margrin. That won''t be necessary. Mestil seems to be quite taken with her as well!¡±

    ¡°A pox on that swine! He has a fianc¨¦e back in Iln¨ªst! He would break May¡¯s heart!¡±

    I didn''t realize the can of worms I would open here. He had it very bad for the Queen.

    ¡°Answer me this, Margrin, why are you coming to me before going to them?¡±

    ¡°They trust you, Bascombe. They don''t trust me. They despise me. If you back me up, we can get through to them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Sir,¡± I said, "you have my trust. Is there any chance the Elves come out victorious in this thing?¡±

    ¡°There''s every chance. We haven''t made it 9,000 years without the ability to handle these things. This one just happens to be a bit more extreme than the usual existential threat. We have resources no one has taken into consideration, trust me, Sir.¡±

 Chapter 17: Maps and Maps and Maps

    <figure></figure>

    Margrin and I went to the Queen''s chambers, picking up a valet along the way to announce us.

    ¡°Your Majesties,¡± the boy called out, ¡°Misters Bascombe and Ephisiery¨®n requesting your audience.¡±

    Queen May''s voice spoke, ¡°Yes, Telest, show them in.¡±

    It was still the Queen and Mestil with the addition of Count Pelisir. They were standing around the table looking at a map that hung and curled up over the edges. It was a rather detailed rendering of what I knew to be our continent.

    The Queen said, ¡°Mister Bascombe, it''s good to see you. Mister Ephisiery¨®n.¡± Her contempt for her fellow Elf was palpable.

    ¡°Gentlemen, King Mal''friq will be along shortly. We''ve been getting considerable updates over the past few hours. Mister Ephisiery¨®n, I''m not sure you should be here for our discussion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, Your Majesty, you''ll want to hear what he has to say, I assure you.¡±

    I explained to them all we had discussed, the truth spell, and the knowledge Margrin possessed regarding all of it.

    Speaking directly to the Queen, Margrin said, ¡°That is why I went to Mister Bascombe first, Your Majesty. To have an advocate you could trust so we didn''t spend too much time testing my veracity. My first allegiance is to my species. Of that, you may be assured. And we are in the midst of a crisis the likes of which our people haven''t seen, perhaps ever.¡±

    King Mestil spoke, ¡°So, you''re saying, Sir, that you believe the Gnolls will move on us?¡±

    ¡°Are moving, Your Majesty. They have taken the circuitous route through the North country to attack from that direction while the Swalesians come to our front door from the South. And, if it''s as I predict, the Swalesians will take the mercenaries of the Hard Coast Company and attack with them from the West.¡±

    ¡°What''s the estimate for their arrival?¡± asked Queen May.

    Margrin replied, ¡°Ten days would be a sound estimate, Your Majesty. We''re talking about moving nearly half a million troops. There''s a lot involved in a plan that large. Then they''ll wait until they get to the forest to start building siege machines. I would say that they should be ready to attack in twelve to fourteen days.¡±

    It was my turn to speak, ¡°The other day it was said that we have something like 150,000 troops at our disposal, correct?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± said King Mestil. But we''ve time to try to do better. Someone get that Wizard in here, ?rdelon.¡±

    A valet ran from the room to grab the Wizard. I was considering a proposition but was assuming it had already been mentioned. ¡°Your Majesties, I know a fortnight isn''t much time, but have you considered allowing ?rdelon and his Wizards a chance to work with the inclusions in the amber? Surely they''re of a caliber to match the Swalesians and Mag''stula?¡±

    ¡°And while we still have it we''d be fools not to use it! You''re right, Mister Bascombe.¡± said King Mestil. ¡°Where is that Wizard?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The valet came back promptly with ?rdelon who had obviously been awakened from a much needed nap. ¡°Yes, Your Majesties,¡± he croaked.

    ¡°By the gods, ?rdelon! Valet, bring him a washbasin so that he might make himself magically presentable if nothing better!¡± The valet rushed off.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± ?rdelon addressed the Queen, ¡°Many apologies! It''s been a rough morning.¡±

    ¡°I know it has been, ?rdelon,¡± she said consolingly, ¡°I''m sorry I snapped. It''s been a very tense morning for all of us.¡±

    ?rdelon was quickly brought up to speed just as Mal''friq returned. Pleasantries were made and coffee, tea, and luncheon items ordered.

    Count Pelisir was the next to speak. ¡°For those of you not so familiar,¡± assuming he meant me, ¡°there are thirteen subspecies of elf. We don''t have many family reunions or get-togethers, but they''re out there. Over the course of the next two weeks, it will be the job of the Wizards to get our envoys where they need to be to make contact with our kin and see what support we can drum up. The first and most important two are the Sand Elves and the Sun Elves. Both are in excellent position to harass and skirmish with the advancing Gnolls. It wouldn''t hurt to have the Aardgnolls involved there as well. Worst case scenario is that the Brown and Striped Gnolls stay neutral, but they may join with you King Mal''friq.¡±

    ¡°Please, understand, I mean no offense, but I''m not sure it''s in my best interest to go after Mag''stula,¡± said Mal''friq. ¡°Not at this juncture at any rate. I feel it would be better if we helped with the Swalesians for now. I''m not trying to incite a civil war. Mag''stula is certainly a pestilence, but she''s a mortal pestilence. She won''t be around forever.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, Mal''friq,¡± Queen May spoke to the Aardgnoll, ¡°you don''t know that. If she gets her hands on that included amber, she may yet become a powerful lich or other immortal.¡±

    Mal''friq was suddenly thoughtful though silent.

    ¡°Okay, that''s Sand and Sun Elves from behind and the Gnolls will be skirting the Cloud Elf and Snow Elf domains as they pass the Northern Mountains. The High Elves will be facing the mercenary army out of the West, hopefully with the assistance of the Moon Elves whose caravans ply those territories. There are several outlets from the Underworld around the continent. For now, let''s say the Deep Elves put in with the High and Moon Elves. As it stands, that''s our weakest front, but Nez Clar? is a well-defended city.¡±

    ¡°The Sea Elves can harass shipping and conduct enough coastal raids to cause grief for the Swalesians. The Fire Elves are in the volcanoes to the East of Swalesia and they can be problematic. The Wild Elves are too far away in the jungles to the South to be of any help, unfortunately. They''re fierce warriors. And lastly there are the Barrow Elves who will contribute to the defenses of those nearest to them.¡±

    ¡°I don''t think it''s much of a stretch to think the King in Feersland will come in behind the mercenaries and on our side once he has the opportunity to regain power.¡±

    ¡°Now in the meantime, it''s beholden on us to make sure our defenses are shored up. Trebuchets, catapults, ballistae, arrows, bowstrings, everything we''ll need. Bring in wheat and water for a siege. Get ranges set for bow and trebuchet. Two weeks is not a lot of time, but it can be adequate if used properly.¡±

    Queen May spoke, ¡°?rdelon, I know I told you not to do any work with the included amber. Now you''re not in trouble if you have been, okay? In fact, I''m about to encourage you to go head on with the stuff and see if you can concoct any of those good old turn the tide of battle spells with it, understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I''ve actually been doing a lot of work with it. We can extract and distill the super Mana cleanly now, and I''m actually set to try my first spell made using the stuff whenever you want a demonstration.¡±

    ¡°Why you disobedient liar! You''re lucky you''re needed right now! By ¨¦lois, you have fortune on your side, Wizard!¡±

    The Elf looked as if he was about to run away screaming, beet red and trembling. He looked horribly frail.

    ¡°Well, Wizard, what''s the spell do? Save your ass from punishment?¡± The Queen was visibly perturbed.

    The Wizard fought to find his voice and squeaked, ¡°No, Your Majesty, it controls the weather over a whole region for a day. No more droughts, forest fires, it can all be set daily over an area the size of Imsk¨ªli. I thought it might be handy to make the enemy''s stay as miserable as possible and prevent them from being able to burn us out.¡±

    The Queen was silent for a moment. ¡°That''s really very excellent work, ?rdelon. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± He looked terribly relieved.

    ¡°By the way,¡± the Queen said, ¡°Prince Anoresti and his entourage left about an hour ago. Unfortunately, they forgot some of their Assassins, but we''ll tidy that up.¡±

    Looking directly at me, the Queen asked, ¡°Will you stay with us and fight, Mister Bascombe?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± I was almost offended that she felt the need to ask.

    She got very serious. ¡°Very well, this afternoon, I''ll take you to my personal armorer and weaponsmith to make sure you''re as well-equipped as you can be.¡±

    ¡°You''ve an armorer, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Yes, quite, Mister Bascombe. I''m actually one of the most powerful warriors in the land if you didn''t know. We can do some sparring later and I''ll show you.¡±

    ¡°I would most sincerely enjoy that, Your Majesty. Thank you.¡± Surprise after surprise.

    She continued, ¡°And sincerest thanks to you Mister Ephisiery¨®n. I didn''t expect your patriotism. You''ve been most helpful.¡±

    Giving a full bow, he said ¡°The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty.¡±

    One more dismissive note to me, ¡°I''ll send someone around for you before supper to get you fitted for that armor, Mister Bascombe.¡±

    I bowed and Margrin and I went our separate ways. Me to sleep and him probably for more tea.

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