Chapter 8: The Wrath of Dragons
After their victory, a large celebration was started in the Great Hall of the Stonefoots. Alatar and Pallando followed King Tárn and Queen Kiráw into the Throne Room to talk. After they made proper introductions; Alatar asked King Tárn and Queen Kiráw what had happened to the Dwarf Houses of the Red Mountains after the Rings of Power where received.
Queen Kiráw at first stayed silent, staring out thru the balcony as King Tárn told of what happened "The Stiffbeards, Ironfists, Blacklocks and Stonefoots all prospered greatly in wealth of treasure in the Second Age but after just one or two generations our fortunes changed. Six Great Dragons came upon the Red Mountains, four large winged Fire-drakes and two smaller wingless Cold-drakes."
King Tárn's voice became more grave as he continued "The Dragons came from the Wastelands to the Far North and the House of the Stiffbeards were attacked first; they suffered a tremendous loss of their people along with most the Royal Line. The Stiffbeards King was killed by Dragon Fire and lost within the Flames was his Dwarven Ring. The Scorpion Dragon is dark red in color with a forked tail; it's the largest of the four Fire-drakes and it claimed the Citadel with all the treasures within as its own. The survivors; including the Kings' youngest brother was able to escape and alert the other three Houses." Alatar and Pallando were saddened to hear the terrible news.
King Tárn then took a seat as he continued the story "The Ironfists where able to survive the attacks from the remaining three Fire-drakes; fore they were deep in their Halls. However, the two smaller pale blue Cold-drakes forced their way into the Iron Halls causing many casualties including their King. The Ironfists managed to trap and slay the hornless Cold-drake in the Mines. The Horned Cold-drake escaped but not before they cleaved off one of it's horns. The Dwarven Ring of the Ironfists was given to the Prince. Though his reign was short lived after being crowned King."
Alatar and Pallando both took a seat; as they could tell the story wasn't going to get any better. King Tárn went on to say "The newly crowned King of the Ironfists marshaled his soldiers and marched north to help the remaining Stiffbeards reclaim their Citadel from the Scorpion Dragon. The Ironfists soldiers and their King were intercepted by a large force of Easterlings being commanded by a fierce Leader. The King was killed and his Dwarven Ring was taken; fortunately his line continued on thru his infant son who was later taken to a Dwarven refuge within the borders of the Sea Elves."
Alatar asked the King "This Easterling Commander that took the Dwarven Ring, what more is known of him."
Tárn replies "Only Rumors from frightened soldiers that escaped from the rear formation. They told that the Ironfists King went down fighting; that he cleaved the helmet off the Easterling Leader before he fell. Now here is the unusual part of the tale, as all accounts at the time said the same. When the helmet was knocked off; it revealed the Easterling was more of a ghostly shadow or wraith."
Alatar leaned back in his chair as he gave a concern gaze at Pallando when Saruman entered the Throne Room. Alatar could see the White Wizard was irritate at him for starting the meeting before he arrived. Before Saruman could speak Alatar asked the King to keep going.
King Tárn continued as he just emptied his large pint of ale "The House of the Ironfists was taken over by that Easterling force and it was handed over to a horde of Ogres. The Ogres leader is a blind one; goes by the name Gôrtoc."
"We know of the Ogre; our paths have crossed twice now" answered Pallando.
King Tárn comments "Must be as tough as I've heard, if he's encountered Wizards twice and still breathes."
"There is more to that Ogre than what he seems" remarked Saruman.
King Tárn looked back to Alatar "As I was saying; Gôrtoc and his Ogres worked to reopen the Ironfists mines and restart the forges. They had a hard time of it until the Wicked Dwarves came to aid them."
Pallando inquired "Wicked Dwarves? We have not heard that term spoken in the east before. Who are they?"
Tárn replies with discontent in his voice "Their descendants of those that supported King Drôlin; that traitorous King who aligned himself with the Dark Lord in the Second Age."
Saruman then speaks, stopping the Kings story and says to the Queen "Queen Kiráw, if the retelling of these stories are upsetting to you; we can adjourn until after the celebration is over." King Tárn gives the Blue Wizards a look before he quickly starts gulping down another pint of ale.
Queen Kiráw turned around towards Saruman but it was not sadness upon her face but fierceness. The Queen then broke her silence saying "Becoming upset is not who I am White Wizard. There is only one thing about Dwarves anyone should remember." Queen Kiráw looked at the Blue Wizards "Some we never forget" her eyes then looked back at Saruman "and in some we never forgive." Queen Kiráw then turned her attention to Alatar and Pallando "I am pleased that Morinehtar and Rómestámo have come; for now I know the anvils will be struck in our favor. You saw what remains of my ancestral home; where the Great Blacklocks Fortress you knew once stood is now only ruins." Saruman was puzzled by the Queens words but he knew the never forgive part was for some reason directed at him.
Queen Kiráw takes a seat with the others leaving Saruman the only one left standing with a scowl upon his face. The Queen then recounted what happened to her home "The remaining four Dragons focused their attacks on the Blacklocks. Both the black Two-Headed Fire-drake and the green Spike Tailed Fire-drake brought ruin to the Great Fortress. The one horned Cold-drake fled from a Legion of Stonefoots that came thru the hidden passage to lend aid. The Cold-drake was last seen heading down into the tunnels leading to the Treasure Vaults. The Blacklocks King, my fore-bearer carrying the great Blood ax; bravely led his soldiers outside the gates to draw the Dragons away from the Fortress. They had a device that was commanded by the Crown Prince; it could fire a large chain with two weights on each end at a company of soldiers. The King ordered his son to raise and fire the device into the air. Upon doing so, the chain hit the brown Leather-back Fire-drake tangling up its wings and causing it to fall. The Leather-back dragon was quickly slain by the Legions where it fell. The two remaining Fire-drakes turned their fire from the Fortress onto torching the Legions outside."
King Tárn pours the Queen a pint of ale as she continues "The Dwarven Shields held up for a while against the Dragon Fire but they soon melted to the point of no use. On the Kings' orders, another chain was fired by the Prince dropping the Spike Tailed Dragon; but the Two-Headed Fire-drake appeared engulfing the chain launcher and Crown Prince in flames. It then provided defense while the tangled Spike Tailed was able to break free; the two Dragons then laid waste to more than half the Blacklocks' forces. The King ordered a retreat to the Fortress that was being defended by the aid of the Stonefoots. The Spike Tailed Dragon was now in close pursuit of the King; dragging part of the chain still wrapped around one of its wings denying it to take flight. The Two-Headed Dragon diverted the rest of the retreating soldiers away from the Fortress; separating them from their King."
The Queen pauses a moment to take a drink of ale "Upon his war-goat, the Blacklocks' King rode to where his Fortress Gates once stood; there he was met by the Stonefoots' King with a guard of spear-men. Just as the Stonefoots were about to release their spears into the mouth of the pursuing Spike Tailed Dragon; the Two-Headed Fire-drake surprised them as it swooped down beside them annihilating all the spear-men. The grounded Spike Tailed then turned around holding back the remaining Blacklocks soldiers. The two Kings then bravely charged forward as the Two-Headed Dragon engulfed them in flames consuming them along with their Dwarven Rings. The Kings' Daughter and last remaining heir of the Blacklocks' Royal Line saw all that befell her people from the Fortress Tower. The Crown Princess had three Mithril Arrows that were gifted to her by the Longbeards. She grabbed her bow and released one of the arrows at the Two-Headed Dragon; the one that killed her father and brother. She hit one of the heads; piercing its nostrils and gaining its attention. The Two-Headed Dragon roared and took flight towards her. The Crown Princess pulled back her bow string releasing her last two arrows at the same time. The Mithril arrows traveled fast finding their marks; as the winged beast was killed instantly in mid-flight when the arrows pierced an eye each going deep into both heads."
Queen Kiráw motioned to King Tárn for more ale as she continued "The lifeless Two-Headed Fire-drake grazed the tower and crashed into the Fortress causing destruction in its fall. The Crown Princess rallied her people; in doing so the remaining Blacklocks along with the Stonefoots anchored the chain being dragged by the grounded Spike Tailed Dragon allowing them to slay it. Unfortunately, the Fortress was in great ruin and collapsing; causing the Blacklocks to abandon it and follow the Stonefoots to their Mansion."
Queen Kiráw then looked at King Tárn saying "The Stonefoots Crown Prince was made King and Tárn is descended thru his line. The newly crowned Queen of the Blacklocks married the second son of the late Stonefoots King; forever uniting our two houses. After that the only descendants thru the Queen's line has only been all-female births; starting the Blacklocks Line of Queen Regnant. It has long been believed, that a King will not be born again until the Blacklocks home can be reclaimed."
After learning the fates of the Dwarven Houses, everyone returned to the festivities in the Great Hall. Alatar and Pallando were quickly approached by Nemirel and Ëararan. Alatar and Ëararan started catching up on what had happened since their last meeting while Pallando and Nemirel went to the balcony outside the Throne Room. There Pallando began telling Nemirel about what was going on.
After talking for some time, Pallando then brought up the Moonstone "The Stone you sent with me; it seemed to have given me more than just foresight. I could see visions of the past, present and future."
Nemirel speculated "With you being a Maia, the Moonstone may have granted you more access to its power. Given time I believe you could learn to control the visions."
Pallando knew it was time to tell her "Nemirel, during our last encounter with the Ogre's; I lost the Stone and was not able to go back to look for it."
Nemirel could see the sorrow in Pallando's eyes. She smiled and kissed him; then told him "Push this sorrow from your mind. With all the time that has passed; not a single day have you left my thoughts. Now you have something from me that cannot be lost."
Saruman watches Pallando and Nemirel from the Throne Room; displeased in seeing the two of them. For in Saruman's mind no Elf should hold so much sway over one of the Maiar. The White Wizard remembering Melian, the most beautiful of all the Maiar in the Blessed Realm. Saruman had great feelings for Melian but she fell in love with the Elf King Elu Thingol, becoming the Queen of Doriath and mother of Lúthien, an Elf-maid who gave her love to Beren, a mortal.
The White Wizard then pulls from his robes Nemirel's Moonstone. Saruman had seen it dropped by Pallando during their skirmish with the Ogre's and retrieved it. Saruman had overheard Pallando talking to Alatar during their travels about the visions the stone granted sight of. Once Saruman had his hands on the stone he worked diligently during his reconnaissance missions to focus the power of the stone and better control the visions it would show.
Saruman knew that his way of doing things would not be the same as the Blue Wizards. For reasons unknown to Saruman, his powerful enchanting voice had failed him in these Eastern Lands. Since the White Wizard could not command Alatar's staff; Saruman parted and went his own path in the East. Alatar and Pallando worked to reestablished the rebellion against the ever-growing darkness; aiding the Acolytes in rebuilding their ranks. The Sea Elves began building a fleet of ships; the Blacklocks, Stonefoots, Ironfists and Stiffbeards amassed legions of Dwarves. Over the next thousand years many battles would be fought; the Eastern Alliance with Alatar and Pallando would engage the Ogre Commander Gôrtoc and the Dark General on numerous occasions.
