“They have a ram,” said Grar.

Gund nodded. "More than one. A whole herd." He, Lobuhl, Neri, two other ranking captains, and Urum Brann had gathered in the Hall of Warding, along with Blastus Iduma. The chandelier above them flickered softly with gentle orange light. As his King sat in thought, Gund’s eyes wandered to the great iron seal of the Fell on the wall opposite him, and the arrow of blue azurite pointing down through the center.

“As if a second gnoll invasion and pregnant centaurs weren’t enough,” said Blastus.

Gund had recanted to the gathered crowd all he had seen of the goblins from Magni. He left out the part of him studying Narvi’s final tome, but told them in detail of the tremendous battering ram the goblins had been carting in sections into a vast tunnel they’d dug in the eaves of the Starwood.

“Has Meromis done nothing to harry them?” asked Urum Brann in his creaking, hollow voice.

“Why should he?” Gund replied. “My guess is they’re accosting his borders to keep him occupied. And I imagine the other elflords are doing what all elves do, minding their own affairs so long as their own borders are left undisturbed.”

“How long will it take for our bear riders to bring a message to the Bladedancer?” asked Grar.

“About a week,” Neri replied, “given that they'd have to bypass the goblins and approach from the north.”

"So our message will reach Moonveil around the time my brother is wed."

“You’re not thinking of asking him for aid, are you?” asked Lobuhl.

“I am,” replied the King.

“We don’t need their help, Grar,” said Urum.

“No. We don’t. But I’ll give Meromis the chance to show us the courtesy of offering it.”

“Tell me again of the head of this ram,” said Lobuhl.

“It was hollow,” Gund replied, “and thinly walled. They carried a cart of what I took for explosives behind it.”

“So they mean to blast their way through one of our undergates,” said Wulden, captain of the Red Spears, an elite sapper legion.

“Let them,” said Ganly, captain of the Sunderers, Thrond’s most famed heavy infantry.

“We need to delay them,” said Grar, “whatever they plan to do. Gund, form a plan. Use my son as well. This is a good bone for Halfur to gnaw on. I want the goblins stalled until Salimod is away. We’ll give them what they came for then.”

“What if Salimod’s what they’ve come for?” asked Lobuhl. A few laughed quietly, but no one answered.

“Do you suppose he’s told the Goblin King we’ve begun forging mannarim?” asked Wulden. “The strongest weapons and armor in the world would be a pretty prize, and the goblins of Goblin Town are just the sort that Salimod’s been known to consort with.”

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“I doubt it,” said Urum. “He’s not that big a fool. He’d be more likely to reach out to the drow with that sort of knowledge, and they’d be like to distrust him.”

“You honestly think so, Urum?” Grar asked.

“Dread Sovereign,” said Urum Brann, “the drow of Primus live in a state of continual civil war, and are in constant fear of betrayal from their own. Were they to unite under one banner, and cast aside their long standing traditions of internal strife, they would be a severe threat. But such a thing is like to never happen, and the Spymancers' Guild has offered no reports indicating that it has, or is about to. My best assessment of these events is that the goblins have mustered for their own ends. I think it worth mentioning, since the drow have been brought up, that Primus is as likely a target for their war mongering as Thrond.”

Grar nodded, then looked to Gund. Gund thought for a moment before speaking. “I tend to agree with Urum regarding Primus. I don’t think they’d listen to Salimod, and if they were to learn we’re forging mannarim, it would be by their own means and subtler. I disagree on the goblins, though. I think they’ve caught wind of what we’re doing and have delusions of conquest. I doubt Salimod went to them, but whoever he did share our secret with likely has looser lips than he.”

“Brother?” said Grar.

“I think Salimod is amply foolish enough to go to the Goblin King,” said Lobuhl, “and I think you should flay him alive in the Grand Bazaar before driving the goblins from Konistra’s shores like we once did the gnolls.”

Grar looked to Blastus.

“Have you considered King Karli, Dread Sovereign?” the Janissary asked.

“I haven’t,” Grar answered.

Blastus spread his big, brown hands across the table. “I disagree with Prince Lobuhl as to Salimod going to the goblins, but not with him being publicly flayed. My Queen, Nandi, has watched him closely for a number of years and he is not thought of favorably at court in Amani. I bring up King Karli, because we know from our own dealings with the dwarves of Heth that Salimod has sent emissaries to him. We can’t say for certain what they’ve discussed, but Salimod’s ambassador has been camped outside the Sea of Clay for almost a year now. Heth has also contracted soldiers to Shah Assalam of Casimir, and you say that Salimod brought a merchant and troupe of mummers from Casimir. I may be reaching, but I see the lines connecting High Alden with both Heth and Casimir.”

Grar was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly. “I’d be concerned if Primus were to engage us, and only worried for the sake of Eruhal were Cassimir to field mannarim arms and armor. And if Eruhal, for that matter, were to gain such weaponry, then I’d pity the March Kings of Ronehelm and the Netherclaw orcs. At this point, I can’t say who I trust less, save for Queen Nandi, who has had my trust for many long years. Were Woten’Ku Netherclaw to get his hands on mannarim, his troubles with Eruhal would come rapidly to a close, and the orcs would be quicker to go to the goblins for help getting it than to anyone else. As for Salimod, who knows who he’s played at conspiracy with.”

The King stood, followed by the others in the room, Gund first of all. “Gund,” Grar said, “you have your orders. Keep them at bay ‘til Salimod leaves. When they’ve gone, we’ll route the goblins, taking as many prisoners as we desire for questioning. Then we’ll start to unravel this web, and if Salimod is the spider who spun it, then his son Hale will sit the throne sooner than he expected. Blastus, will you be joining us at the wedding?”

“Alas no, Dread Sovereign. With Argus gone, I need to join with my second.”

“I understand. You’ll be missed.”

“May I accompany you?” asked Lobuhl.

Gund laughed, but Grar did not. Gund had wondered how Grar felt about his brother running off to fight the centaurs. It seemed he was about to find out.

Grar stood directly in front of his brother and looked him in the eye, drawing the attention of all in the hall. Lobuhl was a fingertip taller than his King Brother, but Grar outweighed Lobuhl by a dozen pounds of solid muscle. Beyond that, he had the heart of a bear, and no one lived who could recall ever seeing fear in Grar’s eyes. Without a word he made it plain that Lobuhl was expected to be at the wedding, even if worse monsters than centaurs invaded the kingdom from within.