Chapter 47– Troubling News
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“Yes, that’s right. Your name is Romaric. You were at Thorold with Beraut, Kieren and another young elf. How could I have forgotten that? You, Kieren and your other friend were like three peas from the same pod. Please, Romaric, tell me what happened to you after you left Thorold. How did you come to be in the mountains, get captured by that group and what happened to the others?” Romaric looked down at the ground and tears began to flow from the corners of his eyes. He didn’t respond right away, but eventually he spoke.
“I betrayed Kieren,” he choked out. “He trusted me and I let him down. He’s probably dead now, because I wasn’t strong enough to resist. I told them what I knew. I sacrificed my friends to save myself.”
“I don’t understand,” Elgin told him. “What did you do to betray Kieren?” There was no response from Romaric, but he slumped to the ground, as if he had given up the will to live.
“Please, Romaric, this is important,” the commander told him, while lifting him back to his feet. “Think! Remember! How did you become separated from Kieren and what did you do to betray him?”
There was another brief hesitation before Romaric replied. “We were up in the mountains and it was snowing. We were looking for a natural land bridge, so we could cross over to the Devil’s Horseshoe, but it was taking a long time. Finally, I found one and signaled the others to follow me, as I started to cross it. I didn’t get very far though, before I slipped or something. I don’t remember much, but I do recall that I felt as if I were falling. That must have been what happened too, because I ended up far below where I had been.”
Slowly, Romaric was regaining a grip on reality and his emotions began to overtake him. Elgin could read the pain and sadness in his eyes and wished to spare him this anguish, but couldn’t afford any delays. He needed to know what happened to Kieren and his protectors, and the information the elf could provide might be vital in deciding the course of action Elgin would pursue next. The commander knew he didn’t have the time it would take to elicit the details from the teen slowly, so he had to drag it out of him as quickly as he could.
“Let’s back up a little, Romaric,” Elgin told him. “I think you need to tell me more about what you were doing up in the mountains in the first place. I don’t remember that being part of your plans.”
“We were chased up there by the snow apes,” he explained, becoming quite animated while retelling this part of his tale. “Then we were trapped there by the blizzard. We were looking for one of the natural land bridges the dwarfs had told us about, when I found one. I remember now! I was starting to cross it when I heard a cracking sound and realized it was beginning to break apart. I tried to return to the others, but it continued to crumble and I fell. I don’t remember much after that… except… except I kind of remember hearing Kieren scream my name.”
“So that must be what alerted the patrol that found you,” Elgin responded, as he let his attention drift slightly from the confused elf. “The prisoner I interrogated said they heard a scream, so they went to investigate. It must have been Kieren’s calling out your name that they heard and that may be what saved your life. It must be you somehow survived the initial fall and then got swept away in the avalanche that followed. You might have died of exposure, if it hadn’t have been for that scouting party finding you. They said you were unconscious and nearly frozen, so they wrapped you up in warm blankets and slowly brought you back to life. None of that would have happened if they hadn’t heard Kieren scream.”
“Oh, great!” Romaric exclaimed, suddenly understanding the impact of the commander’s last statement. “You’re telling me Kieren saved my life, just so I could end up costing him his own? No, that’s not right. He cared about me and tried to help, and then I went and told the soldiers all I knew, just to keep them from hurting me more. No, I should have died to protect him. I shouldn’t have betrayed my friends as easily as I did. If I were stronger, they’d still be alive.” At this point Romaric broke down completely, crying hysterically and constantly repeating phrases like, ‘It’s all my fault. I killed them all’.
After letting him have a few minutes of release, Elgin spoke to him again. “What makes you think Kieren and the others are dead?” Elgin inquired.
“I… I just… know it,” Romaric sobbed.
“How do you know this?” the commander pushed. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Romaric looked up at the commander – tears streaming down his cheeks and his chest heaving. “There is,” he whispered, in between sobs. “When I first came to,” he continued, while trying to control his emotions, “I… I found myself with those soldiers. At first they seemed nice and just asked me questions about who I was and how I was feeling. I told them a little about what happened, but as they kept pressing me for details about what I was doing there and if there were others, I figured out they were probably working for Madumda. That’s when I started to keep quiet and not tell them anything else. When they realized I wasn’t going to cooperate any more, they began to threaten me, telling me what they’d do to me if I didn’t give them the information they wanted to know, but I still didn’t say anything. That made them furious, so they began to do things to me… things that hurt a lot.
“At first, they only punched and kicked me, but then they started twisting my arms. Even though it hurt, I still didn’t tell them what they wanted to know, and that made them really angry. Even though they had threatened to do more if I didn’t do as they said, I didn’t really think they’d do all those other things to me. I didn’t believe people could really be that cruel. Boy, was I was wrong, because that’s when they started to hurt me for real. The things they did next caused more pain than I ever imagined possible.”
“What did they do to you?” Elgin pushed him, when Romaric paused to reflect upon all he had gone through. As these memories cascaded through his mind, his tears began to flow freely again and he involuntarily flinched, each time a new recollection came to mind. After a minute or two of these memories, he finally continued his tale.
“The leader of the group had four of the others hold my arms and legs, while he and another soldier did all kinds of horrible things to my body. The other soldier was on my left side and started using his knife to pry my fingernails off. The pain was awful. I didn’t know anything could ever hurt that much, but still I didn’t tell them anything. I did my best to not think about what they were doing and block out the pain, as I tried to think only of Kieren and the others. I knew it was important that they complete their mission and I didn’t want to say anything that would prevent it from happening, so I tried my best to not give in.
That only made their leader more upset, so he began to do things to me too. He had stayed on my right side as he asked me questions, but now he took his knife and began cutting a long, thin strip of flesh from my chest.” As he said this, Romaric shed his blankets and pulled up the shirt he now wore, revealing not only one fairly fresh scar, but also two others just like it. It was obvious those cuts had not been tended to, so Romaric must have hidden their existence from the first soldier who had attended him. Seeing this, Elgin immediately called out for someone to fetch medical assistance for the elf. He wanted the wounds cleaned and covered, even though he feared infection might have already begun to set in. Elgin now looked at the lad with a newfound respect and admiration. He had suffered greatly at the hands of the Dark Lord’s brigands, which only proved how hard he had tried to resist their efforts.
“The pain must have been unbearable,” Elgin commiserated. “I’ve seen seasoned warriors crumble under far less torture than that,” he added, reassuringly.
“But that’s just it,” Romaric responded. “I didn’t handle it and crumbled too. I told them everything they wanted to know.” At this point the young elf broke down again and another barrage of tears streamed down his cheeks, while his chest rose and fell dramatically with his heavy sobbing. Instinctively, the commander pulled the lad to him and cradled Romaric against his chest, in an effort to comfort the distraught teen.
“I was in so much pain that I would have done almost anything to get them to stop,” Romaric confessed between sobs, still obviously embarrassed by what he had done. “I told them everything, just so they wouldn’t do more to me. I told them who I was and what I was doing there. I let them know I was part of a group that was trying to enter Treblanc through a secret rear door, so we could find the Sword of Kings. As soon as he heard this, the leader sent a messenger back to Treblanc, to warn Madumda about the threat. That meant the Dark Lord had time to set a trap for them, before they entered the tunnels. I betrayed them and they’re probably all dead now, just because of me. It’s all my fault. I killed them, just as sure as if I plunged a sword into each of their hearts.”
Romaric began to weep anew, so Elgin gave him a few minutes to purge his emotions and free his guilt. When the dwarf thought the young elf had sufficient time to regain his composure, he spoke to him again. “Maybe that did not happen, my young friend,” he told this distraught young man. “Perchance my soldiers killed the messenger, when they killed the others from this group. It is possible he was never able to get that message to his master.”
“Do you really think so?” Romaric asked, hopefully. “I mean it was yesterday, or maybe the day before, when the messenger left. Do you really think they killed him?”
Elgin immediately picked up on the significance of the elf’s comment, which caused him to question his own optimism. Finding it difficult to look directly into Romaric’s eyes now, the commander let his gaze drop, as he prepared to respond. “If the messenger left before today,” he conceded, “then I doubt my troops would have run across him. We didn’t get to this area until a few hours ago, so he was probably already far away from here by the time we arrived. But don’t despair. There are many other dangers between here and Treblanc, especially for a man alone. There’s still a chance he might have befallen some other fate and the knowledge you struggled so bravely to keep may not have made it to Treblanc at all.”
“But if Kieren is dead,” Romaric countered, with a shaky voice, “then… then I’m the one who… who’s responsible. If that’s what happened, then I… I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”
“This is not the time to think like that,” Elgin chided him. “We have to remain hopeful. The prophecy says he will succeed and everyone truly believes it, so I’m positive he is fine and will do what needs to be done. If I didn’t sincerely trust in that as well, then there would be no use continuing what we’re doing now, since one of the primary goals of this war is to give Kieren time to complete his mission. Do you have any idea where he might be by now and do they know about Kieren’s ancestry?”
“No!” Romaric nearly screamed. “I didn’t tell them Kieren was the heir to Ethelbert, but I have no way of knowing where any of them are now. I don’t even know how close we were to finding that door, be… before my accident, but I didn’t tell them who Kieren was. Really, I didn’t. All they know is that there is a small group trying to sneak into Treblanc to steal the Sword of Kings.”
“Well, that might be to our, and Kieren’s, advantage then,” the commander confirmed.
At that moment, the medic arrived, so Elgin quickly instructed him what needed to be done. The healer went right to work, checking all of the elf’s wounds, before deciding how best to treat them. The commander decided this was the ideal time to say his good-bye to Romaric, to give the field medic the space he needed.
“I’ll leave you for the time being, while this miracle worker tends to your wounds, and you can tell me whatever else you might recall when I rejoin you a little later. For now, however, it is more important to get your wounds cleaned and treated, while I tend to other duties. Romaric, you mustn’t allow yourself to feel badly about what happened back there. What you endured proves to me that you are a brave young man and you did the best you could, under unbearable circumstances. I would bet most of my warriors would have cracked long before you did, so I’m positive no one is going to blame you for whatever happens. Once the healer has finished with you, I want you to get some rest, so you can regain your strength. If you need anything, just tell the guard and he’ll take care of it for you. I shall see you again, in due time. Until then, be at peace with yourself.”
The young elf looked up shyly at his benefactor, while still more tears crept down his cheeks. Romaric was silently praying the commander’s assessment was correct and was grateful for Elgin’s low key and sympathetic approach to his dilemma. Although he wasn’t totally free of his guilt, Romaric sincerely appreciated the officer’s soothing demeanor and did gain a slightly more optimistic perspective about all that had transpired. However, his thoughts were interrupted when the dwarf practitioner advised him to brace for a little discomfort.
Romaric tried to focus on other thoughts, to block out the sting he imagined would follow, as the corpsman took a bottle of a popular dwarf alcoholic beverage and poured it over his long open wounds. The searing pain was intense and made it impossible for Romaric to ignore it for very long. Involuntarily, he began to writhe and scream out from the over-stimulation of his nerve endings. After all that Romaric had previously encountered, this caused him to reach his breaking point and he passed out.
The dwarf-healer had been ready for this to happen, so he tenderly cradled the youth’s body and eased it to the ground, where he finished tending and dressing the elf’s injuries. Once he had completed his task, the medic asked the guard to help him carry the boy nearer to the fire, where he would be able to rest more comfortably. After moving the lad, they covered him with a couple of blankets, before the healer left. Then, the guard watched over the teen, as he slept.
* * * * * * * *
While moving briskly toward his next destination, Elgin realized he was beginning to sense a connection with this young representative of the faerie folk. He couldn’t help but feel a fatherly pride and affection for the boy, especially knowing how much the teen had endured after his capture. The commander was also able to empathize with what the lad was feeling, as Romaric agonized over the thought he had betrayed his friends. Elgin suddenly became determined to spend more time with Romaric, as soon as the battle was over, but for now, he had other, more pressing matters, to take care of. Without further hesitation, he made his way to the place his officers were waiting for him to give his briefing.
“I’m sorry for this distraction and delay,” Elgin began, “but the prisoners and the young elf have provided us with some vital intelligence. According to the lad, Kieren’s mission may be in jeopardy, so stopping Madumda may fall entirely to our armies. Even if victorious, it will not totally do away with the Dark Lord’s threat, but it may delay any plans he might still have, until he can rebuild his support.” The commander paused briefly, while his officers considered the implications of what he had said. After allowing his staff those few seconds, Elgin spoke again.
“We will leave the teen and the other prisoners with a small detachment to watch over them, but the rest of us must move out quickly, so we may join in the battle. Those left behind will take Romaric and the others to the spot where Tunstan once stood, at a pace the injured teen can handle, but the rest of us will need travel at a much swifter pace. As you know, we will be continuing into the mountains, until we reach a suitable location to ford the River Sterling. However, after the various delays we’ve endured, it is apparent we will not be able to reach the place of battle today. What we will do is make our way to the juncture where the Devil’s Horseshoe meets with the upper plains and make a final camp there. I hate to delay our entry into the battle one more day, but I don’t want to risk encountering the Dark Lord’s troops as they return from today’s warfare. If that were to happen, we would be severely outnumbered and would relinquish any element of surprise, when we eventually do enter the fray. We must avoid that at all costs.” Elgin paused briefly, before he continued.
“There must be absolutely no fires once we continue and it is imperative we double our vigilance from this moment forward. Tomorrow, we will have to take the long way into the battle, to avoid any chance of being spotted. That means, we’ll march along the river, before taking a southeasterly route to reach the battlefield.”
The commander hesitated momentarily, to give him time to choose his words carefully, before he spoke again. He needed to be certain his next remarks were not misunderstood. “One final thing, before I dismiss you to attend to your other duties. I need your opinion on a matter of grave concern. If we reach a point where we discover that Kieren has indeed been captured or killed and learn that our Central Army has also been defeated, I would like to know, in advance, how you think we should proceed, from that point forward. Should we continue to fight and keep the battle going as long as we can or should we just turn around and go back home, to give us a few precious days with our families, until the inevitable happens?”
There was quite a lengthy, almost unbearable, silence that followed. This question appeared to weigh heavily on each of their minds, as they considered the alternatives carefully. They didn’t want to make a rash decision, but this was, indeed, something they had to consider. The dwarfs definitely weren’t cowards and they certainly weren’t afraid to fight, but they hadn’t previously considered Kieren might fail AND their army might also be defeated. However, it was now painfully evident that this possibility might come to pass. This would mean the future for any of them, including their families, would already be bleak, yet very few of them wished to reflect on such gloomy possibilities. However, at that moment, a young lieutenant decided to speak up and share his thoughts on the matter.
“I may not be the one you desire to answer this question,” he began, “since I am not a field grade officer and still have much to learn. You may think I am being too bold and only making a fool of myself by speaking up like this, but I feel I must share my impressions with you. If I may, it is my humble opinion that, if we should discover both of those situations have come to pass, we would be left no other alternative but to fight until the bitter end. I cannot foresee living under Madumda’s rule, which therefore leads me to conclude that I would be better off dead. I believe we, and our families, would stand a greater chance of finding happiness in the netherworld, than to live under the Dark Lord’s yoke.”
“Why should we sacrifice ourselves, if there is no hope of winning?” another trooper interjected. “Why shouldn’t we try to enjoy what time we have left with our loved ones? We could surrender, pay whatever homage is necessary to the Dark Lord and then go home,” he concluded.
Commander Elgin took this opportunity to glance around and notice the confused expressions on the faces of his other comrades, while others debated this point. He allowed them a few minutes to continue, before he signaled for their attention once again. Once they were focused solely upon him, he spoke again.
“To give you a little more insight into our situation,” he began, “it has long been my opinion that if we should lose, Madumda would have the officers who opposed him executed, to set an example, before enslaving the rest who fought to keep him from attaining power. It is also my belief that those who were able to survive would be forced to endure an intolerable, meaningless existence - one I’d rather not be part of.” He paused, to give his words time to sink in, but another warrior spoke up first.
“Aye, I see it this way,” he informed them. “We joined this battle to fight to the death to keep Madumda from ruling Tarolia and fight to the death it shall be, if we do not defeat Madumda beforehand.”
“I will not force you or any of our troops to fight longer than you choose, if the situation becomes that dire,” Commander Elgin emphasized. “But if the moment comes when it is obvious there is no chance of winning, I wish to know how many of you will continue to fight on with me. I will not fault or think any less of anyone who decides not to join me, but for planning purposes, I need to have a true idea about how many will be by my side. I will call for a show of hands of those who plan to fight on, but I will issue this warning first. I do not want to hear of anyone deriding others about their decision. Now that is settled, I ask those who plan to fight until the bitter end to lift one of your arms into the air, to indicate your desire.”
A few arms were thrust into the air, quickly followed by a few more, until nearly every arm had been raised. It was not unanimous, but it was definitely apparent that the majority of the dwarf warriors preferred to fight on.
“When the time comes,” Commander Elgin informed them, “those who wish to leave may do so, without disgrace or comment from the rest of us. Once they have departed, I will be proud to lead the rest of you into battle, until we prevail or are killed in the attempt.”
With that pronouncement, a cheer erupted from those assembled, to show they were pleased with the outcome of the vote. Since that question had been dealt with, Elgin went back to check on the young elf, before he and his troops set off on their march. The commander wanted to know if the lad was improving, as well as taking this opportunity to bid him farewell, before they parted company. He didn’t want the boy to feel abandoned or rejected, which he assumed would happen if he were to leave without a word of explanation or before informing the youngster what was going to happen to him next. As he approached the spot where he had previous left the teen, Elgin was a bit surprised to discover Romaric awake.
“I suspected you might be sleeping, my young friend,” the commander said, in a soft, soothing voice. “You have been through much, so I thought you might have given in to your exhaustion.”
“Well, I did fall asleep,” Romaric told him, “but then I heard shouting and feared the worst. What was that about, anyway?”
“Oh, I’m sorry about the noise, my boy” the commander replied. “I guess that disturbance was partially my fault. I was asking my officers how we should deal with a situation and they all cheered when we reached agreement on a plan of action. I’m very sorry we interrupted your rest.”
“No, it’s all right,” Romaric assured him, not wanting the commander to feel bad. He had come to admire the dwarf and his gentle manner and didn’t want any hard feelings between them. “I slept long enough, so I feel much better and am ready to travel. Can we go find Kieren now?”
The Commander wasn’t ready for this response and struggled momentarily, while trying to decide how to best reply to Romaric. After agonizing over what to say, he understood he couldn’t delay commenting any longer. “I’m afraid not,” Elgin told him, noting Romaric’s immediate shocked and disappointed expression. “My army is already late for battle and we must make an appearance before all hope is lost. You shall be left behind, with a few of my soldiers and the prisoners, but I shall meet up with you again, after the battle is over. The guards will take you to where Tunstan once stood and you will wait for us there. If I should come across Kieren, I shall tell him you are alive and well and bring him with me, when I come back to get you. Will that suffice?”
“No!” Romaric squealed, his anguish showing on his face. “I have to find him and make sure he’s all right. Can’t you help me do that?”
“Even if we had the time for such things,” the commander told him soothingly, “it wouldn’t change what has already taken place. We will know soon enough what has happened to him and the others. Besides, it wouldn’t be safe for less than an entire army to try to get to Treblanc now, and my army is supposed to be engaged in the battle that is being fought upon the central plains. Treblanc is a mighty fortress and would be difficult to breech. It could withstand a full frontal assault and I’m certain the Dark Lord has not left it completely unguarded. However, Beraut is expecting us to support his effort against the main contingent of Madumda’s army and his battle plan will be sorely tested if we do not show. I’m sorry, Romaric, but taking the time and personnel needed to look for Kieren just isn’t available at this time.”
“But I have to know what happened to him,” Romaric pleaded, hoping to convince the dwarf who had shown so much kindness to him already. “I have to find out if what I did caused him any harm. Can’t we just go the way he did and use the back door to Treblanc, so we wouldn’t need everyone to go with us?”
“First of all, it would take far too long to get over the mountains,” the commander explained, “and, even if you knew exactly where to look for this secret doorway, we would be much too late to be of any use. Besides, if Madumda has learned of Kieren’s plans, he most likely has that entrance blocked or heavily guarded by now. I’m sorry, Romaric, but you’ll just have to do as I say, but I promise I’ll do whatever I can to assist you, once the battle is over.”
“Promise?” Romaric asked, while his eyes searched Commander Elgin’s face, to determine if the dwarf was being truly sincere in his offer.
“Yes, I promise, both on my honor as a dwarf and on the souls of my dear departed parents,” Elgin replied. “I will do anything and everything I can for you, once we have dealt with Madumda’s army.”
Although disappointed that he would have to wait, Romaric realized this was probably the best deal he was going to be able to wheedle out of the commander. Grudgingly, the youth accepted the dwarf’s assurance and did as he was told. Willingly, he turned and joined the guards assigned to him, while still trying to hold on to the brief glimmer of hope that his previous momentary weakness hadn’t resulted in the deaths of his friends.
Romaric’s tortured body was still quite sore, but he didn’t let his afflictions get the best of him. Instead, he put on his best stoic face for the others, as he moved off with the dwarf guards, who were keeping a close watch over the prisoners. It wasn’t that the teen thought he could assist the warriors in any way, but it had more to do with the fact that he suddenly preferred not to be alone, while coping with the uncertainties of Kieren’s fate.
When he saw Commander Elgin begin to leave, he bolted away from his protectors, so he could give the older dwarf a powerful hug. Romaric also made sure to remind the commander, once more, about the promise he had made. Patiently, Elgin reiterated his assurance and confirmed his intention to keep it, before giving the command for the northern army to move out. As the dwarf strode away, Romaric watched his every move. He also said a final, silent prayer for the commander’s safety, so he would be able to fulfill his important pledge.
Without being aware of Romaric’s continued interest in him, Commander Elgin led his troops northward, until they disappeared from sight of those they’d left behind. No matter what lay ahead of them, the dwarf military leader couldn’t help but dwell on the horrors Romaric had endured, before considering what extremes the young elf might go, if his fears about Kieren were confirmed. Silently, Elgin made a vow that he would stick by Romaric and protect the lad, no matter what else happened. Out of necessity, however, the commander was forced to refocus his attention on the task at hand. Before he barked an order to quicken their cadence, he ordered scouts to be sent ahead to look for signs of potential danger, since he was mindful they still needed to be cautious. He also sent word around to those who had been selected previously that they should keep their gaze skyward, for signs of the giant condor.
It wasn’t long before the scouts began to report back, noting nothing unusual ahead. Pleased by their good-fortune, the army continued to move father into the mountain range, making very good time in the process. It was well past midday and moving on toward evening when they reached a spot where they could ford the river. Eagerly, they were stepping into its icy waters, anxious to get to the other side, so they could reverse their course.
The river was still nearly waist deep at this point, but none of them complained. They didn’t want to waste more time going even higher into the mountains, until they could locate a place where the water was shallower and the current slower. Before long, the last of the troops were climbing up the banks on the other side, having put another obstacle behind them. Rather than stop and take the time to dry and change clothing, Commander Elgin decided it would be best to just keep marching and use the remaining sunlight to help them get back to the lower reaches of the mountain. They would let their body heat and air evaporate the excess water from their garments as they moved on. They resumed their earlier swift pace, as scouts moved out to search for a place where they would make camp for the evening. The daylight was nearly gone when they located a suitable spot, so they were forced to act quickly and do what needed to be done while there was still some light to aid them. They knew no fires would be allowed this evening, as it would give their presence away to any watchful eye.
Once the camp was established, the dwarfs did remove their still damp clothing and change into something dry. It may have been their accumulated perspiration, rather than the river water, which still clung to their garments, but they were happy to remove them, just the same. Once they had changed, they found a place to bed down, before consuming another cold meal.
Besides having no fires to cook over or to use to keep warm, they were also commanded to keep the noise-level to a bare minimum, as well. A few of the dwarfs tried carrying on conversations in whispers, but most decided to use the opportunity to get as much rest as possible. While the others were unwinding and settling in for the night, Commander Elgin moved about the camp in a very harried fashion. He appeared to be an unbridled bundle of energy, as he checked out the campsite and conversed with some of those under his command. Once he was satisfied that all was in order, he held a brief meeting with his officers, in order to finalized preparations for when they reached the battlefield.
Even though the commander knew his scouts were tired and would get little rest before they would have to be sent out again, he ordered they be dispatched before sunrise, for the purpose of locating and reporting the positions of both armies. The scouts were to make note of anything they felt important about previous battles, remaining troop strengths, battlefield terrain or whatever else might prove significant. Elgin sought any advantage he might gain from such knowledge and felt it was worth the inconvenience it might cause those warriors.
In addition to assigning the scouting duties, Elgin ordered guards posted around the perimeter of the camp and doubled the number he would normally use. He instructed these guards be changed every hour, to limit the amount of sleep loss each sentry would endure, so they wouldn’t be too fatigued when they entered the fracas. Once those things had been seen to, the commander mentally prepared several plans of attack, dependant upon the information the scouts reported back. No matter which plan they used, his primary concern was to arrive undetected and strike at the enemy’s most vulnerable location, where they could do the most harm and possibly make a decisive difference. Once he had all his options organized in his mind, he too went to his pre-selected spot to get some needed rest. Tonight he would be sleeping out in the open, just like the rest of his troops.
The commander’s sleep was not all that restful, however, because his mind kept racing over the same information he had been working on while he was awake. Subconsciously, he went over every scenario he had formulated previously, seeing how each of those options might play out. This way, he was able to envision potential problems more clearly, by utilizing these hypothetical encounters, and he awoke after nearly every vision. He would take a few precious moments to note things he thought should be altered from his original plans or confirm those aspects he felt were sound. After experiencing the last of these, the commander decided to remain awake, as he could see that dawn was rapidly approaching.
Elgin was now functioning at a heightened state of awareness and utilizing the same type of mental preparedness that had gotten him noticed and promoted so quickly after previous engagements. It was this extra attentiveness, as his mind raced over every nuance of his battle plan, which set him head and shoulders above his peers. The only difference between how he preformed, then and now, was that his advancing years were beginning to take their toll on him and such preparations exacted a far greater price on him physically. He was still focused on these details when the first of the scouts returned to make his report.
Over the next hour or so, the various scouts returned and gave detailed reports about what they had seen. Elgin now knew the approximate number and location of all of Madumda’s troops, had a fairly detailed impression about where the battle would take place, including the topography of the area, and had also learned a few details about the battle that had concluded the previous day. Even though there was no clear victor, it was apparent it had been a costly encounter. The scouts reported seeing vast numbers of dead and hearing the pleas of mercy from the dying, while managing to keep their own presence in the area a secret. They had collectively made it a point to avoid all contact with the enemy, even avoiding the urge to kill or capture any enemy soldiers they chanced upon. It was felt that by risking such an encounter, they might end up exposing their presence and relinquish any advantage they might carry into the upcoming battle.
Elgin was pleased by most of what he heard, but not everything. He was disheartened to learn that, from their current location, the scouts estimated it would take their army nearly half a day to skirt around the enemy’s flank undetected, so they could pull off a surprise attack. If they just charged into the fray, they would be spotted well before they were within striking distance and give Madumda’s officers time to realign their troops for such an encounter. No matter how frustrating it would be to delay their entrance into the conflict, they would have to be patient and stick to the plan, in order to maximize their effectiveness.
Once the last of the scouts returned, Elgin assembled his troops and got underway. He allowed those just returning to stay behind and rest, advising them that they could rejoin them later or return to Tunstan where the other party waited with the young elf and enemy prisoners.
Elgin allowed his army to take only one short break along the way, before sending out more scouts, to get an updated report about what awaited them. It wasn’t long before they returned, with each giving a brief account as to what he had seen. “The battle is fierce, sir, and many lives are being lost on both sides,” the first scout to return informed the commander.
“Can you tell who has the advantage at this point?” Elgin pressed.
“No, sir,” the scout replied. “While our forces seemed to be doing well in one area, the enemy seemed to have the advantage in another. I didn’t observe the fighting for very long, but the momentum seemed to shift twice in just that short period of time.”
“Is there any way we can slip up from behind unnoticed?” Elgin wanted to know.
“Only if we crouch and advance slowly,” the scout advised him. “Otherwise someone will most likely notice us, before we are able to get close enough to strike.”
“Then that is how we must proceed,” Commander Elgin announced,
before sending messengers to advise his line officers about these orders. Before
long the dwarf army was making its way across the plains and along the river.
Their progress was slow and steady, as they continued to make their way closer
the fighting, until they reached the point where they had to use even more stealth.
Crouching low and utilizing whatever natural cover they could, they continued
their advance, but would they make it in time?
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