Elven Raised

War Council

Astoria and Fletcher exchanged looks, it was Othello who they had been following, and to a dwarven war council. Fletcher motioned for Astoria to leave

" Go, you can't be seen here. You'll be accused of aiding in treason, and attempting to overthrow your father." she shook her head, but didn't respond. She did, however, sneak forward a few feet so that she was right to the side of the little cave that the guards were watching over, and then scrambled to the top of the little hill. The guards weren't watching the top of the hill, and she slipped in behind them, motioning for Fletcher to follow. He did so, and they walked silently through the cave. Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, and saw a large room, filled with several hundred dwarves, while one dwarf walked off of a raised rock, like a stage, after he finished yelling some rather treasonous words.

They kept to the shadows, carefully watching the dwarves nearest them, who were watching the stage intently, waiting for the next speaker to start. Luckily, they were still a good twenty feet back from the closest dwarf. The next speaker looked exactly like Othello but as soon as he began to speak against humanity Fletcher realized who it was. He leaned over to Astoria

" It's Othello's twin, Atilla." She nodded but said nothing. Fletcher turned to look at Astoria and saw that she had a look of sadness on her face. Noticing his look Astoria turned to face him.

" All of these grievances are terrible. And much as I wanna want to deny it, they're right. My father is trying to change things but it's slow going and my grandfather sure doesn't help matters. All Alfric cares about is keeping his allies powerful and the dwarves and elves in their 'place'. But then, all of that is really just game." Fletcher stared at her, slightly shocked by the outburst before turning back to the stage as the noise in the room increased enormously. Two identical dwarves, who he identified as Othello and Atilla, were brawling on the stage.

After a minute, Uhtred came on stage and broke them up, while several dwarves with long white beards slowly, made their way up, the dwarven elders. A wizened dwarf from within the group began to speak, and the entire crowd quieted in respect.

" Fellow dwarves, we are at a critical juncture in the road of life. I see to paths ahead of us. One path leads to prospering, and life, while the other leads to annihilation. Not just of us, those who rebel, but of the entire dwarven race. And I must ask each and every one of you out there, do you want to condemn our entire race to death? Or do you wish to live, and for your families will also live?"

This speech by the elder seemed to have convinced most of the dwarves present, which was good, as they were spiraling down into a path the would only end in one way, death. Fletcher was vaguely aware of Astoria beside him, but paid no heed to her, until she rapped his head with her knuckle.

He started and looked at her in confusion. The princess motioned backward, towards a small cave off to the side, not the one that they had entered through, in which voices could distinctly be heard. The pair looked down the tunnel, and all the way at the end was the silhouette's of several men, perhaps ten or so.

He shared a look with Astoria, and then they began to creep forward towards the exit. Fletcher's initial estimate was correct, there were ten men slowly walking down the tunnel. He threw a knowing look to Astoria, and they acted as one. Fletcher launched a flood of fireballs, and as soon as they passed, Astoria threw up a shield in front of them.

Yells of pain filled the tunnel as men went down under the onslaught of fireballs, followed by the crack of muskets being fired, and then falling against the shield. As the men reloaded, Astoria dropped the shield, and the pair each cast lightning against their opponents, before recasting the shield.