Son of Soron by Robyn Wideman Page B

dry.
    Ashuna sensing that Count Mavane was not at all pleased with this news became a little more detailed in his description of the scene he found in the village. “Yes. Not more than twenty feet from where the northerner died was the body of a young blonde-haired woman. She died trying to defend an injured farmer. Am I wrong in assuming you know the place and the people there?”
    “I know the northerner and his wife. He was a friend. The village you speak of is called Elderwood and its people are no more bandits than you or me” replied Count Mavane with sadness in his voice. “Your news is quiet distressing, Ashuna. Forgive me, but I am going to need a brief amount of time to deal with this. Then I can join you and your men in a feast to honor your arrival to the kingdom.”
    Ashuna understood then that the massacre of the villagers was not a plan for the expansion of the kingdom of Broguth. But an incredibly stupid blunder of the arrogant Duke Evollan that he met on the road. Ashuna graciously answered back, “Take whatever time you need. The sooner this unseemly business is resolved the better.”
    Taking his leave, Count Mavane quickly assembled his staff. He directed the scouts to go to Elderwood as soon as possible. He wanted them to confirm what happened and provide any help they could. He sent a rider to inform the king of the tragic news. Next he sent another rider to Duke Evollan requesting he immediately come to Salba. A wagon with supplies and a doctor were to leave for Elderwood as soon as possible. His stomach was hurting as it often did when he worried.  He remembered how many times he had sent for stomach calming potions from the lady Velaina in the village of Elderwood. Then Count Mavane began writing two letters. Two letters he hoped could prevent a war.
    Three days passed before the arrogant Duke Evollan finally arrived in Salba. He purposely had taken an extra day to arrive, angered that a lowly count had presumed to summon him.
    ”Count Mavane, I thought I made it clear I did not want your involvement if this matter. I have already encountered and defeated a large number of bandits. Now I would like to get back to the task. Why have you dared to summon me?”
    Count Mavane’s scouts had already reported on what they found at Elderwood so the count did not have to swallow any of the duke’s lies. “No. What you have done is slaughter the majority of an innocent village. Not only did you slaughter innocent farmers and berry-pickers, Men, woman and some children. But you also, through your sheer stupidity, killed Soron Stoneblood, northern prince and his wife Velaina, a princess of the kingdom of Balta. You have single-handily placed the entire kingdom in jeopardy of war with the villages of the western lands, the southern kingdoms and the entire North.” 
    Duke Evollan, still too arrogant and stupid to understand what was happening, replied snottily. “Impossible, I dealt with one village of bandits and peasants. That rabble? They were hardly worth mentioning, except for the one northern bandit who killed a fifth of my men.”
    “That one northern bandit that you speak of was the village blacksmith. If armed with more than a hammer and a knife he probably would have killed half your men. But he was not just a blacksmith. He was Soron Stoneblood, son of Theron Stoneblood king of the northern tribes. He and his wife had been living in that village for thirteen years,” said Count Mavane.
    The reality of the situation finally started to sink in for Duke Evollan. This campaign, to gain him favor and riches, was a disaster. War with the kingdom of Balta would be costly if it came to pass, but war with the north would leave the kingdom in ruins. The northern clans were a fierce nation and with slain prince for cause, they would pillage the entire kingdom. The duke would be lucky if the king didn’t have him executed for this.  “I suggest you head back to Progoh as soon as possible. Beg the