Dragons of Winter Night - Margaret Weis [85]
No one spoke after that. Flint kicked Tas under the table, and the kender subsided in hurt silence which lasted until he discovered his neighbor, an elvenlord, had been called from the table, leaving his purse behind. Rummaging through the elflord’s possessions kept the kender happily occupied throughout the rest of the meal.
Flint, who ordinarily would have kept an eye on Tas, did not notice this in his other worries. It was obvious there was going to be trouble. Derek was furious. Only the rigid code of the Knights kept him seated at the table. Laurana sat in silence, not eating. Her face was pale beneath her tanned skin, and she was punching small holes in the finely woven table cloth with her fork. Flint nudged Sturm.
“We thought getting the dragon orb out of Ice Wall was tough,” the dwarf said in an undertone. “There we only had to escape a crazed wizard and a few walrus-men. Now we’re surrounded by three nations of elves!”
“We’ll have to reason with them,” Sturm said softly.
“Reason!” The dwarf snorted. “Two stones would have a better chance of reasoning with each other!”
That proved to be the case. By the Speaker’s request, the companions remained seated after the other elves left, following dinner. Gilthanas and his sister sat side by side, their faces drawn and worried as Derek stood up before the Speaker to “reason” with him.
“The orb is ours,” Derek stated coldly. “You have no right to it at all. It certainly does not belong to your daughter or to your son. They traveled with me only by my courtesy, after I rescued them from the destruction of Tarsis. I am happy to have been able to escort them back to their homeland, and I thank you for your hospitality. But I leave tomorrow for Sancrist, taking the orb with me.”
Porthios stood up to face Derek. “The kender may say the dragon orb is his. It doesn’t matter.” The elflord spoke in a smooth, polite voice that slid through the night air like a knife. “The orb is in elven hands now, and here it will stay. Do you think we are foolish enough to let this prize be taken by humans to cause more trouble in this world?”
“More trouble!” Derek’s face flushed deep red. “Do you realize the trouble this world is in now? The dragons drove you from your homeland. They are approaching our homeland now! Unlike you, we do not intend to run. We will stand and fight! This orb could be our only hope—”
“You have my leave to go back to your homeland and be burned to a crisp for all I care,” Porthios returned. “It was you humans who stirred up this ancient evil. It is fitting that you fight it. The Dragon Highlords have what they want from us. They will undoubtedly leave us in peace. Here, on Ergoth, the orb will be kept safe.”
“Fool!” Derek slammed his fist on the table. “The Dragon Highlords have only one thought and that is to conquer all of Ansalon! That includes this miserable isle! You may be safe here for a time, but if we fall, you will fall, too!”
“You know he speaks truly, Father,” Laurana said, greatly daring. Elven women did not attend war meetings, much less speak. Laurana was present only because of her unique involvement. Rising to her feet, she faced her brother, who glowered at her disapprovingly. “Porthios, our father told us in Qualinesti that the Dragon Highlord wanted not only our lands but also the extermination of our race! Have you forgotten?”
“Bah! That was one Dragon Highlord, Verminaard. He is dead—”
“Yes, because of us,” Laurana shouted angrily, “not you!”
“Laurana!” The Speaker of the Suns rose to his full height,