Sun rose and shone its light on the forest of Laugandar. Merin stood up, and looked up into the gray-blue sky of the dawn. As the first rays lighted their small camp, he woke Alfred. Alfred was drowsy, and got up to his feet with a yawn. Stretching out in front of the remains of the last night's campfire, he surveyed the route in front of them. Less then a league ahead was the forest's end, and no trees grew from there on to the riverbanks, except the occasional tree here and there, in a sheltered place where the wind from the north could not suck out its life juices. Gray plain spread to the north, but it was not level. Small rolling hills made the horizon seem closer than it was, and the plains offered many places where a person, or a group of them, could hide, and pass in secrecy. Alfred sighed, knowing that there was no way around, and hoping that speed, and their drab cloaks, would help them pass unnoticed. Merin took out some of his travel food, and Alfred relit a small fire. They shared some dried fruits, and leftover rabbit meat from yesternight, over a pot of tea made from aromatic grasses from Alfred's homeland. They finished with their breakfast no more than a half an hour after sunrise, and then they mounted their horses, ready for a long ride.

Their horses let out with a loud neighing, and started the long run. The last of the trees of Laugandar passed in a flash, and suddenly Alfred was on the rolling plains of Vakkap, the land north of the Thunder Mountain. Their horses' hooves hit the ground in a fast succession, making for a loud thundering sound. Hill after hill, they passed the long leagues of the land in silence. No birds were to be seen in the grayish sky, and no animals either. The plains were as featureless as the barren wastes north of Misty Mountains. Here and there Alfred saw evidence of life, in form of burned homesteads, and sometimes still smoking ashes of small farms in the valleys between the hills. It seemed the hand of the orcs weighed heavily on this land, but nowhere were perpetrators to be seen. Already a sparsely populated region even before their coming, now, after the orc hordes had passed, it was devoid of human population. Alfred was afraid they were already too late, that the orcs had gotten to Castle Dunnbarrow, and that his journey was a useless gesture, and that he would do better just to turn west, away from these lifeless lands where evil walked in high noon. Shrugging that thought off, Alfred noticed how quickly were they going. At this rate, they should arrive to the castle at midday tomorrow. Although later than he thought he'd be there, he supposed it will have to do. Time flew as the monotonous hills passed one another, and already sun was setting towards the west. Many leagues were behind them, and both Merin and Alfred slowed down their horses to a walk.

Now they were arriving at the borders of Duchy of Dunnbarrow. Here the barren plains came down into the valley of one of Froas' subsidiaries, Araten. As the lands lowered itself into the wet lowlands, landscape changed. At first, grass grew taller, but then bushes and small trees started appearing here and there. Air was warmer down here, even as the sun went down. Soon Alfred and Merin started reaching fields and pastures of Lower Vakkap, as well as many groves of trees, growing all around the valley. They crossed several fast-flowing streams, watching their sides, as well as their backs, for fear of orcs. Now they witnessed the full scale of orc destruction, passing by several villages completely burned down by the orcs. Buildings in ashes, humans and cattle slain, and bodies burned, those sights lit a fire of hatred in both their hearts, for Merin, although an elf, still held compassion in his heart for the gentle people that lived here, and traded sometimes with Laugandar. But sun sank below the horizon in the west, and the temperature dropped considerably. Dark clouds rolled from the north, crossing the sky, and cutting off the last rays of sunlight at it sank into the darkness of the night. Alfred stopped his horse at the ruin of a partially burned inn, at the side of the road. Not a living soul was to be seen.

The inn was mostly burned, but the ground floor was made of stone and was not as badly damaged. Alfred dismounted, and led their horses under the remains of the kitchen, that still had a floor above it, making for a good shelter for the night. Merin took his bags off his horse, and started to light a fire. Alfred set down his things, and continued to take some food out of his backpack. This time it was to be dry lamb meat and some yellow cheese, with warm green tea over the fire.

Merin put two branches together at an angle, then proceeded to rub them against each other in a very strange fashion, sliding them quickly one over another. Soon the branches began to smoke, and then he put some dried leaves over them. The leaves started to catch on the fire. Soon they were burning steadily, all the while Merin kept rubbing the branches together. Now he started to blow his breath into the fire, and the flames leapt up from the leaves, catching onto the branches he was holding. With a deft movement of the hand, Merin dropped the branches just as they caught on fire, and then added several more. Not a minute later, a fire was merrily burning under the stars amidst the ruin of the inn. Alfred was amazed to see this, for it was extraordinarily difficult to light a fire without a flint and a piece of steel, and in this cold weather with the slightly wet wind, it should have been impossible. But the secret was not in the deft hands of an elf, as Alfred was soon to find out.

As Alfred shared the meat and cheese with Merin, and partook in some more elven waybread, he finally decided to ask Merin about the fire:

-Merin, how come you made that fire so quickly, and with ease? I would have thought you had a spell to help you had I not seen it with my own eyes!

Merin smiled, and shifted himself towards Alfred.

-My dear friend Alfred, what you saw was not the result of my deft hands; we elves know the properties of wood, and frequently use them to our benefit.

-But how? The weather is cold, and I am sure those branches aren't completely dry.

-I should explain... - Merin held up a branch from the ground, just like the ones he lit the fire with. The branch was of some evergreen sort of tree, and it still had several needles sticking out of it. Alfred gave it a good look, and for the first time noticed the unusual glint it gave out in the light of the fire. Merin continued with his explanation:

-You see, it is a branch of the dark pine, a fairly rare pine species with some unusual properties. Its bark is always drenched in its juices, which make a highly flammable sap when they dry out, that looks like a shiny resin on its skin. - Merin held out the branch for Alfred to feel it's surface. Alfred took it in his hand, and felt its smoothness. Returning the branch to Merin, he made him continue:

-Anyway, once two such branches are rubbed together, even this small amount of heat can set them on fire. As you can see, there are several dark pines growing around the inn. - Merin pointed around, and Alfred for the first time noticed there were, in fact, at least half a dozen tall pines growing near the inn.

-This is not common knowledge, though. - Merin continued. - Elves know of it, and some great sages and healers of your people, but it is not a skill known to every man. It is useful to know, still. I suspect you will find a use for it in your travels. I for one did.

Alfred looked again upon the small branch lying on the ground, glittering in the light of dancing red flames. What a small thing; Alfred mused; and yet so useful. Looking back at Merin, he said:

-Thank you for telling me this. Were you not to tell me, I would have thought you a wizard!

Alfred tried to make a serious face, but Merin saw right through it. Suddenly, they both burst laughing. As the moon slid under the trees on nearby hills, merry sounds of laughter echoed through the valley. Soon they quieted down, and died out, as two friends got readto sleep.

The night was uneventful, with Merin taking the first watch, and Alfred the second one. Sun rose over the trees in the east, waking up Merin. Alfred had already prepared a warm breakfast over the fire; Rabbit stew, and tea. They ate quickly in the still of the morning. Quiet was the valley they were in, so quiet that the only sounds to be heard were the burning of the fire and the uneasy stomps of their horses. The morning was cold, and Alfred remarked that the winter frosts were approaching quickly. Merin just nodded, and mounted his horse. Alfred mounted his steed, and after they put out the fire and scattered the ashes, they were on their way.

Morning sun was bright, illuminating the landscape around them in bright colors. Today every color of the land was evident; the rich greens of the grass fields, the light brown of the dirt road, gray of the road stones, blue of the sky, and the beautiful yellow warm light of the sun. Alfred and Merin passed several villages, the signs of destruction all around them. There was no soul to be seen, no animal, no bird to be heard. Every village they passed was burned, and here and there they saw the burned bodies of villagers, caught as they tried to save their lives. No house was left standing, and many fields were burned too. Orc bodies littered the ground in many places, mixed with human bones. Some of the piles were still smoking, and Alfred thought that this couldn't have happened more than several days ago. His heart hardened as he passed one terrible scene after the next, of bodies, charred, burned, cut, and slashed in different positions, some fighting to the last, some begging for mercy none had found. The sight was even more terrible in the bright light of the morning sun, amidst all the colors and shapes of a prosperous land. Alfred thought of all the souls that had perished here, and his hatred for the ones that did this grew even more. Orcs had to pay, but that will have to wait for better days. Remembering his task, Alfred jolted his horse into a faster pace.

Hours dragged slowly as they had to cross rivers with bridges burned, and had to go around ruins that collapsed on the ground. They were coming close to the center of the land. Villages were more numerous here, but still the sight was the same: carnage and smoking ashes, everywhere they looked. Slowly, sometime around noon, they had come to a crossroads just outside of the ruins of a small town. The broken sign pointed towards two branches in the road. One branch led northeast, one led northwest. Amid the broken pieces, Alfred picked up the one that had most letters on it. It pointed northwest, and said: ".LE D.NNBA...W". Castle Dunnbarrow! That was their destination. As Alfred was about to put it down, and tell Merin, a dozen figures sprung upon them from the sides of the road.

A dozen men, in dark gray cloaks, and chain mail, armed with shiny sword-blades, surrounded them. One man, taller than the rest, looking like a guard captain, stepped forward. Lowering his sword, he addressed Alfred and Merin in a deep voice:

-Stop, intruders! You are inside the borders of Vakkap, land of our lord Dunnbarrow, and you are without my lord's leave. Identify yourselves!

The men sheathed their swords and pointed them towards Alfred and Merin. Merin's horse neighed, and almost bolted him out of the seat. Alfred spoke:

-Greetings. I am Alfred son of Eyral, and my companion is Merin the Elf. We are the messengers from the south bearing news to your lord. Lead us to him immediately.

The guard captain responded:

-Well met. Alfred son of Eyral, customarily this would be enough for us and we would let you pass, but these are dark times, and the enemy is upon us. I need proof of your words, or you will come in bonds.

Alfred took out the scroll of the dwarven king, and at the same time Merin took out another scroll from his pocket. Alfred looked at him in surprise, and then suddenly understood. He was an ambassador too, for the elves. Alfred thought he should have known better than to think Merin was just with him for company. He then spoke to the captain of the guard:

-These are our credentials, and as you can see, we are no mere messengers. I come from King Akkharten under the Thunder Mountain, and my friend is the voice of Prince Almar of Laugandar, Land of the elves.

Captain of the guard took their scrolls and carefully inspected the seals on them. After a minute or so, he handed them back to Alfred and Merin. Captain then signaled with his hand, and his men put their swords back into their covers. He then said:

-You are indeed what you claim to be. These seals have not been seen in this land for many a summer. Greetings again, and welcome to Vakkap. We will take you to our lord now.

With another signal, his men organized around Alfred and Merin as a backguard. Merin dismounted, and then the two friends were led away from the road onto a side path in the trees east of the crossroads.

As they passed into the trees, the remaining soldiers and their captain fell back into the trees. The crossroads were empty again.

The guards led Alfred and Merin for about two hundred paces, when they came upon a clearing in the trees, that was once a farm. Now it was a military camp, full of tents and temporary buildings, and of soldiers. Their escort led them to a large tent in the center of the camp. The tent was of fine material, and had the insignia of the house Dunnbarrow on it, but was stained with mud, and cut in several places. A strong guard was posted all around it. Their horses were taken away by one guard, while another one spoke quietly with the captain in charge of the guards at the tent. After a minute, and a slow nod, they were led inside. Inside, they saw several older men, presumably guard captains, discussing something with a bearded man sitting on a wooden chair at the end of the tent. Immediately conversation was stopped as Alfred and Merin came in, and the bearded man spoke slowly to them:

-Come closer. I am Duke Dunnbarrow, lord of Vakkap, master of this land. I hear you are the messengers from King Akkharten and Prince Almar. Present your messages, then.

Alfred stepped forward and took the scroll of Akkharten out of his pocket. He presented it with the seal of the Dwarves clearly visible, while saying:

-Greetings, my lord. I am a messenger of Akkharten, the King under the Thunder Mountain. I bear grave tidings from the south. As you will undoubtedly find in the scroll I bring to you, evil has been creeping on toward both the Thunder Mountain and Laugandar.

Alfred stopped his speech for a moment while Duke carefully inspected the scroll and the seal upon it, and then he continued when Duke nodded that the scroll was authentic.

-My name is Alfred, son of Eyral from the Duchy of Harnslow. I was on a personal mission to the Ebening, and I stopped in the Kingdom of the Dwarves for a short while. In return for the services the dwarves rendered to me, I agreed to be their messenger to your realm. After I left Akkliseoth I came to Laugandar, and there I took part in a battle, but it is for my friend Merin here to speak of that.

Duke Dunnbarrow nodded slowly to Alfred and beckoned to the Elf:

-Master Elf, step forward and deliver your message, please.

Merin stepped forward and took out his scroll, and handed it over to the Duke. The Duke inspected the seal, two interwoven green branches, and finding everything in order, motioned Merin to proceed.

Merin bowed lightly to the Duke, and started:

-Greetings, my lord. I am Merin the Hunter, and I bring to you a message from Prince Almar, the master of Laugandar. Tidings from the south are grave indeed, my lord. It has been seven dawns since the scouts of my lord, including me, found the foul camp of a large orcish army camping in a valley in the Brigand Hills. Ere three nightfalls ago we the elves fought a battle there, helped by a company of Men, and my friend here Alfred fought with us as well. After a long battle in the plain and the hills my people drove the orcs into small groups and destroyed their might. But Alfred here was the one to help burn down their camp. Alfred son of Eyramet the evil necromancer Dar'Thragh in battle, and emerged victorious!

The last sentence was said aloud, and a sudden hushed silence fell upon the tent. Sternly, the Duke looked upon the small figure of Alfred, who stood firmly in front of him. Then he slowly spoke in a quiet voice:

-I see that our guests are more than they seem. I have no choice but to accept this, for I know Elves do not lie easily.

He now turned towards Alfred, and continued:

-Upon you, young Alfred, is the honor I wished for myself, to slay that monster in battle. However, I'm not jealous. What is important is that the necromancer is dead, and his army destroyed. The threat to my lands is over, at least for now. Captain!

Duke motioned the one of the captains standing in the tent, and ordered him:

-Go notify the commanders to tell the army the enemy has been destroyed. Then tell them to begin at once returning the peasants to their homes. I also want a detachment to be sent to the castle, to assess the damage and begin the repairs immediately. Also, notify everyone we shall be moving our camp to Varakins. Go now!

The captain saluted - Yes, sir! - and marched out of the tent. The Duke then turned towards Alfred and Merin:

-You two have brought me joyous tidings. I wish you to accompany me to the town of Varakins, where I shall reside until my castle is repaired.

Alfred and Merin bowed, and then Alfred inquired:

-But my lord, we are on an urgent mission of our own. Also, our lieges urged us to have the answers to their letters delivered to them as soon as possible. How can we achieve that?

Duke turned back to them and said quickly:

-I will have the answers for King Akkharten and Prince Almar tomorrow, and will then send the quickest messengers to their kingdoms. But don't worry about that now; it is time to feast and rejoice. Ere nightfall we shall arrive to Varakins, and there we shall celebrate your great victory. Come now, let us ride together!

Alfred and Merin obediently followed Duke out of the tent, while his captains and advisors scattered all around to get ready to move. Outside, the camp had come alive with activity. Companies of soldiers were escorting groups of people out of the camp, and other men were dismantling tents and loading wagons with goods. The sour atmosphere of the camp was broken by cries of joy, as the men and women discovered that their enemy was destroyed, and that they can return to their homes. Some of them greeted Duke Dunnbarrow as he passed with Alfred and Merin right behind him. Duke walked into a large tent that served as a stable, and set himself on a shining black stallion. He then rode out, and started riding for the edge of the camp. Alfred and Merin hurried to where the soldiers had left their horses, and mounted them. Then they proceeded towards the western edge of the camp, where sergeants and captains were getting the bulk of Duke's army into a marching order. The Duke rode in front of all of them, and motioned Alfred and Merin to join him. Alfred set his horse to the left of the Duke, while Merin rode to the right. Behind them, Alfred heard soldiers whispering, and wondering who he was. Alfred smiled to himself, and thought how strange were the twists of fate. Here he was, riding next to the powerful Lord of Vakkap, a position of honor if there was one, and only a month ago he was an insignificant squire on the court of Duke Harnslow. Harnslow. The name brought back the memory of Eyral, lying on the ground, coughing, dying, when he pledged Alfred to deliver the medallion to Ebening, to the unknown Kras. Alfred clutched the medallion, and was relieved to feel it's hard surface against the palm of his hand. His task was not over, and he still thirsted for revenge. But that will have to wait. For now, he could relax and ride with the Duke to Varakins, the center-town of Vakkap.

The army marched on the dirt road. As the sun rose toward noon, the gray clouds broke up and revealed the aquamarine sky. The land filled with golden sunlight, and shone with all it's colors. Every now and then a group of people would detach from the main body and set out for their village or town. The sunlight and the bright colors of a bright autumn day lifted the moods of the Men visibly, and they increased their pace. The army passed burned villages and ruins of homes, destroyed fields, and broken bridges, but this time, each of these sad things were met with an enthusiastic group of soldiers, peasants, merchants and craftsmen, who immediately proceeded to fix things on hand. Alfred saw the Duke smile seeing people returned to their homes, and was glad to know they went right away to repair the damage caused by the orcs. Merin was smiling too, and so Alfred smiled. It was good to see that life was not destroyed, and that it will return to this green land.

Mile after mile, soldiers walked through Vakkap. As hours dragged towards evening, the sun sunk to the western horizon. Eight leagues and two hours later, the Duke rode in into the group of fairly well preserved houses, welcomed by a small group of soldiers, which reported:

-All's well, and the feast is in the making!

Thus had two friends, a Man and an Elf, come to Varakins, the biggest town in Vakkap.

The town itself had probably once housed about two thousand souls, but now most of its inhabitants were gone, having escaped before the orcs. Although many houses were burned down and trees hacked in the streets, still many buildings stood intact. The necromancer had used this town as a base camp for some time, so bigger stone buildings and houses were used as storage spaces or barracks for his army. Already some of the people had returned, and populated their former homes. The innkeeper reopened his inn, the blacksmith's forge was rekindled, and the city hall was occupied by Duke and his men. The rest of his army set out in the abandoned houses. A company of men was assigned to clear the streets, and had already succeeded in clearing the roads from most of the rubble and bodies. Duke's cooks set up a great kitchen in the inn, and the dinner was served. The Duke sat with Alfred and Merin, along with his advisors, on one long oaken table. The horses were put to the city stable, which suffered almost no damage, and the fires were lit to keep the men warm at night.

Alfred and Merin found that the Duke's hospitality, even at this bad time, was worth the tales told about it. Old wine and fine beer were passed from seat to seat, together with the finest meats and fruits. Leg o' lamb, pork roast, veal in its sauce, deer chunks and rabbit stew, as well as fresh apples and pears, plums and such disappeared quickly. Under the bright lights of the lanterns, and in the warmth of the fireplace and good company, fears of the day and the year began to fade away. Men celebrated, and rejoiced the victory over evil. Alfred and Merin relaxed, and Duke grew a smile on his face. He was pleased at how his men's morale rose, and already he was thinking ahead on how will he reconstruct his castle and house and feed his people through the winter. Thankfully, harvest has been plentiful, and although the orcs managed to seize part of it, much grain was hidden in underground cisterns, and much was found in the city, abandoned by the enemy in its advance. The warmth of the room, and the strong red wine got to Alfred. Soon a drinking song was started, and voices of Men rose above the din and sang the rhyme.

Hours later, when the wine was drank, and the beer swallowed, when the plates were empty, and most of the company had retreated to bed, Alfred looked around and saw that he was alone with the Duke. Merin had gone off to walk under the stars in an elven fashion, and Alfred was left in the inn, sipping his beer. The Duke, finishing his cup of wine, turned to Alfred. His eyes were bright despite the ale and strong wine he'd had, and Alfred felt a little queasy. He started to have trouble focusing his eyes, and all he could see were two points of bright light that were Duke's eyes. Those eyes mesmerized him, and were drawing him in. Duke spoke softly, and his voice seemed distant to Alfred:

-Alfred lad, you are more tyou seem, aren't you? - Alfred found himself nodding almost against his will. Duke continued:

-The medallion you wear on your neck is an item of great power, is it not? What is your mission, young man? Where do you take this medallion?

Alfred wanted to answer, but something inside told him not to. He struggled for a moment, and then Eyral's face came to him. 'Say nothing of this to no one. To no one, Alfred. That is my wish.' Suddenly Alfred's view cleared, and he looked up to the Duke Dunnbarrow. His eyes met the Duke's and for a moment they were locked in silent battle. But Alfred shrugged aside the inviting points of light, and fought them off, saying:

-It is of a personal nature, my lord. I'm sure you would understand.

Duke broke of his gaze, and then smiled weakly:

-Aye, I'm sure I do. Strong are you, for a man your age. That strength shall hold you in good steed in times to come. But remember one thing; Laughter is the symbol of freedom, and of life. Remember to laugh boy, always to laugh. And now I bid you good night.

Alfred responded, puzzled a bit by Duke's advice:

-And good night to you too, my lord.

Duke left the hall through the front door, leaving Alfred to his thoughts. Alfred was glad he resisted the Duke; he had heard before of the unusual power of this man's gaze. But what puzzled him was the advice about laughter. Why was laughter so important? Alfred stood puzzled for a moment, then sighed and turned towards the door.

A minute later he was in his bunk, in a large room at the northern side of an old house. Alfred snuck into his bed, covered himself with the sheets, and went to sleep.

The following morning was bright and sunny. Merin woke up at dawn, and then roused Alfred. Alfred stood up and stretched in front of his bunk. Golden rays of sunlight were pouring out the window, and bathed the whole room in yellow radiance. Stretching again, Alfred walked out of the house. He was standing in one of the back streets of Varakins on a bright autumn day. There were people everywhere. Already companies of Men were hard at work, clearing the rubble and repairing the houses. From the main road a steady stream of town's inhabitants was returning to Varakins. Merin waved to Alfred from the other side of the street. Alfred hurried across to him.

Merin was standing in front of what seemed like the baker's shop, and Alfred suddenly felt the heavenly smell of fresh bread breeze through his nostrils. Merin bought two loaves, paid the baker with a few copper pieces, and then sat down to share them with Alfred. Alfred took a good bite out of one, and then muttered:

-Thanks, Merin. It's been a long time since I've had fresh bread, right from the oven.

Merin smiled and answered:

-I'd thought you would like it. It's a fine bread too. Enjoy!

-You too, Merin.

Then they kept munching. Soon all of bread was gone, and then Alfred rose from the ground. Merin pointed to the end of the street where some kind of riding company was mounting their horses.

-Alfred, let us go now and saddle our horses. We are to ride again with the Duke to his castle. Come, let's not tally!

Alfred eagerly followed Merin to the place where they'd left their horses the last night. Soon they were mounted, and just in time, for Duke and his men had just begun their ride. Merin and Alfred led their horses faster, until they caught up with the head of the group. There Duke greeted them both, and they answered in kind, taking their place next to him.

The ride from Varakins to Castle Dunnbarrow was short and uneventful. The company passed fields and small cottages, and greeted many people on their way. Not an hour later, Duke passed under the last glade of trees before the castle itself. As they turned around the last bend, they were met with a busy construction site. The castle once stood high on an artificial island in the lake, and it had a moat bridge where the island came closest to the lakeshore. The island itself was of square shape, with each side around five score strides long. The orc army had attacked the castle two weeks ago, and was met by fierce resistance. However, they shot it with fiery arrows and set it on fire. Duke was then forced to abandon it, but not before he destroyed the moat and the main battlements, so that it would not fall into the enemies' hands. Now, the ruin was a sorry site. But already three companies of Duke's best craftsmen and engineers were rebuilding the castle. They had set up a production line, whereas they made bricks from a nearby clay quarry, cut stones brought from afar, and set them all together with their special mortar mixture, which was the secret of their craft. As Duke approached the one of the tents raised near the construction site of a new moat bridge, one of the engineers walked to greet the Duke and report on the status of reconstruction. He was a short and burly man, dressed in gray leggings and blue shirt. On his chest he had a medal of Duke's engineer, which was a high honor. The engineer stopped in front of the Duke and started to speak:

- My lord, - he bowed; - the work is going well. The masons have already prepared a lot of bricks, stones and mortar, and a crew is clearing the rubble on the island. The moat bridge is almost finished, and my men are laying the walking deck on right now. It will be another week, though, before you can move in, my liege.

Duke considered this for a moment, and then praised the engineer:

- Good work. I was hoping to move in tomorrow, but I can wait another week. Keep me appraised. Dismissed.

The engineer bowed again and then walked off, shouting commands to masons and his architects. The Duke dismounted and walked towards the biggest tent, which was colored bright yellow. Seeing the Duke dismount, Alfred and Merin did so accordingly, and let their horses be led away by the servants. Then they hurried after the Duke, who had already entered his tent. They walked in moments later, and found Duke and several of his advisors bent over a construction plan on a table. Duke noticed they were in, and motioned them forward:

-Come in, come in, Sir Alfred and Master Elf. We have a lot to discuss. I want you to listen as I decide on the final outline of the castle.

Alfred and Merin came closer to the table, when they realized that the plan on hand was one of the new castle. It was very detailed, and planned for a castle occupying the whole of the island. The Duke asked his advisors various questions about this or that part of the design, and Alfred and Merin listened carefully. Duke raised several points, and strengthened some battlements in favor of others. He also added another round tower to enhance the strength of the bridge and the main gate. The castle itself was to be built again in square shape, and it was to have one mayor outer wall, and an inner citadel with a raised entrance. The main gate was guarded by a tall tower, and there was another tower in the middle of the moat bridge. Inside the castle Duke planned for large barracks and storehouses to house and feed his large army, as well as for a small town to house his craftsmen and his household. Around noon Duke took a lunch-break, and after that they all continued to work on plans. Now Alfred and Merin both gave their comments, and added several good ideas to the castle's build. Castle-building was as much a craft as an art, combined with the practical considerations of size, occupancy, awailable time, materials, and men. All those factors had to be combined to create a successful fortification, one that will endure many sieges, and serve as a focal point of defense for a whole region, because for as long as the castle stood, the land was not fallen, unless enemy overwhelmed the land with its numbers. As the day drew to a close, Duke had one final look at the plans and then decided they were adequate. He then smiled, commended them all for good work, and then retired for dinner. Alfred learned a lot about castle-building that day, as did Merin. Both friends were fairly ignorant about this aspect of ruling and building. Now they knew the importance of planning in advance. They retired to the dinner smiling.

The dinner waheld in under the star-covered sky. Alfred and Merin drank wine and enjoyed themselves much. Duke Dunnbarrow also laughed frequently and enjoyed the evening as well. Master engineer was confident that the Duke will have at least a lodging in the new castle before the sun rises a dozen times. Duke was well pleased to hear it. When the dinner was over, Alfred and Merin were stopped by the Duke who wanted a little talk with them. He spoke first:

-Sir Alfred, and you too, Merin the Elf, be greeted. I believe you have done your peoples and allies a great service by delivering the messages to me. You should be glad to know that I have accepted both proposals for alliance and that my fastest couriers are already on their way to Laugandar and Akkliseoth.

Hearing this, both Alfred and Merin smiled and relaxed. This was good news indeed. The Duke continued after a small pause.

-I believe that you have a personal errand to attend to in the valley of Ebening, - the mention of the valley of his destination reminded Alfred of the night before. He carefully nodded to the Duke. - and I also now think that this errand is important in the cause of good. So, I will wish you nothing but good speed to there. A company of my men will offer you escort to the borders of my country. You can travel alone if you wish, though. - Merin interrupted to say that both he and Alfred would be most grateful for the escort. Alfred nodded in agreement. Duke then continued - I have sparse news of the lands that lie ahead in your way, but I do know this: the bridge over the Damsen ford has been burned by the orcs, and you will have to find some other mode of transport over the river. I hope you accomplish your mission, whichever it may be. Now Alfred, it seems to me from your story that you are the sole remaining member of Duke Harnslow's household; that means that you have to return to your homeland, and assume at least temporary control of the remaining people there. When your personal task is done, return to Vakkap and I shall reward you with a score of stout Men to lead to your country so that you can put a stop to orc raids.

Alfred was half-expecting to hear that he had to return to Duchy of Harnslow, but he wasn't expecting the Duke to promise him command over one of his Companies. Surprised, he bowed to the Duke and said:

-My lord, I am most grateful to you. Thank you very much for your help.

Duke replied:

-Ah, but you will need it, lad. You will need it. Now, it is time for rest, and tomorrow you must be off on your travel! Good night!

Alfred and Merin both wished the Duke good night and retired to their assigned tents. There they both fell to sleep at once.

The following morning Alfred set his horse with supplies for the trip, courtesy of the Duke, while Merin spoke to the captain of the company that was to escort them to the north-western border of Vakkap. With the captain's agreement, they said farewell to the Duke and rode off down the northern road to their destiny.