Jorge and Magariz, standing to one side of the table, exchanged anxious glances.
Together with Roland, they had worried what the rivalry between Axis and Borneheld would
mean to the defence of Gorkenfort. All three hoped Axis would not push Borneheld into an
outright confrontation, and that Borneheld would not lose complete control and forget the
defence of Gorkenfort in the pursuit of his hated half-brother. Axis and Borneheld supping
together brought with it the risk of violence. What they might do in their current hostility during
the dangerous stress of a military campaign was unthinkable.
―BattleAxe,‖ Borneheld smirked as Axis reached the table. He had been looking forward
to this moment for a long, long time. Finally he would see his brother humbled before him.
―WarLord,‖ Axis said simply, his face expressionless. Neither man offered the other his
hand.
―I received the report on your loss of the Ladies Merlion and Faraday north-east of the
Silent Woman Woods, BattleAxe. I am somewhat surprised to see that you still think yourself fit
to lead the Axe-Wielders.‖
Magariz, Jorge and Roland all stared at Borneheld, but they held their tongues at a quick
glare from their WarLord.
Axis hesitated, stung by the remark. ―I have nothing to add to my report,‖ he said tightly.
Borneheld rested his hands on the table and leaned forward slightly. ―Your incompetence
appals me!‖ he hissed. ―Two innocent women trusted you!‖
Axis‘ eyes narrowed. That Borneheld had every right to admonish him only made his
anger more intense. Should he tell him that Faraday possibly lived? But he had no proof save the word of an Avar man, and Axis knew Borneheld well enough to know he would never accept the
word of one of the Forbidden.
Roland spoke quickly, concerned that Borneheld was wasting time in pointless hostilities.
―My Lord Duke. Perhaps this matter could wait until later to be discussed…in more detail.‖
Borneheld spared him a quick, hard glance, but changed the subject. Time enough for
Axis to discover that Faraday had not only survived, but had journeyed north to be with the man
she loved. ―Have you brought me my Axe-Wielders?‖ he asked.
Axis‘ face hardened. It was all he could do to stop himself reaching across the table and
throwing Borneheld into the fire. The two men stared at each other, both unwilling to be the first
to drop his eyes.
Roland, Jorge and Magariz held their collective breaths, but in the end Axis felt Belial
step up behind him, lending his BattleAxe his silent support.
―I stand here for the Axe-Wielders,‖ Axis said finally. ―I put myself under your command
and, through me, you command the Axe-Wielders.‖
Borneheld opened his mouth. It was not what he wanted. He wanted Axis completely out
of the way and himself in daily control of the Axe-Wielders. Better, Borneheld would like to
have broken the Axe-Wielders up completely and spread the individual men among his own
units and cohorts, shattering the spirit and legend of the Axe-Wielders with one clean stroke. But
Jorge stepped forward and spoke first. He knew exactly what Borneheld wanted to do and he
also knew that Axis was unlikely to placidly stand by and watch his command destroyed before
his eyes.
―We are all grateful for your support here, BattleAxe,‖ he said smoothly, ―and that you
should so willingly put yourself under Borneheld‘s command. Through you the Axe-Wielders
will be a useful adjunct to the WarLord‘s brilliance.‖
It was a masterstroke. Jorge had not only complimented Borneheld and pandered to his
vanity, but had also put Borneheld in the difficult situation of appearing churlish if he now
insisted on a complete surrender of the Axe-Wielders to his personal command. Borneheld gaped
a little, unsure of how to take Jorge‘s intervention, and before he could decide how to react
Roland followed Jorge‘s lead.
―We have all placed ourselves and our men under Borneheld‘s command,‖ he said
jovially to no-one in particular. ―Through all of us the WarLord controls an entire army but does
not waste his time on the daily mundane activities of keeping thousands of men fed, watered and
exercised. We are all grateful for his foresight in insisting we act as the conduits through which
his commands pass to our own men. And to think of it,‖ he turned and beamed at Borneheld,
―the Duke Ichtar will be the first WarLord to command the Axe-Wielders.‖
Borneheld closed his mouth and thought about it. Yes, Jorge and Roland made sense. He
didn‘t want to waste time worrying about which dullard groomed the horses. Better that lesser
men, men like Axis, do that. Besides, as Roland had said, he would be the first man outside the
Seneschal to command the Axe-Wielders.
―Yes,‖ he nodded, ―I accept the surrender of your command, BattleAxe. You may remain
in daily control of the Axe-Wielders and I shall use you to relay my wishes to them.‖
Don‘t fight it, Axis, Belial thought desperately, keeping a pleasant expression on his face.
Don‘t fight it. Be grateful to these two old men that you‘ve retained as much control as you have.
To tell the truth, Axis was mildly amused by the way Jorge and Roland had flattered and
manipulated Borneheld. ―As you please, WarLord,‖ he said neutrally, bowing slightly in
Borneheld‘s general direction. ―I accede to your wishes.‖
Borneheld smiled in complete satisfaction. For the first time since Jayme had appointed
Axis BattleAxe, Borneheld felt as though he had firmly established his own superiority. ―Well,
BattleAxe. What have you learned at the Silent Woman Keep to help us drive back these wraiths
and icemen that nibble at our flanks?‖ He sat down in a high-backed wooden chair and waved at
the other men in the room to pull stools up to the table. Borneheld was feeling generous.
Ogden and Veremund, until now quiet and unobtrusive, stood forward. Axis glanced at
them as he stretched his legs out underneath the table. ―I have brought with me two Brothers who
have studied long and hard the records of the Silent Woman Keep. Ogden, Veremund, perhaps
you would like to inform the WarLord what you feel opposes Gorkenfort?‖
All eyes swivelled towards Ogden and Veremund, who played the part of Brothers of the
Seneschal to perfection.
―Artor save you and keep you always in His care,‖ they said in unison, bowing to
Borneheld.
―And you,‖ Borneheld muttered impatiently, running a hand over the short stubble of his
auburn hair. ―On with it.‖
―My Lord Duke,‖ Ogden began, ―we believe that many of the answers you seek lie in an
ancient Prophecy that dates from a time long before the Acharites forced the Forbidden behind
the Fortress Ranges.‖
For the next half an hour the pair spoke, reciting the first two verses of the Prophecy of
the Destroyer and explaining what they knew about Gorgrael and his Ghostmen. Listening to
them, Axis found it hard to believe that the rest of Achar as yet had no idea of the revelations he
had encountered in recent months. As far as Borneheld and his command in Gorkenfort were
concerned, the strange wraiths they encountered could only be the Forbidden. They had no other
explanation for them. Yet now Ogden and Veremund were providing Borneheld with an
alternative. In the end, Borneheld reacted exactly as Axis suspected he might.
―Foolishness,‖ Borneheld finally spat. ―It is the Forbidden we face. The Seneschal
teaches they are our enemies, not these creatures that some worm-ridden prophecy speaks of.‖
Magariz leaned forward, frowning at Borneheld‘s words. In the firelight the livid scar on
his cheek glowed with an almost maniacal fury. ―My Lord, I beg to differ. The ice creatures the
Prophecy describes sound all too much like the creatures which attacked our patrols and the
Retreat in Gorkentown. And some of the Ravensbundmen who have been fleeing south have
mentioned this name—Gorgrael. They say they have heard it whispered on the wind by the
wraiths which attacked their homes and families.‖
Borneheld continued to look sceptical, but Jorge and Roland nodded thoughtfully. ―Tell
me, Brothers, if you can. If these are Gorgrael‘s creatures that push down from the north then
how can we keep them back?‖ Jorge asked.
Ogden and Veremund looked at each other, both careful not to look at Axis. ―If we listen
to the Prophecy, Earl Jorge, then the three races of Tencendor must unite under the StarMan to
defeat the Destroyer. Nothing else will stop him.‖
Borneheld looked at them incredulously for a moment, then he leaned back in his chair
and roared with laughter. ―You bring me news that would entertain old women and young girls.
You tell me nothing that will keep Gorkenfort and Ichtar secure from the creatures that swarm
out there in the snow.‖ He leaned forward again, his voice growing angry, his grey eyes
glittering dangerously. ―Your talk of this demon saviour is nothing but the ramblings of old men
in their dotage, while your talk of uniting Acharites with the Forbidden is heretical and I will