The Prophesy: Book 1 - Cave Lupus

 

The royals had been back from putting down the civil unrest for an hour when Harp turned to his dad, looking at him inquisitively.

"Yes, Harp?"

"Dad, is the crisis over?"

"I think so, son, why do you ask?"

"By our rules of engagement, I had to stay in command until either the crisis was over or I was relieved, or my shift terminated. Technically, my turn finished at prime, and I need to rest, since I have been up since lauds, and slept in the command chair from matins, once I relieved Sitar. May I retire to rest?"

"Certainly son. I am myself tired, and will need rest. Dunbar? Would you take my shift and wake me up at sext?"

"Certainly, King Harold."

Enron rose and looking at their assembled guests, spoke. "We are all tired and need to recover from the night's events. I suspect it is also the same for all of you. Since I will be taking command at sext from Dunbar, I would invite all of you back to share our lunch, and then we will discuss the night's events and what lays ahead for us. Chamberlain! Give each the rooms they need. The baths, found in the lower floor of the castle, are being readied. Franz sure didn't use them often, I was told, because they were in serious disrepair, particularly the ladies' section. I think that it is not yet fixed, so I suggest you share. Also, please leave your clothes for cleansing in the dirty clothesbasket found in each room before proceeding down to the baths. You will find bathrobes of all sizes in the wardrobes in your assigned rooms, and there is a full rail of hangers supporting the same in the vestibule leading to the water rooms. I, for one, particularly enjoy the wet steam room, preceded by a leisurely swim in the tipidarium⁶²⁶² ("The three pools of a Roman baths are the caldarium (hot water), tipidarium (lukewarm water) and frigidarium (cold water). A Roman bathhouse also included a steam room or wet sauna, and a dry room, or dry sauna.") and a shorter stay in the caldarium, followed by a dive in the frigidarium and a dash to the dry sauna to wipe off and dry fast."

As everyone was readying to leave, Enron spoke again, loud enough to be heard over the noise of shifting chairs.

"Just in case you might think otherwise, the rules given out by the previous shift commander stand. We do not backtrack or dispute rulings of one in command because he so happens to be young. This includes the decree of closure and of curfew. Naturally, the disposal of the mage is at his discretion, since he is the one that arrested him."

As the royals were leaving, the visitors were surprised to see Harp take Mitsuko and simply put it on his left shoulder to carry it, using a single hand, while handling that huge battle staff with the other. And they heard Harp address his dad in a reproachful tone:

"Dad, you were leaving Mitsuko and your battle staff behind! I know you have your bows and arrows, and Excalibur, but it's not a reason to litter!"

Harold's voice could be heard last, laughing, as he replied "You seem to handle them quite well Harp, I figured you could carry them for me! Just bring them to our suite, and we will leave them under guard of Blackie, Cleopatra, and the pups. By the way, Silver Moon is up in your room, waiting for his usual morning petting before going back to the mare for his breakfast."

Horace, the Mason Grand Master, thought who the hell is Silver Moon?

***

As sext was being called at the watchtower, the royals and their visitors trekked into the refectory for a working lunch. Enron, as incoming tour commander, presided the luncheon, and took the seat that Archduke Volant normally would occupy at the long table. To his left side sat Harold, and to his right sat Samson. Paschal, Sitar, and Harp sat together near their dad, while Dunbar and Williams sat near King Samson. The Royal Party's Master healer occupied another seat right next to Williams, while the captains of the guards, namely Countess Theresa the captain of the elven guard, Yamato captain of the cavalry, and Greywolf, captain of the canine guards occupied the next seats right of the healers; other members of the canine gent were also represented, by the presence of Bush Tail Fox, a red fox, and Willie Coyote, and the last seats to the right of Enron were occupied by three dogs, each representing respectively Sophia, Loren, and Hamburg. On the left of Harp were the royal family dogs and their six pups. At the left end of the table sat archduke Volant, while Baron Regina occupied the other end. Across the table, right in front of Enron, sat the Captain of the Port; to the right of the captain sat representatives of the weavers, the brewers, the mason, ironsmith and the sword smith, as the last two seats were occupied by the scribes. On the left of the captain were found representatives of the mariners, the traders, the carpenters, the apothecaries, and the healers, leaving two seats open for witnesses.

To say that the presence of canines at the Royal table in such big numbers and that they occupied such prominent position in the hierarchy as attested their position in the seating layout, before Archduke Volant and Baron Regina, shook quite a few conventional minds in the party sitting across the royals. Both Harold and Samson couldn't help but smirk at their looks of disbelief. The Mason Grand Master kept counting and recounting the number of canines, eyes wide: fourteen of them for eleven humans and elves combined! As if to make their point even more abundantly clear, the guild masters and their assistants were notified by Enron laying the Seal of the Wolf Throne on the table that this was no joke. Further emphasis were made abundantly clear as first Harold lay Excalibur on his right, Harp lay the battle staff on his left, and Paschal lay Mitsuko to his right, besides Sitar's set of poniards, while Enron put his battle bow to his right with an arrow already partially engaged. Samson set the Royal Sword on the table as well. Soon the armed captains of the guard, and the other members of the royal family followed suit.

"This is exactly what it looks like, gentlemen," started Enron, "A statement of force and our willingness to enforce our decision with cold steel if necessary. Some doubt the authority of my blood brother, Harp, to impose the strict measures he took to re-establish order in this town. Let me set the record straight for those stubborn enough to put this statement to the test. We shall stand with Prince Harp, all of us. First, as I told you this morning, he was commander of the shift and had all rights to take that decision, we do not second-guess him or ask for justifications; he decided and we stand by that decision. It is final. Second, I am Prince Regent of the Elven Throne; sitting to my right is King Samson of the Elven Throne, which can confirm my status. I have offered dad to return to him the crown, but he enjoys his vacation, as he calls this. I will gladly return the responsibilities associated with wearing that piece of hardware called a crown the moment he asks for it. Dad, hurry up, my neck hurts!"

That last comment broke the ice a bit, but Enron was far from finished. "I also would have to obey Harp because my crown is subservient to his. Again dad will confirm that we swore fealty to the Wolf Throne; therefore their call for duty and their decisions, even Prince Harp's, have precedence. Live with it!"

Enron took a sip of coffee, and resumed. "I have seen your looks of disapproval as you eyed the canines. Look at the seal. Look at it! Now! See? It is a crowned wolf, and believe me, the title of King of the Wolf Throne is not a figure of speech. We can get immediate obedience from any canine, whatever the species. Let me add that we have learned there is more trust to be found in our four-legged friends than in elves; we have yet to lose a single canine to treason, but blue blood flowed liberally during the first swearing in at Elven Woods. Ambition, greed, and the search for power has severely undermined the elven society, and this at the worst possible time, when we would need unity, cohesion, and strength to deal with the upcoming ordeals."

Nailing the discussion about the thrones involved, Enron concluded with "Harp himself is likely to be King of the Equines, when he reaches majority. He already gets obedience from even the most restless horse, be it a mare or a destrier. And you know how vicious a warhorse can be! In fact, we all can. The only reason there is no horse in this room now is lack of space, because they have been as trustworthy as the canines. We hope one day to have our own realm to command. If things follow their current trend, I should inherit birds because I have a facility with falconry. We have yet to figure out what will be the charge of Sitar and Paschal, but I am sure that we will find out in due course. Now, let's eat lunch. Chamberlain! Distribute food according to each species' preferred diet!"

Diet varied considerably. Canines are predominantly meat eaters and were served cooked meat cubes along with water and side dishes of fresh tomatoes, corn on the cob, and raisins in grapes; the humans were served a combination of cooked meat cuts, vegetables and fruits; and the elves' diet was made of nuts, vegetables, and fruits, with thin slices of roasted meats in a delicate mushroom sauce.

The city aldermen were amazed at how delicately the canines carefully took each meat cube in their respective bowl to chew them up before swallowing. The tomatoes, cut in slices, were eaten one slice at a time. The most amazing for them was to see the canines eat corn, using their front teeth to delicately pull each grain off the cob. The final shock was to watch them hold the raisin grapes with one paw while pulling each fruit off the stem with their teeth⁶³⁶³ ("I am describing the eating habits of my German Sheppard, Cleopatra. This chapter is dedicated to her memory. I miss you so much!")."

Finally, their wide eyes and slack jaws caught the attention of Sitar, who exclaimed, "Hey, it's not because they are canines that they can not have table manners! I have seen humans and elves siphon food so fast they could give lessons to tornados!"

***

The table cleared of food except for glasses of water or juice and water bowls for the canines, the working session began under the presidency of Enron.

"First order of the day: Dunbar, what is the situation in town?"

"We had some issues with drunks trying to violate curfew, but a couple of well-placed arrows solved the problem. All in all, fifteen died, the most intoxicated. Some taverns will need to replace their wet pillars!" The rest of the report went from Dunbar to Enron telepathically. «We also were considerably helped by the dogs; they warned us of mounting tensions and hot spots so we moved our troops accordingly, before things blew out of control. Those that did cause problems did not have dogs in residence.»

"Thank you, Dunbar," Enron replied, «and thank you for your thoughtful use of telepathy to convey the rest of your report. The less these know of how close we are to the canines, the better.»

"Next issue, Harp? What are your intentions concerning the Elven Mage?"

"I have yet to decide, Enron. I want to consult with you about what to do, and contact the Order of the Light, of whom Mage Marlin is a member, before taking any action. For now, I had him moved to a dungeon, tied up, blindfolded and muffled. He tried to use some form of voice to control my actions, and that is what pissed me off in the first place; then he tried to kill me, but it backfired."

"Prince Harp has a knack for the understatement!" commented the swords smith. "I have never seen magic used so effectively, so fast, with such power, to counteract another mage's magical attack. Mage Marlin will remember for the rest of his life the resounding kick he got in his overstuffed butt."

"I also notice that my brother has a knack for keeping a low profile. Harp, please complete your report."

"Oh, OK, Enron. You know how I hate showing off."

"You do? That's news to me!" Sitar replied.

Harp pulled his tongue out and did a raspberry to his brother before resuming his report. "Well, I was dealing with all the shit and in the middle of tons of reports and giving orders, just before the meeting this morning, and in walks the mage. He looks around, takes the measure of the situation and walks to me. The first thing he says isn't a greeting, but a command wrapped in an observation, to the effect that I shouldn't be in charge, that I was too young. He used that insidious voice, and I felt a sort of mental pressure attempting to force me to accept this as natural. You know how I react to being ordered around. I told him off, in no uncertain terms, which, apparently, triggered his irrational behaviour. He tried to attack me and I fought back, in kind."

"Fought back, how?"

"Oh, I was using dad's battle staff, ready to smash the mage's head with it when he launched his attack. It's kind of like I got a powerful hit in my belly and a door opened. I felt a surge of energy travel from my center to my outstretched arm, through the staff and hit back at the mage with a force that pushed him away."

"Pushed him away, Prince Harp? He flew right across the room so hard that the granite wall he impacted fissured! I never knew mages were so hard to kill, because I was sure he was dead on impact!" added the swords smith.

"Oh, is that what caused the stellar cracking pattern in the wall?"

"Yes, dad, I'm sorry. I also must explain the same pattern in the floor. Marlin was unconscious after kissing the wall, so I had him drowned in cold water. It took three buckets, but he finally woke up. I told him that I would not tolerate any more of his foolishness, and to mark my point I hit the floor, hard, with the battle staff, still projecting energy, and that created the star pattern you now see in the throne room floor."

"So, that is what shook the building! I thought it was a minor tremor." Dunbar noted.

"I heard nothing! I always seem to miss all the fun!" Williams complained.

"That's what you get for sleeping like a log! You just proved my point: You will sleep through an earthquake!" Dunbar replied.

"Well, now I know what caused damage to my property. Bah! It was for a good cause!" commented Archduke Volant, from one end of the table.

"Do not worry, I shall repair. What damage magic caused, magic can repair." Harp offered.

"Now, that, I shall have to see!" retorted Volant.

"You are welcomed."

"Anything else, Harp?"

"I have had the scribes write a report of what really happened in the Temple, since it is the rumour mill that has caused the unrest. It is ready for posting and public reading, once the curfew is lifted."

"OK, good idea. Next order of the day: what is the situation in the sister cities?"

"All is calm. It seems that Franz was customary of closing Sophia without notice, so it is considered usual." Yamato reported.

"Thank you, Yamato. Greywolf?"

«First, the wolves have been assisting the two-legged in controlling the crowds. Some tried to hurt us but found the hard way you do not attack ten wolves with a sword if you want to keep your life.»

"What about the other cities?"

«We have no reported problems. In fact, they seem rather fearful and keep very quiet when we walk the streets with our two-legged allies.»

The apparent one-way talk of Enron was making the visitors nervous. Finally, one found the guts to ask what was on their mind.

"Prince Enron, we hear you talking like you were having a conversation with someone, but we do not see who you are talking to?"

"I am sorry, Captain, I am talking to Greywolf, the captain of the Wolf Guards."

"What do you mean talking? I hear only one side of a conversation."

"Do you know what telepathy is? No? It is the capacity to exchange thoughts with another person without the need to talk. Our gifts include telepathy and empathy. And others we need not discuss now. This is what is happening with Greywolf. He thinks and I hear; I think, he hears."

"That is fine, but could you present to us formally the canines? We do not have your gift, and saying you are talking to Greywolf doesn't tell us who you are talking to."

"I am sorry, I forgot to introduce the canines to you. It slipped my mind that you did not possess our abilities of the mind. I think that, before we resume this meeting, formal introductions are in order for all involved. Missing at this meeting is Harold's destrier, which is the representative of the equines." Enron then presented the members on his side of the table, starting with archduke Volant, and finishing with baron Regina. "Now that we have presented ourselves, could you formally present yourselves so that we all know who you are?"

The same process repeated itself, starting at the archduke's end and finishing at the baron's.

"Now back to the meeting." Enron began, to be interrupted again by the captain.

"Prince, we still do not know what Duke Greywolf reported."

"I must have eaten too much, my brain is in slow gear today. Let me say that according to Duke Greywolf, there were no incidents worth mentioning in the other cities, but that they had to subdue a couple of idiots in Sophia."

"Subdue?"

"Kill."

"Oh, I see. You seem prone to minimalist euphemisms, prince Enron."

"It's a family trait! Now, let's get back to what Duke Greywolf needs to say. I will repeat what he says as he completes the report. Next question, Greywolf, what is happening outside the cities?"

«We have little issue with most farmers. Those that do are rapidly identified and set straight by two-legs of our allies.»

"So, in short, when a farmer misbehaves, you back off and call in either the legionnaires or the elven army to fix the problem. Fine with me. Can you update us on what is happening up north?"

«Orcs and crocodiles are fighting in ever increasing numbers and the battle zone is spreading both northward and southward. Bush Tail Fox, whose members, being smaller, are less conspicuous than we are, is dealing with closer surveillance. They have had to move their litters out of the battle zone because of the orcs, who seem to eat just about anything, and their habit of burning things the moment it can be. Bush Tail?»

«Your Highness, there are five major crocodile concentrations, each located at the head of a lake. The crocodiles are having a nightmare crossing the mountains north, but they seem very resistant to assault by the orcs. Once they reach the lake they are almost invulnerable. The orcs, on the other hand, are very at ease in the rocky terrain around the lakes, and far, by far, outnumber the crocodiles. They are swarming the mountains; every pass is in use. We have had to pull our litters out of the region, as Sir Commander Greywolf has told you. Contrary to wolves, our sizes do not give us much chance in fighting orcs, however we can spy on them more easily. For what we know, the crocodiles eat the fish in the lake, we have seen some hunt and they are very good swimmers. They also attack orcs that come to the water's edge, pulling them in and drowning them. Not that orcs need any help to get drowned. They swim as well as rocks. The crocodiles, as I told you, are at a disadvantage on land, especially when they are deprived of their hunters, which get decimated in the passes. The orcs tried to get crocodile roasts, but the lack of continuous forest or grass cover has been hampering their efforts. In close combat, the crocodiles have the advantage of brute force, and can easily dismember an orc. However, orcs aren't picky on losses and generally charge ten to one. Orcs have tried to crush crocodiles using rocks, but the number of places this can be undertaken is limited, and usually, once the rocks have rolled down, the passage is blocked. The crocodiles sometimes, when there is no other way, will clear the passage, using the rocks as projectiles to kill orcs. As for food supply during the overland passage, crocodiles seem to be able to go without food for days, but they too aren't picky, and will easily eat each other, or an unfortunate orc.»

After resuming the report up to date, Enron asked "Interesting. Where are orcs concentrated?"

«Mostly below these tall, slippery mountain sides that seem to keep the water in the lake. The orcs are also found in the mountains separating the lakes.»

"So orcs are below the dam, crocodiles occupy the lakes, and are trying to go down to the rivers below, which the orcs are stopping them from doing. The crocodiles are desperate enough to face passing over dry land from wherever they are coming from up north, even if that means fighting their way through hordes of orcs and losing their hunters in the process. The more I hear, the more I think we need to know what is happening to push them south. Anything else, Bush Tail?"

«No, your Highness.»

«Thank you, Bush Tail. Greywolf, any more reports?»

«We have news from the southern part of the area you wanted us to monitor closely. This area is dryer and better suited to coyotes, and, therefore it is they who report to us. Willie Coyote?»

«There is renewed orc activity along the edges of the mountains, again the orcs seem to be trying to find a path to move further south, but are blocked by terrain this time. Having lived there for generations, we know there is no safe passage there since the great cataclysm. The valley leads to a death zone, which glows at night. They are regularly seen on top of what you call a dam, but they do not survive long after passing on it, even if they come back north. It seems that the death zone carries its name still, even at its northern edge. Furthermore, there is renewed shaking of Mother Earth, which is worrisome. Last time, a great fissure opened along one side of the mountains, and even the orcs ran for their life. There are issues even with the Wyverns; they are very nervous.»

"Wyvern? I thought this was a legend?"

«They exist. They are very discreet, and very afraid. They need the hot beds where they live; however we do not know why. There are two distinct populations of Wyverns, one east, bigger, and one west, much smaller, and of a darker color.»

"Enron, we need to review our history; when the great cataclysm occurred, quite a few species emerged anew, or regressed, or progressed in different directions," Samson intervened. "One of those new species that appeared is the Wyverns, but I am not sure it had not been latent, emerging repeatedly through time, to be exterminated at each occasion by the Ancients. Why did the Ancients insist on extermination? I have no idea, but it could explain the fear expressed by those of today. Maybe it is an atavist fear, born of long experience and carried through the memory of species, like the fear of height, fire, or closer home, of predators by preys."

"I see, dad. We will need to go visit the Wyvern and learn what is bothering them. We are the Throne of Nature, and they are family. I wish the orcs would behave differently towards us, you know. But their depredation and wanton indiscriminate destruction of everything prevents reconciliation."

"I agree with you, son, we will need to see the cause of the unrest in the Wyvern."

"Greywolf, between the foxes and the coyotes is a vast expense of land which is under wolf control. What is the news?"

«So far, there is nothing special going on. The two legs continue their day-to-day activity. Orcs continue coming down the mountains, and moving north to join the battle. They seem to skirt the mountains rather than enter the lower lands, but it may not last. As yet, no crocodiles seem to come across the mountains further south, probably because they have no reason to do so. But, again, this may not last.»

"We are in the eye of a huge storm and we have no knowledge of its cause, amplitude, probable duration, and potential conclusion. Enron, we need information, more information."

"I agree, Harold, but there are two aspects to this: where to look, and what to look for."

Paschal, who had been silent so far, raised his hand to get the floor. His request acquiesced by Enron, Paschal stood up and pointed to the map of the Kingdom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there must be a reason for everything to focus around these five lakes for now. We must find out what or why. Second, the migration of both orcs and Priests from further north southward, with such pressing need, must have a deep-rooted reason. Third, there must be a reason for the deep-rooted rage with which orcs and priests go at each other's throat. What is that reason? And can we count on it to maintain the two enemies busy with each other while we investigate their common motivation at wanting to control that region of the Elven kingdom? Finally, what will happen if we find what they seem to be looking for or fighting over? Will they combine forces to attack us? If so, what are our chances of survival?"

"Paschal, when we captured hunters disguised as caravan drivers, we found out that orcs were failed experiments by the crocodiles, or so I think, because those we captured committed suicide rather than confirm that proposal when we placed it in their face. Now, that doesn't explain the full extent of the hatred, but there may be a source of it."

"Prince Paschal's worries about our chance of survival if one or the other party wins are justified," observed Paul Revere, the Master Mariner.

"I was going to make the same observation," added the brewer. "I am sure Prince Enron knows our social structure. We are dispersed, agrarian, mostly farms not even organised in defensive or defendable communities. In the mountains, it's mining camps, mostly individuals who group to mine a surface pit, or dig in some depot left by the ancients."

"Can you be more precise?" asked Harold.

"I can answer that, Harold. Our last census had questions concerning the nature of work, the living conditions, the belonging to one or other of the Guilds or Orders. Although it dates ten years, our population is not very mobile and, by virtue of the Guilds, transversal mobility from one type of work to another is severely restricted. If my memory hasn't left me totally, only about one in three elf lives in a community. The rest are dispersed on farms, in mobile camps, or downright live alone or in small family units."

"This will be a difficult situation, Samson. That organization is fine in time of peace, but in time of war, everyone alone is in grave danger. Locating the isolated families will be difficult at best."

"Not as difficult as you think Samson. We have been tracking down every elf using the canines." Sitar replied. "We know where each one is, how many there are in each community, family unit, or is traveling alone or in convoy."

"That's true dad," added Enron. I have personally monitored the census activity up north with the help of Paschal. We have a good idea of the age pyramid in the area. We barely replace natural deaths."

"We can not wait for the conflict between the orcs and priests to resolve itself to start taking action, " commented Harp. "I suggest we decree general mobilization, regroup in defendable and strategic communities. That will, in itself, be a difficult task, knowing how stubbornly individualistic elves are! Sorry Enron, but you know it's true."

"Yes, Harp, I know. Dad, I agree, we can not wait on events."

"Meanwhile, we still need to find out what is pushing them south. It may be a threat worse then orcs and priests combined." Paschal told them. "I will try to backtrack the passage of orcs and crocodiles up north, past the mountains, using the wolves that live in the regions they crossed coming down south. Maybe that will give us a clue."

Samson had been silent, listening to the debate. Finally, he stood up. "I concur with Prince Regent Enron, my son, and will countersign the general mobilization decree. As of this moment, the Elven Kingdom is in a state of war."

"Regrouping communities should start with the miners, Enron. They are the most exposed, being the closest to the borders. And we need the farmers to collect and harvest the food for the winter. Once this is done, farms are to close down and move their reserves and livestock to a defendable position." Harold took a sip of water, and then resumed, "We need to build weapons, and go from civilian industry to military industry. This means no more fancy, useless, stuff. Production must be geared towards armament, be they defensive or offensive. All means of transport, be they cart, oxcart, ship, boat, or whatever that can carry goods must be used in the war effort. Careful study of the strategic importance of a community must be undertaken, and weighted against our capacity to defend it effectively. As of now, all transports of goods must be organized in convoys. Anything else?"

"Yes dad," replied Paschal. "As of now, anyone able to walk, whatever the age or the sex, must undergo weapons training. There are no exceptions. Furthermore, a community deemed defendable must establish an evacuation plan, a road of escape, and a fall-back position."

"Let's not forget our allies, the canines and equines." Harp commented. "I want a decree of collaboration. No equine or canine shall be mistreated or refused access to whatever resource they need in the accomplishment of their mission for the crown, be it open-door policy, transport across rivers, food, or access to figures of authority."

"This will be costly, your Highness!"

"War is a costly endeavour, captain of the Port. Worry less of gold and more of your life. By the way, you are now vested with the power to organize maritime transport from the three cities in convoys." Enron replied. "Master Tradesman, you are to organize terrestrial transports in the same manner. You are to report to Grand Master of the Road, Prince Dunbar, from now on. Master weaver. Convert the production to military uniforms, unisex, all sizes from age one and a half up. Remember, everyone that can walk is in the army. Master Carpenter. Report to Prince Williams, Prince Paschal, and King Harold. You are to design weapons of mass destruction, both fixed and portable. Master apothecary, collect medicinal herbs and simples; prepare all medications that need be for war. Master Healer, train as many for emergency front-line support as you can. Master Mariner. Arm your ships. Train your mariners to naval combat, and self-defence. Prepare standardized landings for portages around rapids and falls. Master brewer, barrels are in short supply. You are renowned in the ability to build sturdy, watertight barrels to carry your product. Focus on producing barrels. We will need watertight barrels. Master Mason. Fortify and establish means of repelling the enemy from long range. Enrol the miners as they come into towns They already know how to work rocks; and they could be used to establish underground escape routes via mining galleries and tunnels. Finally, master Ironsmith, report to king Harold for the mass production of swords, arrows, bows, lances, battle starves, and the like. Scribes, train people in the art of writing and reading. We can no longer afford ignorant people around. Sending commands by writing will be the rule, and we cannot afford a scribe reading or writing every order. For now, you will write the mobilization orders and the marching orders for the guilds. Canines, especially dogs, are now vested with the protection and enforcement of orderly conducts within cities. We cannot afford to have people spend time walking around just to keep some idiots in line. As of now, guard duty, be it on the ramparts or in the streets, is within the hands, err, paws and jaws of the canines. Long-range patrols are within the prerogatives of the equines. As of now, the kingdom is under martial law. Disorderly conduct will get anyone beheaded. Is that clear? Oh yes, unless one of you thinks that blue blood is going to let you get away with duties of war or with disorderly conduct, forget it. I will personally shave anyone who acts in this manner. Any comments?"

The shock of the guild masters was visible on their faces, in their eyes, and in their trembling hands. Never had they thought this boy could be so forceful and direct. The stern looks of the other royals told them the boy had hammered the nail head-on, and that they agreed.

"Your Highness?" stammered the Master Ironsmith.

"Yes?"

"The best bows are made up north; we need them to start mass production as soon as possible. They have these very powerful composite bows; and there is a production of bows especially designed for horsemen in one of the smaller duchies. We need them to start on the production as fast as we can. I heard it takes eighteen months to two years to produce a composite bow."

"And eighteen months to produce proper arrows," added the master swords smith.

"Then the orders of mobilization and conversion to military production will be going north first. Anyways, the elven army, as it stands, is headed north to assist the duchies in their defence."

"What about the foresters?"

"The foresters will be put to building barricades, firewalls, and pushing back the forest around strategic defence positions. By the way, mason, I want properly built fire towers within visual range of each other, with flammable material ready to be set alight at the first alarm. Use the highest points, so we do not need to build too many to cover the kingdom. Every watchtower must now be manned day and night, with duty tours of no more than two hours. We cannot let a message pass unnoticed because one asshole is too sleepy to do his job. We cannot afford foot walks when light travels a lot faster. Duke commander of the Royal Cavalry guards Yamato will teach you the proper use of a code they call Morse to send encoded messages. Master ironsmith! I want extremely polished copper shields within these towers, so that the sun reflects on them and they too can be used to send encoded messages during the day."

"Is that all, Prince?" asked one of the masters.

"No. We need to build storage facilities, wells, and other necessities of siege. We must ready the cities for the influx of refugees from the countryside. I want depots built underground, in dry rock beds, where we can store the food. They must, and I insist, must, be rodent-resistant. I do not intend to feed the rats of the towns with our food. Meats must be salted, dried, fish as well. Fruits and vegetables must be processed and packed in watertight containers, Now you know why I want barrels, brewer. Also, Harold told me of this special fire that doesn't go out even if you douse it with water. With his help, collect the proper ingredients and prepare the product. Collect projectiles for catapults, trebuchets, mangonels, onagars, and ballistas. I want all these weapons to be easily portable by dismantling their components. In all events, be ready to implement the torched-earth policy, including burning towns, collapsing bridges, flooding, destroying passes, and poisoning wells. I want it wet enough for the orcs to sink, but dry enough the crocodiles can't swim. If we retreat, neither the orcs nor the crocodiles will benefit from our work. Booby-trap whenever possible, including abandoned farms. I want each inch gained by the enemy to cost them so much they will think twice before setting the next toe forward!"

"Mason master, I noticed that most towns have wooden structures for houses, covered in thatched roofs," Harold commented. "First, we need to regroup families and increase population densities. This can be achieved by replacing individual houses with multi-storey housing, built out of field rocks and masonry. I want the roofs to be arches because these offer greater resistance to impact, but can be easily collapsed by having the keystone destroyed. Proper use of booby-traps would make for easy destruction of a house should we need to make it impossible for orcs to use them as refuges. Furthermore, by making sure that all properties have communicating underground shelters, we could effectively evacuate the town without ever needing to be in the streets. Furthermore, I want kernels, dens if you wish, built for our canines, and I want safe barns, made out of the same material as the houses. The other animals we use for food will have to benefit of similar accommodations, as we do not wish to end up with roasted cows and pigs. Again, all must have secondary shelters easily traveled by the animals so they too can be evacuated."

The burning red glow in the eyes of Enron did not go unnoticed by the members of the Guilds and Orders. They knew he meant business. Looking around, he asked "Any more points to discuss?"

"When will the curfew be lifted?" asked the master brewer.

"As planned, that is tomorrow morning at prime, as ordered by Harp."

"But we need to get back to our shops!"

"No you do not. It is preferable you stay here and plan the future war effort rather than think about how much money you are losing by having the shops closed."

"Oh, did we forget to tell you?" Harp asked, ironic. "Food is now rationed. We need to build food reserves; therefore we need to prevent spoiling it. Pilfering, hoarding, or any other action counter to the war effort will get the ration of the person found guilty cut to zero, because that person will be dead, and converted to canine food. No use feeding worms and rats. Open places not used to house people or animals are to be converted to gardens for food production. We need to maximize production of food everywhere. Mason! That includes having the flat roofs of the houses to be built designed to be gardened and to recover rainwater. By the way, mason, I noticed there are sewers leading to the river; we need to inspect them and check they are protected from invasion by the crocodiles. No use fortifying a city if the crocodiles can swim right to your ass to take a bite!"

"We will need pots to hold the Greek fire, dad," Paschal commented. "However, I have not seen a street dedicated to potters here. I wonder why this is like that?"

"Prince Paschal, I can explain that," replied the master apothecary. "Franz deemed their guild useless, and just about exterminated them. A few found refuge in other orders, but most are long gone. It also extended to glassware makers. The two guilds have all but disappeared. We are making due recycling glass bottles for the medication, and pots are growing rare."

"That changes. We need containers, both hardened clay and glass. Once the curfew is lifted, find the survivors of these decimated guilds and regroup them. We will send messages to other cities for masters, companions and the proper tools of these trades. Dad, I can easily recreate a potter's table; I figure you can recreate a glass forge?"

"Yes son, albeit I would appreciate the guidance of a master glass smith in recreating one."

"Are there others we might need urgently?" asked Enron.

"The last master herbalist died a couple of years ago. I have been doing the collecting myself, but I would very much appreciate focussing on my real work, your Highness," replied the apothecary.

"The ship builders used to have a naval construction site, but the last members moved south some years back. We need to restart the naval construction, if only to speed the transport of goods downriver."

"The master mariner is right, your Highness. We also need longshoremen, because a ship doesn't load itself, and must be properly loaded if we do not want it to capsize."

«This area doesn't even need to be invaded by orcs to be a war zone. Franz took care of it single-handedly!» Annabelle, who had been keeping an ear to the discussion, commented.

«I know, dear,» replied Harold. «I am appalled by the social devastation this man has caused.»

"We need tar, coal, firewood, and sealants. We need metals of all sorts. We need toolmakers. In fact we need to rebuild that city!" lamented Enron, looking at the guild masters. "You have your work cut out for you. As for manpower, we will do our best to supply what is needed, and, depending on how things go up north, we may be able to supply you with far more than what you will eventually need."

"What do you mean?"

"If the reports continue to worsen, we may have to evacuate the northern duchies. That will bring an influx of manpower here. If you have any other needs, address yourself to Kings Harold or Samson, or princes Harp, Sitar, and Paschal, or myself. For day-to-day issues, these are in the hands of archduke Volant and baron Regina. Security issues are in the hands of Duke Yamato, and the captain of the Elven guards, Theresa. More issues?" Not getting any, Enron concluded with "Next meeting at vespers for progress reports. Meeting dismissed!"

***

"Enron, may I talk to you in private?" asked Williams.

"Sure, come this way."

In a private room on the side of the refectory, Enron looked at Williams. "So, Williams, what is the issue?"

"Why the title, Enron? I am not of royal blood or any special parentage."

"First, in my eyes, you are, and that is all that matters; second, I know these jerks. Without a title to shove down their throat, they will be doing all they can to obstruct any concerted effort at war you might decide. Short of replacing them with people of lesser competence, I think that the use of a title will give you, and for that matter, Dunbar and Yamato, the proper status symbol to accomplish your work without undue stress. Williams, prince you are, and prince you will stay."

"Is that why you gave Greywolf the 'Duke' title?"

"Exactly. He is of the same grade as Yamato, in our eyes, a Duke."

"What about the captain of the elven guard?"

"Oh, she already has a title, she is earl, or countess if you prefer. She had land and farms south of Elvin Woods."

"You might explain that to Yamato and Dunbar, they probably are as dumbfounded as I am."

"I will, as soon as he has done giving his orders to the legions."

"Are you expecting us to become, err, like you?"

"If you mean telepathic, then answer this question, Williams. Have you had this strange feeling, lately, that you can hear what someone will say before he says it?"

Williams closed his eyes, and thought about the last few days, and weeks. He had to admit to himself he could remember more and more often the impression that speech echoed in his mind before reaching his ears. «Like this, Williams?» he heard. «What the !»

"Do not be gross! You heard me clearly. I know you did, and I received your answer as clearly as if you had said it aloud!"

Williams sat down on the nearest chair, shaking violently. "How?"

"If we knew, but it seems that we are attracting to us those that will eventually do so."

"Will others grow into this?"

"Yamato, the healer, and quite a few members of the caravan can but have dismissed these voices as mere fickle of their imagination. Yamato is the next to which this will burst onto, followed by countess Theresa. We can actually sense when it blooms in an individual, like a rose in a garden. It is in the youngest that the power is the greatest, because they have not dismissed it, and accept it as natural after seeing us using it on a daily basis."

"What about Dunbar?"

"Prince Dunbar is already able to, like you. Again, I will need to confront him on his obstinate refusal to accept the growing capacity at telepathy."

"Are there other capacities we are not aware of?"

"Harp has shown telekinesis, at the expense of Marlin. We may all have it but not found application for it yet; Empathy comes with telepathy, and there may be other powers we are unaware of. Be ready to listen to your impulses, Williams, it may be that what you learned impossible may be well within your reach. We also can heal, and you will learn to see sickness, hurt and what to do as you grow into your powers. Dad and King Harold are still exploring timidly their true powers, and will discover more as the need arises. They, like you, are afraid to try things. Remember, Williams, it is only if you try things to their limits that you will know what these limits are."

«Ah, Dunbar has finished with the master of the road, I'll get him for you, Prince Enron.»

«See? It can be fun!»

«What can be fun?» was heard from Dunbar, followed by «Am I hearing voices now? I must be getting the flu!»

«No, Dunbar, you are not getting the flu, you are discovering telepathy. Can you and Yamato join us in the little room behind the meeting table?» Enron asked.

«I'll be damned! Enron never told me he was ventriloquist! Since he wants Yamato, and me. I'll collect him. He looks positively pissed at that over-inflated barrel maker.»

The laughter he heard from the other side of the door left him wondering what was so funny. Dunbar interrupted the never-ending speech of the brewer to attract the attention of Yamato.

"Enron wants us, Yamato. Sorry, brewer, state talks, we obey."

The two men walked in and joined Williams.

"So, Prince Dunbar, how does a crown feel on your head? Not too heavy?" asked, teasingly, Enron.

"I wanted to ask you about that, young man! Where does that prince thing come from? I have already had enough dumped on me by my colleagues. Promoted in the field to Grand Master was more than enough for me! I don't need a crown!"

"I was saying the same thing just a short time ago to Prince Enron," added Williams.

"Well, sorry, guys, but it's official. We now have two additional princes in the royal wolf family, namely Prince Dunbar and Prince Williams. As for you, Yamato, Duke was more fitting, because of your role."

"But I was more then content to be centurion!"

"Well, you have been field promoted, as Dunbar puts it. That way nobody will snob you, something I shall not tolerate. As I said, to Prince Williams, and stop cringing every time you hear your title, Williams, some people are certified ass holes who will respect only titles not competence. Since we cannot afford to behead what is left of dumb asses in our kingdom, you are now a duke!"

"But what will Harold think?"

«I approve of it. We cannot have a court composed only of the royal family.»

"Stop that! I have had my share of ventriloquists for a day!"

«Who said it was ventriloquism, my dear friend? Dunbar, Enron said it all; you are now part of us, telepath. Get on with life.»

"Me? Telepath? It can't be! I never had even an inkling of a power of any sort!"

"Who are you talking to, Dunbar?" Yamato asked, curious.

"You mean you didn't hear Harold play the ventriloquist?"

"Nope. What's wrong, Dunbar? Are you sick? You are turning all white!"

Dunbar stumbled to the same chair that had taken the load off the legs of Williams a few minutes ago, but this time, it split open in protest, so Dunbar fell on his ass to the floor, to a burst of hilarity from everyone present. Enron quickly held his hand to Dunbar to pull him up.

"We need to check the furniture, Williams, it seems that Franz was as stingy on furniture as on pots!"

"I noticed, Enron, I noticed!"

"What Prince Dunbar just experienced was his first bout with telepathy, Yamato. I suspect he has been having these strange feelings of hearing a conversation echo in his mind first and his ears next. Am I right?"

"Are you telling me you have had these echoes too? I was going to see the healer about them! I thought I was going nuts!"

"Yes, Dunbar, this is how Prince Enron described telepathy in proximity, a feeling of hearing a conversation twice. Have you had these events yet, Yamato?"

"What do you mean, if I have had these events? What events?"

"The feeling of hearing a conversation before it reaches your ears?"

"I hear voices, but I dismiss them! I am planning on a visit to the healer, shortly."

"Don't bother, healers can't do much about telepathy, they do not even know how it works."

"Telepath? Me? You sure you haven't fallen off your rockers, Enron?"

"Oh no, I haven't fallen off my rocking horse; for some reason we cannot understand, the telepathic trait is emerging in you guys later than it did in my brothers; however, we notice more and more are blooming to it, and it is spreading. It's like Gaia waited for a critical mass of people to trigger this. Honestly, I'm fishing without even a hook here, so do not ask me for an explanation. Maybe, after some further thinking, a lot of discussion, and, I suspect, debate, we will find a theory on the emergence of latent traits, but for now I am as lost as you are. All I ask is do not fight it; go with the flow. The only thing I am sure is that we will need it later on."

"Will we be able to talk to animals?"

"I do not know; maybe, maybe not. Remember that the mage cannot do so."

"And, Yamato, we know it is possible. After all we talk to each other, and, as far as I know, we aren't angels, yet!"

"Maybe not angels, Williams, but I still feel out of my depth."

"Do you think you are the only one?" Dunbar replied. "I am not even trying to stand! My legs feel like water!"

"Anyways, gentlemen, explore the opening doors; do not balk at feelings you never felt, or fear what you do not know. We need these capacities, and we will be using them extensively in the upcoming war. The more you know about them, the more you exercise them, the more you discover about new powers, the better we stand at fighting effectively the orcs."

"Do you think the orcs, or for that matter, the priests, will have some people with equivalent powers, Enron?"

"We have no idea, Williams. Do not dismiss the possibility; if we have it, there is a good chance they have their own. Let us hope that theirs will stay divided while we stay united. In unity resides our real strength!"

The four men emerged from the impromptu side-conference to be immediately flooded by the guild masters. The rest of the day was spent in planning minute details, trivial decisions, and the like.

***

At vespers, the supper was called, and, to the surprise of the visitors, it was Sitar sitting in the ducal chair previously occupied by Enron. Their looks pissed him off so the supper started with a cold comment from the boy.

"We told you we took command in turn. Get used to it! And do not think I am easier to manipulate than my other brothers. At matins, it will be Prince Williams taking charge, and again, he is not to be played with, nor Prince Dunbar!"

"Why is command left in the hands of boys?" asked the captain of the Port.

"May I answer, son?"

"Sure dad."

"King Samson and I believe that the best training to kingship and royal responsibilities is by living the role of king and commander. Our sons have repeatedly shown an acute sense of responsibility, taken the decisions we would have, and proven beyond doubt in our eyes they can effectively command. They have proven themselves."

"And I have never been so proud of my son since he took the regency. I have been left at a loss as to what to say in face of his decisiveness, his acute sense of politics, and his critical understanding of military tactics. Enron will outshine our greatest kings, he already has."

"Does this close the debate?" Sitar enquired.

Everyone remained silent.

"Given unanimous approval, let's deal with what was planned today and decided. Once this is covered, we will have a frugal meal, and retire. And I really mean frugal. Enron's decree of this sext about rationing food applies to all, including us! Maybe some of you will recover the youthful waist you once had and stop being a waste of fatty tissue! Scribe! Roll call! As your name is called, stand up and resume what you did this afternoon for all to hear!"

The next hour was spent expanding on the day's activity. The royals were laughing between themselves, quite aware as to why Sitar had called for the reports before supper, not after. The starving guild masters kept their reports to the essentials, and the debates were brief, if acrimonious. The last to report was the scribe master, who presented Sitar with written copies of the mobilization decree and other royal decrees of the day, in multiple copies. Sitar verified a few copies and checked with Enron on the use of certain terms to make sure the paperwork was in conformity to his wishes, before signing them and sealing them with the wolf and elven seals.

As the last members of the guilds retired, the royals moved to their suite.

"So, Harp, not feeling too bad from the diet?" asked Samson, smiling evilly.

"Samson, it's not fair to tease a poor starving boy like me! I don't have the fat reserve you so prominently carry around your waist to fall back on! But beware orcs and priests! They will pay dearly for being the cause of my slow starvation!"

"Oh the poor orcs and crocodiles! Are you planning on eating them?"

"Are you trying to make me feel sick?"

"Or make me feel guilty for depriving Harp of his fun, dad?"

"Far from me this idea, son! I'm just pulling on Harp's chain for a bit. He has been pulling on mine for a while!"

"True, Samson, I have. I'm sorry. Anyways, we got to go feed a very starving mage, and then I'm contacting his superiors to discuss what to do with this idiot."

"Fine. Paschal, Sitar, accompany Harp. Harp! Bring the staff with you. You might need it." Harold commented.