[Child of the 7th Age]

Khandr bid his two guests goodbye and watched as they strode up the corridor, pushed opened the door, and disappeared into the night. Turning back to the Borrim, he first addressed Fastarr in a kindly but serious tone, "In truth, my good friend, I am not sure you should have been that blunt. But you have put into words what all of us were privately thinking. Perhaps it is better to let the elves know our suspicions. We cannot trust these Ulfang lords. Sadly, these elves do not see or understand that. They put our suspicions down to tribal bickering. But what I have seen at court hints at something far darker and more foreboding. I am determined to find out what that is. Perhaps someday these elves will look back on this night and wish they had paid more attention to our warning. Until we can present them with more information, more proof of what is actually going on, they will not listen to us."

Khandr surveyed his guests still sitting at the table, announcing in a decisive voice, "Go, then! Return to your dwellings and think on what has been said. Make plans to gather the information I have requested. Indeed, each of you should go see the person whose name you have been given, either before the hunt or during it or both if you can. Report back to me anything you hear or see that is even slightly out of the ordinary. If we can assemble the pieces, we may be able to solve this riddle."

Then Khandr bade goodbye to his friends and retainers and saw them to the door. As he was coming back in, his first wife came over to speak, "You were hurt, were you not? Affronted not to receive an invitation to such a feast?"

"Aye, what lord has an ambassador in court and sends him not one word of greeting? This is beyond decency. I am surprised that the elves did not pick up on that. If an envoy came to King Bor, he would not leave them sitting alone while others feast and exchange news. When I first came here, I only thought that our brothers had soured on the marriage and wished to be released from their promises. But now I see that there is much more. The old king no longer rules here. There are others in control, and I can only presume that these men are afraid we will find out something that they are desperately trying to hide."

"Since all the others will be involved with this feast, it will do me no good to go to court and try and find an audience. I will draft a letter tonight and send over a messenger to hand it to those who are assembled at this feast concerning our proposal for a hunt. I will request....nay, I will demand....an immediate answer. If that answer is no, then we will pack up tomorrow morning and head back to our home. I care not what these elves say or think, for I will not fight beside those I cannot trust. If they have enough decency to reply and accept, then we will stay on and take our chances, though I fear that is not the wisest course. For I have seen how they act at court. Something is very wrong."

Briga looked up concerned at her husband, "Your words leave a cold chill in my heart. What is it you fear? There is something you are not telling me...."

"Aye, my love, and until I can be sure, I will not share this thing even with you."

"You should tell me," she pressed. "For sometimes in the past, I have been able to help you in ways that only a woman can."

"No. Not this time. I pray that I am wrong. But I will not share my thoughts with you. For, if I have guessed right, then I am holding dangerous news, and I would not willingly put you in any danger." He leaned down, kissed Briga gently on the head, and whispered to her, "If something should ever happen to me, you must gather the other Borrim and leave immediately for home. No matter what or when that is. Someday you may yet rejoice that you have only daughters to love and no sons."

She glanced up at him, the alarm clearly evident on her face, "Why do you say this? We will do as we have always done. We will be together and come safely home to tend our fields and wait for both grand-daughters and grand-sons."

Khandr grimly replied, "I too wish for this." Then he stalked out of the room to retrieve his pen, sitting down to write.