« (The Raptors) »
Hainrick led his party into Sunhame. They were all tired and dirty but Hainrick smiled for the sun was at its zenith. He took this as the good omen it was. They trotted through the streets relying on the citizens to get out of the way of their cavalcade.
They dismounted in the outer courtyard and entrusted their horses to the temple servants. Then after glancing at the gilded central dome they strode into the temple proper. Hainrick and Leo led the way, as was their right. The temple acolytes and initiates bowed low when they entered, Hainrick didn’t notice, though if they hadn’t, he most certainly would have.
Hainrick and Leo continued into the inner sanctum as their colleagues, being mere initiates of Sol Triumphant, made their way into the outer sanctum.
Hainrick and Leo stopped in front of the central altar where they were bathed by the light of the sun. They made their devotions. Leo dropped to one knee and reached out to touch the altar. Hainrick stepped back in a show of respect as his friend sacrificed a tithe of his power to gain the use of another divine spell.
Leo stood, a bit unsteadily at first. Then they turned and made their way to the Temple Lord’s office.
* * *
“My lord Heramakos, I have to report that a new dungeon is destabilizing the southern borders of the City States Federation and the Centaur Khanate. It is empowering the local Elven Forest Realm. It has to be controlled or eliminated to maintain the status quo.”
Hermakos rubbed his bristly chin and narrowed his eyes in thought. “Why are you here then Hainrick, surely it is a local matter. Why didn’t you use your links with the guild?”
Hainrick ground his teeth in irritation. “The local elves refused to cooperate. They have the right to enforce a one year delay thanks to that irritating treaty we forced their queen to sign. And the centaurs have long wished to be rid of the mountains. This dungeon threatens to strengthen both realms. I believe we should force the guild to appoint either Leo or me to the post of guild master of the new dungeon town.”
Hermakos smiled twistedly, “So you can kill the thing promptly if it refuses or is unable to comply with direction.”
“Exactly,” agreed Hainrick.
“Very well, I’ll order the guild master to attend me. You two go bathe, you stink of horse. Get back here in two hours so we can instruct the guild master on what he has to do.”
« (Lady Rivanna) »
Lady Rivanna stood at the head of her court and curtseyed deeply to Queen Aldrya. All around the forest folk gathered to watch their queen and her court. No one could remember the last time the queen had led a royal progression to this remote location of the kingdom.
Once all the formalities had been dealt with Rivanna smiled with relief, “I’m so glad to see you cousin. Welcome to Whitewater Falls. Let me show you round.”
“Later Vanna, lets get this treaty squared away first. News of a royal progression to the borders spreads fast. I am expecting the centaurs soon. Their southern army is already gathering.”
Rivanna looked momentarily worried but nodded understandingly. “Very well cousin, please follow me, we have grown a pavilion near the top of the cliff. I’ll send one of the runners to alert Marty and Rosita.”
* * *
Queen Aldrya smiled in appreciation of the pavilion and examined some climbing roses. She raised an eyebrow at Rivanna.
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“Yes cousin, some of our tree runners collected shoots. They seem very fond of the roses, or maybe they like the thorn dryads.”
“Thorn dryads, Vanna?” asked Aldrya.
Rivanna smiled, “Yes, some of the dungeon’s rose bushes have dryads. They are nowhere as powerful as a normal dryad, but they are dryads. Well, I suspect Thorn will one day rival our dryads. But then she is the dungeon’s boss monster.”
Aldrya chuckled and sat in the throne-like chair at the head of the table. She picked up one of the copies of the proposed treaty and perused it carefully. Once again she raised an eyebrow, “One level in every nine, with extra rooms created when the level will support them. Are you sure this Marty is happy with this?”
“Yes. He asked us to allow him to keep the final room in each level ceded. I accepted. We could have got more but I thought it best not to go for the maximum they were willing to cede.”
“Wise of you Vanna. We want this cooperation to last centuries.”
* * *
After a short wait Rosita flew out of the dungeon and made her way to the pavilion. She landed on the table and bowed deeply to queen Aldrya. Then after a getting over an attack of shyness that the elves all thought very cute she read her copy of the proposed treaty.
Then still blushing slightly she said, “Your majesty, Lady Rivanna, this seems acceptable. I will be happy to sign it and set Marty’s seal to it.”
Queen Aldrya smiled and picked up a quill, dipping in ink she signed the copy in front of her and passed it across to Rosita. She then picked up the duplicate and signed it. Rosita used her – much smaller – quill to sign the treaties and stamped them with Marty’s new seal and a touch of dungeon magic.
The elves decided to use the occasion an excuse to throw a party and the celebrations went on until the early ours of the morning.
« (Vaspedian) »
Vaspedian watched as the centaur army arrived outside Fort Bones. He eyed the three banners uneasily. He had never seen three hosts combined before. The centaurs were making a show of force, one just short of war. He could see Silvanna Ironhoof’s banner. One of the other banners also carried the Ironhoof family’s heraldry, which meant her son the Storm Lord Faldane Ironhoof. The third he didn’t know.
They set up a fortified camp with the help of all the dirtmen present. Scouts were thrown out and two gallopers raced away into the grasslands. Vaspedian was feeling increasingly apprehensive; he suspected those messengers meant there were at least two more hosts close by. Vaspedian cursed as Silvanna galloped by with her grandson Heraclios by her side in the middle of her sworn hearthguard. They were advancing under a truce flag. Heading towards the elven forest and, unless he was mistaken, the new dungeon town.
He hated being in the dark. Especially if whatever he didn’t know was sufficient to gather over three thousand trained centaur cavalry.
Vaspedian braced himself, ‘Time to pay the commanding general of the host a visit. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn something.’
* * *
A few hours later Vaspedian was ensconced in the seedy local tavern. He was trying to suppress a grin as he cradled his mug of mediocre mead. ‘A royal progression, wonder what that twisty queen of theirs is up to. I bet the council of stability is going to be sucking lemons. I’ve got to get out of here sharpish. This area is going to be getting far to exciting to be safe.’
« (Silvanna Ironhoof) »
Silvanna Ironhoof slowed to a trot as they made their way into the foothills. She snorted in approval as her sworn passed the first scattered groves. The elves were finally moving to claim the hills ceded them by treaty. She would be glad that she would no longer have the onerous task of sweeping the hills. Her folk preferred the wide rolling grasslands.
They were met at the new frontier. After a few pleasantries the combined group proceeded at a more moderate pace.
Silvanna was surprised by the royal progress the elves had undertaken. The new town of Whitewater Falls was considerably larger than she had expected. Elves usually took things slower.
The protocol she had to endure as a visiting Hero and representative of the Centaur Khanate was, elaborate, prolonged and profoundly tedious. But in the end, just like everything it came to an end and she and her brother were invited to a feast in honour of the new treaty.
Silvanna and Heraclios shared a smug look after seeing the treaty. It looked likely to stymie the temples' council of stability. Silvanna considered things and after a whispered consultation with her grandson she approached Lady Rivanna.
“Might I suggest that you call on the dungeon’s representative once again Rivanna, I propose signing that treaty as a witness on behalf of myself and my Khan.”
Queen Aldrya barely restrained from rubbing her hands with glee at the news and Rosita was dragged out of her dungeon to face the crowds once again to witness the signing.
Naturally there was another party and the centaurs proved once again that when it came to carousing and consuming alcohol there was nobody to beat them.