War Of The Wildlands(6)

Aelryk considered the notion for a moment. He was young, but he wanted to be fair with his troops and gain their respect. His father ruled using fear, and everyone jumped at his command. He wasn’t sure if that was the kind of commander he wanted to be.

Normally, his father would bark commands at him without expressing any gratitude once his wish had been fulfilled. Aelryk believed in discipline, of course, but his father’s manner was a little rougher than his own. It was not in his nature to be cruel. He preferred to treat others with the respect they had earned, and if someone needed to be punished, it should be done with fairness. Justice was not in his father’s vocabulary. Trials were held for show when a noble was accused. Anyone else could only hope for a swift, painless execution. Most were not that lucky.

When it came to the elves, King Domren was unwavering. He wanted them either exterminated or moved as far away as possible. Aelryk had not yet mentioned his thoughts on diplomacy to his father, but he hoped to have the opportunity soon. Today’s show of strength should convince the elves to accept the king’s terms. If he could convince his father to let him speak with the elven leaders, perhaps more battles could be avoided. The elves would certainly wish to retaliate, and Aelryk did not like the idea of his citizens being slaughtered. He was determined to bring the idea to his father as soon as he found the opportunity-and the courage as well.





Chapter 4




Yori sat down to dinner with his family. His leg still throbbed, but the wound had not reopened. His aunt placed a steaming bowl of stew in front of him along with a slice of freshly baked bread. Yori was convinced there was no better cook alive than his aunt. His mother had been a terrible cook. Her bread was always hard and flat, and she never made a dish she didn’t burn. Despite the cooking, he had loved her dearly. She was warm and loving and always made him feel special.

“Is that sword in one piece yet?” Ren asked.

“Yes,” Yori replied with a mouthful of food. Swallowing, he added, “It’s ready for your inspection.”

“Good,” Ren replied. “I told the lieutenant I’d deliver it in the next couple of weeks. I wouldn’t want to break my promise.”

They finished their meal in silence, and Yori helped stack the dishes to be washed.

“That’s fine, dear,” Trella said. “You go and rest. I’ll see to the dishes.”

Yori nodded and walked to the pile of blankets that had been laid out on the floor for his bed. It wasn’t as comfortable as his cot, but he felt safer sleeping indoors tonight. As soon as he sat down, Meladee popped up out of her bed and ran to him. She plopped herself next to him and leaned against his side.

“Tell me a story, please?” Her soft brown eyes pleaded with him, and he could not refuse.

“Ok, but just one,” he replied. “Let’s see.” He paused for a moment and then continued. “There once lived a gnome named Jack. He was the most clever gnome that ever lived. One day a giant threatened to stomp Jack’s little village into dust.”

Meladee gasped as she pictured the tiny gnomes being crushed beneath a gigantic foot.

“Don’t you worry,” he continued. “Little Jack knew just what to do. ‘Hey you giant!’ he shouted. ‘You’ve got those big feet but no shoes! You can squash us better with the fine pair of boots I saw.’ The giant wasn’t very smart, of course, so he followed Jack to see this fine pair of boots. Jack led him to a crevice between two huge boulders that was just wide enough to fit the giant’s foot inside it. ‘Right here!’ the little gnome cried. The giant scratched his head and said, ‘Don’t see nothin’ but no rocks.’ And his big face was all contorted and confused like this,” Yori said, miming the action to the delight of the little girl.

“Well, clever little Jack had an idea. ‘Stick your foot just there, and the magical rock boots will go right on your feet.’ Giants aren’t very smart, so he did as the little gnome said. Wouldn’t you know it, the giant’s foot stuck fast in the rock, and he pulled with all his might but couldn’t break free. Little Jack laughed and returned to his village. The other gnomes cheered and thanked Jack for saving their lives. They threw a big party and named him the new mayor.”

Meladee applauded at the end of the story. “Another!” she cried.

“Your mother is going to be very angry if I keep you up too late. Off to bed now,” he said, patting the child on her head.

“Ok,” she said, disappointed. Slowly, she got up and went back to her bed. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she grinned at her cousin. He smiled and waved goodnight before lying down himself.