The Orc King

And so it was in the valley below him. Goblins rushed every which way, and on came the skilled and disciplined elf warriors, their fine blades gleaming in the sun. It looked to be a fast and uneventful rout.

But then a yellow ba

So caught up in the spectacle, Tos’un stood up and leaned forward, out of the shelter of the stones. He looked back to the rout, and saw that there, too, things had changed, for other groups of those hulking orcs had appeared, some coming up from under the snow near the center of the battle.

“A trap for the elves,” the drow whispered in disbelief. A myriad of thoughts flitted through his mind at that realization. Did he want the elves destroyed? Did he care?

He didn’t allow himself time to sort through those emotions, though, for the drow realized that he, too, might get swept up in the tumult—and that was something he most certainly did not want.

He looked back to the approaching ba

The elves, badly outnumbered, were on the run. They didn’t flee like the goblins, though, and kept their defenses in place against incursions from the brutish orcs. They even managed a couple of stop-and-pivot maneuvers that allowed them to send a volley of arrows at the orc mass.

But that dark wall rolled on after them.

The winged horse appeared again, flying low over the battlefield then climbing gradually as it passed over the orcs, who of course threw a few spears in its direction. The rider and pegasus went up even higher as they glided over the elves.

The rider meant to direct the retreat, obviously, and good fortune sent the winged horse in Tos’un’s general direction. As it neared, the drow’s eyes widened, for though looking up at the midday sky surely stung his sensitive eyes, he recognized that elf rider, Si

For a moment, the drow held his position just inside the tu

Hardly aware of his movements, he came out of that hole and waved at Si

What are you doing? Khazid’hea imparted to him.

The sudden jerk of the reins had the pegasus banking sharply and told Tos’un that Si

You would go back to them? Khazid’hea asked and the telepathic communication was edged with no small amount of anger.

Si

Drizzt will kill you! Khazid’hea warned. When he takes me from you, you will find yourself defenseless against the truth-finding spells of elf clerics!

Tos’un lifted the twig barrier that covered his hole, and began motioning to the entrance.

Si

The drow glanced back only one time, to see the elves filtering into the tu

But Si

Unbelievably, Si

Tos’un wasn’t sure whether he should take pride in that, or whether his respect for the elves had just diminished.

Perhaps a bit of both.

Si

She kept up her barrage even after all the elves had disappeared underground. But the huge orcs carried heavy shields to frustrate such attacks, and Si

A long while later, with Sunrise tiring beneath her, the elf was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, as a flash of white from a copse of trees some distance to the east signaled to her that Albondiel and the other elves had gotten through the tu

Si

As she walked Sunrise along a path through the trees, Si

“You saved many,” Albondiel greeted when she approached. “Had you not directed us to that tu

Si

“Four casualties,” Albondiel said grimly. He nodded toward the small field, where the quartet of wounded lay on blankets on the snow. “Two of them were wounded seriously, perhaps mortally.”

“We…I, should have seen the trap from on high,” Si

“The orc ambush was well set,” Albondiel replied. “Those who prepared this battlefield understood our tactics well. They have studied us and learned to counter our methods. Perhaps it is time for us to head back across the Surbrin.”

“We are low on supplies,” Si

“Perhaps it is time for us to stay across the Surbrin,” Albondiel clarified.

Again, thoughts of a certain dark elf popped into Si