Taking a deep breath, Elyn continued: “These past weeks we have ridden across half the face of Mithgar, I ween. And when we started, enemies we were. Yet I have found you to be most honorable, most noble, one that more than once I trusted my very life unto. No better companion could I ask at my side, and no better defender at my back.
“Yet our Nations are now enemies to one another, though it was not always so in the past. We fight because of a treasure stolen, a treasure now stolen again. We fight because of Pride and Greed. We fight because on one side a Prince of Jord was killed, and on the other, a Dwarven King. We fight because of Men and Dwarves slain in War, some by the hand of each other, some by the breath of a Dragon.
“I say that the time has come for this madness to cease. Not only because the trove is once more in the claws of a Drake, but because our two Folk have no business warring against one another. Over these past months, by your deeds and words, by your steadfast actions alone, you have shown me that my hatred of Dwarves was misplaced pride and grief, just as I hope that I have shown you the same.
“We in Jord misunderstood your motivations, just as you in Kachar misunderstood ours. It was not greed that drove you to ask for the return of your treasure; it was not thievery that caused us to refuse. We honestly thought that you had abandoned it, not thinking upon the span of a Dwarven life. You honestly thought we had stolen it, not thinking upon the years of Man.
“Let us make a pact, we two, that all we do henceforth shall be in the cause of peace between our two Realms, for such honorable foes as we, should instead be friends.”
Elyn fell silent, waiting for his reply. But it was not long in coming. “I could not have said it better, Princess.” Thork’s voice was laden with some deep emotion, yet what it was, neither he nor Elyn could fathom.
Elyn reached out and took Thork’s hand, holding the gnarled fingers against her cheek, and tears wetted the back of his hand. And slowly, hesitantly, with his other hand he gently brushed the tips of his fingers across her face, stroking away the droplets, the streaks.
Elyn released his hand, and he took his touch back unto himself, and sat in silence for a while. Yet at last he spoke of the trove, for he knew that still it lay at the center of the War between Jord and Kachar. “There is this, though, my Lady: Should we succeed against Black Kalgalath, what of the treasure then? Our two Folk will ask how should it be divided. This I propose: that it be divided in twain, each taking half, no more. And to prevent argument as to which gets the better of it, your Folk shall divide it into two equal shares, and my Folk shall choose which share to take home.”
Elyn’s silver laughter suddenly rang outward, and she reached out and gripped his two hands and squeezed them in delight. “An old trick, my Dwarven Warrior, yet one that will surely assure fairness.”
They spoke at length concerning how each could bring this truce about, how each could convince their respective monarchs, King Aranor and DelfLord Baran, to see reason in this plan. Surely a Châkka Prince and a Jordian Princess, companions in adversity, could prevail. And all the while she held his hands, and the icy dark seemed somehow warmer.
The wan light of the dawn found Elyn and Thork ready to move onward, for they had not slept much in the frigid night. Weary with fatigue, on down from the col they rode, Wind and Digger plodding as if worn too. Northeastward in the distance stood their first goal, a mountain as dark as jet. And as they rode down toward the twisting barren valley below, the Sun rose up into the sky, its rays seeming somehow chill. And still the silent grey stone of the high bleak mountains of Xian frowned down upon them, as if they somehow intruded where none were meant to go.
At a morning stop, Elyn looked long at the ebon peak. “It is said by my Folk that Black Mountain is reaching for heaven but is rooted in Hèl.”
Thork grunted but made no other response, and Elyn looked to see what distracted him. The Dwarf was staring up and to the east, where a vast ice field pressed down within a great long slot between two far-reaching walls of lofty mountains. “What think you is that dark blot clutched within the grasp of the ice?”
“What blot?” Stepping behind the Dwarf, Elyn’s eyes sought to find what Thork referred to.
“There”-Thork pointed, and the Princess’s gaze followed his outstretched arm-“just leftward of the crag.”
Down within the ice was a dark object, made small by the distance. “Most likely a boulder, Thork. What else could it be?”
Thork stared for a moment more, then turned and took the feed bag from Digger’s muzzle. “In the Sky Mountains where dwell distant kith, Châkka have found great hairy beasts frozen within glaciers: long curving tusks; large flaps of ears; flat bottomed feet; and strangest of all, great, flexible snouts. Beasts much like those that are said to dwell in the Lands across the Avagon Sea, but larger, much larger, and covered with a thick matting of fur.
“A fable is told among Châkka youth that upon a time these creatures did serve the Winter King, honoring him in all things.
“In those days, Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall, all dwelled within the land at one and the same time.
“Yet there came a day when the Winter King thought to steal the Queen of Summer and take her off to his icy Realm. In this deed, the great beasts would not follow, for it held no honor. And they did battle with the Winter King.
“And the Seasons saw this mighty strife, heard the trumpeting of the great creatures, felt the rumbling of the earth beneath their giant stompings. All knew that these beasts were noble animals and rushed to aid them. And round and round the Seasons raced, shoving, chasing one another, striking and smiting, for they knew not which side to take.
“But of a sudden, the battle ceased, for the beasts were slain, dying valiantly, protecting the Queen of Summer. And all mourned, for they loved the creatures dearly. Even the cold Winter King shed frozen tears, and locked the beasts away in fields of ice, preserving them so that all could see the great wrong he had committed.
“And since then the Seasons have not dwelt together, and instead march in an immutable progression across the Land, Summer as far from Winter as can be, guarded by Spring on one side and Fall on the other.
“It is also told that in the last days, these creatures will rise up again, and battle the Winter King once more, but this time they shall prevail.”
All the while that Thork was speaking, Elyn’s eyes gazed upward at the distant spot within the glacier, and a great sadness filled her chest. And when he fell silent at last, she turned unto him, tears glittering in her eyes, and quickly embraced him, but said nought. Then she stepped to Wind and readied herself for travel, and did not see that Thork’s dark eyes glistered with sadness as well.
Two more days they fared down within the folds of the harsh grey land, drawing nearer and nearer to the ebon spire, and the closer they got the more Elyn fretted.
“Thork, it isn’t as if we can just walk up to this mountain and knock for entrance.” Elyn’s eyes twinkled as she lowered her voice and took on an officious tone: “Boom, boom. Let me in. I’m on a mission. I need to look at your map.”
In spite of himself, Thork broke into laughter, and was joined by Elyn’s giggles. “Nay, Princess,” he chuckled, “that we cannot do.”
Suddenly sober, Elyn asked, “Well then, Prince Thork, you are a Dwarf and know of these things, these delvings of mountain strongholts; what should be our plan?”
Wind and Digger plodded forward many steps ere Thork replied, and all the while the Dwarf eyed the dark looming incline. “Upon the slopes of Mountains there are some locations better than others for the placement of gates: defendable, sheltered from the wind, good access to roadways for the movement of goods in and out, safe from rock-slides-these are some of the things I would look for, were it a Châkka gate, although I have not told even the half of it. Secret gates are another matter, for they must lay in a place suited to their purpose-a sally port, a secret escape, whatever-and are all but unfindable unless you know exactly where to look. . or have a map.