The Brotherhood of Dwarves: Book 01 - The Brotherhood of Dwarves Read Free Page B

floor when he finished.
    “He’s an old man, now, and he’s not on good terms with Emperor Vassa anymore.”
    “How do you know this?” Roskin asked.
    “A few years ago an army of several clans drove Evil Blade’s forces from the homeland. He was disgraced by the defeat, and the Emperor stripped him of his rank and banished him to a little town in the Ghaldeon lands. I bet he’d like to get even.”
    “I’d rip him limb from limb. He killed half my clan in one year. Even after we surrendered, he kept killing us. He’s the devil, and I’d rip him limb from limb,” the second ogre hissed. He slammed his fist on the table and stood. “I’ve heard enough of this nonsense.”
    “It’s just talk, anyway,” Roskin said with a wink to the first ogre, but in his mind the idea began to burgeon. He would find Evil Blade and convince the old man to get him to the statue. Then, he would turn the fallen general over to the ogres, who wanted vengeance for the terror he had unleashed on their lands. Roskin had heard the stories of Evil Blade wiping out villages and showing no mercy to any ogre – male, female, or babe, but Roskin did not fear him. The old man might have been fierce in his day, but Roskin was in his prime. If it came down to it, there wouldn’t be much of a fight.
    Two days later, he was back in Dorkhun, and his stepmother and siblings had arranged a party in his honor in the courtyard behind the palace. Exotic meats roasted on spits, and aged ale flowed freely from kegs. For three days most of the city shut down commerce and industry, showing honor to the heir, and every house rang with song. To Roskin, the festival seemed extravagant, but unbeknownst to him, the mapping had been more of a rite of passage than an official duty. Every Kiredurk heir back to Lord Thysian had, as part of his unique education, walked the entire kingdom and sketched a record of his future lands. If the heir failed at this task, he was found unworthy for kingship and had to turn over the throne to another. Throughout history, only two Kiredurks had failed the task, one from dying in a cave-in and the other from being too lazy. When those two had failed, their respective families had had no other legitimate heir, and the crown had passed to a new family. King Kraganere was the tenth king of his line, which represented the Eighth Kingdom. Erycke the Just’s bloodline established and maintained the First Kingdom and ended when the fifth king and his wife were unable to have children. The transition from the First Kingdom to the Second was the bloodiest and most chaotic, for in those days, clear laws had not been developed. When Lord Thysian’s blood failed after nine crowns, the Third Kingdom evolved from a series of contests between the strongest and wisest generals. Very little blood was shed in that transition, and in each successive Kingdom, the change of power through force lessened until between the Seventh and Eight Kingdoms the respect for law and peace had become so much a part of Kiredurk culture that none dared violate the sanctity of what the council decided. King Kraganere explained all of this to him in the private study the fourth day of Roskin’s return.
    “When I passed my walking of the kingdom, my father explained to me as I will explain to you, the secret to peace within this kingdom begins with the king, for if you do not have inner peace, this kingdom will fall into chaos. To find your inner calm, you are granted one year of freedom to do anything you please within our lands, but choose carefully. During that year you lose your status as the heir and must remain outside of this palace without any insignia.”
    “What was your choice?” Roskin asked.
    “I was bold and headstrong. I thought the outside world was where I belonged, so I chose to travel to the ends of the earth.” The king stopped and stared out the window, a smile faintly showing.
    “Where did you go?”
    “First, I went to Kehldeon and