panels of which were adorned with painted images of his great-vatarh and namesake, the Hirzg Jan ca’Silanta, fighting the bamboo-armored hordes of East Magyaria. Jan folded his hands on his lap.
“Of our troops, very few, my Hirzg. A’Offizier cu’Linnett was able to effectively use his war-teni and archers and thus inflicted most of the damage from a distance.”
“How very convenient,” Jan commented drolly. “And for the Nessantico Garde Civile?”
“At least a hundred and fifty dead, perhaps two hundred.”
“So three hundred escaped. Perhaps more. Is that what you’re saying to me, Starkkapitan?”
Jan heard Markell, standing just behind his chair, suck in a breath.
Allesandra snickered. Ca’Staunton seemed to notice the tone of Jan’s voice for the first time. His chest deflated as he exhaled, his chin dropped, and his shoulders drooped. “My Hirzg-” he began, but Jan
cut him off, abruptly.
“I wonder, Starkkapitan. . Did I fail to make myself clear when I gave you my orders? Because I distinctly remember saying to you, after we captured the Kraljiki’s spies, that it was vital-
Cu’Linnett stared ever harder at Allesandra’s toy soldiers in their painted silver and black, his hands clasped behind his back. Starkkapitan ca’Staunton visibly paled. “My Hirzg, it was of course my intention to do exactly as you’d ordered. The third division had already been sent to cross the Clario well below Ville Colhelm, but we came upon the Garde Civile troops unexpectedly and A’Offizier cu’Linnett had no choice but to engage immediately. There was no time to coordinate the attack.”
“A’Offizier,” Jan snapped, and cu’Linnett’s head threatened to snap entirely from his neck as he jerked his head around to meet Jan’s gaze.
“You had no vanguard scouting the terrain ahead of your forces? You were surprised by the Garde Civile? They initiated the contact?”
“No, my Hirzg,” the man answered. His voice was firm and solid, and Jan caught the hint of a frown when his eyes flicked over toward ca’Staunton. “The starkkapitan was perhaps somewhat unclear in his assessment of our situation. Our vanguard reported to me that a force of perhaps a half a thousand Garde Civile held the bridge across the Clario at Ville Colhelm, under the command of A’Offizier and Chevaritt Elia ca’Montmorte.”
“I know ca’Montmorte,” Jan said. “One of the few competent chevarittai, in my opinion. What did you do when that report came to you, A’Offizier?”
“I immediately sent runners to the starkkapitan with the news.”
“Ah,” Jan said. “As you should have. And the starkkapitan’s response?”
Allesandra’s toy soldiers clinked dully as her hand swept over them, striking down a battalion. Cu’Linnett stiffened his gaze, keeping his eyes only on Jan. “I was ordered to engage the enemy since we had a far superior force. I obeyed those orders. I sent my war-teni ahead along the path of the Avi, supported by archers and infantry, and had two squadrons of chevarittai flank the Garde Civile east and west along the Clario to attempt to contain the enemy. Unfortunately, the Clario isn’t fordable at that point, so the Garde Civile’s forces were able to retreat across the bridge once their offiziers realized they they were outflanked and badly outnumbered-the starkkapitan had specifically ordered that the bridge was not to be destroyed.”
“And ca’Montmorte?”
“He ordered the retreat, and was among those holding the bridge.
He retreated himself only when it was obvious that he had lost. I pursued Chevaritt ca’Montmorte through Ville Colhelm but felt that to go farther would leave my men too exposed and isolated from our main forces. I called a halt, and remained in Ville Colhelm to hold the bridge and the town. Perhaps I should have questioned the starkkapitan’s orders or asked for clarification on how he wished me to proceed, but I did not. If that was wrong, my Hirzg, any blame is entirely mine and not that of my offiziers or men.”
“So you take the entire responsibility for your tactics, A’Offizier?”
Jan could see the man swallow. “I do, my Hirzg. Given the suddenness of the attack and the lay of the land, I did what I thought best.”
“You performed your duty admirably. An offizier must always obey his superior, and I admire your willingness to accept responsibility for your actions.” Jan nodded to the man, who relaxed visibly. Allesandra began setting up her soldiers again. Jan turned his attention back to ca’Staunton. “A lesson the starkkapitan himself should have learned,” he added.
Ca’Staunton reddened further. “My Hirzg, that’s unfair,” he answered, his jowls flapping as he spoke. “I have always endeavored to follow your orders to the best of my ability.”
“It’s your ability that is in question,” Jan snapped back at him. “But not any longer. Markell?”
Markell stepped forward then, standing to the side of Jan’s chair. He withdrew a scroll from the single side drawer of the table and handed it to ca’Staunton. His voice was formal and unemotional. “Ahren
ca’Staunton, you have been found guilty of treason by the Court of Chevarittai Firenzcia for deliberate disobedience of the orders from your Hirzg, and for endangering Firenzcia, her people, and the Hirzg with your actions. Your titles of chevaritt and starkkapitan are hereby revoked. The Court’s judgment is that you deserve to be executed for your crime, and that punishment is to be carried out immediately. The Court’s order has been reviewed and signed by the Hirzg; his seal is af-fixed, as you see.”
“No!” Ca’Staunton’s shout pushed Jan’s spine against his chair.
“You can’t do this!” the man bellowed. “You-your vatarh always said to me that you were reckless and a fool.” With one motion, he tossed the scroll aside and drew his sword-Jan heard the hiss of blade against scabbard, like a shrill wind through fir branches-and charged toward Jan.
He made only a single step. Cu’Linnett moved at the same time,drawing his sword and pivoting. The a’offizier’s blade slashed across ca’Staunton’s ample stomach, the starkkapitan’s rush burying the
edge deeply in his abdomen. Ca’Staunton doubled over at the point of impact, his eyes wide, and he grunted like an animal. Cu’Linnett completed his turn, ripping out his sword. Blood spattered in a gory, diagonal line across the tent fabric very near Allesandra, who stared, her mouth open and a painted soldier clutched in her hand. Ca’Staunton remained standing for a breath, hunched over, his sword still pointed threateningly at Jan.
The sword dropped from the man’s hand. A surge of red poured from his mouth.
He fell.
Jan was still seated in his chair, his hands folded in his lap. Markell’s own sword was drawn, the double- edged steel gleaming protectively in front of Jan. Markell sheathed the blade as Jan slowly rose and came around to the blood-spattered front of the field desk. Ca’Staunton’s body twitched, his eyes wide and frightened, the blood still flowing from his mouth and nostrils as his hands tried to stuff pink loops back into the gaping wound. Cu’Linnett stood above him, his sword tip at ca’Staunton’s neck, his foot on the starkkapitan’s chest. “My Hirzg?” he asked. “If I may? The man suffers.”
Jan didn’t answer at first. “Allesandra?” he asked, looking back at his daughter. She stared at the blood, but now her head turned to him.
Her face was serious and pale.
“I’m fine, Vatarh,” she said. She gulped audibly before speaking again. “He was a bad starkkapitan.”
“Yes, he was,” Jan told her. He nodded to cu’Linnett. The man’s sword thrust and ca’Staunton went still. Jan bent down beside the body and tore ca’Staunton’s insignia of rank from his uniform blouse, heed-less of the blood that stained his hand. He spat on ca’Staunton’s body as he hefted the silver-and-brass weight of the starkkapitan’s eagle in his palm. Markell nodded once behind the desk, as if he guessed at Jan’s thoughts. Allesandra watched him from the rug. He held out the insignia toward cu’Linnett.
“Starkkapitan ca’Linnett,” and the doubled change in title and name brought the man’s head up sharply. “I thank you for your defense of your Hirzg. And I extend my congratulations on your victory today- may you have many more as starkkapitan. You have demonstrated that you are a fine example of the chevarittai of Firenzcia. As reward, I name you Comte of the town of Ville Colhelm. Direct your offiziers to take the army across the Clario, and secure your town; I will cross the Clario myself this evening and will meet you there so we can discuss our future
