Red Sky at Dawn by D. A. Adams Read Free Book Online Page A

What is your need?”
    “First off, Master Sondious, you know I’m not much on manners and such,” Roighwheil continued, standing behind the empty chair across from the advisor’s desk. “So forgive me if I breech some diplomatic etiquette.”
    “Nonsense, Captain. Let’s drop the courtly garbage and talk like dwarves.” For all of his intellect and education, Master Sondious was still a dwarf of the Deep, and at will he could slip into the informal dialect of his youth.
    “Well, you and me haven’t always been on the same page, and I’m sure you think I’m just a dumb old battleaxe...”
    “Nonsense! Your beard is the same as mine.”
    “Well, anyway, I’ve been watching how you’ve handled this whole call to war, and I know that you’ve done everything in your power to stop it.”
    “I am loyal to the king, Captain Roighwheil,” Master Sondious said in his most serious voice, suddenly fearful of what might happen next.
    “We’re all loyal to him. That’s not questioned. I’m here because you and me are on the same page this time.”
    “How so?”
    “I think the king’s rushing. War is serious, probably the most serious thing there is, but we’re going into this all wrong.”
    Master Sondious relaxed a little and leaned back in his chair. He wasn’t sure what to say to the captain.
    “The way I see it,” the captain continued. “Maybe you could travel to the eastern gate and talk with the ogres. Maybe we can stop this foolishness.”
    “Captain Roighwheil, what you are suggesting could be deemed treason.”
    “I don’t know about that, but it’s our only hope to end this without bloodshed. My oldest boy is in the Elite Guard. He’ll be at the gate in no time if this continues. I can’t...”
    The captain’s eyes filled with moisture, and he fell silent. Master Sondious rose from his seat and moved to the other side of his desk. He stood before the captain and reached out his hand.
    “We’ll try our best,” Master Sondious said, shaking the captain’s hard, calloused hand. His own felt soft and weak in the firm grasp. “We’ll try our best.”
    ***
    Two nights later, as the first units of newly equipped soldiers said farewells to their families and sweethearts, a festival was held on the steps of the palace. The best singers and musicians of Dorkhun lavished the young soldiers with songs of heroic deeds and warriors from earlier kingdoms. Many beautiful speeches were made by important dignitaries, including the king himself, and everyone there believed wholeheartedly that the Kiredurks would quickly defeat the ogres.
    Master Sondious was conspicuously absent from the festival, and more than one dwarf asked the king where his top advisor was during such a monumental event. Kraganere repeated the story dutifully, explaining how Master Sondious had requested an opportunity to travel to the eastern gate to inspect the preparations for himself and to boost morale among the guards already there. The king had resisted at first, but Master Sondious had convinced him of the importance of this trip, so Kraganere had relented.
    Without the council to assist him and without his most trusted and beloved advisor, the king felt the enormity of the kingdom on his shoulders. Despite the fact that he had ruled for twenty years, he doubted his own leadership at this critical time. In fact, he enjoyed listening to the council’s ideas and deciding which one made the most sense. He preferred running ideas by Master Sondious for advice before implementing them as law. While the council members had remained in the capital and could be called to order at any moment, his proclamation of the state of peril had changed their role from one of shared governance to one of subservience to his will. That changed the dynamic of their meetings, and the king could sense their reluctance to put forth ideas.
    Once the soldiers were on their way, the festival dissipated away from the palace, and the king returned to his