Selena had seen a dwarf only once, when she was six. The emissary of Afren-Ckile had spent the night at Castle Nelesti, though only Graeme, Daphene, and Vivian had been trusted to dine with the delegate of the short, stout people without rudely staring or, worse, laughing.
There was already some trade between Continae and Afren-Ckile, the dwarves’ homeland, but the number of dwarves living in Superius was very, very small.
“Mercantile competition will strengthen trade in Superius,” Selena heard her father say. “We might lose a few smiths…lackluster smiths, at that…but we will increase the need for other exports.”
“And yet Superius is landlocked, and Superian guilds do not like paying tariffs to West Cape or Glenning in order to ship their goods.”
“Yes, renegotiations would need to take place among the Kings of Continae to ensure every nation in the confederacy benefits equally under the terms of the Alliance of Nations,” Godfrey argued, “which, by necessity, will operate as a loose set of guidelines in the beginning.
“Trade is but one of the benefits that will come with the improved relations among Altaerra’s sovereignties. Think of the innovations that Superius and Continae might gain from the rest of the world, not to mention the history that can be found in such ancient lands as Nathaal and Sylvanayérek!”
Three heartbeats later, Alger asked the very question on Selena’s mind. “An invitation into the Alliance is to be sent to the elves?”
“Yes,” Godfrey said, “though, truth be told, there is little hope they will respond. It is expected Ristidae will be a strong supporter of the Alliance, but the elves of the East have no love for the half-elves or, for that matter, the pure-blooded elves who live there. Ristidae’s membership alone might dissuade Sylvanayérek from joining.”
Old Alger grunted. “And let us not forget it was our ancestors who clashed with the elves under the reign of the Three Wise Kings.”
Though the humans of Continae knew very little about Sylvanayérek, the elves’ wooded refuge, Selena had read many accounts of how Ristidae had come to be. After the Three Kings War and the Wars of Sundering that followed, the men and women who had resided in eastern Canth migrated westward to distance themselves from the hostile elves.
Not everyone left their homes, however, and for centuries something of a no-man’s-land existed between modern-day Superius and the great forests of the elves. It was only after the ogres of Thanatan flooded northward into the politically fallow territory that the land adopted the name “Ristidae”—or Cousin Land—as a tribute to the warriors of Continae who came to their aid against the ogres.
Selena found Godfrey and Alger’s conversation fascinating on many levels. She knew the histories, but it never occurred to her how much the past might affect present-day relations between the nations. That King Edward was proposing a treaty with the xenophobic elves was not only historically remarkable, it was mind-bogglingly revolutionary.
“So,” Old Alger said, “by formally allying with Ristidae, we might make a true enemy of Sylvanayérek.”
Godfrey did not miss a beat. “We are already fast friends with Ristidae, and I cannot imagine anything we humans do will stop the elves from hiding in their trees.”
“Even if the rest of the continent comes together in one accord?” Alger retorted. “History tells us that when the elves react to human politics, it is always with violence.”
Selena imagined her father waving a hand in dismissal. “As long as we leave the elves alone, they will not bother us. For centuries it has been so.”
“But surely you must see what a drastic change it will be, Godfrey…and how it might diminish the glory of Superius, casting a shadow over the kingdom’s identity and her position of power,” said Alger.
Selena scarcely breathed as she waited for her father’s answer.
“When the King’s grandfather proposed the Confederacy of Continae, many Superians worried the nation would lose its way. But Superius still exists, virtue intact. If anything, we are a stronger country because of our ties to Glenning, Torred, and the rest.”
“That is because the other Kings of Continae yield to the King of Superius,” the old Knight said. “They defer to him out of respect and fear of his authority. The Confederacy of Continae was borne of a Superian mind, and King Edward Borrom III veritably rules over all Continae.
“There are many, Godfrey, who would not jeopardize Superius’s prosperity in the pursuit of bettering the rest of the world, noble as that aim may be.”
Godfrey chuckled. “And some Knights of Superius might fear they will be out of a job.”
Selena smiled in spite of herself, but Alger’s voice remained serious.
“On the contrary, I worry the Knights will soon find themselves stretched too thin. Heed my words, Godfrey. The people will resist change. Many civil wars are not waged in the name of revolution, but to maintain the status quo.”
“The people need to put more faith in their king,” Godfrey said after another sigh. “Given time, I am certain that the Alliance of Nations will enjoy the same success as the Confederacy of Continae before it.”
“We can only hope,” Alger replied.
Selena heard her father laugh again. “You do an admirable job at arguing the opposing view, my old friend. The devil has found a worthy advocate in you.”
“That is a backhanded compliment to be sure!” Alger guffawed.
The two men grew quiet, then, as they took to their pipes—or so Selena reasoned. How long had she been standing there eavesdropping? A quick glance down where her body should have been confirmed the invisibility spell had not yet expired, yet Selena knew she had tarried too long.
Lucas probably thought she had snubbed him!
As she hurried through the castle’s crisscrossing avenues, her thoughts returned to the discussion she had overheard. She had underestimated the magnitude of her father’s work for the King. The Alliance of Nation would surely rock the very foundation of foreign relations.
Forging a beneficial relationship with the dwarves was one thing, but the elves?
There were some in Superius who did not believe elves even existed. Since they seldom left the sanctuary of their great forest, it was easy to dismiss them. Selena supposed the lay folk might also scoff at dwarves and ogres too.
And, of course, there were many people who dismissed magic as the stuff of children’s stories.
Selena could not immediately decide whether the Alliance of Nations would present more problems than it purported to solve. She trusted her father’s judgment, but would the rest of the populace put their faith in the King and those who supported his dream of unity among the races?
Could it really come to civil war?
Her preoccupations fizzled away once she reached the stable. Dropping the invisibility enchantment, she knocked and, a few seconds later, was rewarded by the quizzical expression of her boyfriend. This time, she would not have to lie to him about what detained her.
Not that Lucas was much interested in politics.
Not when there were so many other ways for young lovers to pass the time.