Relam finally gave up looking. He would pick four of the guards he recognized by sight at random and take them as his guards. If only more of Narin’s old men were here, like the four who had helped Relam execute the former commander. They would have been more than satisfactory.
As he had the thought, the door to the guard room opened and a dozen men entered, pulling off their helms as they did. They all looked exhausted, stumbling wearily to their bunks along the back wall.
“I can’t take much more of this,” one complained bitterly to his neighbor. “The new commander’s got it in for us, mates.”
“Ah, you’re imagining things,” another replied. “Somebody has to take the night shifts you know.”
“Twelve-hour watches through the night, three nights in a row?” another demanded.
“Wil, you gambled last night’s watch and lost,” another guard pointed out.
“And you dumped the privy bucket in front of the commander’s door for a laugh,” the first guard added, shaking his head.
“That’s how we welcome all of them!”
“Not Narin.”
“Well, he was different wasn’t he? He was one of us. A good man. I’m glad-”
“Shh!” The others hushed him quickly. Relam crept closer, curiously, looking at their faces. He couldn’t be sure but maybe-
“Your highness!”
The guards snapped to attention, and the one called Wil turned around guiltily.
“At ease,” Relam said, grinning. “Having trouble with the new commander?”
The four guards exchanged looks. “He’s a pompous ass,” Wil said, spitting on the floor. The other three guards’ eyes widened and they stepped back a little.
Relam nodded. “Yes, he is.”
Wil grinned. “Glad to hear you agree with us, your highness.”
Relam took a closer look at the four men in front of him. They were the ones who had helped him execute Narin, he was sure of it. And they were all younger men, he realized, surprised. Late twenties, early thirties. Exactly the type of men he needed. And if Eckle didn’t particularly care for them, he wouldn’t be sorry to see them transferred.
“How would you like a new assignment?” Relam asked. “As my personal guard.”
The four exchanged glances. “That would suit us down to the ground,” Wil declared, saluting Relam. The others followed suit, snapping to attention once more.
Relam grinned in reply. “Excellent,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll see if I can arrange for different quarters for you, assuming you would like to be away from Commander Eckle for a while?”
“That would be welcome,” one of the other guards said, nodding. “Thank you, your highness.”
Relam held up his hands. “One thing we need to get straight,” he said brusquely. The guards froze, afraid they’d done something wrong. “No more ‘your highness’,” Relam continued, smiling as the guards relaxed. “It gets a little tiresome. If you absolutely have to, you can call me ‘sir’. Does that work for all of you?”
“Yes, sir!” four voices chorused impudently.
“One last thing,” Relam said. “I need to know your names. You’re Wil,” he said, gesturing to the first guard. “I heard that. But who are you other three?”
“Galen,” a guard with a bushy black beard replied immediately.
“Eric,” a bald guard said, stepping forward.
“Telegaranitnat,” the last guard said proudly, raking his shoulder length brown hair back.
Relam hesitated, not quite sure he had heard right. “Could you repeat that?”
“His name’s Johann,” Eric grunted. “And he’s an idiot.”
“Oh,” Relam said, peering at Johann more closely. “If you say so.”
“He was in on the privy bucket escapade,” Galen added, sliding a look at Wil.
“He was asking for it,” Wil put in. “Narin was a much better commander.”
“I agree,” Relam said, lowering his voice. “But it would be best if we did not appear overly fond of the deceased commander for the time being. Clear?”
“Aye,” Johann agreed.
Relam briefly wondered if he really wanted these men as guards. Then, he mentally shrugged. At least they would be mildly entertaining. And they had no use for Eckle which was an added bonus.
“Right, I’ll go and speak to the commander about transferring you, then find you new quarters. For now, just take the empty guest rooms on the same hallway as the royal suite.” He looked around the guard room curiously. “Where is the commander’s quarters?”
“Down the hall two doors,” Wil supplied. “On the right.”
“But he won’t be there now,” Eric said. “He’ll be guarding the king.”
“Oh, yes,” Wil said, nodding. “He will be.”
“I’ll find him,” Relam promised. “Anything else I’m forgetting?”
“There might be one more thing,” Wil said, an evil grin spreading over his features. “Assuming that the cleaning staff hasn’t been through yet this morning.”
“Not again, Wil,” Eric groaned.
“Well, if we’re not here we can’t be blamed,” Wil said ingenuously, all wide-eyed innocence.
“Sir, permission to smack Wil?” Eric asked, exasperated.
“Permission denied,” Relam replied briskly. “I need him in one piece. Besides, I think a little parting gift for the new commander is in order. He needs to learn how to earn the respect of his men, does he not?”
“Yes, he certainly does,” Wil agreed, bobbing his head.
“One hundred percent,” Johann concurred.
Eric and Galen exchanged a look, then shrugged in unison. “Why not?” Eric said at last. “A last rebellious act, in honor of our fallen commander.”
“Here, here!” Wil and Johann chorused.
Relam winked at them. “Don’t let anyone catch you,” he warned. “Officially, I was never here.”
“No worries, sir,” Wil said cheerfully. “Nobody will ever trace it back to you. Or us, for that matter. I’ve got a foolproof plan.”
“Just as well,” Eric muttered. “Since you and Johann are going to be a part of it.”
Relam left the guards to their own devices and exited the barracks, shaking his head. Now, all he had to do was beat down Eckle’s objections
