"Don't talk nonsense, Lord Walin," Jim Harad corrected him. "We had two ports at most back then, tiny ones that could barely dock longships. What has that got to do with the human navy?" He tossed down his food. "Humans are simply too cunning! That treacherous King of Elnya first befriended us, then attacked without warning! Didn't even bother with a declaration of war!"

  "I believe," Toyef Bilinski said deliberately, "Lord Walin meant the Elnya people used warships to transport soldiers from Rovefen and Nilbo onto our lands, not that they engaged us at sea. Remember, their first troops arrived disguised as merchants aboard trading vessels."

  "Of course you'd remember that, Toyef. Those 'barrel knights' hiding in wine casks." Jim smirked. "But Elnya doesn't have a king anymore, just a duke. Poor bastards tremble at the mere sight of Godmans."

  "We're not good," Walin said. "Elis immediately signed every surrender treaty without even reading them, as if he'd blinded his remaining eye. And when Hovek became lord, he groveled before the Godmans, ceding our lands so quickly it shamed his title."

  "At least Elis fought with courage," Toyef jested. "As the saying goes: 'Elis stood hard and charged, Hovek bent soft and cringed.' Heh heh heh..."

  The dwarves erupted in laughter. "We shouldn't blame him entirely," Jim Harad said, his tone sobering. "He lost his other eye in battle. The elders likely pressured him to sign, probably without explaining the treaty's true terms."

  "If only I could have fought in the Battle of Illuviλofer," Holar Peter Wilton mused. "Things could change."

  "You've developed a sense of humor, Wilton," Walin Barklo Vaslov nudged him. "For that, you'd need to have been born in the Eighth Age, long before the Battle of Brolinki—so ancient that humans hadn't even appeared. Besides, what happened at Illuviλofer cannot be called a 'battle' or a 'campaign'—it was a massacre, pure and simple. It's the darkest chapter in dwarf history, darker even than our oppression during the Dark Age. Had you lived then, you'd never wish harm upon elves. No... nobody, in any age, would willingly take arms against the elves."

  "Unfortunately, those events left no written record," Fendi Firshield approached the group. "With more documentation, perhaps we'd understand why we quarreled with the elves and how we eventually regained our senses."

  "Indeed, no records exist. Even the Illuviλofer Library, the elves' so-called 'treasure trove of knowledge,' contains nothing on the matter. We have only legends passed down through generations," the brown-bearded dwarf shifted his weight. "Have you settled the child?"

  "Yes, sir," the young dwarf replied with relief. "She's finally stopped crying and fallen asleep. Thanks to Thorin for watching over her."

  "It'll be difficult for you lads now," Toyef Bilinski told Fendi. "You'll need to care for this infant and meet her every need. Food will be your greatest challenge. She's newly born and can consume nothing but milk."

  "That's definitely problematic..." the young dwarf admitted. "We'll have to obtain goat's or cow's milk at the nearest village on our return journey."

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  "Why not entrust the girl to that human mother?" Toyef suggested. "She might have a solution."

  "What solution could she possibly offer?" Jim scoffed. "Her child already runs and jumps—she has no milk left. What next?" His smile turned wicked. "Are you suggesting we impregnate her again?"

  "Shut your mouth, Jim Harad!" Toyef roared. "I merely suggest a human mother is better suited to care for an infant! Keep your vile thoughts to yourself!"

  Jim Harad shrugged, seemingly unbothered. "Toyef has a point. Jim, mind your words," Walin rose. "Come, let's speak with the mother about the girl."

  Fendi returned to watch the baby with Thorin, while Jim lay back, sulking, counting stars. Toyef Bilinski, who had been walking ahead, suddenly halted and narrowed his eyes. "What?" Walin inquired, but received no answer.

  "Strange... where has that boy gone?"

  Nate wandered along the riverbank. True, he needed to relieve himself, but more importantly, he savored escaping his mother's watchful eye to claim some freedom. Nearly seven years old, yet his mother treated him like a nursing babe—how annoying!

  "What should I play with?" he muttered, stepping on smooth river stones. Across the water, fireflies traced faint trails of light, like flowing stars appearing and vanishing. Nate had no interest in chasing them; he'd already solved the mystery of their glow. (They eat sunlight in the morning and poop it out at night.)

  With feet dangling in the water, tiny fish occasionally nibbling at his toes, he decided, "I should pee first."

  After a moment's consideration, the boy chose to urinate into the river. He walked along the bank, searching for a high point from which to aim his stream into the water below. Even if he couldn't find the perfect spot, he wanted something close to what he'd imagined. Soon, he made a discovery.

  A mound of earth rose near the riverbank, with what appeared to be an axe embedded in it.

  "This is perfect!" he exclaimed, racing toward it excitedly.

  "My lady," the woman stood immediately upon seeing Toyef Bilinski. "My lords." Even while bowing, her eyes never left the red-haired dwarf.

  "I have a matter to discuss with you," Toyef gestured toward the empty ground beside her. "May I sit?"

  "Of course. Please, my lords."

  "Where's Nate?" Seeing her anxious expression, Toyef hastened to reassure her. "I'm not finding fault, my lady. It's just growing late, and this forest isn't safe. Young ones are curious by nature, and accidents happen easily."

  "He, um... Nate just went to relieve himself. I warned him not to wander far."

  "Don't worry, my lady. Everyone has natural needs, yes?" The red-haired dwarf forced a smile, though the woman didn't reciprocate. "Have you noticed Lord Walin has a young baby with him?" Walin smiled at her.

  The woman nodded. "She's very young," Toyef continued. "So young she still needs milk and can't even say 'father' or 'mother.' As you can see, we're all dwarves, and all male. Caring for her is extremely difficult and rather inappropriate for us. I'd like to entrust the girl to your care for now."

  "You want me to look after the infant?"

  "Exactly."

  "But doesn't she have a mother traveling with you?"

  "She died," Toyef said. "Dysentery, on the journey."

  "But I hafanve no milk to offer her!" The woman lowered her gaze, embarrassed.

  "Don't concern yourself with that," Walin quickly interjected. "We'll manage the feeding. But for other aspects of care, you—a mother—are far better suited."

  The woman seemed to contemplate this. In truth, she understood she had no choice but to obey. "I understand, my lords. Please leave her in my care."