I stopped walking but did not turn, holding my staff above the ground, poised to land a fourth time in the hall.

  I heard movement behind me, and the king said in a softer but equally urgent voice, “Please, do not strike the ground a fourth time. I apologize for my pride. I apologize for my shame.”

  I turned but did not lower the staff. My face was set in anger, and I stared at the king who stood ten paces from me.

  He approached closer, standing a mere three paces from me, and withdrew his weapon. He placed it on the ground before me and knelt. He did not bow, but actually knelt before me.

  “Please, brother, do not strike the ground a fourth time. Do not let my pride and shame bring an end to our Hold and our people. I beg you.”

  The unlikely plan had been based on a prophecy that Bella shared with me, and in turn that I shared with the Duke. It was very old and was supposed to be uttered as the dying words of Archmaster Norsil Copperthane, dwarven apprentice to Damascus and the author to whose book I had gifted the Hold and whose twin volume was resting in my backpack.

  The prophecy stated:

  The king’s pride and shame will bring destruction and devastation to our kin and Hold.

  Its signs will be my word received and my word withheld by three races united into one.

  At the sound of the fourth echo, fate will be sealed.

  You must lower your staff and unite your people. Bella said quietly.

  “My king,” I said.

  He looked up at me, hope and fear in equal measure on his face.

  “You called me brother,” I said gently, and then I lowered my staff carefully and placed it at his feet.

  The entire assembly of dwarves all placed their weapons on the ground before them and knelt. They bowed their heads and remained still.

  “My king, I would not harm our people. I came as kin, not as a threat to you or our traditions.”

  He looked up, still not rising. “I believe you. Can you forgive me, brother?”

  I smiled and knelt before him. “My king, there is nothing to forgive. Please rise. You will have to help me. My human bones are not so strong as to lift you.”

  He smiled widely. “Human bones? No. I only see a dwarf before me.”

  And he stood up and embraced me.

  All the dwarves in the hall stood and cheered loudly. The noise echoed around the hall, and the dwarves cheered all the more.

  I am proud of you, Gwydion. Bella whispered in my mind.

  The king walked me back to the throne and had me stand before him just seven paces away, which is the place of an honored kin to make a request.

  After the court settled down, the king called out in a much more cheerful voice, “Speak and your words will be heard in this our Hall of Welcoming.”

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  “My king, I am-”

  He laughed, “Yes, yes, everyone here knows your name now. You are Gwydion Istari Ringweaver, Dwarfkin and Dwarf Master. Brother to your king, Flavnar Ringweaver. How can we help our friends in Keelwell?”

  I bowed. “Brother, I ask for any assistance we can provide that does not weaken or make our own Hold vulnerable.”

  He nodded. “Well stated. We have experienced significantly increased attacks by the corrupt for the past couple of weeks. They attack our Eastern Gate in large numbers day and night.

  “They failed.

  “They have climbed the mountains themselves, seeking to pass over.

  “They failed.

  “They have attempted to enter our Hold through tunnels of old. They got far, but they failed. We have suffered and we have prevailed. Some power moves among them, urging them to ever more desperate attacks. I begin to see that there is a pattern.” He said in a solemn voice.

  “Yes, my king. Undead and goblin are united. I suspect the other evil races are also poised for some additional role.”

  “Trolls have also entered our tunnels. This happens from time to time, but it has been more insistent than usual. Their numbers are small, but they are strong enemies and difficult to defeat.” He sat up straighter. “Ask what aid you need and we shall consider this against our own needs.”

  “Yes, my king. The city of Keelwell needs food and supplies, soldiers and defensive artisans, and there is a special need for master crafters.”

  King Flavar tilted his head, curious. “What master crafters are needed?”

  “There is a need for gemcutters, jewelers, weaponsmiths, and armorers,” I answered.

  “A need for master weaponsmiths and master armorers, I understand, but what need is there for the other master crafters?” He asked.

  I looked over to where Grandmaster Copperheart was standing among the dwarven masters. He nodded to me encouragingly.

  “I speak with stone and gem,” I said simply, but in ancient Dwarven with a special emphasis that suggested deep conversations and not merely talking.

  There was a great deal of murmuring among the masters.

  The king looked surprised and not displeased. “Show us.” He commanded.

  I bowed. “Have a master bring me a stone and a gem of his choosing. Have it cut in the style of a 28pt magical facet. Have the master ask me which nature of the stone and gem to present.”

  The king waved to the gathered Master Council. “Choose from among your own and do as he has requested.”

  The dwarves talked and argued among themselves. Finally, a dwarf master strode before the king and held an emerald in her right hand and a stone of onyx in her left.

  The king nodded his approval.

  She bowed to the throne, turned, and came forward to me. She stood before me and held out both hands for me to take the gems. She announced loudly, “Use no spell to discern or compel. We will know if you do. From the emerald, call forth an earth elemental and command it to fetch a raw emerald from directly underneath this hall, regardless of its depth. From the black onyx, command that a golem be pulled forth and stand guard at the summoning circle, to defend this hall from any undead or evil race that enters.”

  I took both from her hands. I held up the emerald first and inspected it. There was something off about it. I realized after a few moments that it was flawed and had only twenty-seven facets and not twenty-eight. Granted, when a jeweler discussed points, it was meant to be a measure of weight, not the number of facets or “points” where facets joined. But with magical gems, size and weight were not as important as the specific cuts and shapes produced that drew out the magic inherent in the gems. Regardless, the gem provided would not work.

  I gave her a look. “You test me?”

  She gave no response.

  I sighed. “My king, this master has presented me with a flawed gem. It is not of the magical cut and facets requested.”

  The king called out. “Is this so, Druella?”

  “It is my king.” She replied.

  “Then he has passed your little test. Let’s not play games. Not today, and not with fate, shall we?”

  She nodded, pulled another emerald from her pocket, and handed it to me. “You discovered the flaw very quickly.” And her eyes twinkled. “Show these stuffed shirts what you can do, nephew.”

  Brothers and sisters were born in the same year; all others born in different years were called cousins, although older known dwarves were often referred to as aunts and uncles. It was a kindness for her to call me her nephew.

  I examined the emerald and it was of flawless quality. I inspected the onyx, and it was also of flawless quality. The crafters who made these were truly masters. I could do no better with my best efforts.

  I concentrated on the emerald first. I used a casting point to reach deep within it, but cast no spell. I was able to sense all the options available and chose the rare, but not rarest, quality of the emerald to summon an earth elemental. I gave it the command as ordered.

  The emerald flashed a brilliant green, and a large earth elemental stood before me. Without speaking out loud, I ordered it to go below this room, at whatever depth was necessary, and bring me a raw emerald the size of my hand and of the highest gemstone quality.

  It sank partially into the stone as if it were wading into water. It slowly turned around, looking for the gemstone using whatever methods of detection were natural for elementals. It passed through three-quarters of a rotation, and I began to worry that this may have been another test or trick by the dwarves when it stopped and surged forward rapidly. It looked like a hunting shark across the top of the waves before it dove down into the depths of the rock.

  I had no idea how long it would take, but I stood there patiently. It was about five minutes before it returned to me, and it bore a large raw emerald in its hand.

  I received the emerald, and it sank back into the earth, departing back into its own realm through the stone of the hall’s floor.

  I inspected the emerald. It was of exceptional quality, and I guessed that it had to be 7000 carats in weight or more than three pounds. I handed it to her with a slight bow of respect. “Here you go, my aunt, please see if it meets with their approval.”

  She took the gem, looked at it, and her eyebrows raised. “This’ll get their attention.” She said as she walked over to the assembled masters. Several took the lead in inspecting it, clearly masters of gem work.”

  I could tell from their expressions that they were also impressed by the sample. It was of especial purity and would produce either one wondrous gem, or many, many smaller gems.

  Druella came back out and approached me. “The masters accept your mastery of gemstones. Now demonstrate your mastery of natural stone.”

  I was a little more worried about this one. I had been able to work my same skill with the 28pt Tiger eye gem with the grandmaster sage, although I had not called its ability forth. I had also managed it with several other 28pt stones, which I wore on a couple of rings, but doing this in front of an audience of thousands would be a first.