“As you say, Guttri. I bow before your wisdom,” said Verlek. Suiting action to words he did so. A ripple of laughter, not mocking, quite sympathetic, passed through the assembled crowd. There was a touch of formality and respect to Verlek’s action that had pleased the crowd. Kormak sensed a slight relaxation in the tension although he could not tell whether that was caused by Verlek’s action or by Guttri putting the young dwarf in his place.
Verlek turned back to face the crowd. “These people could be our allies,” he said. “They are mighty warriors and they possess great knowledge of the outside world.”
“What need have we of such knowledge,” shouted Utti. “We dwell in the City in the Deeps. Everything beyond her gates is a waste full of demons and Shadow worshippers and enemies. So it has been since the Time of Dying when the city was sealed.”
“Utti,” said Ferik, holding his hand up in what might have been a warning gesture.
“Not so. They have spoken with our kin.”
“Lies!” shouted Utti.
“Utti, you will have your chance to speak, if you so desire,” said Ferik. “Now Verlek holds the third step. Now it is his turn to speak.”
Utti’s ears lost some of their outraged rigour, his beard drooped. “I will hold my peace.”
“Good,” said Ferik. “Now Verlek, pray continue.”
“They claim to have spoken with our kin,” said Verlek, speaking slowly and as if he wanted to state everything with complete accuracy. “At very least the truth of these claims must be weighed and tested before there can be any talk of killing these strangers. And I would say should their claims prove to be true, we would do well to listen and aid them as they might aid us against our enemies.”
With that, Verlek stepped down from the stone ring and stepped back into the crowd. Kormak saw one or two of the dwarves reach out and slap him affectionately on the back.
“Now is your chance to speak Utti,” said Ferik. “If you still desire to.”
Utti walked slowly forward, head downcast, clearly considering his words. The flames danced. Thousands of empty eye-sockets stared down menacingly. It seemed as if legions of the dead watched in judgement. Utti stood looking into the flames for a while, back towards the audience, letting curiosity and tension build. After long heartbeats, he bowed to the others on the steps, and turned to the crowd.
“These strangers came here—we do not know why. They claim to come from the surface world—we do not know where. They appear to have helped Verlek—we do not know their reasons.” He spoke slowly and in a considered manner. His voice was deep and resonant, and compared to him Verlek had sounded like a child.
“If they were spies, they could not have found a better way of infiltrating our hold, taking advantage of the naive and trusting nature of a young dwarf who does not know any better.” The crowd murmured. He raised a hand and said, “I am not saying that is what happened. Let us be fair. I am merely suggesting an explanation of events.”
Kormak wondered what trap Utti was about to spring. He felt certain he was going to. He would not have abandoned his obvious but effective line of attack otherwise.
“We live in dark times. Khazduroth is fallen almost to ruin. The old seals have been broken. Shadow worshippers have come here to plunder its treasures. Graghur and his spawn assail us. Our numbers grow too few to protect our sacred trust. Verlek holds out the possibility of alliance with these oh so convenient strangers. He forgets the long history of betrayals and treachery that our people have suffered. He is young. He is impressed by tales that these strangers have spoken with our lost kindred.
“Perhaps he forgets why those kindred were lost to us. Perhaps he forgets the ancient betrayal of our people, the bitter, fratricidal war that sprang up between our kin. Perhaps to him these are only old stories. Perhaps he no longer has faith in our chronicles.”
“That is not so!” Verlek shouted. Utti turned and looked ironically at Ferik. Ferik said, “You have had your turn to speak Verlek. Now it is Utti’s.”
Utti smiled. Now the knife was going to go in, Kormak thought. The smile widened slowly. Utti looked at the floor again, as if considering his words. All was silent except for the hissing of the dancing flames. All around, every dwarf strained to hear what Utti was going to say.
“I must apologise to Verlek. I spoke without due thought earlier. I sounded as if I was trying to cast doubt on the claims he has made on these strangers behalf. I did not mean to. I believe some of them to be true. It is certainly possible that they have spoken to our treacherous kin. Why do I say this?”