Stories > Kaldor part II
by Arduhn
Kaldor awoke, someone was pulling at his shoulder. He looked for his weapon and found it, he was about to reach for it when he realized he was not in Grond on death night as he had been in his dream.
"What is it?" he asked curtly of the young dark elf.
"Kouran has requested your presence in his chambers." replied the elf with respect.
As Kaldor strode through the corridors after the dark elf warrior towards Kouran's chambers he considered why he may have been waken at such an hour, it must have been a matter of high import, the black ark was obviously not under attack, he would have heard sounds of struggle or some such noises by now. As he entered Kouran's chambers, his lord turned suddenly, awakening from a silent reverie, to face him.
"We are nearly half way to Naggoroth," said Kouran softly, he was such a man as was more prone to silent and rational thought, "soon we shall enter Ulthuan's waters and I have had thoughts, visions for that horde of greenskins you have adopted." there was a harsh and sarcastic spike in the tone of his voice as his tongue passed over the word of their ancient homeland, Kouran, like all other dark elves, was still bitter over their deportation from the place.
"Yes my lord and what hast thou decided?" kaldor urged.
"Well that's just why I have brought you to my chambers," Kouran went on, "to help me to decide what we shall do. I had thought that perhaps we should drop them off in Ulthuan and let them sow disruption unto their inevitable death." His eyebrow raised in anticipation, he expected some feedback from Kaldor.
"Yes my lord, that does sound like the beginnings of a plan; however, I had higher hopes for these beasts. As soon as the greenskins are discovered it shan't be long before they are hunted down and that is not worth the efforts we have made to bring them thus far." said Kaldor, his interest in saving the orcs and goblins was in no part because of fondness for them; plain and simple, he was thinking about his struggle against the orclord and the rescources they had expended feeding the greenskins on the voyage compared with the insignifigance of their presence in Ulthuan.
"Indeed, you have a sharp mind, of course the greenskins would not be a match for an Ulthuan army and they are no good at guerilla tactics." Kouran mused, "perhaps a small contingent of our soldiers, mostly scouts, could be left with the greenskins to lead them and, furthermore, to teach the creatures some tactics. We would leave them near a wood and they could harry small villages and retreat to the wood if they met resistance. We would certainly record their position and return to commence with a full raid on the weakened area, what say you? Is this a just placing of your greenskins?"
"Indeed sire, you are a masterful tactitian." Kaldor praised his lord, realizing why he had been woken. There was much to do, they had to ready the greenskins, decide how many of their kind to send(enough to keep the savages under control), there was also the landing location to find, the greenskins then needed to be unloaded with their masters also, and they were nearing Ulthuan already.
Ryander looked up from his paperwork to see who had knocked at his door. A young elf stood in the entrance.
"What is it?" asked the high elf lord.
"There are reports that a black ark of the Drucci has been sighted off the coast of your lands sire. Our reavers pursued it but it refused to give battle. One of the reavers was overturned by a sea drake m'lord but the rest chased the ark almost to the new world before tuning back." reported the messanger.
"Thank you," said Ryander, "keep me posted."
The elf messanger turned on his heel and marched from the room. For a while afterwards Ryander felt some evil deed had occured, he was unsure as to what but his mind dwelt on it for days afterward. He wondered what had been the purpose of this evil ark, why it would risk entering Ulthuan's waters and then simply retreating. He became suspicious of everyone, had they been sent by the drucci, were they spies or assassins? He was so bothered by it that it affected his dreams, he could not sleep for fear of being killed. He doubled his guard and rarely left his chambers. He would not find peace until the return of Kaldor.
Finally the black ark had returned home, Kaldor watched as the slaves were unloaded in front of jeering crowds. Karond Kar was the slaves new home, that is until they were shipped off to the forests for lumber, or to the mines, or even to some other city as personal slaves. Kaldor sipped his morning tea and almost choked on it as he saw one of the slaves, a young woman whom the humans probably considered somewhat beautiful, fell and was slowly trampled to death by the chained feet of those who followed.
Kouran entered the room unanounced and walked over to sit down next to Kaldor.
"Well," he said "now we go to Noaggarond, to an audience with the Witch King himself, you shall be promoted to a lord, of some small mining community near the chaos wastes, you shall then have to visit it for a fortnight or so. After that, you shall report back to Naggorond where you shall be awarded a black arc of your own and an army about half the size of mine. Before you set sail I shall have you to stay in my mansion in the city for a night, then with our two arks we shall set out to Ulthuan."
Kaldor smiled and thanked Kouran, then they set sail. Through the sea of chill and the sea of malice they travelled and on to the city of the Malekith, to Naggarond.
The End of part two...
By Arduhn