Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

Chapter 170  There are dwarves in the mountains

Henry sat in the castle's library with a thick old book in his hands. From time to time, his eyes left the book and looked out the window at the plaza, where he could see hundreds of villagers carrying bags of potatoes, piling them up near the castle. The soldiers were also helping under Henry's orders, trying to speed up everything they needed to march again. A knock on the door interrupted Henry's attention. Olaro entered, his hands dirty with soil - "My liege, the farmers have finished gathering the potatoes, and we are finishing transporting them to the plaza" - he reported. Henry closed the book and returned it to the bookshelf -"How long until everything is finished?"

"In a few hours, everything should be in place" - Olaro replied, wiping his hands on his clothes - "Any news on Leier and the scouts?" - the general asked. He had been in the camps helping the farmers and soldiers collect the potatoes, and even if he was inside the city, Leier would first report to the king, not opening her mouth until he was on site.

Henry shook his head, exiting the library with Olaro following right behind him - "Not yet, she should be back soon" - Henry said, looking through the windows of the corridor and towards the sky, where he could see the timid moon that acted like a princess descending the stairs of a lively ballroom, beginning its dance at a slow pace. "Your majesty!"- Two voices rang out as two soldiers stood by the door of a room within the castle, their hands filled with furred clothes that seemed expensive, probably previously belonging to the noble family that lived there. Henry had ordered the soldiers to search through the castle and gather anything they could find within it, giving them as spoils of war. Henry nodded and gestured with his hands, letting them be at ease. Olaro stopped for a moment, his gaze fixed on a red cloak within the pile of clothes - "I will take this one" - he said, already holding the red cloak in his hands. Noticing Henry looking at him with a strange expression, he scratched his beard embarrassedly, his cheeks turning a bit red - "...I like red...and a beautiful woman I met in a tavern back in Eisenburg said that I look good in it."

Henry couldn't help but give a sheepish smile, which made Olaro's cheeks even redder. He looked at the bald man with a long red beard and eyes that always seemed angry, as if ready to cut a man in half at any time - "Despite his appearance, he is quite innocent, huh?" - Henry thought, choosing to stop further embarrassing the man. Despite his embarrassment, Olaro wore the cloak with a satisfied expression.

"You can take the rest to the others. I need you all ready by tomorrow; don't waste time" - Henry gestured to the two soldiers who were looking dizzily at the king and the general. He then continued his way down the corridor, leaving the duo standing by the door. Their steps echoed through the corridor, with Olaro seemingly trying to step with more grace to show off his new attire. They reached the plaza, and a beautiful black-haired young woman with golden eyes immediately approached them. Her leather clothes and even her face were smeared with dirt, and her nails had soil underneath them - "Your majesty!" - she greeted the king with a firm yet feminine tone, bowing her head like a soldier who had gone through countless gruesome experiences and could not be easily affected. "It's been a while, Zahra" - Henry said, looking at the transformed woman before him. He remembered her expression filled with determination when he saw her again after the mountain incident. She seemed like a different person, ready to kill anyone and everyone. Unlike the others, who still had some prejudice, she willingly approached the barbarians and conversed with them, even learning some of their culture. "Yes, Your Majesty" - Zahra replied calmly and firmly - "I have come to report that we already have a bag of food for each soldier, and as you commanded, we have also collected some wood for them to bring along if needed." "Are there any problems with the soldiers?" - Henry asked. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Zahra shook her head - "No, my king. This victory and your presence have put everyone in high spirits. We are all ready to march when Your Majesty orders." "Excellent! Make sure the men are well-rested tonight" - Henry said, his eyes looking at the soldiers tiredly sitting by the side of the market stalls, trying to strike up conversations with the villagers. The barbarians were on one side, maintaining their distance from the others but happily arm wrestling against each other - "They'll need all their strength for the journey ahead." "I obey, Your Majesty!"- Zahra said, then followed with a question - "When do we expect to depart? Some members of my group and others are anxious for battle."

Henry looked at the skies - "We will be on track as soon as the sun rises. We are just confirming if we are going to change our route. We will soon have the answer." - He still hadn't notified his soldiers about his plans, waiting for Leier's confirmation on the possibility of using the mountains as a new way to reach the capital of Aritreia. Until the confirmation, everything continued as planned, even if it meant delaying his plans and making it more difficult to conquer the region.

-x-

Leier climbed back up the mountain with much more speed than before, the dagger already chipped from being used as support, especially when she crossed the layer of clouds separating the valley from the outside world. "How come there are dwarves here?" - Leier asked herself, her hands still trembling from blocking the war-hammer thrown by the dwarf - "My liege said there have been no sightings of them in this Northern region for hundreds of years." According to the king, some book in the Royal Library depicted the dwarf race as masters in blacksmithing and combatants with pure raw strength, known for their fiery temper and hairy bodies. They lived in mountains, carving their homes and fortresses deep within, away from the prying eyes of the world, creating maze-like tunnels to confuse those who dared to invade their homes. Despite their difference in height and power, they shared some similarities with the mythical dragons: they loved shiny and precious things. Some stories said their forges blazed day and night, and the sound of their hammers working on metal could be heard throughout the entire mountain range. "What are they doing here?" - Leier continued to ask herself. She could already see the peak of the mountain - "The king said that the First King Garret had brought a few along with him, but they were all supposedly dead. Maybe they didn't die, or maybe this is a reclusive community within the North? Why didn't they show themselves before?" She had countless questions but couldn't answer a single one. Although reclusive, dwarves were a race that still maintained some contact with other communities to trade their tools and weapons for precious gems and shiny things.

As Leier reached the mountain's peak, her eyes scanned the scouts and the captain who had been waiting for her. They were all tightly clustered together, their bodies trembling after being exposed to the extreme cold winds of the mountain's peak for hours - "Get up!"- she ordered hurriedly, not a single ounce of pity in her tone - "We need to return and notify the king as soon as possible." Leier didn't disclose what she had found to the soldiers since they wouldn't understand. These people had never seen or heard of dwarves, meaning they couldn't do much about it. Leier led the way down the mountain, moving much faster this time, leaving the scouts who were already out of breath a bit behind but still maintaining a pace that allowed them to see her back. Some of the soldiers stumbled, and others had to help, but Leier didn't stop for a second. She only kept going.

When the moon was right above their heads, the group finally reached the walls of Rusra. Their bodies had already warmed up, and their eyes were filled with relief as if they had survived a journey to hell and back. Although warmed up, their bodies were still trembling, not from the cold but from the climbing. It had taken them five to six hours to climb the mountain, but they made it back in three. It was only thanks to their strengthened bodies that they managed to do it and not die on the way. Leier didn't stop and continued on her way, entering Rusra's castle and traversing the corridors in a hurry, after asking the king's location. As soon as she entered the library, she could see the king, who had returned after inspecting the preparations with Olaro, reading another book.

"My liege!"- Leier said hurriedly, not even bowing - "Dwarves, there are dwarves in the mountains!"