Edmund remained silent for a few moments, watching Ellaria as she slowly turned the glass between her fingers.
"Khazid Nekewukas," he repeated. "I didn't know there was still a settlement by that name."
"Most humans don't even know it exists. Dwarfs don't exactly announce their settlements to the world, especially when they're having problems."
"The rumors about the greenskins?" It was a problem Edmund had pushed to the bottom of his list, not because he underestimated it, but because there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. His men were not enough to launch an expedition, secure the entire border of his territory, and stop their raids.
Ellaria stopped smiling as she finished the last of her food.
"They're enough of a problem that several clans have started sending messengers in search of help."
"Dwarfs are asking humans for help?" Edmund asked.
"Not exactly. Some would rather die than admit they need help from humans. But they realized that if they wanted to request help from other fortresses quickly, they would need humans to spread the word."
"That sounds more like them," Edmund replied. He had dealt little with dwarfs throughout his life, but he knew enough about them to understand how proud they were, and how millions of them had died because of that pride and their grudges.
"And from what I've seen these past few days, they aren't exaggerating their problems."
Ellaria placed her glass on the table and leaned slightly forward as she spread a map across it.
"The Vaults is filled with dwarven settlements." Her fingers moved across the surface, pointing to several of them. "Some are little more than mining outposts; others have been established in the mountains for centuries. There has always been a danger from Skaven and orcs in these areas."
"I've heard stories about that. They said they didn't leave because they were happy killing each other."
"Several months ago, groups of greenskins began appearing in the northern passes. At first, they were small raids. They looted caravans, attacked isolated outposts, and disappeared before the dwarfs could organize a response." Ellaria spoke as she placed several markers on the map. "But this isn't a single tribe. There are several moving through the region."
Edmund frowned, growing somewhat alarmed as the number of markers continued to increase even after she had placed more than eight of them.
"Are they all coordinated?" Edmund closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"No. That's fortunate or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it."
Ellaria leaned back in the chair beside the table and crossed one leg over the other.
"The tribes fight each other almost as much as they fight the dwarfs. Some fight over the mountain passes and food, but others want to seize power and declare a Waaagh!"
Edmund stood up and walked to the window. From there, he could make out part of Graymont's rooftops and the scattered lights of the city.
"I assume Khazid Nekewukas is having trouble with attacks from these tribes, and Brogur plans to help them." Edmund looked thoughtful as he analyzed the situation that could soon shake the entire region. "And Karak Izor?"
"It's still standing." Ellaria sighed. "But it can't protect the entire region. It's the only major fortress that still maintains a considerable military presence, which has turned it into a refuge for many dwarfs who have abandoned smaller settlements. More refugees arrive every week."
Edmund glanced over his shoulder.
"That means their resources are being depleted even without the fortress being directly attacked."
"And their leaders are divided. Some want to send troops to reclaim the lost settlements and ease some of the pressure on the refugees, while others believe the wisest course is to wait for them to kill each other."
"Neither option sounds particularly good."
"They're running out of options."
"That's why I wanted to talk to you before the others came. We don't know what we'll find along the way. The attacks have increased, and some scouts believe several tribes are moving south."
Edmund remained still.
"South?"
"It doesn't necessarily mean they're going to attack Graymont. But the tribes' movements are changing. The smaller tribes that were already there and lost the territorial war are looking for new lands where they can settle."
The room fell silent for several seconds. Even if Graymont was lucky and the tribes used another route to descend from the mountains, there was nothing guaranteeing that their luck would last much longer.
Graymont did not have a fortress capable of withstanding a prolonged siege. Its walls were deteriorating, its guards lacked sufficient training, and the city was only beginning to recover stable iron production. He could not build one in a matter of weeks, and even if he succeeded in producing enough cement soon to renovate the walls, the city was only just recovering from a food crisis.
"And what does Brogur intend to do?"
"Go there and help with the defense. He wants to organize a sortie to destroy the attackers' positions, open a supply route, and allow the clan to hold out until help arrives."
"Help from whom?"
Ellaria looked at him.
"I see…" Edmund nodded. "I think I can do it."
"Don't worry, I understand that you can't. You need to reinforce your—what?"
"I said I can do it. It won't be enough help to change the situation in the region, but I think I have an idea of how we can help each other."
Edmund had plans, but he felt he still needed everyone involved to be present in order to put them in place.
_______________________
The next morning, Ellaria discovered that working for a baron was considerably less glamorous than she had imagined.
Edmund had been making his rounds through Graymont since early morning.
First, he inspected the warehouses. Then, he visited the area where the streets were being repaired and finally ended up at the facilities where Bram supervised iron production.
Ellaria accompanied him without complaining too much.
Although, for Edmund, the fact that she had complained four times before noon counted as a victory.
"Do you always do this?" she asked as they walked along one of the muddy streets.
"Walk?"
"Work."
"I can't relax when some of these people are going hungry."
"I thought nobles spent their days sitting in their halls while other people did everything for them."
"I thought the same thing, but I think my father set the bar pretty high when it came to incompetence in the family."
Ellaria let out a small laugh.
They continued their tour for much of the morning. Edmund showed her the ongoing construction, the warehouses, and part of the area where the new facilities were being built.
Ellaria listened attentively. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
She did not seem particularly interested in running a city, but she quickly understood what Edmund was trying to accomplish.
When they finally returned to the mansion, it was almost lunchtime.
"Now comes the most dangerous part," Edmund said.
Ellaria looked at him curiously.
"What could possibly be worse than walking through a city full of mud?"
"A meeting with the family."
"Ah."
Ellaria fell silent. She had heard Edmund talk about his family when he drank. Ellaria remembered how poorly alcohol affected him, and how he would vent about his mother and how much he missed his sisters.
When they entered the residence, a young woman appeared from one of the hallways.
Annie stopped when she saw Ellaria. Her eyes immediately went to the pointed ears, something Ellaria had grown accustomed to, but the smile on Annie's face was something she rarely saw.
She then looked at Edmund and back at Ellaria.
"Who is she?" Annie asked after giving Ellaria a small bow in greeting.
"Annie, this is Ellaria. An old adventuring companion."
Her sister's expression changed immediately.
"Really?" Her face clearly showed how much she was enjoying the situation.
"Really," Edmund replied, unwilling to play along.
Annie approached with obvious curiosity.
"Did something happen between the two of you?" Annie asked Ellaria with a half-smile.
"Your brother wouldn't stop insisting that I pay attention to him." Ellaria did not hesitate to answer.
"Did he ever buy you flowers?"
"No, but he always made sure I was well fed."
"And was Edmund as serious back then as he is now?"
Ellaria looked at Edmund, a smile slowly appearing on her face.
"Not always. Sometimes, after two glasses…"
"Ellaria."
Annie burst into laughter before Edmund could stop the conversation from going any further. Another voice came from the hallway.