Chapter 1 Location - West Sept - Humans (King's City)

"Since the dwarves have been winning against the orcs over and over, I think it's time to form a truce with the dwarf's baron," King Tobb said and went back to a relaxed state where he rested his back on the chair where he sat.

Murmurings ensued in the enclosed wall with hard concrete around and four pillars to sustain the stability of the hall. There were windows in the higher parts of the wall and this allowed the sparse illumination of the sun to converge in a spot closer to the throne where Tobb was seated. Just after the lighted spot was a band of four soldiers that formed a line and separated the throne and the one who sit on it from the rest of the hall.

The hall was a space that graduated to heights above. At the far end was the iron door guarded by two armoured soldiers. Far on the other side was the throne, with a king seated on the throne, his name was Tobb Roham, the first of his name, and king over the human realm. He was dressed in a fluffy white coat which added to his bigness and made it look as though he was pumped with air. Tobb was big and agile, but the coat added more to Tobb as he was of a fine physique with his shoulders drawn back, his skin porous, and his limbs sturdy with agile proofs. His eyes were sunken, and the fats he was accumulating weren't enough to wash away the shreds of evidence of the war he fought in his youth days. A cupbearer stood before him, a teen, dressed in brown linen with brown pants and boots.

A little below the exalted throne was the first circle of lords. Lords over politics for counselling, kings-making, and leadership. They were all clothed in floating apparel of diverse colours that enshrouded their feet and they all appeared with a white muffler around their neck. They all stood around a triangular shape table and divided themselves into three sides, three on each part, all facing looking ahead to the faces before them. The murmurs came mostly from their side but with the king on his feet, they maintained silence, holding up a stern look. Two guards stood on opposite sides.

Just next to the table of the political lords was the next rectangular table of warlords. From the centre of the table to the ends of the table was a geographical marking that signified the map of the areas that engulfed them. It denoted how big they were in the west and was magnified to reveal lands and seas and forests that was in the western region. They strutted in their armours, with swords in their sheath by their sides, with their helmets on their weak hands and their strong arms by their sides. There were six on the right side and five on the left. They all were the captains of the west and were in silver armours with the overall commander in their midst in his golden armour.

All eyes were set on the dais, not particularly on the dais but on the one who stood on the platform.

"What would you have us do? Wisemen," Tobb said, looking at the political lords.

"I think it's best to learn to defeat the darkness of the south by ourselves. The orcs are gathering an army and might end up unstoppable then. Learning to win, I think that's better than making allies with the halfmen," a voice came and called all attention to the last set of the hall.

The last set of the hall held a coterie of chiefs over provinces. A group of fourteen chiefs who ruled over the fourteen divisions of the human territory in the west.

"Where is that coming from?" Tobb asked and began to walk behind the political lords by the right.

"From the coterie of chiefs?" he asked.

"Yes, your grace," one of the political lords said.

"Oh. Let's listen then," Tobb said and stood before the economical table, the table that was between the space for the coterie of chiefs and the warlords. The economical lords were the seat of wealth in the west. They mine the kingdoms wealth and work to make more, to buy allies, fund developments and grace sectors of the kingdom. Just like other lords, they were in floating cloaks but with green mufflers around their necks, some having it dangled and sliding on their shoulders.

"You say what?" Tobb asked and placed his hands on the economical table.

"That we try to win the war without allies. Let allies be our alternative just like the dwarves have the bandits and rebels, even giants as their alternative," the earlier voice continued.

"What do you think of this, counsellors?" Tobb turned to face the warlords.

"My lord, Prince Aff has a valid idea," one of the warring lords began.

"The orcs have never attacked us openly. And they have never attacked the capital. All the orcs had ever done was to attack settlements and take them. But then in less than three days, we retake it. I think they are not dumb as we thought they are. Since they can't take a settlement completely they know that they have no chance at the capital. This is valid, my king. We do not need friendship with the dwarves. Also, note that not striking a friendship deal with the dwarves denote enmity. We've never fought each other and I don't think we will."

"Sir Celot, I think you would be stripped off your armour and sent to the political table," King Tobb teased.

"A captain should act, and not speak more but you speak more than a captain should," Tobb smiled and winked at Sir Celot.

"It has been written in the dossier of the west that you lead the Calvary against the giants and this is enough to retain your amour, so, keep being my captain. I like your counsel but let's see what the political lords will say about that," Tobb concluded and nodded.

"We have decided, your grace!" Prince Erson spoke.

"Unity may be the currency of survival in the war to come. There has been news about an army of uruks in the south. Uruks are ten times stronger than orcs. The orcs are like pawns to die and pave way for the uruks while the uruks are like captains. There has always been one or two to lead the orcs to battle and they are the last to be killed in battle. They are ruthless, I've fought one. It seemed they have two lives. Now, should the darkness in the south create the army of uruks, I think they would be tough to defeat. If the alliance works, we would have the barbarians and the giants at our beck and call. Uniting with the dwarves would be a good one, your grace," he said and bowed.

"I know it would be. That's why I'm proposing it," Tobb said and began his walk back to the throne.

"I know what the friendship with the dwarves will bring. If they beckon on us, we'd yield their call. If we beckon on them, they probably would yield too. Both depend on how fierce the situation is. But I want to limit the stakes and increase the possibility of having them here whenever we call. I intend to marry a dwarf princess."

Erson looked at Tobb and widened his eyes. Their eyes met; Erson and Tobb and then Tobb looked into the hall and saw that all eyes were lifted to the platform where he stood. There was utter silence.

"I see you're all bemused. But don't be. I have four sons from four women. They are here in my court helping me shape my kingdom. If I need one more woman I'd take lord Deffey's pretty daughter," King Tobb looked towards Lord Deffey and saw him bowed.

"But I've had my fill of women, all I crave is the power to own anything," Tobb paused and sat on his throne.

"I intend to marry a dwarf princess to one of my princes," Tobb concluded.

With his face in the ceiling, he raised a finger.

"Wait! Bad use of words. I don't intend. I will marry one of my princes a dwarf princess. Soon, I will visit the east to see the dwarf's baron and check out his daughters, there will I decide who and when," he said and stood to his feet and took the door behind his throne. His cupbearer, his four armoured guards, and the shoulder on which his hand rests; his best advisor, and his best friend all followed him.

Prince Erson, a member of the political table looked down the line and fixed his eyes on Prince Walda of the warring lords who straightened his posture as he looked back. Together, they looked back at prince Hammel, the wealthiest man in the west who also turned to smirk at Prince Aff who was at the last end of the hall.

The lords joined the starring moment and looked around. Maybe it could be predicted who would be engaged in the contracted marriage negotiations with the dwarves.

"My lords," Price Erson spoke as he bowed. "The court is closed. See you next month."

***

Far in the north of the western realm, in the Low Lake settlement and one of the lowlife regions was a peasant's settlement which was abutted by a lake that served as a source of income for fishers and water for the farmers and livestock. It was a settlement that progressed on its own and had little serving from the capital in all aspects including security, finance, wealth distribution and cognisance. The settlement had less than a thousand heads and only a garrison of fifty soldiers was committed to the settlement and are focused and kept around the house of the local chief. Of the fifty, twenty had accompanied the lord to the gathering in the capital while the rest waited to secure his house and family.

The entrance of the settlement, which was a narrow path that led to the farmlands was filled with peddlers and sellers with buyers, all showcasing their kinds of stuff and trading. There were kids in the marketplace and there were workers transporting farm proceeds into barns and stores. Among the heads in the area was Merodah, an eighteen-year-old girl who was petite. She had a ponytail which rested on the small of her back and she was in tight pants and dark clothes with knotted stripes all over. As she walked through the market square, people looked at her and she, knowing quite well she was being looked at, sashayed through their midst, looking at the displayed goods and walking past them all.

Ten furlongs after the market square were the basic facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of the community and living houses that were inhabited by the peasants and their families. Suddenly, there was a rush of feet and trots of horses and neighs. In the respite that followed, horsemen appeared through the path that proceeded from the farmlands and they raced towards the market square. They had whips in the hands and all that came their way danced to the turn of the whips.

At the sight, Merodah raced into the lanes that would direct her into the streets and then to her harbour. Merodah was a leader of a gang. A hoodlum camp was created by a bunch of hobos. There was no news concerning how Merodah grew to bag and retain the post but she was the young boss of the thugs.

As she ran, she heard screams from behind her and the more she raced deep into the street, the less audible the wailing from the market goes.

"There are bandits in the square," Merodah said as she went, shouting at the top of her lungs and ensuring that her voice reached those who might need it.

After she had raced fifty and four hundred metres where she took many turns and shouted as she went, Merodah stopped before a tent which had adjoining tents behind and three of her gang rushed out with wooden bats in their hands, all looking up to Merodah. The three were the captains of her army, two males holding the badge of the adviser, the leader of the males and then a female who was the commanding officer of the females.

"Where?" one asked while another handed Merodah a jar of water, to which she signalled there is no need for it.

Now, all tents were opened, and there were before Merodah about thirty and five hobos in the Hobo Camp where she was a leader.

"Market. Bandits," Merodah said and from among the thirty-five was a bang of a clanger, which would go across the village to inform other comrades about the fight at hand. They all held a bat in their hands, and from the group before Merodah came two bats with metal around the tip. It was hoisted in the air and Merodah caught them in her hands and stood upright.

"They have horses and whips, we are making money today," she said and again turned towards the route she came through and her gang followed her, all speeding across the street and shouting and charging with their bats in the air; none running past Merodah.

When they were a few blocks away, there was neither a sound nor a signal from the market. Merodah realized this, she raised a fist in the air and there was silence, but they never stopped running.

At the market square, the horsemen had rallied around the farmers and were loading grains into the carriages they brought when Merodah and her hoodlums bashed in with their bats in the air and lowered it to land the first strike in whatever that was before them; as long as it wasn't a villager with known acquaintances. It was an easy feat – Merodah and her army had the numbers and the bandits retreated – some took their horses, some escaped into the fields while some were beaten dead.

"Keep one alive," Merodah ordered after she had landed her first bash on the bandit's boss and then stood in the middle of the fight to give orders.

One of the bandits was surrounded by five mobs and was repeatedly hit on the elbows and knees to bar his mobility. He watched as his gang escaped.

When they all were gone, Merodah walked forward and lingered still. She looked at the escaping bandits till they were out of sight and then turned to face the crowd.

Her gang cheered first, with their bats in the air then the villagers joined. All screaming, Merodah!!!

"Keep this one alive for questioning. Lock him up and feed him. They've been roaming the mountains for years and didn't attack. Someone is behind this. Being the horses to the camp," Merodah said to her captains.

She then walked towards the beaten peasants and winked at them.

Again, the chants went up. Merodah!!!

She smiled.