08 Chaosbound by Farland David

Author:Farland, David [David, Farland,]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-10T11:11:25.281000+00:00

CHAOSBOUND 265 Wyrmlings were not the most stable creatures. But, he vowed to himself, what ever she wants, what ever she offers, I refuse. Warlord Hrath pounded the table, gazed at Aaath Ulber. We will give you what endowments we can, and we will send word far and wide that you have come. We can gather the blood metal that we need. But if we do this, we will need your protection. Aaath Ulber was loath to make such an offer, but there were no good choices. If he took a few endowments and then left, the wyrmlings would likely hunt down his Dedicates and slay them, leaving Aaath Ulber weak and vulnerable. But he did not want to spend the rest of his life here defending the barbarians on this island. Aaath Ulber sighed. Just my luck, he said. I come to town for a loaf of bread and piglet, and what do I get? A war! At that, the barbarians laughed, Warlord Hrath pounding his mug on the table. I suspect that you will need my help, Aaath Ulber admitted. But you understand that the wyrmling presence here in Internook is thin? Their main stronghold is in a fortress called Rugassa, in the very heart of Mystarria. You have tens of thousands of wyrmlings here on this island. There are millions more down in the heartland. I intend to breach their stronghold. You intend to fight them? Millions? Warlord Hrath asked. Just you few? I intend to do all that I can, Aaath Ulber said. But I hope for more aid. There are men of my stature to the south, or there were before the binding. I do not know how many might yet survive, but my plan is to unite them against the wyrmling hordes. I cannot fight that empire myself, but a thousand warriors like me, men with endowments, we could make the foundations of Rugassa tremble. . . . No doubt, Hrath said, chewing his lip thoughtfully. So you think to sacrifice us?

266 DAV I D FARLAND The warlord was testing him, Aaath Ulber knew. He was asking if Aaath Ulber would simply take endowments and march into war, leaving the island defenseless. Hrath needed a commitment that Aaath Ulber would leave them secure. A man who takes an endowment, Aaath Ulber said, takes the greatest of boons that another may offer. I would not want to put the men, women, and children of Internook at risk. Yet it is what your people have always done, Warlord Hrath intoned. Your rich lords in Mystarria have hired our children, put them at the front of their battles, and used them only to blunt the weapons of the runelords that they were fighting. I know this. I myself was one of those young men. I fought for King Orden against the Merchant Princes. Aaath Ulber stifled a groan. He had been but a child when he learned of that fray. Gaborn Val Ordens father had been king at the time.

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