Games of the Powerful

  Chapter 7

  Late afternoon after three days hard march through the mountains, Dulgar, Gilia, and Hairytoes and fifty-five other dwarfs finally arrived at Celedryl’s village. The first thing they saw when they arrived was the cattle and their calves milling around half starved trying to find grass under the patches of light snow. The cattle roamed free bunching around the village with some walking between the houses desperate for grass. Dulgar quickly ordered the hay barns opened and hay brought out to the starving cattle. Tomorrow they would feed them grain but for tonight, the hay would have to satisfy them. Dulgar is not sure how many have died and some still might but he had hopes the death toll would be small. Some dwarfs went to secure lodging in the many homes now vacant except for some furry creatures that ran at the first sight of them, while others went to the cold storage for a side of beef and fresh vegetables to cook for supper.

  Dulgar knew there would be enough time tomorrow to inventory the supplies and to see what they would need to fortify the village. Walking around the village, he noted that everything is mostly intact with some minor repair work needed on some homes and a few outbuildings. To build a wall around the village will take all winter to complete providing they do not have a harsh winter. Pausing, he pushed his foot down hard on the ground noting it is still soft so digging will not be too wearisome he thought strolling through the village. They will need to dig a deep trench around the entire perimeter using the dirt from the trench to make a berm and to enhance the defenses they can put sharp stakes pointed outward that he hoped would slow the orcs. A wall will have to come next he thought but he did not think there would be enough wood stored here to build any portion of a wall he hoped there would be enough for the sharpened stakes.

  Dulgar headed to the center of the village finding the meeting hall quickly noticing the burn pit with ashes piled high. His sons and their new friend Eatin did well thinking to himself while staring deeply into at the ashes seeing the faces all his friends and his brothers in arms dead and gone for no other reason than to slack the orcs bloodlust. Most of all he will miss Berek. With a tear in his eye, he turned quickly walking back to the others.

  They had already started a cook fire and were turning the side of beef over it with more fires boiling snow for water and cooking the vegetables. Tomorrow another chore would be to crack the thin ice covering the streams and wells so the water will be accessible to the animals and dwarfs alike. With so much needing to be done and so little time they would need many more hands to get the work fortifying the village done on time and to defend it they will need thousands to stop the orcs killing all who came there for sanctuary.

  Something or someone has stirred them up but why he asked himself. Those brigands that Celedryl met on the trail what were they doing there he asked himself. The more he thought about it the more he felt they had something to do with the orcs moving south. He hated not having enough information to plan for a battle though it is normally that way it still irritates him. The orcs moving south is nothing more than a distraction. The question is what is the real motive for this orc incursion? Keeping the orcs from going south raping and pillaging all that live there, will tie-up all the dwarfs, elves and humans merely to contain them. If they were to pass through here unchecked, they would range into small bands and rape the countryside at will. Jancastle is close to eighty leagues away and heavily garrisoned. Duke Unther is close to Duke Gawain, so there would be no reluctance on his part to supply the needed soldiers to be of help in the spring. Faycastle is positioned defensively near Dragons Bane Lake but it is a minor county and could provide some light cavalry support. Whitepine Castle has its problems concerning the southern orcs so they may be of no help, and the garrison at Fort Winterness is lightly manned at the best of times.

  “Dulgar ye are quiet tonight, yer min' must be filled tae th' brim wi' things 'at are worryin' ye.”, Gilia said quietly still startling him from his thoughts.

  “Gilia thaur is more tae thes than we know an' I am worried 'at thaur will be many sons an' daughters killed an’ women without their men when thes is over.”

  “Dulgar thaur will be great sacrifice an' loss in th' comin' months but in th' end guid will prevail.”

  “Ah hope ye ur right Gilia Ah surely dae. Ye must gie a letter 'at Ah will write tae Duke Gawain. Ah will teel heem of mah concerns an' th' needs 'at we have. Ah know 'at ye must fin' Celedryl an' Ah think ye will find 'er at Castle Qenildor.”

  “Dulgar lit us eat an' tomorrow ye write yer letter. Ah hae foond us a hoose 'at has a warm fire awreddy burnin' an' a vegetable stew cookin' 'at will warm yer insides, Gilia said taking him by the arm leading him to the house.