turned to Stein, appraising the human carefully. He was a confident man, confident enough not to be cowed by the presence of the TaiGethen. His bearing was proud and his features, bold and
prominent, reminded Auum of his ancestor of seven hundred years past. But it was his eyes that truly marked him of the line of the first Stein. And it was the birthmark across his palm that granted
him the right to speak.
‘Sorry about the altercation,’ said Auum. ‘Takaar and I have our . . . differences. What is it?’
Stein was smiling and he was shaking his head gently, musing on something.
‘I’m sorry. This may be hard for you to comprehend, but you and Takaar are elves whose tales have been told, whose names and deeds have been passed down through the generations of
our family for hundreds and hundreds of years. And here you stand, free of the ravages of time, at least physically. For me it is simply amazing that you can have lived for so long. For you, of
course, it is normal.’
Auum thought for a moment before holding out his hand in the way he remembered humans did. Stein took it and shook it, a broad smile breaking out on his face.
‘If my history is correct, you would not shake the first Stein’s hand.’
‘Perhaps I’ve grown soft over the centuries,’ said Auum. ‘You risked your life to come here to warn us of invasion or worse. For that I thank you.’
‘Yes, but it isn’t altruism that brought me here. We need your help. We must have your help. And whatever else you believe about Takaar, he is right about the need to take
ship.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you cannot beat what is coming on the shores of Calaius.’
‘And you’re honest too. Your elvish is excellent, by the way,’ said Auum. He glanced about him. Ulysan was leaning over Takaar, speaking quietly and firmly. ‘This is not
the place for this discussion. We’ll go to the harbour master’s house. Drech, I need you too. Faleen, take the rest of the TaiGethen, find as many cloaks as you can. We need to quell
the panic. Tais, my friends, we move.’
Chapter 5
Potential is as dangerous as it is exciting; a very difficult child.
Septern, Master Mage
Auum sat at an ancient pitted and scarred wooden table in the harbour master’s kitchen. The master had a cauldron of guarana and lemon-grass infusion on the embers and
all three present had steaming mugs of the invigorating drink in front of them. Stein had eyed his with some suspicion but on trying it declared himself an instant convert.
The harbour master having withdrawn and with Ulysan standing just outside to deflect Takaar after his avowed intent to join the meeting, Auum, Drech and Stein could talk openly.
‘If there was one thing you humans taught us during the decades of slavery it was that we cannot afford to kill each other,’ said Auum. ‘Yniss knows we struggle with this every
day, but at last the threads work together and they have done ever since the filth of your past left us. In all the time your people were occupying my country, only two of you showed you had a
soul. Garan, who I will admit was misunderstood in his dealings with Takaar, and the first Stein. You might be the third.’
Stein nodded but could not keep the hurt look from his face.
‘I understand that the memories of our past atrocities are still fresh for you but you have to understand—’
‘I have to understand nothing. I have some respect for you, but I will not commit any forces to your aid unless I believe there is a direct threat to the elves. Takaar believes there is,
and that worries me. Now you have to lay out the facts and convince me.’
Stein held up his hands. ‘That is nothing more than I had expected to do.’
‘Good. Your war should have ended with your Sundering battles hundreds of years ago. Perhaps you should have learned our lesson, eh?’
‘Some of us did, believe me. And now we are forced into alliances much as you were.’ Stein
prominent, reminded Auum of his ancestor of seven hundred years past. But it was his eyes that truly marked him of the line of the first Stein. And it was the birthmark across his palm that granted
him the right to speak.
‘Sorry about the altercation,’ said Auum. ‘Takaar and I have our . . . differences. What is it?’
Stein was smiling and he was shaking his head gently, musing on something.
‘I’m sorry. This may be hard for you to comprehend, but you and Takaar are elves whose tales have been told, whose names and deeds have been passed down through the generations of
our family for hundreds and hundreds of years. And here you stand, free of the ravages of time, at least physically. For me it is simply amazing that you can have lived for so long. For you, of
course, it is normal.’
Auum thought for a moment before holding out his hand in the way he remembered humans did. Stein took it and shook it, a broad smile breaking out on his face.
‘If my history is correct, you would not shake the first Stein’s hand.’
‘Perhaps I’ve grown soft over the centuries,’ said Auum. ‘You risked your life to come here to warn us of invasion or worse. For that I thank you.’
‘Yes, but it isn’t altruism that brought me here. We need your help. We must have your help. And whatever else you believe about Takaar, he is right about the need to take
ship.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you cannot beat what is coming on the shores of Calaius.’
‘And you’re honest too. Your elvish is excellent, by the way,’ said Auum. He glanced about him. Ulysan was leaning over Takaar, speaking quietly and firmly. ‘This is not
the place for this discussion. We’ll go to the harbour master’s house. Drech, I need you too. Faleen, take the rest of the TaiGethen, find as many cloaks as you can. We need to quell
the panic. Tais, my friends, we move.’
Chapter 5
Potential is as dangerous as it is exciting; a very difficult child.
Septern, Master Mage
Auum sat at an ancient pitted and scarred wooden table in the harbour master’s kitchen. The master had a cauldron of guarana and lemon-grass infusion on the embers and
all three present had steaming mugs of the invigorating drink in front of them. Stein had eyed his with some suspicion but on trying it declared himself an instant convert.
The harbour master having withdrawn and with Ulysan standing just outside to deflect Takaar after his avowed intent to join the meeting, Auum, Drech and Stein could talk openly.
‘If there was one thing you humans taught us during the decades of slavery it was that we cannot afford to kill each other,’ said Auum. ‘Yniss knows we struggle with this every
day, but at last the threads work together and they have done ever since the filth of your past left us. In all the time your people were occupying my country, only two of you showed you had a
soul. Garan, who I will admit was misunderstood in his dealings with Takaar, and the first Stein. You might be the third.’
Stein nodded but could not keep the hurt look from his face.
‘I understand that the memories of our past atrocities are still fresh for you but you have to understand—’
‘I have to understand nothing. I have some respect for you, but I will not commit any forces to your aid unless I believe there is a direct threat to the elves. Takaar believes there is,
and that worries me. Now you have to lay out the facts and convince me.’
Stein held up his hands. ‘That is nothing more than I had expected to do.’
‘Good. Your war should have ended with your Sundering battles hundreds of years ago. Perhaps you should have learned our lesson, eh?’
‘Some of us did, believe me. And now we are forced into alliances much as you were.’ Stein
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