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CHAPTER TWO

“A Meeting in the Pavilion”

He didn’t know what surprised him more - the fact that his son was here with them now, alive and apparently unhurt; or the look on his oldest friend’s face.

Terrance Lord Blainesdale, Baron of Vale Keep, stood silently outside Earl Tohmas Stouhaeart’s tent, surveying the scene before him. A few dozen feet away a noblewoman dressed as a common traveler and wearing a serviceable rapier sat astride the horse she had ridden into camp. Terrance knew her to be Lady Imelia, the wife of the lord of Traazon Keep. On her left sat his son, Morris, riding on what looked to be a common plow horse rather than the fine war horse he had left Vale Keep with several months ago.

In addition, behind his son sat a very tall and broad shouldered human male with the twin axes of the dwarven god of valor emblazoned on his tabard, athwart one of the largest horses he’d ever seen. Nestled behind him on the same horse was a young woman with fiery red hair, clutching her arms around the priest as if hanging on for dear life. Next to the war priest, on another horse sat a second cleric, this one obviously a healer from the order of Mareth, his white robes bearing the signs of much hard travel. He clutched a young girl of perhaps ten summers in his arms, her eyes fixed on the noblewoman in front of them. Behind them sat a stocky man of about his own age, a spear clutched in his hand, his dun colored horse whickering nervously, and last sat a sharp faced woman in dark green riding leathers, fidgeting with a wicked looking recurve longbow.

None of them held his eye for more than a moment, though; not even his son. No; his eyes were focused on the man sitting on the horse on the other side of the noblewoman.

My eyes must be deceiving me! Either that or I am dreaming. Yes, that must be it. He reached down and pinched himself, and jumped slightly. No. I’m awake. And that can only mean one thing…

Earl Tohmas Stoutheart had a son. A son older than any of his other acknowledged children. One wearing the armor of a knight of the realm – and man whom he had never heard Tohmas speak of in the thirty plus winters they had been the best of friends.

He’d missed the arrival of the noblewoman and her party by only a few moments, alerted by the same page as Tohmas. Terrance had hurried over from his own tent to the Earl’s, arriving only moments after the Earl had emerged from his own tent.

Quickly taking stock of the situation, he swept his eyes between the two men. There was no doubt. The knight on the horse, who seconds before had introduced himself with the greeting of “Hello, Father,” was obviously Tohmas Stoutheart’s son. They shared the same facial characteristics: both men were of average height, with dark hair (turning to grey in the older man’s case) and piercing blue eyes, broad of shoulder, with the physique of men who’d spent long hours in the practice circle. In fact, as Terrance looked at the younger man, he found himself returning to the time he had first met Tohmas Stoutheart, when both of them were wet-behind-the-ears teenagers, sent together on their first patrol by Tohmas’s father. Terrance had been Tohmas’s squire back then; only a few years younger than the Earl. Their fathers had placed the two boys together in hopes that the two would become friends as well as Lord and vassal, and thus duplicate the relationship of their parents

It had worked. Terrance had instantly admired the young man, and was grateful that the nineteen year old Tohmas had treated a fourteen year old boy like a man. Their relationship soon blossomed into friendship, and they had become boon companions.

A few months later, when a patrol Tohmas had been leading ran into a party of highlander rebels down in Eldane, it was only the young knights fearless - or perhaps reckless, he admitted to himself - leadership which allowed them to survive. Outnumbered two-to-one, Tohmas had led the charge that had allowed them to cut their way out of a trap. Upon returning home, one of the troopers had seen fit to blame the young nobleman for the death of his comrades, rather than his own lazy habits while out scouting. It was Terrance’s testimony that had cleared the older man, and that act secured their friendship for life.

And in all that time, I never knew – never even suspected! – that Tohmas had been untrue to his lady wife. In fact, it had always seemed as if he’d die before betraying his vows to Lady Bekka! Yet the evidence stood before him. He needed no proof of law or magic to verify what he saw. A man could be born blind and still see the truth! Nine hells, he even sounded like him!

Silence fell, and Terrance could feel the tension in the air. His eyes flicked back and forth, and he almost believed Tohmas was going order the other man to be arrested as an imposter – or worse.

Then something changed. The Earl composed himself, and smiled for a moment, then laughed. “Well,” he said, “there is no more use in denying it or trying to hide it. All of you can see the truth. Although I have to admit that this is the least likely place to finally meet you, son.” Tohmas walked several steps toward the other man’s horse. “Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Tarn Nohmahl, formerly a knight of the realm, now apparently a man-at-arms in the service of the Lady Imelia, and… my son.”

The other man – Tohmas’s son – answered in a steady baritone voice. “Not former, Father. I am a knight once again. No thanks to you.”

Tohmas stiffened. “I supposed I deserved that. But now… now is not that time to discuss the past. Later…” he trailed off. Clearing his throat as he continued, “Later we can discuss that. For now we must be about the business of saving the realm from the thrice-damned orcs.” Tohmas walked over to the lady, extending his arm to help her down. Terrance could barely contain his surprise when she brushed him away, dismounting gracefully and without any hint of need for lady-like assistance.

Imeila then brusquely replied, “Yes, milord, we should. I would see you inside your tent to discuss matters at hand.” Tohmas nodded dully. “Sir Tarn and Sir Morris will accompany me; you will have your men care for the rest of my party? We have ridden for days, and are very tired.”

Tohmas nodded again, motioning to his valet. “Yes, yes, milady. Quite so. Even so, are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait until morning?”

“No,” she shook her head. “While I’m as exhausted as my companions, what needs to be said must be said now, for I will know no rest until I do.”

Suprsingly, Tohmas simply nodded. He motioned toward Terrance to follow him, and started toward his pavilion. “As you wish, milady. Henrick, see to the needs of her companions.”

Tohmas started after the Earl, a sense of dread filling his stomach. Whatever happens now, no good will come of it.

* * *

Terrance followed behind the lady and her knights into Tohmas’ pavilion, sitting down on a camp stool next to the Earl. The others did likewise, forming a small circle. After a long silent moment, Tohmas began speaking.

He could see the lump in Tohmas’s throat; hear the hesitancy in his voice. His old friend’s words were uneven, lacking their usual even cadence and poise. “Tarn, you don’t know how sorry I am that I never acknowledged you; that I couldn’t acknowledge you. I…. I was only about young Morris’s age when you were born. We were on campaign against the elves, and we had just survived a long battle with the fair folk when we rode into the village where I met your mother…”

The Earl paused, a blush creeping into his cheeks. “She was very beautiful, your mother. And I was very young… and very stupid. The old knight commanding the patrol saw that I had taken a fancy to the young barmaid who brought me my dinner that night, and he… arranged… for her to come to my room later that night. Apparently he thought it would be “good for me,” that I needed to be “broken in.”

He snorted softly. “She came to my bed willingly enough and she, although I think she was more afraid of me than anything else; and, well, she was the first woman I had ever been with. I’m not proud of it now, and I wasn’t proud of it then, but… it happened.” He shook his head gently, sadly. “I have many regrets in my life, Tarn, and I will admit that bedding your mother is one of them. Not for the fact that you came about as a result of my ‘youthful indiscretion’ – not that at all, but because I‘ve never been able to acknowledge your existence to my lady wife, or to your half-siblings. Never, in fact, even to myself.”

Tohmas looked at his son, a hint a tear appearing at the corner of his eye. “I hope you can forgive me, son, for not being a part of your life. Someday, if not today.”

Oppressively thick silence filled the room, and the tension that accompanied it was like nothing Terrance had ever experienced. The quiet reverie kept going for a good while, and just when Terrance thought he would say something himself simply to break the mood, Tarn glanced up and toward his father..

“Perhaps someday, Father But not today.”

Tarn stood up slowly, staring directly into the eyes of Lady Imelia as he did so. He held the look for a moment, and Terrance could tell some sort of unspoken communication had passed between them. Tarn then shook his head once, mouthing a something to himself, and started toward the door of the pavilion.

Terrance started to stand, reaching to pull the Earl’s son back into the tent, but a withering look from his own son cut him off. Morris mouthed the words, “Let him go, Father.”

The Earl watched Tarn leave, waiting for the canvas door to close behind him. He paused for a second, and then said softly, “Well, that went as well as could be expected.” He inclined his head toward Morris. “Thank-you, lad, for that. I will have to sort things out with him later. After… after I know what to think. His being here changes many things. More than I can think of now, assuredly.”

Shaking his head, he then turned toward Imelia. “But let us turn to the matter that brings is all here.” He reached a comforting hand across the circle and touched the noblewoman comfortingly on the knee. Terrance noticed her almost imperceptible flinch and wondered what to make of it.

“Lady Imelia, I am sorrowful beyond words for what has happened, that your castle is under siege. Tell me, how does your Lord husband fare? Truly, things must be grave if he has sent you to me in this manner.”

Imelia’s cheeks first grew white, then quickly flashed red with anger. “Milord,” she said more smoothly than her face indicated. “My Lord husband has passed beyond the vale to the realm of the gods, as has Traazon Keep itself.”

Gasps filled the air, and Terrance found himself at a loss for words, the same as the Earl. That loss was not shared by Tohmas’ valet, who quickly blurted out, “Surely you jest, milady! And at such a time as this!”

“Oh, I am quite serious, Master Hendrick. Quite serious. In fact, I pray to all the gods of light that I could make such a jest. But I speak the truth. Three weeks ago tomorrow, Traazon Keep fell to the forces of the orc war chief Grom Ten-Kill. I can only assume I and my party are the last living and free survivors of the sacking and rape of my husband’s lands.”

Terrance turned his gaze toward his son, his eyes hard and unblinking. “Morris, what happened? How could such a thing have occurred? Trazon Keep is – was – the most heavily fortified position west of Vale Keep! It has withstood sieges in the past, and should have been able to withstand one now, especially after we dispatched you with provisions and reinforcements!”

Morris sighed deeply before answering. “I take it by your reaction that you haven’t engaged any of the forces of the horde?”

“No, we have not. Why do you say that?”

“If you had, Father, you would not ask that question.”

“Again, son, why?”

“Two reasons. First, the size of this horde is unprecedented in living memory. Over ten thousand orcs were with Grom when they sacked the keep, and with his victory there, his numbers can only have increased as more greenbacks flock to his banner. Second, there are the tactics they used.” He paused, drawing in deep breath before continuing.

“They fight as men.”

“As men?” Earl Tohmas snickered slightly in spite of his best efforts not to, unable to keep a crinkled smile off his face. “When have orcs ever fought as men?”

“These do, milord. They exhibit discipline, marching in dressed, lock step formation, and fighting behind shield walls, re-forming their lines even when they take even heavy casualties. They do not panic or flee when faced with massed missile fire or arcane attacks. They never, in fact, “scream and leap.”

Snickering more loudly this time, the Earl interrupted the young knight. “Even if what you say is true, Sir Morris, none of that would account for the fall of a fortified castle like Traazon Keep to the greenbacks.”

“No, milord. You are correct. They’ve also made two other changes to the tactics they’ve used for so long. First, they’ve accumulated an incredibly large number of shamans and other magic users with this horde – so many so that I myself counted over three dozen of them aiding in their final assault.

“Even more frightening than that, though, is the fact that they built a large number of siege engines – and not just the simple catapults we have seen them use on occasions before, but full fledged trebuchets and ballista in decisive numbers.”

“Why didn’t your mages just fire them?” Terrance heard himself ask in a voice that didn’t really sound like his own. After all, he couldn’t believe what his son was saying, yet knew he wouldn’t - couldn’t - make up such a tale

“They tried, your Grace. Trust me, they did. But they were prevented by the counter spells and shields cast by the orc shamans. That, and our own mages were so busy…”

“Counter spells?” Tohmas sounded incredulous. “I know little of the craft, but certainly our use of the craft is more sophisticated than theirs. Why were your mages not able to simply burn through their spells, Morris?”

Until this moment, the atmosphere in the pavilion had been on edge, but nothing like what happened after Imelia burst out “Because you withdrew them, Tohmas! When you withdrew them, and all those other soldiers, what did you think would happen? That the thrice-damned orcs were so stupid that they would not realize what you’d done and take advantage of the situation you created? That they would simply roll over and die! By the twelve gods, Tohmas! How could you be so stupid! Your actions are what caused the fall of my home, the death of my Lord Husband , and the slaughter of all I hold dear! Your actions, and yours alone!”

It was out in the open now, Terrance realized. What had been unspoken amongst them from the moment Imelia and her party had arrived, had now been said publicly and could not be taken back. Fearing the worst, he inclined his head toward Tohmas, expecting him to lash out verbally or even physically at Imelia’s. Instead, the Earl said nothing, simply sitting quietly, holding his head in his hands.

After that silent moment which felt like eternity itself, the Earl raised his head, seeming to take the time to choose his words with great care. “You have lost much, my lady, and for that I will forgive your outburst.” He rubbed his hands together slowly as he spoke. “As such, I call an end to this meeting, and bid you rest for a while in the pavilion which my men are even now setting up for you and your daughter.” Imelia started to say something, but Tohmas raised a hand, cutting her off.

“No, speak no more of this. Rest first, giving cooler heads time to prevail.” He turned toward Hendrick. “See to her needs – and quickly.”

Hendrick nodded, and stepped out of the tent. Imelia stood up and followed behind him, muttering a word of thanks, followed by a statement about “needing some air.” Tohmas sat, sullen faced and in shock, not sure about what had just occurred, watching her and Morris leave.

It was only when he thought back about it later that he realized something.

Tohmas had never denied what she said.