On the most exalted rocky forts in the east was the royal rocky fort, a collection of royal caves for the house of Berubah, the household of the kings, the kinkiest of the dwarves, the strongest of the dwarves. It was an elongated cave, one carved by nature and then by artifice to be a stronghold with inner barricades of metal and Stella. Altogether, it was on the hardest rock that sat in the mouth of the east - the first cave, the first household, the first fort.
A mixture of silver and gold made the shiny and fine surfaces of the interior and on the surfaces were carved images of the kings before with their weaponry of war in their hands.
In the cave, there was a table from one end to another, and the opposite is another table, from one end to another end. There were lamp holders hung on the wall and they collectively bred light into the cave.
At the far end of the cave was a throne highly exalted above the tables and chairs in the room, for about three feet, and on the foot of the exalted throne were eleven small stones. Around the throne were four other stones, two on both sides.
On the throne of stones and gold was Berubah the Baron; muscular, agile and hairy. His right foot sat on a mass of gold which stood to represent the wealth of the household and the kingdom. Berubah streamed through his black beards which had blotches of brown down the middle. The bleach was as a result of years of indulgence in ales over ales and wines and rums. Berubah handled his golden mug and drank from it. This time, it was a prescribed edition of ale and milk mixed with an unequal proportion of ale taking the higher ratio. The thick juice streamed down his beards and this made his beards be of three colours - brown, black and white, with black by the sides, brown and white blotches in the middle and down.
There was merriment going on in the hall. The same was happening on the outside too. The east glistened with merry and from the entrance which was the Baron's castle to the tail of the east, which was the prison yard was there a cup of ale for the ones who could handle it and there was milk on the table for the young ones – even the prisoners were fed with beef and wine.
Berubah looked into the hall and belched, it was a hall filled with his wives and daughters, his lords and his chiefs over provinces, and their wives. Seated on his sides were his four queens, mothers of four princesses and eight princess – princesses all in the court and seated on the four stones that were mounted on the platform a little lower than the throne, leaving out the spaces for the princes who were away, feasting in the town.
"It's a day to be joyous, drink to your fill, ye little-big men," one of the lords said aloud. He was on his feet and a refined orc's horn was on his hand, from which he drank.
"Yes, my friend," one of the lords said and raised his cup too.
"Little-big men – I love that title. Folks who live in the west always think they are the higher ones. They love to think they are the men. They are twice or thrice our heights, but we are bigger isn't it? And the bigger ones have the bigger balls…"
"Don't go dirty, my friend!" comment came from the hall, a comment not enough to interrupt the lord who was speaking.
"But we have done what they dared not to do, and we have done it over and over. Why shouldn't we drink to our fill?" he said and emptied his horn and then bent to pour more into it.
As they all cheered, Berubah stood to his feet and paced from right to left with his golden mug in his hands. As he paced, silence prevailed and Berubah cleared his throat.
"Men, women, kids, it's a day worth talking about," Berubah began in his husky voice.
"Yesterday we have a lot on our table. Nothing but the orcs around our homes. But today," he said in an audible pitch.
"We only have ale in our hands," he said and the men in the hall cheered.
"Make provisions for every corner of the land. Let the animals know that for the first time, we wiped out all orcs on our territory save none. Who would escape the fury of the little-big man? No one!" he accentuated and cheers came up again.
Just after the cheers, Prince Alabin walked in and bowed slightly before Berubah. He stood between the two long tables and held a mug in his hand.
"My father, I'm sorry if this is coming at the wrong time but I have to say. We have controversial news from the west," Prince Alabin said. He was the lord of the spies with ears and eyes in the human realm.
"What news be that?" Berubah asked and looked on as Alabin began to huff.
Now, everyone in the hall changed their gaze towards Alabin who continued to spin his plumb body and barrelled stomach around, giving a questionable look to all who looked at him.
"First, the bandits bought to attack the west almost succeeded…"
"Almost?" Berubah asked interruptingly.
"Yes, father. Men that returned claimed the villagers retreated into barns but there was a hoodlum gang that was led by a girl…"
"A girl?" Berubah interrupted.
" Yes, father. A girl. One named Merodah. Young and small. She led the hobos and they fought off the bandits…"
Berubah dropped his head and sighed.
"They fell back, but one was taken captive for questioning. I fear he'd vomit the truth when he's been tortured," Alabin said.
"Well, that's a declaration of war then. It doesn't matter when or how, we'd fight soon," Berubah said and turned to face his throne.
"Oh!" Berubah said as an afterthought and turned to face Alabin.
"You said something about a controversial plot, what is it?" he asked.
"My ears and eyes from the human sept spake of an intended visit from King Tobb Roham, the first of his name, and king over the human realm. I'm sure he heard about our verbatim victory over the orcs and wants to know how. Secondly, the reason I'm blushing over the words in my mouth, king Tobb wants to unite the realms," Alabin said and paused.
Chatters ensued in the hall, and murmurs of the women while the men grumbled but none got a grasp of the information, just rumbles from their mouths.
"Yes, king Tobb wants to ask for the hand of a princess," Alabin paused again, allowing the tension to rise.
"He hasn't decided what prince to give and he didn't know my sisters by name. But he said it, and he will do it. I know him for that."
At Alabin's conclusion, Berubah laughed, as well as his lords and he held the belt that separated his belly from his groin and strolled down his throne. He turned to face his daughters who were seated beside their mother and smirked.
"Who's is going to be?" he said and laughed again.
"Pomo or Liah or Sarab? guess we'll find out soon. And which of his sons is it going to be? Erson the governor, or Walda the captain, or Hummel, the wealthiest man in the east, is is it prince Aff, the chief of chiefs. Soon we'll find out. Send out troops to the giants, tell them we need to do some clearing before the orcs start to smell," Berubah said and returned to his throne.
"Ye little-big men, drink to your fill," he said.
"Father!" Alabin called to incite silence in the hall.
"I think we should be worried about the prisoner in their custody, not giving out my sister."
"Let him jabber. No one will believe anything he says. Let Tobb come, I'll sort that," Berubah said and laughed.
Alabin walked out of the hall and the merriment continued.