no doubt, after a long night on watch. "Inform
me of their business later in the day."
"I shall, Captain."
"I will be in my quarters."
"Let us move on, sirs," Uthrik said as he led
them away from the stairs. In the far corner of the chamber was a
hallway barely noticeable to the eye. No light graced the area, as
if secrecy was the most important consideration here. Uthrik ducked
quickly into the corridor and left the two travelers unaccompanied
once more. Seth led the dwarf into the darkness. Two torches at the
end of the way beckoned them ahead. Between the flames was a simple
door of blue wood, where Uthrik stood, impatiently awaiting his
guests.
"Does this lead to your king?" Seth asked.
Receiving no answer, he said, "I haven't the time to be delayed
much more, Sir Uthrik."
"Lower your voice at once," the elf said
sharply. Seth and Lorn stood before the door as Uthrik stared ahead
into the darkened surroundings. Seth placed a hand on the doorknob
and looked at the elf-knight one last time. They exchanged glances,
and Seth gently opened the door. "Good luck," Uthrik whispered as
he left the hallway.
Seth grew nervous as just enough of the door
was opened to allow him passage. His heart pounded in his chest,
and his breathing grew more rapid. There were times on this mission
when he wondered where he found the strength to carry on. He
preferred having everything planned to the last detail and this
mission in particular left far too much up to the vagaries of
chance and human nature.
He shuffled his boots as he stepped into the
well-lit room, but despite this, his and Lorn's entrance went
unnoticed by the three people sitting at the far end of a banquet
table occupying the small chamber. The table was bare save for
three silver goblets and a bowl of fruit. Seth gulped as he looked
at the two elves and a human locked in deep conversation. As Lorn
cleared the threshold, he softly closed the door. "More elves," the
dwarf muttered softly.
Seth affected a stern stance and marched
ahead, leaving Lorn, who hadn't the courage to approach, at the
door. Assessing the elves' status by their clothing, Seth studied
the one sitting to the far left, who wore an elaborate robe of pure
white. The robed elf's skin was fair, and his hair short and
silvery. Though the room was well crafted with cut stone, marble
flooring, and red curtains, it was not a throne room but merely one
of many meeting chambers. The elf turned his eyes to Seth, who
stopped his forward progress.
"Welcome," the elf said smoothly. His voice
was at once light and regal. "Please approach, my friend, and sit
beside me."
"Are you His Majesty, King Zelok?"
"Indeed I am," he replied. And pushing back
his sleeves, Zelok stretched out a hand, gesturing for Seth to
sit.
"I shall stand if it serves you well, Your
Majesty."
"As you wish, young sir."
"I have come this day bearing a letter from
Mudalfaen." Reaching into his pouch, Seth extracted the envelope
and handed the letter over. The elf-king inspected the Council's
gift, found the seals intact, and ripped it open. He unfolded the
paper and glanced carefully over the writing. Seth watched as the
elf sitting next to Zelok leaned in and spied the letter not meant
for him, though Zelok seemed neither to see nor feel the second set
of eyes on the parchment.
"Interesting, indeed," Zelok said as he
discarded the letter facedown on the table. None were now able to
read it.
"If I may be so bold, can Your Majesty tell
me anything of what the letter conveys?" Seth inquired. This was
the opportunity to have his questions answered, perhaps ending the
mystery of his secret mission.
"Oh, yes," Zelok said as his mind turned in
thought. "The Council rarely reveals its gracious will to its
messengers."
"Yes, my lord, and I shall never question
their bidding."
"Then you serve our masters well." Zelok took
up his goblet and sipped the red wine. "Do you have any idea at
all?"
"Not one single word. I pray it holds a
solution to the
me of their business later in the day."
"I shall, Captain."
"I will be in my quarters."
"Let us move on, sirs," Uthrik said as he led
them away from the stairs. In the far corner of the chamber was a
hallway barely noticeable to the eye. No light graced the area, as
if secrecy was the most important consideration here. Uthrik ducked
quickly into the corridor and left the two travelers unaccompanied
once more. Seth led the dwarf into the darkness. Two torches at the
end of the way beckoned them ahead. Between the flames was a simple
door of blue wood, where Uthrik stood, impatiently awaiting his
guests.
"Does this lead to your king?" Seth asked.
Receiving no answer, he said, "I haven't the time to be delayed
much more, Sir Uthrik."
"Lower your voice at once," the elf said
sharply. Seth and Lorn stood before the door as Uthrik stared ahead
into the darkened surroundings. Seth placed a hand on the doorknob
and looked at the elf-knight one last time. They exchanged glances,
and Seth gently opened the door. "Good luck," Uthrik whispered as
he left the hallway.
Seth grew nervous as just enough of the door
was opened to allow him passage. His heart pounded in his chest,
and his breathing grew more rapid. There were times on this mission
when he wondered where he found the strength to carry on. He
preferred having everything planned to the last detail and this
mission in particular left far too much up to the vagaries of
chance and human nature.
He shuffled his boots as he stepped into the
well-lit room, but despite this, his and Lorn's entrance went
unnoticed by the three people sitting at the far end of a banquet
table occupying the small chamber. The table was bare save for
three silver goblets and a bowl of fruit. Seth gulped as he looked
at the two elves and a human locked in deep conversation. As Lorn
cleared the threshold, he softly closed the door. "More elves," the
dwarf muttered softly.
Seth affected a stern stance and marched
ahead, leaving Lorn, who hadn't the courage to approach, at the
door. Assessing the elves' status by their clothing, Seth studied
the one sitting to the far left, who wore an elaborate robe of pure
white. The robed elf's skin was fair, and his hair short and
silvery. Though the room was well crafted with cut stone, marble
flooring, and red curtains, it was not a throne room but merely one
of many meeting chambers. The elf turned his eyes to Seth, who
stopped his forward progress.
"Welcome," the elf said smoothly. His voice
was at once light and regal. "Please approach, my friend, and sit
beside me."
"Are you His Majesty, King Zelok?"
"Indeed I am," he replied. And pushing back
his sleeves, Zelok stretched out a hand, gesturing for Seth to
sit.
"I shall stand if it serves you well, Your
Majesty."
"As you wish, young sir."
"I have come this day bearing a letter from
Mudalfaen." Reaching into his pouch, Seth extracted the envelope
and handed the letter over. The elf-king inspected the Council's
gift, found the seals intact, and ripped it open. He unfolded the
paper and glanced carefully over the writing. Seth watched as the
elf sitting next to Zelok leaned in and spied the letter not meant
for him, though Zelok seemed neither to see nor feel the second set
of eyes on the parchment.
"Interesting, indeed," Zelok said as he
discarded the letter facedown on the table. None were now able to
read it.
"If I may be so bold, can Your Majesty tell
me anything of what the letter conveys?" Seth inquired. This was
the opportunity to have his questions answered, perhaps ending the
mystery of his secret mission.
"Oh, yes," Zelok said as his mind turned in
thought. "The Council rarely reveals its gracious will to its
messengers."
"Yes, my lord, and I shall never question
their bidding."
"Then you serve our masters well." Zelok took
up his goblet and sipped the red wine. "Do you have any idea at
all?"
"Not one single word. I pray it holds a
solution to the
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