I shrugged. “The city is only three miles square.”
Now it was he who looked at me with a profoundly shocked expression on his face.
I chose to ignore it. There was no explaining some things to foreigners.
28
As I predicted, Latandin Keshil Herrap had ordered the King to give no aid apart from purchased material comfort. Not a man, not a bag, not a barrel.
“If you are overwhelmed and lost we will still be here to protect our own against the enemy, and reap the reward when we have won.” Tul mimicked another man, I assume the King.
We were in the private quarters of his pavilion. For reasons best known to himself he had requested that I join him for a meal, and it turned out he had meant alone. Just the two of us. Cozy. I had become instantly suspicious. Two chairs at an angle, two small tables, a brazier as a focal point.
“Those were his words?”
“The King? No no, he made it very clear with great groveling apologies and assurances that if he alone were to choose he would aid us with every man, every ear of corn, every wagon, his loyalty to the city and its assembly of patrons unwavering.”
“If he alone were to choose?”
Tul snorted in derision. “Like he has a choice. His throne belongs to Latandin and he sits his bum on the throne as long as Latandin says he can and not a second longer.”
“Assembly of patrons.” I sighed. “At the moment the assembly probably hasn't even discussed the matter except in passing.”
“They'll never understand us, cousin. No point in trying to teach pigs to sing.”
“Annoys the pig,” I agreed.
“Are you in control of things?”
If I hadn't been expecting it I would have spat my wine on the floor. It was well watered and might not have left a stain on his expensive rug. “Yes.”
“Sheo? A murder in your area of the camp? Another in the baggage train close by to your wagons?”
“Sheo is on schedule. And grudges get settled in camp sometimes. These aren't the first, are they?”
“You don't know?”
“I don't spend time in camp gossip, Tul.”
“Hmmm.” He frowned into his own goblet of wine, golden goblet no less! “One other killing since we marched.”
“It happens.” I put some food in my mouth and chewed it. Tul kept a simple table as befit an army on the move. There were commanders who had luxuries sent after them from the city on a daily basis. Extravagant and not good for the morale of the men.
“Three killings and no idea who killed them is a bit excessive, Sum. I want to know who is responsible, be it one or three men. Find out.”
“Me? Why me? And how?”
“Why not you?”
I had no real answer to that and felt a little paranoid, so best not to protest too much. I shrugged and said, “I'll put as much time into it as I can.”
“Good! That's settled then. How are you finding command.”
I didn't have to think about it. “It is what we are bred and trained for.”
“True.” He raised his wine in salute and we drank. “But the details, any problems?”
“Not really. Had to discipline a man the other day and I would rather not command mercenaries; their loyalty and motivation are suspect. Sorry, that could be taken as a criticism.”
He had nodded at what I had been saying. “It could. I decided we needed missile troops and we don't raise them. There are auxiliaries from the client kingdoms but I have no client kingdoms so I had to hire them. You're right. Don't trust them. Use them.”
“You are not giving me much in direction.” That had been the first piece of advice given unless I misremembered.
He shrugged. “I'm assessing everyone. When we hit the border I will camp for a couple of days while I wait for reports and we will talk strategy and tactics. You are up on battlefield signals? Drums, flags and so forth?”
“I've studied them, but it's not instinctive.”
“It's one of the things I'll cover later.”
I nodded, accepting the reassurance. We fell silent and just ate for a few moments, me picking at the new plate a slave had placed on my table. “Is there any news from the Ensibi?”
He frowned, suddenly thoughtful. “Conflicting. We have lost a couple of people we were getting reports from, at least I assume they are lost to us and not just on the run south. But it's pretty clear the Ensibi aren't holding their own.”
“And the other tribes?” I promoted him when he fell silent.
“There was a battle in Orduli territory. Border fort commander, lesser noble, took his troops in and lost them. There will be no career advancement for him. Orthand will prosecute.”
“What about Hadrin Ichal Merindis? The Geduri are his clients, aren't they?”
“No word. Not expecting anything yet. He'll only get involved if the whole thing blows up, but I guess he's making preparations to protect his own interests.”
“And the Prashuli?”
He shrugged. “Not sure. It looks like they are raiding but nothing much out of the ordinary. No news that other citizens have been killed but there has been an exodus of the few hundred who were there anyway. Same from Orduli territory. Merchants and their families getting out, trading posts abandoned, that sort of thing.”
I nodded, pretty normal. Peacetime trade with a people outside our control was all very well; private agreements between merchants and local chiefs held up well enough, usually. Maybe a few acres under the plow, a mine rented, a trading post, whatever. When the natives got restless a threat or two from our people on the spot would usually do the trick. It's not the first time we have passed through the north and made a mess before leaving. You'd think they would learn to behave themselves but another generation, another crop of hotheads and idiots.
He was still frowning, thoughtful, and I left him to it. He had something else on his mind and prompting him wouldn't make him share it. “What?” I ran out of patience.
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
Told you so.
29
The next day was much like any other until the letters arrived. Two from the south with the same courier and one from the north. It was going to take me a while before I decided how I felt about the first two, the third sent me into an incandescent rage.
That morning the thin mage, Ferrian, had been waiting for me to return from the morning briefing (Orchids). He had been formal and dignified, but even he could not quite hide his irritation at being in a position where he had to make a report about the doings of his fellows. If the battle mages and healers had complained to Tul he had not mentioned it. They were under my command. Though initially it had been meant as a sinecure it was still a fact, and they had begun to learn it. As long as they did their job I wasn't interested in how they felt, though for personal reasons I would rather be on good terms with them. If they didn't invite me to eat I would eat elsewhere, tonight I had asked to join Rastrian, phrasing it carefully so that he knew I would accept no refusal but also so that it didn't sound like an order.
