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side story [The Tale of the Soup-maker]
appendix [a]
gallery [duma] [dale] [dale 2] [beryl] [ugarit] [ugarit 2] [ugarit 3]

Part Seventy-three

Commander Barad woke in his bed within the Head Quarters at Stone Keep and felt strangely alone. He was having trouble sleeping lately. Knowing he had Rangers on the wall gave him little peace of mind these days. He still had faith in their brotherhood, but he also knew of so many threats. Barad pulled on his shirt and got up from the bed. It was cold now and his bedchamber had no stove or hearth, only layers of cloth and down and before turning in a bedwarmer filled with coals. The warmer was cool and filled only with ash upon the floor, and Barad left his cold bedchamber searching for warmth.

He found Duinhir near the fireplace, drawing the kettle from over the fire on the crane. "Do you not sleep?" Barad whispered.

"I am twice the Elf you are, and so I require half as much sleep."

"I am in no mood for merriment."

"It is difficult to sleep with this sense of dread in my heart," Duinhir said seriously. "Come sit. Share this herbal infusion with me. It will warm your body at least."

Barad sat on the bench beside Duinhir and said nothing as he watched the Elf pour out the steaming liquid from the kettle into the pair of glass cups.

"We had some messengers," Duinhir said.

"You should not have let me sleep."

"You needed it."

"So did you."

"Yes, but this only brings us to dread again. Here. Drink."

Barad accepted the small cup. The infusion smelled delicious and spicy and the cup warmed his hands. He was only Halfelven, and though he had immortality, sometimes, he could just feel cold. "What did they say?"

"They sang."

"Elven messengers." Birds who did not carry scrolls but learned and sang messages for Elves learned in understanding them. It was a most secure form of communication, though not in all cases reliable, as the birds could be preyed upon.

"They said the Grey is pursuing a Blue Wizard who flies without wings."

"That is most strange, considering there has been no Grey…"

"I think your former resident has changed his color."

"Do you?"

"Yes. Also, word from Elves on our front line. They say we now hold the main trade road and everything west of it, from the secured north across to New Haven in the south. They say a Wizard in some strange sky contraption is dropping explosive devices on the Orc troops and there is hope that we will drive the Orcs back to the mines."

"And those that moved south and east?"

"A mystery still, but we heard from Elves east of the mountains as well."

"Busy night for birds."

"They say the Elf-King's daughter is again safely within Elven territory and sent word that all her Elven kin shall give safe passage to Horse-Lords wishing to visit or pass through their territories in return for aid that was given her by their people during her journey which was harried by Orcs. Also, it seems Tsuki and Dale were among that company as well as her older brother."

"And we already had word from Anto that he saw them."

"There is still no word from Rangers further south or east than he, but it may be that they completed their assignment without knowing it was falsely given."

"Then it was a Blue Wizard, if the Grey pursues one?"

"There is much we cannot confirm."

"But still this sense of dread."

"Your White Rabbit Squad should return soon, perhaps they will have some news. At least the Orcs seem to be on retreat. That must be a good thing."

Somewhere to the south, the Orc Chieftains who had kept their Clans close to the stronghold of the mines saw the explosions and the strange craft in the sky and believed the rumored weapon was used against them now. They ordered their Orcs to retreat, warning that the devices the Wizard dropped upon their Bands would sicken them.

The simple explosive devices would throw an Orc from his feet, perhaps burn him if he was too close, or send volley of shrapnel into his skin to create lovely scars, but they would not sicken Orcs, only injure them.

Yet, The Sky accomplished what he wished. The Orcs who had been making raids in the west, were returning to the Mines.

Those Orcs who were not on retreat to the Mines, or already within them, were with Marduk, much farther south and east, eating of soup the Elves had given them as some queer form of tribute.

Marduk himself sat with the eight other Chieftains, their Leaders, a few smart Orcs who knew things about Elves, Men and preparing for battle, some Orcs who claimed to have knowledge of the Wizard's dangerous work, and Alqua.

Alqua found sympathy for the Orcs, though her people had been raised to hate their race and Alqua was young for an Elf, but had lived many more years than Orcs seemed to and longer than the lifetime of most Men. When she had asked Marduk his age, he had seemed angered or confused; she found Orc features and expressions difficult to read. Four years, he had answered, but Alqua determined Marduk to be closer to five cycles of the seasons by Elven reckoning, as they counted life from the time of its conception, when Elven parents joined in physical and spiritual union to create an immortal child.

Five, and he had been a soldier in war and become the leader of many. She had pitied Duma for being only nine, and Ugarit for being not yet three and caring for a child. Alqua did not find Marduk attractive, even in the most general way, but she sensed strength in him always. He had an imposing figure. It was said Orcs had been Elves once, but the ones they called Westerners in their garbled Common Speech grew broad as well as tall to a size comparable only to the largest of the Second Race. Sometimes, Alqua did not have to pretend submission and truly feared to be seen as a threat.

Marduk had told his fellow Chieftains that he had spoken many times with the sick Northener Duhmluk and knew much of the Wizards work and so he would know if any Orc told the truth if he heard them tell of the work the Wizard had done in the north. Marduk did not really know all, but he was confident that the other Orcs would believe he did know enough to know a lie. He asked for any who had knowledge of the work in the north to come forward, for the Elves wanted their knowledge and Marduk would see it given to the Orcs in exchange for their demands. He promised there would be rewards for Orcs who could reliably tell of the work in that northern ruin and Chieftains who found knowledgeable Orcs among their Clan and brought them to Marduk would also be rewarded.

Alqua had written the demands Marduk spoke to her in language that would seem logical to the Elves. Marduk had asked this, that his Elf write a most accurate translation and deliver the demands in Elven language.

Sometimes Alqua would ask a question of Marduk in order to clarify the meaning of his words so that she could translate. These demands seemed tremendous. Alqua could see how many of them would be important to Orcs, but she expected her own people would not wish to meet them.

It was daylight when Marduk went to the house where Lenaduiniel waited. He had taken less than the agreed time in coming and might have caught the scholars, counselors and Lady asleep, if any had slept more than briefly or fitfully.

They had heard from the guards that there had been deaths among the Orcs and that it seemed Dog, who the Elves knew by name then, had acquired some new and more important rank among the Orcs. The small Orc was absent when Marduk arrived with his supporters; only Aladima, Gorghash and Alqua were with Marduk.

"We will give our demands now," Marduk said.

"Demands? I thought it was a reply I waited for."

"They are demands accompanied by our offerings in exchange," Alqua explained.

Lenaduiniel bade them sit and took her own seat at the table again. Tsuki, Fei and Galen were upon the smaller platform above and Tsuki looked down as the embassy of the Orcs arrived. Denelas was with the warriors, training and Galadhiel was protecting the house of their Lord in his stead. Ugarit was there with Tashmetum, as she now stayed near Lenaduiniel, and Dale and Duma were still there, though they had been away from the house to visit the forge since they last saw Marduk.

"My Elf will read our demands and offers," Marduk said.

Lenaduiniel nodded and saw Alqua's nervous expression. She did not think she would like the demands which would be made.

Alqua read the offers first. "Marduk, as representative of the Orcs gathered in your wood, shall bring before you first or second-hand witnesses to the works done by the Wizard in the north to tell you what they observed or heard. Marduk shall, if said Wood is attacked by parties hostile to Orcs and to Elves also, during such time that the Orcs remain and are unmolested by the resident Elves, Marduk shall ally himself with the resident Elves and provide marshal support to them in form of Orc soldiers, siege machine making knowledge and weapons making knowledge."

Galadhiel huffed, but Lenaduiniel gestured for Alqua to continue.

"Marduk shall provide smart Orcs to aid Wizard and scholars in any and all future attempts to decipher the Wizard message. Marduk shall keep Orcs from harming and spoiling said resident Elves for so long as the Orcs are allowed shelter in the Wood and Elves give like treatment to Orcs. Marduk shall provide a few scouts to go and seek any enemies that may be hiding within or near the Wood. Marduk will punish any Orcs who harm the resident Elves of the Wood if he is convinced of the claims of injury and until he leaves the Wood with his Orcs. Marduk shall prevent Orcs allied with him from breeding ritual which would result in future spawning of Orcs from pits after the Orcs have left the Wood. Marduk will prevent Orc hunting of animals within the Wood."

Lenaduiniel saw that Alqua paused and gave a slow nod. "And what Does Marduk-Chieftain ask in return?"

"Marduk, representative of the Orcs within the Wood, demands the following be rendered by Elves in return for what he gives to them. Elves shall continue to allow safe passage along the road to Orcs while they are involved in giving aid to their people. In addition to safe passage along the road, Elves will allow Orcs a piece of land to make a camp for the time they are involved in giving aid. As suggested before, Elves will refrain from harming the Orcs when like treatment is given, 'like treatment' shall not include any harm done without intent or by rogue Orcs who do not listen to Chieftains; Marduk will punish rogue Orcs as suggested before. Food should be provided or activity that will produce food for Orcs shall be allowed. If Wood is attacked by parties hostile to Orcs and to Elves, the Elves shall be allied with Marduk's Orcs and give knowledge of their weaponry and fighting methods to the Orcs. If Wood is attacked as previously suggested, Elves who are designated defenders shall defend also any Orcs who remain and who are not full grown. In battle no Orcs will take commands from Elves. Elves must consult Leaders and Chieftains and these Orcs will give commands to others. If it is decided due to decoding of message or some other means that a party or parties shall depart the Wood to seek out enemies, Orcs shall be represented in these parties and receive treatments such as they would in the Wood. If there is to be no battle or there is battle which results in an extended draw, Orcs shall safe passage from the Wood to act on their own. If there is battle and it results in mutual enemies being defeated with help of Orcs or in arrangement that Orcs and Elves would call peace, then Marduk demands the Elves of this Wood use their influence with other Elves and their allies to grant to all Orcs lands which should be considered theirs without contest, and which are not the mines, and which will provide food for Orcs, and which Orcs may travel to and from freely using such roads as other races share for purposes of trade or by traveling over wilderness."

"And now, you and I bargain and say which demands and offers we find better or lesser until we agree on the same exchange of offers and demands we shall grant," Lenaduiniel said.

The argument lasted for hours. Many of the offers and demands were accepted, but most all were altered in their wording to be clear and more beneficial to Elves. It was specifically stated what punishments would be acceptable for Elves or Orcs who broke their truce and there were consequences named for abandoning the allies in battle and rights given to any of the two parties if they should be betrayed by the other and offers of aid in form of information or permissions were given further definition.

Tsuki wrote the final version of the agreement, being found a neutral enough party and having further mastery of Elven script and the Common Speech than Fei. No promises of allegiance were given to any but the Elves of the Silver Wood and to those Orcs Marduk had brought to them, and so, when Marduk and Lenaduiniel had touched their ink stained fingers to the document and written their initials upon it, it left Dale and those who had been his companions in a vague position. Lenaduiniel and Gwindor as her kin and Galadhiel, because she was considered to belong to Gwindor by the Orcs and had been injured by their alleged common enemy, were counted among those 'of the Wood' so far as the contract was concerned. Ugarit was provided for, though she had entered the Wood with others, because she could be counted either as serving Lenaduiniel or as Marduk's Orc. Beryl and Dale, though Elves by blood, were not considered by Marduk under protection. This also left Tsuki, Fei and Duma in the same undefined position and without clear political power.

The Dwarves had been mentioned in a sub paragraph under 'customary travelers to the Wood not including Rangers' but not given any special consideration. Marduk had accepted that any messengers, common folk, entertainers and merchants who would otherwise use the road and which were uninvolved in plots against Orcs would go unharmed by Orcs within the Wood, but had demanded that Rangers not be included under this protection, as Marduk still held their organization suspect.

Dale was not afraid for his life and all his companions in his same position were also brave. They knew that if there was battle they would give aid, either by defending the Wood, or by leaving it, if they could locate the Wizards. Dale knew Marduk would not try to kill him until after it was clear whether there would be battle and what the outcome of battle would be. He could tell Marduk wanted something from him and he could guess what it was. It was obvious, as Marduk had commanded Alqua to use 'Marduk shall give' and 'Marduk demands'. Marduk, like an Orc who was smart and valued great strength, sought further titles for himself.

The agreement had been phrased such that if Marduk died in battle all Orcs would still be awarded land, but if Marduk by the hands of other Orcs, all agreements he had made were invalid and Elves would have rights to drive the Orcs from the Wood. Clearly the wording of this would be explained to Orcs as 'Elves deal with Marduk only, follow and support Marduk or Elves will kill you, and if you follow and support Marduk, you will be rewarded with land.'

If Death-shadow recognized Marduk as a Chieftain above other Chieftains, and the Elves supported him, it would become likely that temptations to take Marduk's whip would turn to necessity to support Marduk and any successor he chose, because he would be too powerful for a mere Chieftain to challenge. He would become King of Orcs. And if he happened to die, his name, whip and Clan would be legend and Sarpanit would, if not some other, probably use that to raise some offspring or loyal follower of Marduk to Orc Kingship.

There was status in being the Orc who killed Death-Shadow, heir of Dumuzi, slayer of an entire Clan of Orcs, but perhaps Marduk could see there was more status in having Dale as an ally, even if it was only in name.

This did not worry Dale. He would only have to give this support if he chose to and if Marduk actually did help Elves to defend their Wood and defeat common enemies. If Marduk did that, he might deserve to be King. It was something no Orc had done, but then, Marduk had already done many things Orcs had never done.

Besides, it was clear that Ugarit wanted to be given to Duma. Assuming there was an enemy and Duma merely accompanied the party that sought the Wizard he would fulfill his promises to Marduk and earn the female Orc for himself. Ugarit was precious to Marduk and it would only be foolish to slay any of Dale's Clan when it was most likely future offspring of the Clan would be Ugarit's also and she had come from Marduk's own Clan.

It had not been specified where any lands awarded to Orcs would be, if they were to earn such a reward, but Dale hoped they were given lands in the north. Then he and Tsuki could go home and just be Rangers and know where the Orcs were, and if need be, keep watch on them.

Only a little more work and they could go home, Dale thought.

Damn the Wizards, though. If the message were not soon decoded or the Wood was not soon attacked, there was going to be trouble between the Orcs and Elves.

Duma announced he was going to the forge again. "Mirdan was showing me how to make swords, and it will be better if I am there, because Lena and Marduk agreed that the Orcs and Elves should exchange weapons knowledge in anticipation of battle, not at time of invasion."

"We shall see how this working together works," Dale said grumpily. He had skills and knowledge, but the Elves really had insisted they did not need his help and the Orcs did not really seem they would welcome him. Dale supposed, if Tsuki could not use his help, then the only thing for him to do was prepare his own armor and weaponry for battle, and attempt to sleep. Of course, Dale doubted he would be able to sleep, with Orcs in the Wood.

The knowledgeable Orcs came to the house where Tsuki and Fei were attempting to decipher the message with Galen. Alqua accompanied the Orcs and requested of Lenaduiniel and Ugarit, who met them, that the other scholars come down from the topmost platform and that Ugarit, if not Alqua, remain with them to attempt any translations.

Lenaduiniel understood that though some Orcs would climb ladders and siege towers, they distrusted tree branches and she agreed that the others should come down. The study would move to the ground level.

Fei objected when the request was called up, as it meant carrying many tomes and scroll of reference down, after they had been carried up, but Tsuki calmed him, saying it was best they work with the Orcs on their terms than continue without them.

The scholars moved to the ground floor and Ugarit joined them there with the knowledgeable Orcs Marduk had sent, while Alqua went with Lenaduiniel to wash, change clothes, and have a meal, as she had not been able to do so while serving the Orcs.

Marduk had sent five Orcs, who said they had been with the Wizard at some time, or had been among those who heard the messages of others who had died. They were Northerners and Mine-dwellers all and one of the Northerners had lost a hand and had it replaced with a barbed spearhead.

Tsuki allowed them to see the scrolls and explained that the original message had not been written but memorized as sounds and delivered as a song. The scrolls only recorded the song as the Halfling had sung it. Galen performed the reading of the message for them, as he had learned it from the scrolls, but the Orcs did not understand it as any message they understood and thought it sounded ugly and unlike their war songs and marches.

"Perhaps, if you do not have knowledge for decoding messages, you can tell us of the Wizard's work and it will provide some clue so that we may understand its relevance to the message," Tsuki suggested.

"Tell the Wizard what the other Wizard did and what work you did for him," Ugarit translated.

The Orcs were well aware that Marduk and other Chieftains had instructed them to share the knowledge, but they were still wary of answering anyone who was a Wizard, because it had become a matter of pride among Orcs that they no longer had Masters of other races but followed their own ways.

Tsuki was impatient and ignored them a while and fell back into conversation with Galen and Fei, in which they discussed the seeming repeated portions of the message that might indicate the same words or phrases were being used.

Ugarit sat near the fire, poking at the branches with a thinner stick and giving half of her attention to above, should she hear Tashmetum wake from her nap. "What if we tell them and they repeat the Wizard's work to make Orcs sick?" one of the Mine-dwellers asked Ugarit.

"Marduk made a bargain with the Elves. You are to share your knowledge. It is not for you to think what will be done with it."

"It is always of concern whether knowledge will be used for ill or for good," Tsuki said calmly, looking to the Orcs, to one and then to the next. "There are Wizards who do ill and Wizards who do good, though it was the aim of their order that they all do good. Perhaps goodness is relative. In any case, I can only offer you my word that I shall do what I can to insure that no ill is done the Orcs. Some people that I care for very much are Orcs."

This amused the Orcs, as they had all heard stories or rumors that this Wizard pleasured Death-Shadow and that Death-shadow, it was recently understood, was an Elf who believed himself an Orc. They even understood that Marduk, who was smart, had begun to consider this 'Dale' an Orc with rights and treatment belonging to an Orc Chieftain.

"The Orcs who brought word to me told of the Wizard doing his 'Art'," one of the Orcs said, carefully pronouncing the Wizard word. "But to me it only sounded like a story of women making soap."

"Soap," Tsuki said thoughtfully. "Soap. Oils and fats treated with an alkali, derived from plant ash…a caustic soda, produces the soap and as byproduct a sort of alcohol. He could have only been making soap, Wizards do wash, but that would not have been hazardous to Orcs, unless they carried concentrated alkalies, but not the other symptoms the Orcs describe. Not sickness, only burns to the skin or dissolving flesh."

"Something called 'strong water'," another said, "Orcs cannot say the Wizard name of it. It was used."

"Yes," said Tsuki. "Aqua Fortis. It is used in the art. An acid. Related to Saltpeter. Nitric. Yes, it is used in the Art. Quite caustic, but not lethal to Orcs. What else? Tell me anything that you brought to the Wizard or knew him to use."

"Brimstone."

"Sulfur," Tsuki said.

"Was he making black powder?" Fei asked, knowing some of the ingredients of the explosive."

"Perhaps, but the making of that would not make Orcs sick, such as I know. The ingredients are not beneficial, but then I trust the Orcs would have sense not to eat the ingredients a Wizard asked for. Touching them might have caused injury if they were not careful. Did the Wizard wear protective clothing?"

"What does it mean?"

"Do you mean armor?" Ugarit asked.

"Not exactly. Were there other things, ingredients? Or tools?"

"There was mining. Lead. We brought lead and iron also, and coal."
"The sickness, did it involved difficulty of breathing only, or other symptoms?"

"The sickness, what kind of sickness was it?" Ugarit asked the Orcs.

"Weakness. Loss of hair. Feeling hot. Passing watery waste, or vomiting the food after eating. Sometimes bleeding."

"Bleeding from wounds?" Ugarit asked.

The Orcs conferred with each other. "From inside. Sometimes from the flesh around the fangs, but sometimes coughed from inside."

"It was not the mining itself that caused it. The corpses of Men and Dwarves who often mine show signs of internal damage…I saw it in a tome of Dark Art, but not these symptoms. It was something else. Let me think. Were those all the things the wizard worked with? Some acids, alcohol perhaps, oils, lead and iron, steel perhaps…the coal and iron might have been used to make steel. Was there a forge?"

The Orcs understood the question and answered that some Orcs there had made steel for the Wizard in a forge. And worked with lead.

Tsuki nodded. "Lead is not entirely beneficial. It has many uses, but should not be touched often or using in making tableware that will be used for cooking, eating or drinking."

"Some Men use led in tableware," Fei said.

"Yes, but no Wizards," Tsuki said. "Ceramics are safer. And glass. I am not certain about lead crystal, if it may leach out. Must make a study of it."

"The Wizard changed robes to work sometimes, not the usual blue. Covered his hands," One of the Orcs said.

"Something must have been quite caustic. Do any of you know of an other ingredient. Was something else mined, or found? Did you see the Wizard use something apart from the oils, metals, acids and alcohol?"

The Orcs considered their knowledge. "Quicksilver. We Orcs did not find it. The Wizard had some."

"That would cause sickness, but if the Orcs did not touch it, there was something else, or some product…I think these elements and compounds mentioned so far might be made into explosives. Black powder possibly, or something like it. I worry that…that this Wizard was experimenting to find more powerful explosives."

"What does he mean?"

"I think Tsuki means that the Wizard made attempts to make something like black powder, that when ignited, makes the explosion, with heat and blasting wind and such, but bigger…or more," Ugarit said.

"It was a weapon. We should tell Marduk."

"Yes, perhaps a weapon, but so far, it does not explain the sickness. That the Wizard might have been developing a weapon is something our leaders should be made aware of, but it does not explain this coded message or the sickness."

"There was something else mined. Orcs do not know the name. It was black rock, dull, sometimes found near the lead."

"Found in mined granite. Black, like pitch."

"Dark fire," Tsuki said, borrowing Dale's curse, "You do not mean pitchblende?"