” Kathir paused and took a deep breath. “ You have to ask yourself which is more important — politics or your people. ”
Skemtun flinched, and Kathir could tell that his words had hit a nerve. Skemtun paused and looked up at the mountain. Grey clouds swirled overhead. It was the middle of the afternoon, but dark and gloomy in the woods. The weather would be freezing tonight.
“ All right, ” he said finally. “ Ye ’ re right … the lives of my people are what ’ s important. I don ’ t know how much good it will do, but I ’ ll talk to Utan. But I can ’ t be seen going inside the mountain by myself! That will cause too much suspicion. Listen … why don ’ t you talk to him — as my representative? Go speak to Utan for me. ”
“ What do you want me to say to him? ” Kathir asked.
Skemtun rapped his finger on his chin. “ Tell Utan that my people are prepared to do their share of the work. We ’ ll be farmers, or laborers, or miners — whatever he wants us to do, we ’ ll do it. We ’ ll carve our own sleepin ’ caves inside the mountain, and we ’ ll do any work that we need to. In return, we get our share of the food, as well as shelter inside the mountain until our sleepin ’ caves are finished. ”
“ There ’ ll be other questions, ” Kathir said. “ Questions about leadership and the way decisions are made. ”
Skemtun spread his hands. “ Let ’ s take this one step at a time. We can negotiate the rest of it as we go along. Now go. But go quietly, and try not to call too much attention to yourself! ”
Kathir nodded. “ Don ’ t worry. I ’ m very good at moving through forests without being noticed. ” Kathir slipped back through the camp and into a layer of trees. He made his way back toward the front gates, but not directly. He paused for a moment when he spotted a member of Bolrakei ’ s personal entourage walking nearby. He recognized him as one of Bolrakei ’ s personal guards, but he was wearing a hooded cloak and scruffier clothing than usual, as if he were trying to blend in with the crowds.
The dwarf moved furtively around the camp and stopped every now and to look back and see if he was being followed. Kathir jogged behind him and ducked behind a tree so that he could continue to watch the dwarf. He would walk a few steps through the camp, pause at a tent or a tree, look back, and then go forward rapidly again. He moved cautiously, studying his surroundings very carefully.
Kathir narrowed his eyes. No question about it, he definitely looked suspicious. He decided to temporarily abandon his mission and to follow the guard instead.
Kathir was tall enough that he stood out, so he had to move carefully to conceal himself. He stayed just outside the camp perimeter, watching from the tree line. A few times, Kathir was afraid that the dwarf would spot him, but he never did.
Kathir followed the dwarf to a secluded area in the northern part of the camp. Ten dwarves were gathered around a fire, cooking their meat rations over the flame. They looked up and waved. “ Gorri! Come over and join us. Any fresh news? ”
Gorri went to the fire and rubbed his hands before sitting down near the group.
“ There ’ s not much to tell, ” Gorri said. “ It ’ s the same story as always. ”
“ Utan still won ’ t budge? ” the first dwarf asked him. “ He won ’ t let us inside his mountain? ”
Gorri shook his head. “ Nay, and what ’ s more, Bolrakei had to stop Utan from sending soldiers to attack our camp. She saved us again. ”
A gasp went around the circle. “ Utan wouldn ’ t dare attack us! ”
“ Of course he would, ” Gorri snorted. “ They had an army out to meet us when we arrived, didn ’ t they? Not exactly welcoming, was it? Instead of being thankful that we ’ re here, the Vardmiters are trying to fight us. The only reason Utan hasn ’ t attacked us already is because he ’ s scared of Bolrakei. ”
“ That sounds right. She ’
Skemtun flinched, and Kathir could tell that his words had hit a nerve. Skemtun paused and looked up at the mountain. Grey clouds swirled overhead. It was the middle of the afternoon, but dark and gloomy in the woods. The weather would be freezing tonight.
“ All right, ” he said finally. “ Ye ’ re right … the lives of my people are what ’ s important. I don ’ t know how much good it will do, but I ’ ll talk to Utan. But I can ’ t be seen going inside the mountain by myself! That will cause too much suspicion. Listen … why don ’ t you talk to him — as my representative? Go speak to Utan for me. ”
“ What do you want me to say to him? ” Kathir asked.
Skemtun rapped his finger on his chin. “ Tell Utan that my people are prepared to do their share of the work. We ’ ll be farmers, or laborers, or miners — whatever he wants us to do, we ’ ll do it. We ’ ll carve our own sleepin ’ caves inside the mountain, and we ’ ll do any work that we need to. In return, we get our share of the food, as well as shelter inside the mountain until our sleepin ’ caves are finished. ”
“ There ’ ll be other questions, ” Kathir said. “ Questions about leadership and the way decisions are made. ”
Skemtun spread his hands. “ Let ’ s take this one step at a time. We can negotiate the rest of it as we go along. Now go. But go quietly, and try not to call too much attention to yourself! ”
Kathir nodded. “ Don ’ t worry. I ’ m very good at moving through forests without being noticed. ” Kathir slipped back through the camp and into a layer of trees. He made his way back toward the front gates, but not directly. He paused for a moment when he spotted a member of Bolrakei ’ s personal entourage walking nearby. He recognized him as one of Bolrakei ’ s personal guards, but he was wearing a hooded cloak and scruffier clothing than usual, as if he were trying to blend in with the crowds.
The dwarf moved furtively around the camp and stopped every now and to look back and see if he was being followed. Kathir jogged behind him and ducked behind a tree so that he could continue to watch the dwarf. He would walk a few steps through the camp, pause at a tent or a tree, look back, and then go forward rapidly again. He moved cautiously, studying his surroundings very carefully.
Kathir narrowed his eyes. No question about it, he definitely looked suspicious. He decided to temporarily abandon his mission and to follow the guard instead.
Kathir was tall enough that he stood out, so he had to move carefully to conceal himself. He stayed just outside the camp perimeter, watching from the tree line. A few times, Kathir was afraid that the dwarf would spot him, but he never did.
Kathir followed the dwarf to a secluded area in the northern part of the camp. Ten dwarves were gathered around a fire, cooking their meat rations over the flame. They looked up and waved. “ Gorri! Come over and join us. Any fresh news? ”
Gorri went to the fire and rubbed his hands before sitting down near the group.
“ There ’ s not much to tell, ” Gorri said. “ It ’ s the same story as always. ”
“ Utan still won ’ t budge? ” the first dwarf asked him. “ He won ’ t let us inside his mountain? ”
Gorri shook his head. “ Nay, and what ’ s more, Bolrakei had to stop Utan from sending soldiers to attack our camp. She saved us again. ”
A gasp went around the circle. “ Utan wouldn ’ t dare attack us! ”
“ Of course he would, ” Gorri snorted. “ They had an army out to meet us when we arrived, didn ’ t they? Not exactly welcoming, was it? Instead of being thankful that we ’ re here, the Vardmiters are trying to fight us. The only reason Utan hasn ’ t attacked us already is because he ’ s scared of Bolrakei. ”
“ That sounds right. She ’
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