Interlude XII

Dathney Lorain

Borgam, Outside the Belkins Capital

The delegation had been going on for hours. Inside only the newly appointed King Khan Anwar had been in deliberations with Benine and his personal guard for hours. Khan’s appointment came not long ago, after first his father fell in battle. Then not long after Ulid his elder brother also fell in battle. Leaving Khan, the last rightful heir of the throne.

This of course meant that Dathney and Ghane the brute of a general had been left outside. Dathney had made eyes at the brute Ghane multiple times throughout the whole ordeal. Then finally somewhere between the third and fourth hour Dathney made her move.

With a quick nod to her guards, she arose and made her way across the long meeting hall towards Ghane and the other lesser generals. The idea was that these people would provide the necessary might needed to break Benine out, should he become trapped during negotiations.

“Greetings of peace to you.” Dathney said in what she was certain was flawless high elven. She had not spent so many months by the sides of both Lykan and Telka not to take advantage of at least some of the courtesies of the high elven.

Hearing the bird like sounds come from Dathney’s mouth Ghane’s face lit up with a smile. “You know the high wood elven tongue?” Ghane asked back in standard wood elven.

Hearing the shift, Dathney tilted her head to the side, but then nodded. This was to be expected, not many could speak high wood elven. In fact, basic wood elven, or the language Ghane spoke was the standard language. This was a language that most nobles learned as it was once deemed important to know the language of the once great conquerors.

Pausing for moment Dathney turned her head and looked at Ghane with confusion. This an act of course. Their whole meeting, including the points she was about to hit upon had been practiced over and over in her different variations of the future she foresaw.

This had always been the goal of course, get the brute separated from his commander who he was loyal to. Then spark the seeds of doubt. This was the only part of the possible future that was always transient. Timing was everything in this, and Dathney hoped that she had gotten the timing absolutely correct for her plans to work. That said, she was already committed to this act and as such she must go on.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I figured with someone like yourself here, you must be one of the legendary heroes made flesh.” Dathney said, switching to the much easier to speak wood elven tongue.

Hearing the words, a wave of emotions flooded over Ghane’s face. The most noticeable emotion of course was shame.

“No, I am not one of the great and legendary heroes.” Ghane spoke back, while rubbing the back of his head. Seeing that as a sign, Dathney pressed the attack.

“Oh.” Dathney said, letting out a sigh of disappointment, before continuing. “I’m sorry. It has just been a few months since I last managed to practice the great tongue that I thought I would get a chance with you. You are a high wood elf, no?”

Hearing the words Ghane grimaced, before answering. “I am. Though to be honest none of us truly know the language anymore. There was…” Then Ghane trailed off, as he realized he was about to talk about him.

“Oh, that is a shame. I met a high wood elf not long ago who only spoke the language.” Dathney said.

Hearing this Ghane became immensely interested. Seeing his body language change, Dathney continued.

“Yes. She came from across the ocean, from one of the Joranidan Tribe if I am not mistaken.”

By this point Ghane was completely hooked. “The Jorandian Tribe? They were one of the lost tribes, or at least they were thought to be.”

Hearing that Dathney let a moment of sadness wash over her face. “Yes, she had quite the tragic back story. She tested extremely high in her ability to cast healing magics. The only problem was, she only spoke the old tongue. For a while it looked like she would not be able to attend the great Academy of Sidhertha with us. Fortunately, they found a translator.”

“A translator? Of the old tongue?” Ghane asked, disbelief in his voice.

“Yes.” This was the moment Dathney played up the true emotions she had always tried to keep buried. These were the emotions that always caused trouble with her current happy marriage when she focused on them too much. “A big strapping man. Though he was not an elf, but he was a master of the tongue and helped Telk speak fluent Sidherthan in under a year. God, there wasn’t much that man couldn’t do. He enacted all three old world laws.” Dathney continued, building up the suspense.

“All three?” Ghane asked.

Hearing this Dathney put on a show of looking confused. “Don’t tell me you didn’t hear about the coronation of King Philipon in Sidhertha? That was his parting gift before he took of north no doubt to defend his homelands from the invading forces of Ajimal the Conqueror.”

Ghane stared at Dathney for a moment as if trying to understand whether she was telling the truth or not. Looking back to one of the officers from his side, he asked in Belkins proper. “Is it true? Did someone cast the third old world law?”

Hearing that, the officer blanched for a second before recognition filled his mind. “You mean the duelist guy? The one who successfully enacted the duel of Dunthir, where two years of guaranteed peace were established?” The officer began, but just as he began to lag in his memory another officer cut in.

“Yeah, he bested Ajimal’s sister, forcing her to be his betrothed. Then he cast the third old-world law on the king. Before leaving the country to head north to Tython and fight off Ajimal’s forces that were starting to invade his homeland.”

It was apparent the two were fans of the story. At this point Ghane was hooked. Seeing the look on Ghane’s face Dathney let a small smile form on her lips before she quickly regained her composure and pressed the attack.

“I assure you; he is as the stories claim and more. I saw him best a corrupted psychic dragon matriarch with nothing more than a bow and arrow. He is a legend with all weapons. In his first year, he defeated a poison dragon in a sanctioned duel.” Dathney continued, while pointing to the silver mithril spear that Ghane clung to even during these peace negotiations.

Ghane looked at the spear, a not too subtle reminder of who he gained the powerful weapon from. Fortunately, the other two officers were already engaged in the conversation and added their own opinions.

“You went to school with him?” The first officer asked.

“Not only did I go to school with him, but he saved my life twice.” Dathney added, recalling the time when they first met, and he freed her from enslavement.

“He saved a princess twice?” The second officer added not quite believing the tale.

“Well to be fair, I was only a princess the second time.”

“A corrupted psychic dragon matriarch doesn’t sound like much.” Ghane added.

“Oh, it was big. Big enough to be able to take down a Sidherthan capital class ship, if it wasn’t for the help of the great savior.” Dathney added.

Hearing all this, a question seemed to form in Ghane’s mind. “Just who is this great savior anyways? One who can enact the old-world laws, save princesses, and speak fluent high wood elven?”

Dathney paused, letting a planted look of confusion wash over her face. Fortunately, right on que, one of his subordinate officers answered.

“Lykan Vita, the hero of Dunthir.” The first officer said, an incredulous tone to his words.

Hearing the words, a look of shock filled Ghane’s face, as he looked at the first officer trying to determine if what he said was truth. The second officer seeing this continued. “The slayer of dragons?”

“The protector of the north?” The first officer shot back.

“Lykan Vita?” Ghane asked slowly, his mind going through a myriad of emotions. The two officers nodded in unison. Seeing their response Ghane turned back to Dathney. Dathney for her part fought to keep the contented smile hidden from her face as she could tell she had him. Now all she had to do was let Ghane come to his own decision, one that would benefit her kingdom greatly in these negotiations. Negotiations that she purposefully told her husband, the new King to stall on so she could orchestrate this exact moment.

“Yes.” Dathney said, a faint smile filling her lips as if she too just remembered his name.

“Can you describe him?” Ghane asked, his normally stoic expression beginning to crumble slightly as he fought through all the different thoughts raging in his mind.

Taking a moment, Dathney shifted her hips and brought a finger to tap her lips. Then with a smile she began describing him in detail. “Well, he is tall. He started off lean but filled out to be an impressive warrior. I’d say twice your thickness.” Dathney said, looking at Ghane, purposefully using him as the comparison.

“He is only a head taller than you, but I’d say he must have you by at least a good twenty kilos, all muscle. Then there is the dark hair, and his eyes. I think at one point they started off brown, but his power.” Shaking her head and giving a slight shiver when she said the word power. “His power and ferocity are unmatched.”

Only after she said the words, did she stop to look at the company that she was with. “No insult meant. It is just he saved my life, twice. A girl tends to remember that sort of action, if you know what I mean.” Dathney said, letting her voice get a little bit husky as she got into the last part of her act. Ghane for his part just focused on the facts, or at least tried to.

“He can use the spear; does he have a sword?” Ghane asked.

“Oh yes. He had one of those legendary spirit swords, but the thing broke when he was fighting with the corrupted dragon. Now he uses a Mithril sword, much like the spear you are carrying.” Dathney said, again picking her pain points. Then she continued, as if just remembering another tidbit of detail. “In fact, that mithril sword is what he used to defeat the Azani princess Nayali.”

Dathney was about to lay it on thicker, but soon saw that she had hit her mark. Ghane’s face was filled with rage, as the vein on his forehead began to thrum and beat wildly.

“Where is he now?” Ghane asked.

“Everything we have said that once he was released from his military contract, he went north to fight Ajimal and his troops. Apparently Ajimal entered his true homeland of Tython, so he went to avenge his birthplace.”

Hearing this Ghane’s fingers gripped the shaft of his spear until white knuckles were all that could be seen of his grip. Seeing the look and sudden posture change, Dathney drew back. “I’m sorry, did something I say offend you?” She asked clearly concerned.

“No. I appear to have some unfinished business to take care of.” Ghane said, as he turned to make his exit from the meeting hall. Seeing his abrupt departure, his two subordinates turned to him.

“Boss. Where are you going?”

“I have some unfinished business in the North.” Ghane answered.

“You are leaving us?” The second officer asked.

“You have what you wanted. You got your piece of land to call your own. Now I am going to take care of a matter that should have been settled a long time ago.” Ghane said, hurriedly going out of the hall to the squire who had his horse prepared.

The great beast of a horse bucked wildly to anyone who would come near it. Anyone until Ghane got nearby. Ghane locked eyes with the powerful beast and a moment of challenge was given and passed. Then he got on the beast.

The other officers who were assembled all left the hall to try to stop Ghane from his abrupt departure. Everyone but one who knocked nervously on the doors to the meeting room.

“What!” A frustrated man called out. The room opened to reveal everyone hunched over a large meeting table where a map of Belkins had been expanded.

“Sire. I need to talk to you about something.”

“What is it, can’t you see that we are busy here.”

“Sire, it is about Ghane.”

“What has that fool done this time.” The leader said, as he went out of the hall to talk to the officer.

During this time the door to the meeting hall remained open. Khan, the current King and Dathney’s husband was in such a position that he could see his wife. Khan gave a questioning gesture to Dathney as if asking if her part had been successful. With a slight nod and a faint smile she confirmed that from what she was now seeing, her vision of the future had been successful. This of course caused an immediate sigh of relief from Khan. Seeing his reaction, the other officers also visibly relaxed. The Benine forces were a lot easier to counter without the anchor of a general that was Ghane. A man who could apparently shrug off bullet wounds and sword strikes like they were nothing. Wounds that would leave most men bleeding out in pain and misery he was able to recover from within days. That was how his father and brother both met their untimely ends. They underestimated the wily general and his combat prowess. Khan who was never a warrior like his father or brother opted to go an alternate route, one posed by his wife.

Seeing the look of the conquering general and the way he frantically fled after a now long gone Ghane, Khan was happier than ever that he had such an amazing wife. The conquering general returned, visibly deflated even as several the most prized warriors and generals went after Ghane in a belated attempt to stop the crazed officer from fleeing.

“So then, I think it’s time we rethink this offer we have been suggesting.” Khan said, seeing the defeated look on the enemy general’s face as he returned. With that the negotiations for peace once again continued in earnest, though the terms would be much more favorable to Belkins than they would have an hour ago. Thus was the power of a true Oracle, one who wielded their prophetic power like a weapon of force and change.