Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 108: Peace

"My Lord Cold Hammer," Wren stood regally at the gates, arms folded behind his back, spine straight, chin up. She never once remembered him so small in comparison to her mate. Cold Hammer was an orc, his bones set wider, but Wren had been a well-built man. His stature was smaller now, he hadn't grown to his full height, he wasn't as muscled and lean, there was a small wisp of fuzz on his chin.

Her mate was still stunned and kept passing him glances. No one had expected a young boy to come out of this. They'd expected King Wren, free of his curse. What he now lacked in years, he still had in memories of experience. She hoped it would help him grow into a wiser man.

They were waiting on Lohke. When they'd met Cold Hammer at the gates, he'd agreed to fetch Lohke for peace talks if Wren promised to release his family into his custody before the day was through.

"Thank you," Wren spoke again.

"For what?"

"For aiding in the...Underworld. There are vague memories here and there, bits in my mind, as though some part of my soul were aware of the happenings, though it's almost like a dream. I know you were there."

Cold Hammer crossed his arms, "I was there for my wife."

"Of course."

He also kept passing Khash strange glances. He was struggling to put together in his mind that Wren was younger, Khash was older. Mash had always been old, it just hadn't shown. He seemed to be settled as an eighty year old man in appearance. Somehow, despite his frailer look, he didn't seem breakable. He seemed stronger than ever.

The elves were with them, too, watching the unprecedented peace talks as Lohke came walking out of the forests, following the path. He was alone. His presence stirred the men on the walls and Wren held out a hand, indicating they should remain steady. Farswar was at Wren's side, Khash on his other side.

When Lohke reached them, he made the young king look like a small child. His chest was three times as broad as his. His fist was bigger than Wren's arms. His hair still hung down in warrior braids, but he'd removed any war paint.

Cold Hammer was immediately at attention, "Great Chieftain, you were able to stop the raiders?"

"I was," Lohke nodded. "They were not happy, but with the destruction the creature has caused, hearing our tale of it's death was a great tiding, but they do not want the peace talks without something...not me."

"What do you mean?"

He looked to Erinne, "They heard of our tale. You, Sheobulf, are the Warrior of Everfen. You set the creature free of it's curse, you brought about the first treaty. They want you to speak, they want you to declare if peace is the way."

Her mouth dropped open and then Lohke motioned to the trees and she saw chieftains coming into view. Their warriors remained farther in, hidden out there somewhere, but the chieftains came to hear her out. "I...am not the Great Chieftain."

"No, but you are a warrior of great respect. And now the humans respect you, too," he motioned to the people that watched her, whispering about how she'd broken the king's curse. "You are the only one whose heart is truly on both sides. They want you to speak."

"What do you both propose?" She asked him and Wren.

Wren's eyes turned towards the forest's edge, eyeing the different chiefs that walked closer, but were still keeping their distance. There was no malice in his eyes, something she was no longer used to. It felt like she was next to a completely different person. "I...do not know if we can keep peace, after this. Even now they look upon me with hate."