“One hundred thousand, Your Majesty. We will never threaten you. We are merely afraid that your own forces are not sufficient in number to retrieve the diamond from the hands of the unslayables. And we are afraid also because you tolerate the broka in your land.” He indicated Rejalin.
“We have heard that you put them to the sword in the Outer Lands,” Ortger exclaimed excitedly. “Don’t try the same thing here!” He pointed to Lot-Ionan and Dergard. “We have powerful wise men that your warriors cannot win against. Magic, does that mean anything to you?”
Flagur, Rodario’s skill and experience told him, was enjoying playing a simple mind; many here were treating him as if he were as backwards as an orc. “Magic? No. Not me.” He shook his head, then pointed to the ubariu in violet-hued clothing next to him. “He will know. He is our top rune master and he can do things that always astonish me.” His companions laughed softly. “We must settle what is to happen about the diamond. Sundalon told you how important it is for our land and for yours. For this reason I insist we receive the stone after the removal of the alfar.”
“So there is a threat!” Isika exclaimed, smugly. “Your intentions are clear.”
Flagur twisted his lips into a smile. Tungdil had faced a multitude of creatures in his time, yet he had never seen any looking quite so dangerous. “No, I give you my word that my soldiers and I will march out of Girdlegard without attacking a single one of your people.”
A whisper ran through the assembly. They had heard the announcement but did not believe it.
Sirka raised her voice. “But what we will do is leave our own land, Fon Gala, and we shall no longer guard the secret pass into Girdlegard as our people have done for so long.”
The lines in Gandogar’s brow were deep channels rather than furrows. “Nonsense. There is no secret way through the mountains…” Then he hesitated, wondering the same thing as all the other rulers there. “How did you get through the ravine and past the two dwarf fortresses?” he demanded, his voice unsteady. “I swear by Vraccas I shall attack you myself, if…”
Flagur turned to Sirka. “You tell them.”
“We led the ubariu into Girdlegard,” she admitted. “We have known about the path for a long time and have protected it from the phottor, who happened upon it by a grave mischance. We circumvented the fourthling strongholds while the acronta besieged your gates, creating a diversion.”
“And this is the path that will be used by the most ghastly of beings to invade your land,” Flagur predicted. “You can prevent it. If you give us the diamond. With it we can awaken the artifact to life that will close up the Black Abyss.”
“It’s a trick!” Rejalin insisted.
Those were the words Tungdil had been waiting for. He pounced upon the elf-deceit. “A trick? If you speak of trickery, princess, how do you explain to these crowned heads the murder of Liutasil four cycles ago and the farce you stage here?”
Rejalin stared at him. For the space of a moment there was nothing elegant or wonderful about her. Then she recovered and replaced her mask of sheer beauty. “What nonsense are you spouting, Tungdil Goldhand? Is this how you repay my people’s hospitality? You would tell lies about us?” The elves behind their leader conferred nervously. Her bodyguard pierced Tungdil with sharp looks, unable to take further action in the circumstances.
“It is true! I have witnesses, Your Majesties,” he persisted, fending off her attempts to ridicule his evidence. “I need to tell you all something I had wanted to keep secret until the end of my days. The eoil that Rodario and I destroyed in Porista was in reality an elf. Liutasil told me everything. The eoil are the oldest and most powerful of the elves and none of the elf folk would dare take up arms against one. This was the reason elves would not help us in our struggle.” And he reported what had really happened on top of the tower. Rodario, aware this was not his big moment, let Tungdil speak, then swore an oath on his own life as to the truth of each word. “Liutasil knew. Now that the eoil followers have murdered him, it is impossible for me to remain silent.” Rodario gave the signal for Ireheart and Sirka to go and fetch Esdalan.
Ortger turned to the elf-woman seated as still as a porcelain figurine, fists clenched in her lap. “Say it isn’t true, what Tungdil Goldhand is telling us!”
“Wait to hear the witness you tried to have killed,” said Tungdil, as the elf entered with Goda and Ireheart.
Esdalan’s eyes were full of hatred and contempt for Rejalin. Again Tungdil was struck by the resemblance. “I stand here, Your Majesties, and take my oath before the goddess Sitalia that I heard her speak of Liutasil’s murder with my own ears. She arranged it; she prepared the ground for treachery.” As he spoke he indicated the princess with a graceful but accusatory gesture. “My sister and her followers are desperate to further the teachings of the eoil who caused so much destruction and suffering here in Girdlegard and in the Outer Lands. Do not allow her, whatever happens, to gain possession of the diamond or your fate and that of your subjects will be terrible.”
Siblings! This explained why Tungdil had been struck by the similarity. It also made Rejalin’s attempt on the elf’s life all the more dreadful a crime.
Esdalan reported of his experiences in Alandur, about the new temples where the eoil was worshipped, about the white stones that stood for purity and that were to be erected in each of the kingdoms; he told them about the plans to bring death to those who had, in distress and crisis, gone along with the evil, like the people of Toboribor; he spoke of how the elves would take over in Girdlegard, dictating to the citizens and allowing them no voice of their own, as soon as they had the diamond in their hands.
The assembled monarchs listened in horrified silence.
“The atar consider themselves the purest of the pure and as purity’s champions as almost of the same status as the eoil. They want authority over all these lands, to be moral protectors. But they are no better than vicious blinded creatures, killing so many in their own ranks that all opposition was eradicated.” Esdalan swiveled round. His voice was unsteady now, choked with emotion. “And nobody saw. Not even I, her own brother. Now you all know. I beg you in the name of the dead of Alandur, executed by the atar: Prevent this. Stop them!” He took a step back and met his sister’s gaze.
Rejalin swallowed hard. His appearance here had thrown her.
Shocked silence reigned. Outside, soldiers’ voices could be heard and the normal sounds of the town: The clink of harness, the noise of hammers and tools, the footsteps of citizens going about their daily business.
“By all the good gods,” whispered Isika, laying her hand on Rejalin’s white one. “Say something! You must answer these accusations!”
Revolted by the touch, the elf-woman haughtily pulled away her hand and wiped it on her cloak. “What is there to say?” she said contemptuously. “It is true. We want to give Girdlegard the purity and morality it deserves. The eoil left us with this mission and we rejoice in fulfilling her wishes.” She watched the faces that surrounded her. “It will not be long now and our time will come. Then the wheat will be sorted from the chaff. The new seed grain will grow more gloriously than anything that has been seen before. Now it is out in the open I appeal to you alclass="underline" submit to our test and show that you are free of guilt.”
“By Palandiell!” Queen Wey sprang forward. “How you have deceived me! You won my trust with falsehoods and empty promises in order to spy out my land!” She pointed an accusing finger. “Do you think that this confession will bring you a single supporter amongst these monarchs?”
“We knew you would react like this as soon as our good intentions to bring enlightenment and purity to Girdlegard became known. You cannot understand, Queen Wey.” Rejalin smiled forgivingly. “You are not yet ready.”
But Weyurn’s sovereign was too deeply wounded to be calmed by such words. “Do not dare to speak to me as if you were my mother!” she cried indignantly.