king would not set stakes anywhere, it seemed, even in the increasingly inclement weather.
One bright morning, Tos'un and Kaer'lic awaited his arrival on some flat stones outside of the foundation of a small keep atop a steep-sided hill, their first real chance to speak with Obould since their return. Obould would entertain guests only at the pleasure of Obould. All around the two drow, orcs were hard at work clear-cutting the few trees that grew among the gray stone and dirt of the hillsides, and clearing any boulder tumbles that could offer cover to an approaching enemy.
"He is building his kingdom," Kaer'lic remarked. "He has been hinting at this for so long now, and none of us bothered to listen."
"A few castles hardly make a kingdom," said Tos'un. "Particularly when we are speaking of orcs, who will soon turn their garrisons upon one another."
"You would enjoy that, no doubt," a gruff voice responded.
The two dark elves turned to see the approach of Obould, and that annoying shaman Tsinka. Kaer'lic noted that the female did not seem at all pleased.
"A prediction based upon past behavior," Tos'un said, and he offered a bow. "No insult meant to you, of course."
Obould scowled at him. "Behavior before the coming of Obould-who-is-Gruumsh," he replied. "You continue to lack the vision of my kingdom, drow, to your own detriment."
Kaer'lic found herself taking a slight step back from the imposing and unpredictable orc.
"I had figured that you two had followed your two kin to the side of your Spider Queen," the orc said, and it took a moment for the words to register.
"Donnia and Ad'non?" Kaer'lic asked.
"Slain by yet another drow elf," Obould replied, and if he was bothered in the least by that news, he did not show it.
Kaer'lic looked at Tos'un, and the two just accepted the loss with a shrug.
"I believe that one of the shamans collected Ad'non's head as a trophy," Obould said callously. "I can retrieve it for you, if you would like."
The insincerity of his offer stung Kaer'lic more than she would have expected, but she did well to keep her anger out of her face as she regarded the orc king.
"You kept your army together through a defeat at Mithral Hall," she said, thinking it better to let the other line of conversation fall away. "That is a good sign."
"Defeat?" Tsinka Shinriil shrieked. "What do you know of it?"
"I know that you are not inside Mithral Hall."
"The price was not worth the gain," Obould explained. "We fought them to a standstill in the outer halls. We could have pressed in, but it became apparent to us that our allies had not arrived." He narrowed his eyes, glared at Kaer'lic, and added, "As we had planned."
"The unpredictability and unreliability of trolls. . . ." the drow priestess said with a shrug.
Obould continued to glower, and Kaer'lic knew that he at least suspected that she and Tos'un had played a role in keeping Proffit's trolls from joining in the fight.
"We warned Proffit that his delays could pose problems in the north," Tos'un added. "But he and his wretched trolls smelled human blood, the blood of Nesmians, their hated enemies for so many years. He would not be persuaded to march north to Mithral Hall."
Obould hardly looked convinced.
"And Silverymoon marched upon them," Kaer'lic said, needing to divert attention. "You can expect nothing more from Proffit and his band. Those few who survive."
A low growl issued from between Obould's fangs.
"You knew that Lady Alustriel would come forth," Kaer'lic said. "Take heart that many of her prized warriors now lay dead on those southern bogs. She will not gladly turn her eyes to the north."
"Let her come," Obould growled. "We are preparing, on every mountain and in every pass. Let Silverymoon march forth to the Kingdom of Dark Arrows. Here, they will find only death."
"The Kingdom of Dark Arrows?" Tos'un silently mouthed.
Kaer'lic continued to scrutinize not only Obould, but Tsinka, and she noted that the shaman grimaced at the mention of the supposed kingdom.
A divisive opening, perhaps?
"Proffit is defeated, then," the orc king said. "Is he dead?"
"We know not," Kaer'lic admitted. "In the confusion of the battle, we departed, for it was obvious that the trolls would be forced back into the Trollmoors, and there, I did not wish to go."
"Wish to go?" Obould said. "Did I not instruct you to remain with Proffit?"
"There, I would not go," said Kaer'lic. "Not with Proffit, and not for Obould."
Her brazen attitude brought another fierce scowl, but the