Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

Chapter 171  Send the barbarians first

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The flickering candlelight cast long shadows on the walls of the library as Henry sat behind a small desk, his fingers tapping the wood as he held his chin in deep thought - "Tell me again, what happened in the Valley" - he ordered, leaning forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Leier standing before him.

Leier took a deep breath, her voice calm and steady as she recounted the events - "We made our way up the mountain through a narrow and dangerous path, with thin layers of ice covering some parts of the way. We reached the peak within a few hours, where we could see the Screaming Valley below, hidden by a river of clouds." Henry didn't look away, his attention fully on her words, the shadows created by the candles creating a somber feeling.

"I ordered the soldiers to scout the way, and we found a path down," she said, gesturing with her hands as if to illustrate her story - "I decided to go down by myself since time was running short. It was quite an easy route, but when I reached the cloud layer, it was difficult to maintain my balance. With some effort, I crossed the layer and reached the valley. However, as soon as I got to the ground, I was attacked by small people with hairy bodies and great strength… dwarves."

Henry's fingers stilled, and he looked intently at Leier - "Dwarves, you say? And they mentioned something about a village hidden within the valley?" Leier nodded - "Yes, Your Majesty. Eavesdropping their conversation, they seemed wary of strangers and went back to warn their villages. They also seem to have had previous contact with other humans and have quite a negative impression of us." The king leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. The situation had become complicated. The presence of dwarves meant it would be nearly impossible to travel with thousands of soldiers through the valley without risking an attack or falling into a trap made by the dwarves. They were known as the best labyrinth makers in the world, according to some books in his library. It was never wise to be on the wrong side of those who could produce both weapons and traps. "Go get me Olaro" - Henry ordered, closing his eyes. Before Leier could leave the room, he added - "And bring Zahra with him. It's good to have another opinion."

"Yes, Your Majesty" - Leier obliged, leaving the room. She didn't know why, but she didn't much like that woman.

It didn't take long for their figures to appear in the room, guided by Leier. They walked to the front of Henry's table and bowed - "I will get straight to the point" - Henry said, opening his eyes and looking at the two newcomers - "We have encountered a complication in our plans."

Zahra looked a bit confused. She wasn't aware of the potential change in plans that Henry and Olaro had discussed, so she decided to stay silent to avoid making a fool of herself. Suddenly, her sixth sense kicked in, and she turned her head -"Why is she looking at me?" - she wondered, noticing Leier glancing at her occasionally with a hostile expression. She had no idea what was happening but decided to focus on what the king was saying.

At the mention of problems, Olaro nodded - "What is it, Your Majesty?" Henry leaned forward, his fingers interlacing on the desk - "Leier encountered dwarves in the valley. They seem wary of outsiders, and their presence complicates our passage through the valley. If things continue like this, we won't be able to use the valley to reach the capital of Aritreia." Olaro placed his hands on his hips - "The stunted, hairy people whose height doesn't even reach my hip? The ones with great strength, known for forging excellent tools and weapons? They look like Luke?" - he asked, recalling the information Henry had taught him a few months ago. He had never met a dwarf, but based on Henry's description, they all seemed similar to Luke, their midget residing in the capital. However, contrary to Luke, their courage allowed them to fight head on against anything on their sight.

Zahra silently looked at Olaro, finally understanding what happened. In the Commander's Training Center she had also learned about other races and their characteristics.

"I need your help. How should we proceed?" - Henry asked, hoping for a brilliant idea to appear from their mouths.

"Is it possible to send someone to negotiate our passage?" Olaro asked and added - "According to you, they like shiny items, so we can give them some silver."

Henry shook his head. "We have no idea where their settlements are, so it's difficult to arrange a negotiation. And they attacked Leier without knowing her identity, so we can expect they will do the same to anyone from our side. Furthermore, we didn't bring enough silver with us."

Olaro understood the king's reasons and words. Finding the dwarves in the immense mountain range was nearly impossible, like finding a grain of sand in deep confines of the ocean. Their only option was to expect another dwarf attack when they reached the ground to make contact with them and negotiate a safe way down the valley.

Silence hovered in the room as they all fell into deep silence. From time to time, Zahra found Leier watching her from the corner of her eye. However, this pressure seemed to give her brain some oxygen.

"What if we send the barbarians first?" - Zahra suggested, her eyes focused on the king - "The terrain up the mountain is difficult, yes?" - she asked, and the others confirmed, Leier explaining the difficulty of the path towards the mountain's top.

"So, the worst part of the climb is the cold. A normal soldier would be exhausted within a day. They wouldn't have the energy to continue" - Zahra said, after hearing Leier's report, as the king leaned forward, trying to understand the line of thought behind her words.

"The barbarians are born and raised in the Frozen Forest, and they have Tribal Tattoos, which means they can easily traverse the mountain and withstand the cold," Zahra continued - "We use the barbarians to pave the way, with the others following at a calmer pace. If we encounter the dwarves, we'll have time to regroup and fight, or negotiate."

Henry considered Zahra's suggestion, recognizing its potential - "Sending the barbarians ahead could be a viable strategy. It might not prevent dwarf attacks, but it could minimize them and give us a chance to fight back. We might not even meet the dwarves until we reach Etrira." Olaro nodded in agreement. "It's a risky approach, but given the circumstances, it may be our best option."

Henry leaned back in his chair, weighing the pros and cons. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded decisively - "Very well. We will proceed with Zahra's plan. Leier, I want you to coordinate with the barbarian tribes and prepare them for the task. I will accompany you. Olaro and Zahra, gather the rest of the soldiers to follow behind the barbarians, ready to support them if needed." "We obey" - Leier and Olaro said, understanding their roles. With their tasks assigned, they left the room to begin preparations. As Leier exited the library, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had about Zahra. She didn't like her liege near this woman. Maybe she was dangerous, and her sixth sense was warning her. She didn't know - "I will just keep an eye on her for now, and if she proves to be a danger to my liege" - she thought - "I will have to put an end to her." Henry remained in the library, watching their backs leaving the room, the flickering candlelight casting long, dancing shadows across the room. He hoped this strategy would work, knowing the risks involved. He might lose some soldiers, but the potential for a rapid victory over Aritreia and Luak was significant. "Dwarves" - he repeated under his breath - "Maybe I can conquer them and bring them under my throne." Henry was already envisioning what he could do with these small men specialized in forging weapons and tools. It would greatly help him and the kingdom, boosting his military power. The books said dwarves' swords could cut even the moon. Among the chaotic memories he inherited from Caelum, Henry was sure a dwarf had helped bring Caelum to the world. It was wise to have them on his side.

"I will just have to wait" - Henry said, closing his eyes - "Everything shall be in place. The future is mine for taking."

Henry wanted to succeed and patience has always been a great characteristic of all great leaders. He had to attack in the right time and back down in the right time. If he wanted to bring the dwarves to his side, he had to do it cleanly.