Part 9 (1/2)
”That explains it, then You probably don't seeof other things first It's all too co be done for hiain some of his faculties, but until then he must be tended like a baby There are a feoe I'll send two of them up to the castle to tend him until someone permanent can be found But beyond that, there isn't ht up and sent twocare of a stroke victiirl
Our field kitchen was set up, and Krystyana got aSome of the carpenters dismantled a shed to make coffins for our dead and the burnt woeneral consensus being that they didn't deserve any better
When we tried to find the village priest to hold the funeral services, we discovered that his was aone over to the eneet someone to do the burial services
Sir Lestko said that he didn't want any part of the booty either, so I told et first pick of souvenirs
”Just weapons, now Any money and jeill be divided up evenly later Tadaos, you did yeoet first pick Piotr, I saw your axe bloody You go next The rest of you, well, you knoho you are Get in line The others will keep you honest”
Piotr took a handsoer, while Tadaos found a pair of weapons that had plain steel ood quality blades The differences in their characters, I suppose
I saw Piotr looking proudly at Krystyana, but she just looked away
After they were through, I had the others, including those who had stayed with the baggage take their choice, and had to be re the baron Their husbands chose for them
As for the rest, I kept the ar as proud as certain others, and we added their horses anda until you realize that there were no banks or travelers' checks in this world If you were traveling, you had to carry all your hwayot almost three month's pay
But the real surprise was the church vestan to worry that maybe these really were priests But even if they were, they were still s for our church at Three Walls
Who knows? Maybe they looted a church
By dusk, there was soers were starting to filter back in
Some of them had been in the woods for days
Krystyana, Natalia, Natasha, and I were invited to the castle for supper, only to discover that they were down to field rations up there Dried meat and dry bread and not much of that When the servants had run off, they stripped the larder
There was plenty of extra food down at our field kitchen, ry after their first experience with combat I sent down for so the leftovers of the commoners None, that is, except for Sir Stefan But after insulting the food, he ate his share I got to ignoring him as just a bad noise
Count La, and that put so hie A twelve-year-old kid had run frole afternoon and night, getting to Count Lambert at dawn He had coet a ht that be?” Sir Bodan said
”It's sort of like a very large coin that is hung fro around the neck It's given as an honor to those that have done soood of the coold, depending on the degree of the honor
Each branch of ourfro valor”
”Interesting So in your land a man may not dress as he chooses?” Sir Lestko said
”Not at all A person's clothing is up to him, except that certain professions and thewhen on duty It's just that sohingstock when he was found out”
”You said, 'each branch of the service,”' Count Laon land, a navy for fighting on the seas, and an air force”
”So you fight in the skies as well! Which was your branch?”
”I aht in the skies!”
”No, my lord My duty was to oversee themy four years of active duty, ere not at war Not oneduty”
”That ”
”The job had to be done 'They also serve who only stand and wait”'
”Well There is the question of Baron Mieczyslaw Sir Conrad says that it will be long before he can again perforrandfather raised the baron to his rank for valor, but the fact was that his lands were not enough to support any subordinate knights And while outstanding in coae his lands He would only have wasted them”
”Further, he never took a wife, and has neither child nor near relative His lands therefore escheat to me, yet I would not have hirandfather well Therefore, someone must act as caretaker here, to be lord in all but in name”
”Sir Lestko, you have been in my county for four years, yet you have not actually sworn to me or mine, but have merely attached yourself to Baron Casimir”
”Ah, hter,” Sir Lestko said
”So I had heard Being lord of a barony ht improve your suit If you would swear to e of the lands and castle here Baron Mieczyslaill be lord in name until his death Should he die, you will be invested with his lands, but will not be made baron That title was in a way only honorary here, and dies with the ain be able to do his duties, I will see to it that you are rewarded with greater lands elsewhere What say you?”
”I will do it gladly, my lord”
”Good We'll swear you in toh Do not be kind to the villagers here, for they have allowed harm to be done to their lord and to their fellows The castle servants have robbed and abandoned their lord in time of his dire need The least of the, and you havethose you see fit”