"To Uhoh Ragnap, esquire, my 'adopted' son, I leave the estate and property known as Castle Kalstan, to be his own, and to be master thereof. An amount of money already set aside in trust shall be used to maintain and keep the estate in a condition worthy of its status and lineage, and to provide for the well-being of the master of the castle."
Liam leaped to his feet. "What!" he screeched. Trevalyn Kesper began to laugh hysterically, despite the dark looks given him by Lord Tohr.
"That was his wish, Lord Ehrling," Seamus said.
"Seamus, really! Did you know of this beforehand?" Meredith scolded.
"I did. I drew up the documents, including the papers that make Uhoh his ward. It is all perfectly legal," the old man said.
"That crazy old fool, he speaks of a gully dwarf as if he were his son! Seamus, you have been a friend of the family for more years than I can count. How could you have let him do this?" Quintayne asked.
"I advised against it, but Lord Gunthar had made up his mind. As you know only too well, when Gunthar set his mind to something, neither you nor I nor Paladine himself could sway him from it," Seamus said. Wracked by sobs of laughter, Trevalyn had to find a seat to keep from falling over.
"Sir Kesper, if you cannot control yourself, you may be excused," Tohr whispered. "Speak not a word of this to anyone, I warn you."
"Lord Tohr, who would believe me if I did?" Trevalyn said as he wiped tears from his cheeks and made his way to the door. He shook his head and giggled, "Gave it to a gully dwarf. Oh, this is too rich!" He closed the door. They heard him laughing all the way down the hall.
"My apologies," Tohr said.
Liam spun back to face Seamus. "You don't honestly intend to honor this will, do you?" he said.
"It's a legal will," Seamus said.
"But that is one of the most important castles on the entire isle. It's my castle. It's where I live, by the gods! Gunthar gave it to me first. We can't possibly give it to a gully dwarf," Liam argued.
"You can challenge the will, if that is your desire," Seamus said.
"Of course I challenge it!" Liam shouted. "Seamus, I can't believe you actually intend to honor it. Couldn't you see that his mind was not sound?"
"He seemed perfectly sane to me, no different than his usual stubborn self," Seamus said. "In any case, if you intend to challenge the will, that is your right. In the meanwhile, I must meet with the gully dwarf, Uhoh Ragnap, to inform him of his rights."
"I'll send someone to fetch him from the kennels. That's where he lives," Meredith offered. She opened the library door and stepped out into the hall. A moment later, she returned. "He'll be here in a few moments."
"He's a gully dwarf. He won't understand a word of what's going on!" Liam said in amazement. "I myself can't believe what I am hearing."
"Nevertheless, he is Gunthar's legal heir, and as executor of the estate, it is my duty to represent his rights, even if he doesn't understand them himself," Seamus said to Liam. "And don't be in such a hurry to contest the will, Sir Liam. There may be other parts of it that you won't find so foolish."
"What do you mean?" Liam asked narrowing his eyes.
"Allow me to finish reading the document, and you will see," Seamus said coldly. He cleared his throat and resumed his reading.
"I, Gunthar uth Wistan, also hereby make my wishes known concerning the succession of leadership of the Knighthood. Therefore, those who would honor my memory, honor my wishes and elect Lord Liam Ehrling to the Grand Mastership of the Knights according to the rules provided in the revised Measure.
"The undersigned, on this day, et cetera, et cetera," Seamus finished. He folded the will and returned it to his portfolio. "There are many minor provisions included also such as measures for providing a seneschal for Castle Kalstan. However, if you choose to challenge the will… "
"I am not concerned about the succession," Liam said. "I am the leader of the Knights of the Rose, the Lord High Justice. I am the natural choice."
Quintayne nervously cleared his throat. "Ummm, my Lord Ehrling, not to be disrespectful, but I believe there are those who would challenge that assumption."
"Who?" Liam asked suspiciously. Quintayne pointed at Tohr.
"He's right, Liam. The Knights of Takhisis have every right to put forward and elect their own leader," Meredith said. "It is foolish to assume that just because you are the Lord High Justice of the Knights of Solamnia that you should be elected Grand Master of whatever Knighthood emerges from this."
Tohr shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I did not want to say anything with the pain of Gunthar's death still so fresh in our hearts, but Lady Meredith is correct. I honor your loyalty, Lord Ehrling, but if I correctly understand Lord Gunthar's intentions, that our two Knighthoods truly be merged, then an obvious candidate for the Grand Mastership is our current leader, Lady Mirielle Abrena. She has led us successfully for five years now, refounding our headquarters in Neraka, and piecing together the remnants of our forces that survived the Chaos War. Under her leadership, the Knighthood has been reforged into the strong body it is today."
"He has a point, Liam," Quintayne said.
"Surely you aren't serious," Liam laughed. "Do you mean to tell me that we are going to sit here and allow the Knights of Takhisis to accomplish through happenstance that which they were unable to win in battle?"
"What are you insinuating, Lord Ehrling?" Valian Escu demanded. His deep, angry voice charged the air with tension.
"I am insinuating nothing, elf," Liam answered. He turned to face his fellow Knights of Solamnia. "I am merely saying that we shouldn't let them defeat us using our own Measure."
"We are not at war, Liam," Meredith said. "No one is winning or losing here."
"If you must blame someone," Alya said, "blame Lord Gunthar. He is the one who made all this possible."
"But he chose me!" Liam shouted.
"Yes, and as you have asserted, he may not have been in his right mind when he did it!" she returned, undaunted by the older Knight.
Liam turned away, shaking his head in frustration.
"What is the nature of the document Lord Gunthar left for you, Sir Liam?" Meredith asked. "Perhaps it will shed light on this issue."
Liam sat heavily in his chair and reached for his wine glass, but his hands shook so he nearly dropped it. He sighed and returned it to the table. "It gives directions for the naming and ordering of the new Knighthood," he said.
"Really? Then read it to us directly," she said with forced enthusiasm.
A soft knock on the door interrupted them. Meredith rose and answered it. Jessica Vestianstone entered, followed by a squat, filthy little gully dwarf dragging an empty sack and a doll with no eyes.
"Is this Uhoh?" Seamus asked.
"No sir. I could not find Uhoh," Jessica said. "He is nowhere to be found. This gully dwarf is called Gerde. She claims that Uhoh has run away."
"That right," Gerde proudly proclaimed. "I see Uhoh go way."
"And when did he leave?" Seamus asked as he covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief. The others in the room reacted similarly to Gerde's profound body odor.
"Two days," she answered.
"That would be the day of the funeral," Seamus remarked.
"No, before that," Gerde said. "Two days."
"I see. Tell me, do you know where he was going?" he asked.
"Yes," was her answer.
After waiting a few moments and seeing that was the extent of her response, Seamus asked, "Where was Uhoh going?"
"Home."
"Where is home?"
"Town."
"Which town?" he asked,
"Only one Town," she said.
"There are many towns on Sancrist. Which one is home?" Seamus asked.