The Day of Treachery

He dashed into the general’s tent, alerting Vanui. The two flew outside, watching the dwarf army near.

"I am grateful for the reinforcements," Vanui said as Rholian reined in his horse in front of the general.

The dwarf king chortled, saying, "I am not so sure you will be." He unsheathed his sword, plunging it into Vanui’s chest. Blood blossomed from the wound, soaking Vanui’s mail. He desperately reached for his sword. Finding the hilt, he grasped it, but could only hold it for a brief second before his hand went limp.

Goldenthorn gasped, unable to move.

"You foolish elf!" Rholian scolded. "Now I shall destroy the rest of your army." Rholian pulled his sword out from Vanui’s chest, kicking the dead body onto the grass.

The dwarf king turned to his army. "Slaughter them," he said, pointing to the elves.

Rholian turned to a wagon gleaming with jewels. Squinting from the blinding myriad gemstones, Goldenthorn saw Rholian board the wagon and depart the field.

Immediately, Goldenthorn bolted, heart pounding in his ears. Behind him he heard the sound of swords lopping off heads and lifeless bodies falling to the ground.

He dashed into the forest, thoughts rushing through his head. He had to alert the emperor of the dwarves’ treachery. He was horrified at the atrocity that Rholian had ordered and knew that he had to stop the dwarf before it was too late.

As he hid in the forest, Goldenthorn watched the dwarves annihilate the elfin army within minutes, and then make camp. He realized that he would have to steal a horse from the dwarf army in order to reach the emperor in time. He waited as the sun sank low into the sky. When midnight arrived, he attacked.

Goldenthorn crept to a picket line to which ropes held some of the army’s horses. Spotting a chestnut stallion, he ripped the reins from the stake. Extracting a small sugar cube from his pack, he fed this to the horse to silence it. As he pulled the horse a few yards from the picket so as not to startle the other animals, he mounted, galloping off for Ukintile.

As he flew for the capital, his heels dug into the horse’s flank, the sun slowly made its ascent into the sky.

With the sun at its apex, Goldenthorn arrived in Ukintile. He cantered to the palace, desperate to reach Calgeas. He found the emperor in the palace courtyard, realizing with a start that he was too late.

In front of the emperor stood the wagon that Rholian boarded before the previous day’s battle.

Goldenthorn returned his gaze to the emperor, the empress catching his eye. She ran up to her husband, her eyes wide with worry. Yanking Calgeas’s sleeve forcefully, she whispered into his ear.

Calgeas suddenly shouted, "Rholian! I have found you out. Leave now and take your wagons with you. For your treachery, I command you leave your jewels behind. Be glad I do not have you hanged!"

Relief swept across Goldenthorn as he heard the emperor say those words. His breathing relaxed and his heart began to calm its frantic beating.

The dwarf king turned to the crowd of elfin peasants and proclaimed, "Your emperor is an avaricious man. He wants the jewels for himself, and would forsake his own people in their time of greatest need! Will you allow this to happen?"