Part 9 (2/2)
James turned and walked to the door, pa.s.sing Swordmaster McWirth. As William reached the door he paused and said, ”Swordmaster?”
McWirth said, ”Yes, lieutenant?” His voice was calm and even.
James turned and saw William's surprised expression and realized that it hadn't sunk in yet that he was now an officer and McWirth wasn't going to be yelling at him any more. William hesitated and then said, ”I just wished to thank you for all you've taught me. I hope I'll not disappoint you in the future.”
McWirth smiled and said, ”Son, if there had been the slimmest chance of you disappointing me in the future, you never would have been awarded those spurs.” He pointed to William's boots where two new silver spurs adorned his heels. ”You'll do fine. Now, hurry up and get your things over to the armory before the other lieutenants see you hauling your own kit in and start giving you grief over not having one of the pages or soldiers carry it over for you.”
James stood motionless for a moment, then laughed. Suddenly William realized that as a knight-lieutenant in the garrison, he could have ordered a page or one of the soldiers to fetch his kit for him. Then McWirth turned to James and said, ”Or you, squire, about being William's dog-robber. Get along now, the two of you.”
”Yes, swordmaster,” said James.
William hurried along. ”Where did that term come from?”
”From what I hear, in ancient times knights weren't so prosperous and their squires had to be clever in where they got their next meal for their masters.”
William grinned. ”Should I make you my squire, squire?”
James returned the grin with a mock frown. ”I'd pay a gold sovereign to see you accomplish that trick, sire” he said, sarcastically. ”If you're certain you wish a personal squire, I can see if one of the less gifted pages would consider a career with almost no opportunity for advancement. And I'd be interested to see where you get the funds to pay him.”
They reached the armory and hurried though the large doors, past racks of swords, s.h.i.+elds, pole arms, and other weapons. In the rear of the armory they could hear the noises from the smith as he repaired weapons blunted by soldiers in practice. They reached the stairs at the rear of the building and climbed them to the upper floor. William put down his clothing on the floor and looked around. ”That room looks unoccupied,” he said, pointing to an open door.
James said, ”I'll save you a drubbing. You're supposed to wait for the most senior bachelor knight to a.s.sign you a room.” He pointed to the apparently empty room. ”That room is almost certain to belong to Captain Treggar.”
William grimaced. Captain Treggar was a humorless young man who according to gossip must have been an exceptional soldier to have hung on to his post despite being a bully and p.r.o.ne to petty rages. He also was considered to be unusually clever to have lasted as long as he had at the garrison with Gardan in charge of the military.
A few minutes later newly appointed Knight-Lieutenant Gordon O'Donald, youngest son of the Earl of Mallow Haven, topped the stairs, carrying his bundle. ”Free room?” he asked.
William said, ”We wait for Treggar.”
Gordon dumped his kit right where he stood. ”And isn't that the end to a perfect day.” His voice carried a hint of the lilt common to the Kennararch people from the foothills of the Peaks of Tranquility. He was a broad-shouldered young man, slightly taller than William and James, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. His complexion was fair, so he was constantly sunburned and freckled.
William said, ”You both seem a little sour for having just received the best post in the west.”
”The west,” echoed Gordon. ”My father, I'm betting, asked the Prince to keep me here and out of trouble. My brothers were both killed in war, Malcolm at the fight with the Tsurani at the end of the Riftwar, the one up in the Gray Tower Mountains, and Patrick at Sethanon. I'm the youngest, and Father is trying to keep me alive until I inherit.”
”Staying alive is a worthy undertaking,” said James with mock gravity.
”Well and good for those of you born here, squire, but a man gets little chance for promotion in the west.”
James frowned. ”Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're going to be an earl some day. Why would you worry about promotion?”
Gordon said, ”We're a little earldom at Mallow Haven, and battlefield honors count for much in the east. You've got your goblins and Brothers of the Dark Path and all out here, but in the east we're constantly bagging away at the Eastern Kingdoms or Kesh. Advancement is fast, and you need all the advantages you can when arranging state marriages.”
James and William looked at each other and grinned. In unison they said, ”It's a girl!”
James said to Gordon, ”Who is she?”
Gordon's sunburned face couldn't hide the blush as he said, ”My Lord of Deep Taunton's daughter, Rebecca. She's the daughter of a duke, and if I have a prayer of winning her, I must return home with enough glory around my shoulders to blind the king.”
James shrugged. ”Well, it may have been once true that you couldn't find a decent war in the west, but that's not been true since I've been in Krondor.”
William said, ”At least you're in the best place in the west for advancement.”
Footsteps could be heard from below as a dozen pair of heavy boots walked toward the door. ”Pick up your gear,” suggested James.
A moment later a dark head appeared, followed by a broad pair of shoulders as Knight-Captain Treggar plodded up the stairs. He was followed by the other unmarried knights. When he saw the two new lieutenants waiting for him, he frowned. When he saw James, his expression turned to one of open distaste. ”What's this, then?” he asked.
William said, ”Waiting to be a.s.signed rooms, captain.”
The other lieutenants continued to come up the stairs until the hall was full. Several whispered and a couple shrugged. James recognized they were waiting for Treggar to act. The expected hazing of the newly-appointed knights wasn't proceeding as planned.
Treggar was about to speak, when James said, ”The Prince is anxious to get Knight-Lieutenant William settled in, as he has a special mission for him.”
Whatever Treggar was about to say went unsaid. Instead he pointed and said, ”End of the hall. We're short of rooms, so you two will have to double up until someone marries or is rea.s.signed.”
”Yes, captain,” said Gordon, moving through the press of officers.
William said, ”Thank you, captain,” and followed.
James said, ”I'll wait for you here, lieutenant.”
”Off your usual beaten path, aren't you squire? I hear that you're far more often found in the sewers than the palace,” observed Treggar.
James stared at the captain for a moment. He had deep, dark eyes, and there was nothing but anger and contempt in his gaze. His heavy brow always seemed knit in concentration except when he was on public display before the Knight-Marshal or the Prince. It was rumored that more than one younger officer and dozens of the palace garrison had been invited out to a beating after nightfall for displeasing Treggar. At last, in a pleasant voice, James said, ”I go wherever my Prince requires.” He was tempted to challenge Treggar, but years of dealing with bullies as a boy told James this wasn't a fight he could win. Embarra.s.sing the captain in front of the other young officers would turn dislike into hatred, and whatever else he might be, Treggar was an important member of the palace garrison. Besides, he would most likely take out any slight, imagined or otherwise, on Gordon and William.
Seeing that whatever fun planned for the new officers was not going to happen, the other officers drifted off to their own rooms or down the stairs to their duty stations. After a moment, Gordon and William appeared.
William looked at James. ”What's the mission, James?”
Treggar turned and snarled, ”When you address a member of the court, lieutenant, you will use his t.i.tle.” He paused, then added, ”No matter who he might be.”
William said, ”Yes, captain.” To James he said, ”What's the mission, squire?”
James said, ”You're to take an escort of a dozen men and accompany His Highness's guests on a hunting trip. Report to the huntmaster with the escort an hour before dawn.”
”Yes, squire.”
Looking at Treggar, James said, ”Come see me before you retire tonight, lieutenant. I may have some last-minute instructions for you.”
William said, ”Yes, squire.”
James turned and departed quickly. He knew nothing would be gained by lingering, save to contribute to Treggar's foul mood. He would likely find something for William to do before nightfall that would either embarra.s.s or somehow punish the young man for robbing Treggar of his fun. James knew bullies. Eventually William and Gordon would have to come to their own terms with Treggar.
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