are there in the hill country?”
“Three others, but the others are smaller, just two companies of mounted foot and the engineers.”
“I’d heard about the hill brigands, but I didn’t realize that there was so much trouble here.”
“It’s not that there’s so much. It’s that they’re so scattered. You’d wear down the mounts and men trying to cover all the Boran Hills.”
“Are there any other hill areas in Tilbor that have so many problems?”
“There are a few holders in the northern woods, but we’ve only got a couple of battalions up there, and that seems to be enough. The High Holders there are more helpful in dealing with brigandage and lawlessness.”
Quaeryt nodded, but noted Meinyt’s views differed somewhat from what he’d heard from both Straesyr and Rescalyn. “And the companies at all the outposts are in addition to the ones at the Telaryn Palace?” He wanted to make sure he understood exactly how many companies there were and where they were.
“Well … they’re all part of the regiment … there are six battalions always at the palace, and that doesn’t count those at the outposts. The reason the companies at the outposts are rotated monthly is so all the companies get to deal with the troublemakers and so that no one has to stay more than a month at a time at any outpost.”
Quaeryt kept his mental mathematics to himself. “That way everyone is kept ready to deal with the hill types, and it doesn’t fall too heavily on one or two battalions.”
“Mostly,” replied Meinyt dryly. “Some of us end up doing a bit more. My company is always stationed at the northwest outpost in Ianus.”
“That’s why you were talking about dealing with brigands in the snow.”
“It’s usually not too bad.”
“Are there any other companies that have winter duties and skills?”
“Chydar’s company. That’s about it.”
Quaeryt was certain he didn’t want to be with Meinyt in Ianus, but why were so few companies specified to deal with the worst of the winter conditions? “Do you have special equipment?”
“Most of the men can handle snowshoes or skis.”
“Skis?” Quaeryt had never heard of skis.
“They’re long wooden slats that you strap to your boots. They keep you on top of the snow-if you don’t fall. When you go downhill you can outdistance a wolf or a mount. That’s if you’re good. Some of the local rankers are very good. It takes practice, but we get a lot of it in Ianus.”
“I’m glad I don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not that hard-unless you’re chasing brigands.”
“They attack in the snow?”
“They attack any time they think you’re weak. Besides, what else can they do in the winter except sit in front of a fire and drink?”
Quaeryt let that go. “Who’s in charge of Boralieu?”
“That’s Commander Zirkyl. He’s the post commander.” Meinyt looked to the north and the line of clouds over the hills in the distance. “Looks like we’ll get to the post and all the mounts stabled before the rain hits.”
49
Although he had done very little on Jeudi, Quaeryt was still stiff and sore on Vendrei morning. After eating a hearty breakfast, he walked from the officers’ mess-a small room off the end of a larger chamber where the rankers ate-toward the west courtyard and the stables to join Meinyt’s company for a patrol. The outpost was obviously far newer than the Telaryn Palace, with competent but not artistic stonework and inside walls of white plaster applied directly to the stone. By looking closely, Quaeryt could see where the cracks in the plaster had been filled and whitewashed over. The walls were clean, as were the stone floors, but there were no decorations or adornments anywhere.
As he walked along the corridor flanking the rankers’ dining hall, he couldn’t help but overhear a few comments.
“… Waerfyl … say he’s trained a squad of crossbowmen…”
“… not that much good in the woods … won’t hit many…”
“… fine … unless you’re the one bolted…”
Quaeryt agreed with the last observation, but offered no expression as he passed.
“… just have to duck real quick…”
“… if you’re lucky enough to hear anything…”
Once outside, under a sky that looked partly heat-hazed already, he made his way to the stable. There he saddled the mare and walked her out into the courtyard. At that moment, Meinyt rode over to where Quaeryt was about to mount.
“We’ll be riding a good two glasses to the west. It should be an easy ride.”
The scholar certainly hoped so. “Good.” He climbed into the saddle and rode after the captain to the head of the company.
Quaeryt said little until several quints after the company had left Boralieu, and the company was riding westward along a dirt road uphill through the woods on the far side of the valley that held the outpost. While trees and brush were cut back from the road some ten yards, the woods beyond were dark, although the trees were mostly evergreens and grew far enough apart that a rider-and in some instances, a wagon-could have passed between them.
Since everything seemed to be quiet, Quaeryt spoke. “Major Skarpa didn’t tell me whether this is just a routine patrol, or whether you’re looking into some sort of problem.”
“That’s his sense of humor.” Meinyt offered a laugh that was more like a bark. “We’re logged out as a routine patrol.”
Quaeryt could see a glint in the officer’s eyes. “Someone’s about to make trouble, then, but no one has any proof?”
“More than likely, and it’s probably Waerfyl. His lands abut those of High Holder Dymaetyn. Dymaetyn has all the lands to the east and south of Boralieu, and some a little to the southwest. Waerfyl’s hold is some eight milles to the southwest of Boralieu, and his holding is almost big enough to make him a High Holder. Might be bigger, but the other High Holders wouldn’t have him as one of them. That’s even if he wanted to be, and he doesn’t. Dymaetyn says that Waerfyl’s men are poaching on his lands. He also claims that Waerfyl’s loggers are sneaking into his northern timber stands and logging the best goldenwoods and dragging them out.”
“Claims? Doesn’t he know?” Quaeryt’s words came out more sardonically than he’d intended.
“He knows that there are goldenwood stumps and branches left behind. He knows that Waerfyl’s lands are north of his.”
“Could they be timber brigands, so to speak?”
“They could. If they are, they’re using Waerfyl’s lands. It’s Waerfyl’s responsibility to stop them.”
“Why doesn’t Dymaetyn? I thought that the High Holders had their own armsmen in numbers large enough to hold off the Khanar’s Guard.”
“They used to. The governor persuaded them to reduce the numbers. To do that, he had to agree to deal with the backwoods and hill types.”
Quaeryt could see the logic in that, because it limited or eliminated the fighting between High Holders, and probably also reduced the temptation for one High Holder to encroach on another. It also lowered the costs of running their holdings, because they didn’t have to pay so many armsmen. Did that allow the High Holders to pay higher tariffs and still come out ahead?
Although they had left Boralieu while it was still comfortable, by the time another glass had passed, and the company had taken a fork in the road that led slightly south of due west, Quaeryt was beginning to feel the heat, not to mention the red flies, whose bite was worse than that of a mosquito. He’d lifted his light shields for a time, which extended a yard or so out, and that kept them mostly away from him, but holding them for more than a
