"The preparations are continuing, but many would say that it would have been safer to not break the back of our military clearing out the caves when you thought the humans were planning on invading," Brenzen said.
Thane absent-mindedly touched the scar on her right hand from where a serpent man- or more accurately, a rotten serpent man's corpse- had tried to rip her hand off with his teeth. She'd caved his skull in with Ob Kat, killing him again, but Cornelius had kept her in the hospital for weeks, fearing an infection. "Would you really feel safe with that castle of corpses beneath us while we fought the headbangers?" she asked. "They were nearly our undoing when the goblins attacked as well. They must be guided by something, so they were more of a threat than anything the mortal world could bring against us."
"Even so, were the caves really worth so much death and injury?"
Thane barely glanced at the memorial to Lor in the corner of the office. "It doesn't matter whether they were a good deal, it's what we bought for the price we paid. And we are going to keep them."
The office door crashed open and Artyom burst inside, panting.
"Quick," he gasped. "It's Talonis... he..."
"He's hurt?" Thane asked.
"No, he-"
"Dead?" Brenzen cut in, glaring at Thane.
"No... worse."
The dining hall had been rapidly converted into a courtroom. Vladamir sat behind a long table, Thane on his right and Brenzen on his left. Before them stood Talonis Wolf, chained and smirking. Those who had wanted to attend sat in a ring of seats around the hall, some watching silently, others muttering their own opinions.
"Vitnesses say zat you started screaming about ze madness in this fortress, then attacked Medtob Obeybridged while she lay injured in the hospital, killink her. Until recently, we haf been unable to find proof against you on this matter, but two vitnesses have come forward to tell of your latest crime. Step forward, Erib and Torvald."
Of the two, Erib seemed the more nervous. Torvald didn't seem worried by the attention, but his smile was long gone.
"Is zis ze man you saw killing the cook, Id Erithsokan?"
Erib nodded shakily. Torvald said, "They seemed to be just talking, then out of nowhere, he just started punching the guy. Then he just... he looked at us like he thought nothing could touch him."
"You can't," Talonis grinned. "In case you've forgotten, I'm the captain of the guard here. Justice is my domain."
Vladamir nodded slowly. "He's right. Well, I guess there's only one thing to do..." Talonis' smile widened. "Talonis Wolf, I hereby strip you of your titles and powers in ze fortress of Demongate, by ze power of Vladamir Uristovitch, duke of Demongate and ze surrounding lands. I appoint Artyom Barkov as our new captain of the guard. For ze murder of Id Erithsokan, I sentence you to two hundred days in prison... and fifty hammerstrikes."
"You idiot!" Talonis screamed. "I fought for this hellhole for years! Why should I listen to that crazy wench just because you want to come in unto her? I lost my wife, my only son, and you think you can just take even more from me?"
"You lost your wife and son, and now your daughters will lose their father," Thane shrugged, her voice full of all the emotion of a gravestone. "Such is justice."
The guards dragged Talonis from the hall. Thane picked up her hammer and silently followed him out, a chorus of whispers following her in turn. Some would claim she was smiling as she went to do her duty, others that she wept. Perhaps it was both.
Note: Talonis actually did kill those people, I'm not just trying to kill off absolutely everyone that got dwarfed.