KINGDOM OF THE STONE -- a Wattpad featured novel

Chapter Twenty Eight

"This mountain's steep sides are what keep us safe!"  Hasamo shook his head.  "The whole reason we came to Har-Tor was because N'shia-Potoma did not offer us the protection we need.  Unless you can find a way to enclose N'shia-Potoma within the walls of this mountain, we should be trying to think of a way to get the people of the market town in here, not send our people down there."

"That's a lot of people," Tragophan shook his head.

"There's no room as it is!" Cora objected.

"Maybe we should ask the dwerka to build one of their mountain cities for us?"  Tragophan sighed.

"The silver-skins?" Sidaro laughed.

The other elders paused, surprised expressions growing on their faces.  "Would it be possible?" Kapalos asked.

The elders looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Are you serious?" Sidaro asked.

"It would be a massive undertaking, but the dwerka could do it," Hasamo said.

"It wouldn't have to all be done at once," suggested Jomel.  "We could start with a few storage chambers."

"And sleeping chambers!" Cora demanded.

"How much would it all cost?" Kapalos asked.  "What would they even ask in trade?"

Tragophan cleared his throat.  "The dwerka tend to keep to themselves, but when they do trade, they seem to want timber, textiles, meat, fish and baked goods.  Those are all things they have difficulty providing for themselves."

Gerron turned to Hasamo.  "Don't the dwerka come down to N'shia-Potoma about this time of year to trade?"

 "Usually, but not always," Hasamo said.  "I have no idea if they'll still come now that the angorym have taken over the northern valley."

"We should keep an eye out for them in case," Gerron said.  "And if they show up, we should talk to them to see if they would be willing to help us."

Hasamo nodded.  "Agreed.  Since you've had more dealings with the dwerka up north, Tragophan, you should probably be the one to talk to them.  Jomel, you should go with him since you're overseeing the gathering of the harvest and will be able to determine how much we'll have for trade."  Jomel nodded his agreement.  Then Hasamo turned to Karux.  "You should go as well."

"Me?" Karux said, startled.  "Why?"

Hasamo smiled.  "Well, when it comes to providing the dwerka things they lack, I bet you have skills they could not duplicate.  Perhaps you'll find a way to use your abilities to convince them to help us.

-=====|==

The dwerka showed up in N'shia-Potoma nearly a fortnight later.  At the time, Karux sat outside the stoma on a rock ledge watching Eiraena laugh and juggle rocks without touching them.  What amazed him the most were the hypnotic patterns the schemas made as they expanded and contracted and pushed and pulled each other like ripples in a pond bouncing off each other.

"Karux, they're here!  We need to go catch up to Tragophan," Jomel said breathlessly after having raced up the path that wound up Har-Tor's side.  Karux jerked his awareness back to the physical world, stood and hurried after him.  "Be careful what you say to them," Tragophan warned as they walked into the village.  "The dwerka are a sensitive lot.  They don't take well to insults, especially any hint that they are somehow less than you."

Karux laughed.  "Well they are rather short."

"See, that's exactly what I was talking about."  Tragophan looked at Jomel.  "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring him along."