Trolling's Pass and Present

Years since their battles with the Trolls, even on foreign soil, the warriors of the Valley Kingdom of Torahn need something to keep their edge honed. The economy too is beginning to fray a little without the great wars to support. The Leaders hit upon the idea of searching for a path to reach the east side of the continent. The Elves swear that at one time their writings tell of such, the Dwarves swear such a pass across Teantellen is legendary.

Teantellen though is filled with races man has never gotten along with well. Goblins, Dark Elves, Trolls, Giants and Dragons. It has been years since the mountain tops exploded, and perhaps that has changed things enough that a way can be found to link the western lands with the eastern lands and increase trade, and prosperity for all.

Even should they fail in their quest, as the history of man has shown to this point in time, the attempt will do much to spur the economy. Tens of thousands of gold will be spent by the Council of Twenty-One to pay for such an expedition. Gold that those who are not so scrupulous might choose to pocket as they tried in the Troll Wars.

With such shenanigans taking place again, are the hopes of the previous generation, the leaders from the Troll Wars now in retirement, ready to be achieved? Is it time for Torahn, called the Valley Kingdom, but the only Kingdom without a King, to have a King once more?

TROLLING’S PASS AND PRESENT

David W. Wilkin

Space Opera Books

an imprint of

Regency Assembly Press

www.regencyassemblypress.com

REGENCY ASSEMBLY PRESS

Hemet, CA, USA

First Printing, September 2011

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Copyright © David W. Wilkin, 2011

ePublished in the United States of America

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I have to thank my writing group for their encouragement in publishing and then refining my writing efforts these last years. Deedira Bockhold, Elizabeth Durand, Melinda Sherbring, Anne Okamoto and Jennifer Martindale. My wife Cheryl who has given me the time and mostly quiet in which to write also.

Chapter 1

Have I mentioned how proud I am of our family lately? Humphrey said as she pulled off his left boot. It was good to hear him talk that way. Now if only he would say that he still found her desirable, Gwendolyn would be even better pleased.

I think perhaps you have. Yesterday you were saying how the older boys were doing quite well in arms training. That they would be better than you have ever been. And that gave you a sense of accomplishment, she said.

They had three boys, Daniel and Kenneth, the two oldest of their children and then the youngest child, still a babe really, Charles. Their two daughters, Millie and Bea came between Kenneth and Charles and those two girls already had boys sniffing around thinking of things all young boys thought of.

Every senior army officer helped Humphrey and her older sons keep track of their daughter’s virtue. Gwendolyn had no worries there. She pulled his left boot off as well.

Well I’m damned if I don’t say it enough, Humphrey then added wiggling his toes. He complained that his feet were always hot after a full day of work. Humphrey had done well since they had returned from Mah Wee, when Daniel was a baby. Humphrey had been angered that all the men he had taken to the foreign kingdom had not survived, but that was the lot of a soldier. Mah Wee’s King William had not lived either, but his successor, King James Lemmons had done quite well.

Humphrey and she had to live there two years after the birth of their son, so that the Talisman of Saint David and Great King Adam could be taken up into Teantellen and ensure that no Trolls were to come against Mah Wee. It had been two good years once King James had been crowned.

King James and Humphrey were as close as two men separated by an impassable mountain range could be. While the sea lanes were opened each year, the two corresponded regularly and the Cutter brood had returned to Mah Wee three times since. King James traveled to Torahn twice himself.

Humphrey was now a member of the Council of Twenty-One that ruled Torahn. Her father, Lord Faireweather, had retired and now spent most of his time at a small estate outside of the city. Gwendolyn ran his business interests while Humphrey was the commanding General of all the armies of Torahn. Now well over ninety thousand men, Elves and Dwarves. It would probably be over a hundred thousand soldiers within another year or two.

One of the last things Lord Faireweather had done as First was to take an accurate census of the Valley Kingdom. He also found out more about their many neighbors on this side of the continent. Humphrey had led more than a few of those missions.

The other kingdoms on the Western side of the continent were not as populous, though some were very close. But proportionately they all had more soldiers in their armies. It had been many years, over twenty, since Humphrey was a simple woodcutter and part of the militia system that had replaced the full standing army when Torahn had gotten rid of its kings. The system that many of Lords of the Council of Twenty-One had manipulated to fill their pockets with gold and silver and leave the country woefully unsecured against enemies. Enemies such as the Trolls whose defeat had vaulted her husband, and herself to prominence amongst the people of the Valley Kingdom.

None were more respected in Torahn for what they had achieved during those years. A time that many still remembered. Now though it was with mostly warmth, since the terrible sacrifices of the Troll Wars were long gone. Yet others would never forget the losses their families had suffered in the wars. Gwendolyn’s father had become First of the Council then. Now many thought it foolish that the Council of Twenty-One had reverted to the old ways of governance without a First. Ways that had given rise to insecurity amongst almost all of Torahn.

Gwendolyn and her father had been crafty enough to use the respect that the populace held for the Faireweathers and Cutters to ensure that when Lord Faireweather put aside the reins of leadership his son by marriage was there to take his seat on the Council. Her father had aged rapidly the last few years of his stewardship of the Valley Kingdom. But once he and mother had retired to their estate, he had become a different man. His cares were lifted and he relaxed. He said what he looked forward to most was those days when his grandchildren visited. His memory though had become challenged.

Humphrey said as he removed his tunic, My you are a fine looking woman. I probably do not say that enough as well. Though I must own that I think it often. And you have bourn five children now. Many other ladies who have carried less do not have near the beauty or figure that you do, my dear. There, he said it and she smiled. Not that Gwendolyn believed Humphrey aware that she needed such compliments, but she did work hard to maintain her looks, not only for him, but for those in the Valley Kingdom of Torahn who thought to envision her as the first woman of the country. She was sure her waist was larger by two inches at least since they had married, and she never would discuss how her backside had increased in size.

But as he was readying for bed she thought that his compliments might have a motive behind them. Thank you husband. So, the council is once more at an impasse?

Yes, of course. Tor stands with me, though you had said he would not. Whelan and Jaston lead those against us. I thrust old William forward to fight Trolls in Mah Wee. Should have done the same with Pete Jaston when I had the chance. King William died then. If Pete Jaston had as well, it might have been fortunate for the citizens of Torahn. The death of King William and his being replaced by King James Lemmons certainly had benefited those of Mah Wee.

Gwendolyn had to agree, Yes, you should have. He has proved untrustworthy since you sent him packing from the Troll Wars. He is a coward and has never forgiven you for embarrassing him then. Even when it costs him, he will go out of his way to do you a disservice, Gwendolyn said.

At first she thought it was a phase of Pete Jaston’s, something he would get over. His father and her’s were great friends on the Council. Even Pete would work with Lord Faireweather, just against Humphrey. One day she would have to crush the man. Something that she knew how to do well, though she did not think that the men on the Council thought she was capable of such actions. They certainly did not think Humphrey so, else they would fear him more. Humphrey did command the most armed men in the realm.

Well, it is too late now. He means to thwart any motion I propose, though should one of our allies propose some new item and not I, he will back it. Perhaps if we need his vote, that is what I must do in the years to come, Humphrey found a way to work around the problem. He did not like confronting these things in the Council for he might lose his temper. The other councillors were afraid of the General when he did lose his temper. Things seemed to happen then.

What was the issue, the rice imports? That they want to maintain a tariff twice what we need, and the money that comes from it goes to a few companies improving the sewers and the water lines? She knew very well what was at stake. They wanted 3 silvers for each ton of rice that was imported. Half of the money that was collected on such imports was more than was needed to ensure that the rice was good quality by inspectors the Council employed. The extra money had been allocated to a company to maintain the sewers of Torahn, and also the water supply. Two companies that eight councillors had their hands in the ownership of.

Two companies that seemed to be more efficient in prior years, doing more with less funding. An audit, Gwendolyn was sure, would reveal that a great deal of money was taken out of the companies by the owners and what was left was barely enough to do the jobs that the companies were tasked to do. Corruption on a grand scale.

Humphrey said, One day. One day I will turn my mind and my own men to seeing what occurs there. An army that approached one hundred thousand men had several officers and men adept at auditing as well. Men whose honor Humphrey trusted for he and others knew that such