Arent we wandering just a bit? Zelana suggested. We wont know which way the bugs will move until one of the Dreamers gives us that information. Id say lets wait. In the light of what happened in my Domain and Veltans, we just dont have enough information to lock anything in stone yet.
Zelanas right, you know, Veltan agreed. We cant be sure of anything until one of the children has one of those dreams.
May I make a suggestion? the silver-haired Trogite Narasan asked.
Ill listen to anything right now, Dahlaine replied.
Im unfamiliar with the lands of the north and the east, but wouldnt it make sense to alert the local population to the possibility of an incipient invasion? If the people of both regions know that theres a distinct possibility that the bug-men will attack, theyll be able to make some preparations.
That makes sense, Aracia, Dahlaine conceded. If what happened here and off to the west are any indication of whats likely to happen in your Domain or mine, the local population will probably play a large part in giving us another victory.
Aracia glared at her older brother, but she didnt respond.
Longbow tapped Red-Beards shoulder. Why dont we go get a breath of fresh air, he quietly suggested.
It is just a bit stuffy in here, Red-Beard agreed. Lead on, friend Longbow.
They went on out of the map-room and then some distance along the dimly lighted hallway.
Is it just my imagination or is Zelanas older sister behaving a bit childishly? Longbow asked.
I dont really know her all that well, Red-Beard said, and I think Id like to keep it that way. It seems to me that shes got an attitude problem.
Or maybe even something worse. Remember what happened back in the ravine? Suddenly, for no reason at all, Zelana jumped up, grabbed Eleria, and flew on back to her grotto on the Isle of Thurn.
Oh, yes, Red-Beard said. Sorgan almost had a fit when she ran off like that without giving him all that gold shed promised him. If I remember right, it finally took a bit of bullying by Eleria to bring her back to her senses.
I dont know very much about Aracia, Longbow admitted, but Im starting to catch a strong odor of irrationality in her vicinity. Her mind doesnt seem to work any more.
I wouldnt be too sure about that, Longbow, Red-Beard disagreed. It might just be working very well. From what Ive heard, anybody in her Domain who doesnt want to do honest work joins the priesthood and spends all his time adoring her.
Thats what Ive heard too.
Soldiering is one kind of honest work, isnt it?
Not as hard as farming is, maybe, but its still harder than adoring somebody.
If thats the way things are in her Domain, doesnt that sort of suggest that she doesnt have anything at all like an army over there? Wouldnt that explain why she wants all the soldiers Zelana and Veltan hired to come on over to her territory to protect her if the bug-people decide to come her way?
Very good, Red-Beard, Longbow said. Maybe shes not quite as irrational as it might seem. If her Domain is totally undefended, shell need just about everybody with a sword or a bow to come there to protect her. Its very selfish, of course, but I dont think that would bother her. She seems to believe that shes the most important thing in the whole world, so from her way of looking at things, were all obliged to rush to her defense.
Theres not much that we can do about it right now, friend Longbow except possibly to suggest to Zelana that shed better keep a close eye on her big sister.
Im sure that Zelana already knows about her sisters peculiarities, but we might want to caution Sorgan and Narasan about this.
Youre probably right. Should we go on back and listen to the screaming? or would you rather go fishing?
The squabbling of Dahlaine and Aracia continued for another half hour or so, and then Ara, Omagos beautiful wife, joined them on the balcony of the map-room. Suppers ready, she announced.
Thats just about the best news Ive heard all day, Sorgan Hook-Beak declared. Lets go eat before everything gets cold.
They all trooped on down the hallway to Veltans impromptu dining-room. That was one of the characteristics of the elder gods that Red-Beard had never fully understood. There was a certain practicality involved in their lack of a need for sleep. If some kind of emergency came up, a sleeping god might not be able to deal with it, but Red-Beard couldnt for the life of him see why they didnt eat. They didnt need nourishment, of course, but there was more to eating food than just satisfying the grumbling in the belly. Dinners in particular were generally something along the lines of a social event that brought people closer together and smoothed over various disagreements. Red-Beard was almost positive that the elaborate dining-room in Veltans house hadnt even been there before the outlanders had arrived, and he was fairly sure that the dining-room Veltan had added to his house had originally been Aras idea. Omagos wife was quite probably the best cook in the entire world, but she was wise enough to know that getting people together and establishing friendships was even more important than eating. There were several peculiarities about Ara that Red-Beard didnt fully understand yet.
He was still working on it, though.
Oddly, Veltan and Zelana were accompanying them to the dining-room. Since they didnt need or want food, they obviously had something else on their minds.
The conversation at the dinner table was fairly general, but after theyd all eaten more than they really needed, of course Zelana and Veltan took Sorgan and Commander Narasan aside and spoke with them at some length.
Red-Beard nudged his friend Longbow after supper. I could be wrong about this, I suppose, but I think Zelana and Veltan might have come up with a way to make peace in their family, and its probably going to involve Sorgan and Narasan.
What a peculiar sort of idea, Longbow murmured.
You saw it too, didnt you?
It was just a bit obvious, friend Red-Beard. I think it might disappoint Holy Aracia a little, though.
What a shame, Red-Beard said with a broad grin.
Thats a nasty sort of thing to say.
So beat me.
When they returned to the map-room, Sorgan Hook-Beak cleared his throat as a sort of indication that he was about to make a speech. Narasan and I talked this over, and I think we might have come up with a way to deal with the problem thats been nagging at us here lately, he announced. Since we cant be certain sure exactly where the bug-people will strike next, well have to cover both possibilities. Since Lord Dahlaines territory is farther away than his sisters is, Narasan and I pretty much agreed that I should cover that part of the Land of Dhrall not because my men are better warriors, but because our ships move faster than Narasans can. Of course, thats why we built them that way. Chasing down Trogite ships and robbing them is the main business in the Land of Maag, but we can talk about that some other time. Since my people will cover the north, Narasans will cover the east. He gestured down toward Veltans lumpy map. If that maps anywhere at all close to being accurate, itll only take Narasans fleet a few days to reach Lady Aracias territory, and he can protect that region. That means that well have people in place to hold the bug-people back in either the east or the north, and our employers can zip from here to there in no time at all. If the attack strikes the east, Ill sail on down around the south end and join up with Narasan in just a couple of weeks. But, if the bug-people come north, my people will be able to hold them back until Narasan arrives to help me. When we add the horse soldiers in the north and the women warriors in the east, well have enough people to bring any bug invasion to a stop. Then, when the rest of our friends arrive, well be able to stomp all over the invaders and win the third war here in the Land of Dhrall.