[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Maybe all they wanted was to take over Kasnar."His words were spoken from hope, not belief.And once the words left his lipshe knew even his hope was false."They did not take over Kasnar," said his father, with a heavy sigh."Theydestroyed it-utterly.Their aim is not to conquer, but to kill.""Then you know what we must do.Father.We must ignore the fools who say thatthese giants are our brothers! We must fortify our city and arm our people.Listen, Father." Drugar leaned near, lowering his voice, though the two werethe only ones present in the old dwarfs dwelling."I have contacted a humanweapons dealer.Elven railbows, boltarches! They will be ours!"The old dwarf looked at his son, a flame flickered deep in the eyes that hadbeen dark and lackluster."That is good!" Reaching across, he laid one gnarledhand on his son's strong one."You are quick thinking and daring, Drugar.Youwill make a good king." He shook his head, stroked the iron gray beard thatflowed almost to his knees."But I do not believe the weapons will come intime.""They had better," growled Drugar, "or someone will pay!" The dwarf rose tohis feet, began pacing the small, dark room built far below the moss surface,as far from the sun as the dwarves could get."I will call out the army-""No," said the old dwarf."Father, you are being stubborn-""And you are a khadak!" [21] The old dwarf raised a walking stick, gnarled andtwisted as his own limbs, and pointed it at his son."I said you would make agood king.And so you will.IF you will keep the fire under control! Theflame of your thoughts burns dear and rises high, but instead of keeping thefire banked, you let it flare up, blaze out of control!"Drugar's face darkened, his thick brows came together.The fire of which hisfather spoke burned within him, heated scorching words.Drugar fought histemper, the words seared his lips but He kept them inside.He loved andhonored his father, though he thought the old man was caving in beneath thisterrible blow.He forced himself to try to speak calmly."Father, the army-""-will turn on itself and fight each other!" the old dwarf said in a quietvoice, "is that what you want, Drugar?"The old dwarf drew himself up.His height was no longer impressive: the bowedback would not straighten, the legs could no longer support the body withoutassistance.But Drugar, towering over his father, saw the dignity in thetrembling stance, the wisdom in the dimming eyes, and felt himself a childagain."Half the army will refuse to bear arms against their 'brothers,' the giants.And what will you do, Drugar? Order them to go to war? And how will youenforce that order, son? Will you command the other half of the army to pickup arms against their brothers?"No!" cried the old king, slamming the walking stick against the floor.ThePage 69ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthatched walls quivered at his wrath."Never will there come a day when theOne Dwarf are divided! Never will come a day when the body sheds the blood ofitself!""Forgive me, Father.I did not think."The old king sighed, his body shriveled and collapsed in upon itself.Tottering, he grasped his son's hand.With Drugar's aid and that of thewalking stick, the old dwarf resumed his chair."Keep the flames in check son.Keep them in check.Or they will destroy all in their path, including you,Drugar.Including you.Now go, return to your meal.I am sorry I had tointerrupt it."Drugar left and returned to his house, but did not finish his meal.Back andforth, back and forth he stumped across his room.He tried hard to bank hisinner fire, but it was useless.The flames of fear for his people, oncekindled, would not readily die down.He could not and would not disobey hisfather.The man was not only his father but also his king.However, Drugardecided, he wouldn't let the fire die completely.When the enemy came, theywould find scorching flame, not cold, dark ash.The dwarven army was not mobilized.But Drugar privately (and without hisfather's knowledge) drew up battle plans and informed those dwarves whobelieved as he did to keep their weapons close to hand.He kept in closecontact with the dwarven scouts, followed through their reports the progressof the giants.Thwarted by the Whispering Sea, the giants turned to the est,traveling overland, moving relentlessly toward their goal-whatever goal thatwas.Drugar did not think it was to ally themselves with the dwarves.Dark rumorscame to Thurn of massacres of dwarves in the norinth settlements of Grish andKlag, but the giants were difficult to track and the reports of the scouts(those reports that came through) were garbled and made little sense."Father," pleaded Drugar, "you must let me call out the army now! How cananyone discount these messages!""Humans," said his father, sighing."The council has decided that it is thehuman refugees, fleeing the giants, who are committing these crimes! They saythat the giants will join us and then we will have our revenge!""I've interviewed the scouts personally.Father," said Drugar with risingimpatience.'Those who are left.Fewer and fewer come in every day.Those whodo are scared out of their wits!""Indeed?" said his father, eyeing his son shrewdly."And what do they tell youthey've seen?"Drugar hesitated, frustrated [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]