Chapter 5: Council

As the sun rose over the hills, Atona stirred the coals in the fire and added a few small limbs to get it burning good again. She knew they had coffee in their bags, and she sure wanted a good cup. She missed it, and Sarah said she could have a cup of coffee a day, and a glass of wine. Two glasses of wine if it was elvin wine. With her digging into the saddle bags for the coffee cups, and coffee, the others woke up.

"Good Morning." Ambien said, rubbing his eyes.

"Good Morning." she said putting the coffee and water on the fire. "This will be done in a few minutes."

"Great, I am ready for some good strong brew." Jaden said, as he stretched, and looked around at the beauty of the sun touching the leaves of the trees. The reflection on the water, and the sound of the animals waking up, was just wonderful.

"We got some stew left if you want some." she said addressing them both. "I'm going to have some of that, and some of the fruit that is left."

"I'll take some of that. I'm a little hungry this morning." Ambien said. They all ate, and rinsed their dishes. Atona put the fire out completely while, they saddled up the horses and loaded their stuff back on them. Once everything was done they started off at a nice easy pace.

It wasn't long and they had to slow to a walk. The trees had grown thick and gnarly. It was increasingly harder to maneuver trails that she had traveled so often as a child. As she looked around she could see the area was extremely dry, and the crops were struggling. What was planted, was dying from no water. She felt her heart drop into the bottom of her stomach.

They finally reached the iron door that blocked the passage into the dwarves community. Atona got off her mare, walked up to the door. Rapped three times, paused, rapped four times, paused, and rapped twice. She heard the familiar clanks and clinks of the locks being undone. "Ambien, you better go on to your father. Jaden and I will stay here and visit with the dwarves. I will try to get Reginal to come to the council tonight. If I can't convince him, I will see you as soon as I can."

"All right, you be careful."

"I will now go. Quickly." she said, shooing him off as the door was being pulled open. She tied her mare and Jaden's to the nearest tree.

"I don't know who taught you that knock but it is for one person only. If you are not her, you will be struck down so qui…" a gruff voice said as he opened the door. "Atona, my darling, your back."

"Yes. Be a dear Quigly and let me and my friend here in. We need to speak to Reginal and Balfar."

"All right." He said, opening the door wider, and giving her a quick bow.

"Where may I find them, Quigly?" she said stepping in carrying her bag.

"They are in the councils chambers." He said pointing down the hall. Then letting his hand drop when he remembered that she already knew where the chambers were. He was looking Jaden over very carefully. He would look at Atona then to Jaden. Something was different about her. She wasn't the same carefree girl that left here three months ago. Something had happened to her while she was gone. Quigly knew she would never tell him about it. She might tell Balfar, or her other friends, but him and her weren't close like that. He taught her how to throw her dagger and hit her target each and every time. She could throw her dagger from a hundred yards and hit a man in the throat. He was proud of that, he was the one who taught her that.

"They won't like your friend here. That may pose a problem with you getting into the council."

"Nonsense. Jaden meet Quigly, the best darn dagger thrower, I have ever known. Quigly are your quarters still around the corner?"

"What do you need my quarters for? Oh! You're going to get all regal on them. Help yourself girl."

"I'll be right back." She went around the corner. Entered a small room that held only a table, a bed, two chairs, and a rug on the floor. A chest stood at the foot of the bed and Atona knew without looking in it that it only held his armor, axe, and crossbow. She changed into her council dress and remembered how it was that she became the only woman to sit on the council.

When she saved Balfar, his father Reginal the king, gave her the honorary position. She came back out in a red and blue satin and silk dress, which showed only her neck, hands and feet. She had pulled her hair up around her ears, let her curls fall down the center of her head and down her back. She put just a touch of perfume on her neck to knock off the smell of sweat from the long ride.

"Jaden, let's go. Quigly would have won nearly every game. The ones you won would be just to keep you from quitting. He's the best gamer in these parts. The only other one I know is your friend Devin." Quigly shot her a hurt look, then grinned at her compliments.

Jaden couldn't take his eyes off her. He thought she was beautiful before but now she was truly beautiful. He had never seen or met anyone like her and he was liking her more and more each day. He was going to have to do something fast. He knew she was not his for the choosing, she was spoken for by two other men.

"Atona, you're beautiful. You look like some of those ladies that hold court with the King himself."

"Jaden, stop. I am going to court with the king. Just not the same one you're talking about." He just grinned and followed her down one tunnel and then another. Watching as the dwarves all stopped what they were doing to say hello as she went by. Every time she looked back to make sure he hadn't got lost or worse, he had an amused look on his face, she smiled at his wide-eyed amusement.

They entered a large cavern, with paintings on the walls of the kings before. At the end of the room were two pillars. The one on the right had a war hammer etched into the front of it. The one on the left had an anvil with sparks flying up from it. The door between the pillars was a stone door with etchings in dwarven that read "We will all work together, as families should." It was the one thing that the Great King Theloneaous always said. He is the one who etched it there. She stopped to take a deep breath.

"Well, here we go. Stay close Jaden, and don't show any fear." She reached up and rapped on the door just as she had on the outside door. She soon heard the correct response, and pulled the doors open. She entered with a swirl of skirts. "Hello, Gentlemen, sorry I'm late. But it is so hard to find good help these days." She said pointing toward Jaden. He had a shocked look on his face. She winked at him and he relaxed a little bit.

"Atona, what is the meaning of this? You know better than to barge in on a clan council." Reginal boomed at her. She instantly bowed at his feet. When she stood she looked him in the eyes.

"Yes, your right your majesty. However, the matter which you all convene is an area that I am truly schooled in. I have just gotten over some of the worst illness I have ever had. Only to find that my people, and the people in the nearby area, are dying of starvation. I also find that my friends have come to you for help and you have turned them down. You sirs have turned down starving mothers, and babies. We cannot stand alone against something that is attempting to kill us all." She said as she took her seat.

"You ma'am are out of order." yelled another chief.

"No. She is here on my wishes as council member. She is entitled to speak her peace. But Atona you brought a human into our council chambers." Reginal said. She turned and looked to Jaden to see his reaction. If he was hurt or upset he didn't let it show. He had taken her advice about not showing any fear. The way he handled himself, he had bowed when they came in, and he sat in a seat reserved for guests. Made her wonder where he had learned it all from.

"Yes. I did, for the simple reason of him being a bard and he can tells us about fair pricing. Also he can take our wishes from here to other council meetings and be of great help."

"All right. He can stay. Did you say other villages are starving?"

"Yes, sir. I haven't been there myself, but Jaden has. He can tell you the state of the villages."

"Jaden. Would you inform us of what you have seen?"

"Yes, sir. In the village to the northwest the people are very hungry. The fields have stopped growing. The children are hungry and there just isn't anything to feed them. The trade negations are going slow, and when they do get caravans to bring in supplies they get raided by the elves on the other side of the river. If it's not the elves there are the monsters that have taken over the Manslinger kingdom that attack caravans and travelers." he looked right at Atona when he finished to see her reaction to what he told her. Her face was a blank, there was no emotion either way. He couldn't tell if she had always known that her father's kingdom had been overrun with monsters, or if she didn't know anything at all about it.

"So the humans are going to be able to help us?" Reginal asked watching Atona. He was waiting to see what she would say about her father's kingdom also. He knew about her families' fate since the day she saved his son. He had seen her ring and did some investigating. He needed to know where that ring had come from. She also carried a dagger that was very unique in its making. The dagger alone told him where she was from, but he just needed to make sure that her dagger hadn't been stolen and then sold to her. The blacksmiths in that kingdom had their own unique markings that they put on every royal weapon. The dagger alone told him she was one of the lost princesses.

"King Tarrowline is helping, as well as most of his friends. However, without your help my village will starve. We need supplies. Your kin are the best dirt and rock people I know. Please come help me save my village and the others that are effected." She pleaded.

"You've made your point. We will help all we can. Does this mean that we have to help the elves also?" he asked with a deep scowl.

"Oh. You aren't still feuding. And if you are this is no time to worry about it." she said with a touch of anger.

"No we gave that up when you saved my son. I still like to anger you about it." Reginal said with a smile.

"We still have enough time to get to the elven council. I told Ambien we would try to make it."

"Then let us go. We need to get some ale on the way out. Maybe a bite to eat. I'm starved." he said as they went out the side door. The rest of the council went to the large common room. There the women had food, and drink ready for them. As they were going down the hallway she noticed Reginal and Balfar looking her over she thought she might have torn her dress somewhere.

"Atona, you seem really pale, and you walk kind of weak." Reginal stated, very tenderly.

"Can we discuss this matter later when it's more appropriate?"

"We can discuss it later." he said giving Jaden a sharp look.

"Thank You, Reginal. When we get finished with the Elven council we will be talking about this. Jaden, would you be a dear and grab some of that meat and bread for me too. I'm going to go get our horses." Atona said as they passed the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am. Please be careful. That mare of yours is acting funny." Jaden said taking a small bag from the dwarf next to him, and starting to fill it.

"I'll come with you Atona. I'm not very hungry right now." Balfar said following her down the corridor. They were silent till they reached the outer door. He put his hand on the door to prevent her from opening it.

"Atona, what happened to you?" he asked very tenderly.

"I ran into some trouble in my adventure. If it hadn't been for Jaden and his friends I would be dead." she said.

"Well, I will tell the clerics to look you over"

"I have already been seen by the clerics. I will be fine. I'm on the mend now, and getting stronger every day." She said pushing the door open to get outside to the horses. Atona walked over to hers. She startled and reared up neighing, and snorting. Her front hooves coming within an inch of Atona's nose. Atona jumped back to get out of the way. Stumbled on a rock, fell backwards striking her head on a rock.