they have much chance of success-even fleet horses can’t fly! But we must make a commendable effort.”
“Perhaps we should all go after him?” Selinda suggested.
She shut her mouth and stepped back as she saw the flush of rage once again start to color the captain’s features.
“No, princess,” he declared in a deep, powerful voice. “The rest of the company is the minimum necessary to properly protect you. We must stay together now, and we must make haste to get you safely back into your father’s palace, where you belong.”
The mountain fortress rose against the backdrop of the looming Garnet Range. Draconions lined the walls and the gate, glaring in a mixture of suspicion and fear at the horde that had appeared with the dawn on their very doorstep. The stronghold bristled with spears and swords clutched in clawed talons, with rustling leather wings quivering in agitation. The scaly, fanged defenders hissed and growled along every battlement.
The many thousands of goblins and hobgoblins, arrayed in battle order, with regiments of growling worgs and poised riders on both flanks, made an impressive threat. The ranks of human soldiers were also neat, tight, seemingly prepared to advance at the word of their commander. The Dark Knights formed a broad front, their great steeds snorting and ready, lances upraised. The massive horses stood beside their monstrous comrades, steady as steel.
Fresh from the sacking of wealthy, abandoned Luinstat, the warriors of Ankhar’s horde were spoiling for a fresh fight. They roared ugly challenges, banged their spears against their shields, stomped their feet, and raised a din that easily overwhelmed the sibilant taunting of the draconian defenders of the stronghold.
Ankhar swaggered forward out of the front ranks of his army, one brawny fist braced upon his hip while the other clenched his spear, waving the glowing tip back and forth over his head. He raised the weapon as high as he could, and his glare swept the battlements, seeking the draconian clad in the most gold.
The half-giant finally fixed his eyes upon that one-an aurak naturally-and his voice bellowed across the valley.
“Let me in! I talk with master, Cornellus the Strong!”
“Go away!” barked the aurak. “He doesn’t want to see you.”
Ankhar flexed his massive fists. He eyed the gate, pretty certain he could bash it down personally, with just a few strong punches. The thousands of gobs and hobs arrayed behind him would swarm over this place within minutes. His troops outnumbered the defenders three or four to one.
However, he had learned a few things about leadership during the course of this summer’s campaign-and he had not come here to shed the blood of a lot of draconians or to lose more of his own troops. He turned his tusked face upwards, allowed a bland, unthreatening expression to fall across his features. He lowered the spear, and the green light faded- almost completely-from view in the bright afternoon sun.
“You ask mighty Cornellus again,” the half-giant said calmly. “Tell him Ankhar, Speaker of the Truth, seeks audience with great Cornellus. Want to discuss something of profit and power for both.”
The aurak bristled, his great wings flaring from his shoulders. His taloned forepaws, clutching the sharpened timbers at the top of the wall, dug into the wood. He was anxious to fight, but with a conscious effort he considered Ankhar’s words.
“We can always fight later, if that what your master want,” prodded the half-giant Ankhar cheerfully. “We kill you by night or all day-whichever you want. Right now, we talk. Go tell lord.”
“Very well,” the big draconian said, finally. His wings buzzed audibly, but he nodded his head in a token, albeit a minimal gesture, of respect. “I will go and inform Cornellus.”
An hour later, the hulking half-giant and the obese ogre were seated together in the great hall. The place was charred and smelled of soot, and several holes were burned through its thatched roof, but it was still a large chamber swirling with the motion of many attendants.
“Belated warm greetings, Goblin-Master,” began Cornellus, as slaves poured them huge mugs of mulled wine. The half-ogre swelled across his huge chair, his short, golden tusks gleaming in the torchlight. Sweat glistened on his round head, and slaves blotted at his smelly wetness with cloth towels. He was a huge creature, but even seated on his grand throne he found himself looking up at this half-giant called the Speaker of the Truth.
“I fear I do not have lodgings for all the guests you bring to my lodge,” said the bandit-lord, waving a pudgy hand toward the unseen horde that, as yet, waited outside the walls of his stronghold.
Ankhar chuckled, deeply amused. “Goblins say you got room for ears of their cousins to stay here. They say you pay for those ears.”
The grotesque ogre flushed and choked, spilling some of his wine across his massive belly. He shook his head, heavy lids slamming down over his eyes in a practiced expression of boredom that attempted-without much success-to mask his fear.
Ankhar could see that his opening shot had struck home.
“I am afraid my esteemed guest has been misinformed,” Cornellus declared sanctimoniously, his voice rising. “I make bounty hunters pay for their killings! I do not pay them!”
“Of course,” Ankhar replied, his deep voice genial. He paused, slurping at length of the sweet, spicy wine. “Not important, anyway. Gobs can be pests. Filthy little runts. They like trapped furies when got good leaders.”
“So I hear,” the bandit lord allowed.
“Oh?” The half-giant raised a bushy eyebrow. “You hear about us defeat Thelgaard? Drove whole army of knights into river. Killed hundreds, drowned hundreds? Got whole baggage train?”
“Yes, word of that battle reached us even here, high in the mountains. I did not know if the stories were exaggerated, or not,” Cornellus said carefully.
“Of course, Thelgaard not such a wealthy duke. Not like in Solanthus! In Solanthus they got vaults filled to ceilings with treasures. But, Thelgaard not poor man. At least, not poor at start of day!”
Ankhar reached into his spacious belt pouch and pulled out a long strand of dazzling silver links, pouring the gleaming metal from one massive hand into the other. Laying the treasure on the table, his blunt fingers gently stretching the links apart, the half-giant revealed a chain holding a large disk emblazoned with diamonds and rubies.
The bandit lord’s eyes grew wide.
“This one of many tokens carried by Solamnic duke into battle,” the half-giant chieftain said with a belly- rumbling chuckle. “Don’t know why. Maybe he try to bribe us.”
“It is quite splendid,” Cornellus allowed, all but drooling as he leaned forward, probing at the gleaming necklace with one of his sausage-sized fingers. “May I hoist it?” he asked hesitantly.
Ankhar looked astonished. “You may have it! I bring it as gift for you. You like this stuff?”
“My honored guest, I am humbled by your generosity!” exclaimed the half-ogre, snatching up the chain, pouring the links between his massive hands. “It is truly a splendid gift.”
The grotesque Cornellus looked at Ankhar with an expression of almost tragic regret. “Would that I could offer something even a fraction as valuable in return. Alas…”
Ankhar waved away the offer, a magnanimous gesture of one massive paw. “I knew you like trinket,” he said. “Besides, I got no use for such treasures. I want other stuff. Not gold. Not gem. Not precious metal…”
Cornellus, ever the alert merchant, smelled a deal. “Tell me, O mighty war chief, what is it that you most wish for?”
“Ah,” Ankhar said, with another chuckle. “Maybe dusky giantess with big breasts-that rare treasure! Or maybe palace in the sky, on top of clouds. Of course, can’t have these…”
“No,” Cornellus agreed, with some relief. “Though I can inquire as to the matter of a giantess…”
“I tell you what make me happy right now, you know?”
The half ogre raised an eyebrow, listening.
“I want regiment of draconions. Back up my goblins. Then I take what I want, burn rest!”
“A regiment of draconions? With that, yours would be a force of raiders such as the plain has not seen in many years,” Cornellus agreed, thinking it over, imagining the plunder.
“Raiders?” scoffed the half-giant. “They more than raiders-they an army!”
“What would you do with such an army, may I ask?”
“With army like that, Ogre, I tear down walls of Solanthus itself. Open up vaults, where treasures piled to sky.”
