out.
Hemlot and Sarchise finished their plans. They would be part of the first phase. The dwarves would rely heavily on the human’s experience in the forest. The dwarves had been long kept out of th e forests because that was elve’s domain. Elf and dwarf were never fast friends, but they never went t o war against each other. Dwarves had told of elves driving t he dwarves underground and elves had their mythology about evil dwarves hunting them in the forest. Neither side would admit that the old legends were part of the animosity between them. They were sometimes allies in battle, but always with the humans included. Never did dwarves and elves ally without man.
Hemlot left the all day planning session to go to bed. Sarchise went out of the lower gate to talk to the scouts. “Plans are laid to take back the southern spur of Westwood. We leave the day after tomorrow. I will divide the scouts into groups of ten. Each group will be assigned to a dwarf army as advisors. The King has come up with a brilliant idea. Each army will take over a section of the forest and patrol it. A week later the next army will leapfrog the first one and take over the area just beyond the first. Each army will leapfrog in turn until it’s the first army’s turn again. The area they will leave has been occupied five weeks and should have the worst of the evils driven out. Thus, section by section the Westwood will be reclaimed.”
Ermort, still a little sleepy from his three-day ordeal, said , “ Can I be assigned to the last group? I would like a five week rest.”
Sarchise smiled, “Sorry Ermort, you are in my group. Get all the rest you can tomorrow, because the next day you will be moving out.”
Ermort went back to sleep. Sarchise also went back through the gate and up to his room. Ammlee was waiting for him. She looked him in the eyes and said, “You are going to war.”
Sarchise was surprised, “Who told you that?”
“Wives of warrior can see the faraway look in their lover’s eyes. It is said that if one looks close enough they can see the battle’s fury played out in the pool of the eye. Sometimes even see who the victor will be. I cannot see a victor, but I see anxiety, death and destruction.”
“Do not look too close, if you see my death I don’t want to hear about it. It would be hard going into battle with no hope.”
Into the Westwood
Hemlot lined his soldiers up below the lower gate. They had their banners flying from their spears. Sarchise had chosen a white castle with a red background for his banner. The castle represented South Fort, but he did not tell the dwarves that. As trumpets blew, the warriors started singing and the march started. The army passed between the towers and then south towards Westwood. Sarchise’s job was to cut off the forests lower corner and pacify it. He would then guard it until Cazz’s army arrived and marched through then on the way to the next section. If all went according to plan it would still take a long time to pacify Westwood.
In the back of Sarchise’s mind was the threat to the Kingdom of Ril . It was the last true Kingdom of men. If they called for aide would the dwarves go? He didn’t know the answer for that. As for himself, he lived with the dwarves, ate with the dwarves, and fought with the dwarves, even was married to a dwarf. Was he a dwarf now? He no longer lived in the world of men.
The singing stopped when the dwarves entered the forest. Most of the dwarves had not been in it even though it was only a half a day’s journey from the lower gate. They kept looking around, liked caged animals. Sarchise couldn’t believe how much noise a dwarf army makes. He set the scouts out on both sides of the army so that nothing could sneak up on them. As soon as they entered the forest Sarchise began looking for an old elf outpost. He knew that the elves kept a close eye on the dwarves, and
Hemlot and Sarchise finished their plans. They would be part of the first phase. The dwarves would rely heavily on the human’s experience in the forest. The dwarves had been long kept out of th e forests because that was elve’s domain. Elf and dwarf were never fast friends, but they never went t o war against each other. Dwarves had told of elves driving t he dwarves underground and elves had their mythology about evil dwarves hunting them in the forest. Neither side would admit that the old legends were part of the animosity between them. They were sometimes allies in battle, but always with the humans included. Never did dwarves and elves ally without man.
Hemlot left the all day planning session to go to bed. Sarchise went out of the lower gate to talk to the scouts. “Plans are laid to take back the southern spur of Westwood. We leave the day after tomorrow. I will divide the scouts into groups of ten. Each group will be assigned to a dwarf army as advisors. The King has come up with a brilliant idea. Each army will take over a section of the forest and patrol it. A week later the next army will leapfrog the first one and take over the area just beyond the first. Each army will leapfrog in turn until it’s the first army’s turn again. The area they will leave has been occupied five weeks and should have the worst of the evils driven out. Thus, section by section the Westwood will be reclaimed.”
Ermort, still a little sleepy from his three-day ordeal, said , “ Can I be assigned to the last group? I would like a five week rest.”
Sarchise smiled, “Sorry Ermort, you are in my group. Get all the rest you can tomorrow, because the next day you will be moving out.”
Ermort went back to sleep. Sarchise also went back through the gate and up to his room. Ammlee was waiting for him. She looked him in the eyes and said, “You are going to war.”
Sarchise was surprised, “Who told you that?”
“Wives of warrior can see the faraway look in their lover’s eyes. It is said that if one looks close enough they can see the battle’s fury played out in the pool of the eye. Sometimes even see who the victor will be. I cannot see a victor, but I see anxiety, death and destruction.”
“Do not look too close, if you see my death I don’t want to hear about it. It would be hard going into battle with no hope.”
Into the Westwood
Hemlot lined his soldiers up below the lower gate. They had their banners flying from their spears. Sarchise had chosen a white castle with a red background for his banner. The castle represented South Fort, but he did not tell the dwarves that. As trumpets blew, the warriors started singing and the march started. The army passed between the towers and then south towards Westwood. Sarchise’s job was to cut off the forests lower corner and pacify it. He would then guard it until Cazz’s army arrived and marched through then on the way to the next section. If all went according to plan it would still take a long time to pacify Westwood.
In the back of Sarchise’s mind was the threat to the Kingdom of Ril . It was the last true Kingdom of men. If they called for aide would the dwarves go? He didn’t know the answer for that. As for himself, he lived with the dwarves, ate with the dwarves, and fought with the dwarves, even was married to a dwarf. Was he a dwarf now? He no longer lived in the world of men.
The singing stopped when the dwarves entered the forest. Most of the dwarves had not been in it even though it was only a half a day’s journey from the lower gate. They kept looking around, liked caged animals. Sarchise couldn’t believe how much noise a dwarf army makes. He set the scouts out on both sides of the army so that nothing could sneak up on them. As soon as they entered the forest Sarchise began looking for an old elf outpost. He knew that the elves kept a close eye on the dwarves, and
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