To Be Chosen (36 page)

A trumpet blew and everyone’s attention was drawn to the courtyard. Roder walked out with Duwin at his side and several others of the company who were curious enough to see what was happening.

“The cavalry has come,” shouted one of the guardsmen atop the south wall.

Gongs sounded and Duke Cantor along with Duchess Jocelyn, Angelina, and Jonah, came out into the courtyard. The plump duchess, red-eyed, no doubt from mourning the loss of her son, walked regally, head held high.

“I count one thousand men with Lord Jebben at the head,” the guardsman reported.

Sir Daniel came and stood beside Roder while the procession of cavalrymen passed through the gate into the courtyard. “That would be General Conner. The duke was wise to send one of his sons west. A legion commander and a thousand men should be enough to secure the estate while we pursue the Aakacarns who caused all of this trouble,” the Knight mentioned in a casual tone of voice.

“I thought our mission was to fight through and reinforce this estate, meager lot that we are,” Roder tried to keep his voice low.

“We were sent here to defeat the Aakacarns and help with the sasquatches. I’m pleased the Duke survived, sorry about Kryten, but glad we did not have to wrestle this estate from the hands of the Serpent Guild,” Sir Daniel spoke in an equally soft voice.

“Did you know a thousand men were coming to back us up?” Roder inquired.

“We, the Queen and I, suspected help might come from Bolover, but could not be sure. Time was of the essence and a pigeon can only fly so fast. The assignment we have is to either take back the estate or pursue the aggressors, whether or not the general arrived with reinforcements. The estate is secured, which leaves the task of pursuing the Aakacarns,”

“And if the Aakacarns had held the estate when we arrived, would we have waved our magic batons and wiped them away?” Roder blurted before his discretion kicked in.

Sir Daniel only smiled at him, not angry at all. “I didn’t know magic batons were standard issue to Royal Guardsmen or I might have requisitioned some. The fact is the situation would have gotten messy. Pursuing the Aakacarns may not be much better, but I have no choice. Queen Cleona has given me a task and I have no intention of failing her,”

Roder knew aspects of the mission had not been shared with him. When they had reached the estate, he believed the battle was over and the mission had changed from fighting Aakacarns and sasquatches to relieving the wounded. Now he knew more about the mission and that it was no where near finished. “Cleona has given you the task of chasing down the Aakacarns and I have been given the task of helping you complete your mission. Neither of us will shirk that duty.”

The Knight lost the smile and looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry you got caught up in my swirl. David and Silvia asked for it, and in a way so did Cale, but all of you Royal Guardsmen are here because you have been ordered to be, not by choice. I respect all of you, even Carper, and trust you to see the mission through to completion. Know that whatever it costs me, I’ll do what must be done to keep you all safe while accomplishing the task I’ve been given.”

The Knight seemed sincere but he promised what no commander could guarantee. No one wants casualties, but they are inevitable once battle is engaged. “I know nothing about swirls or the reasons your companions volunteered to come on this mission. I do know you will do battle with the Aakacarns because the Queen requires you to do so and that we will be with you. I understand you don’t want to lose anyone under your command, but you need to realize that the butcher’s bill in a battle always gets paid.”

“If I do this right it will be the other side
who pays,” Sir Daniel replied.

Well, he will learn, Roder thought. “When should I have the men ready to travel?” he asked, accepting that the time of rest the guardsmen were enjoying would soon end.

“According to Duke Cantor’s scouts the Aakacarns are following the river north on foot and are beyond the swamps. His men did not follow any farther. It is not known why the raiders are afoot, but I welcome any advantage we can gain. Scores of sasquatches are moving with them so we will have to keep vigilant,” Sir Daniel went on to say. The man was telling him more in this brief conversation than at any time since they started out.

Roder decided to take advantage of the moment of candor. “Is there more about this mission that I don’t know?”

“Yes,” the young Knight did not hesitate to admit. “There are aspects I’ve been order not to discuss with anyone who was not in the emergency meeting and some that are left to my discretion.”

Roder was not surprised by the answer. A Sergeant gets used to performing his duty with little information from the higher ups. “I’ll trust you to let me know what I need to know before it bites me in the rear.”

Sir Daniel chuckled. “I have to work on my timing. My warning to Carper did not keep him from getting thrown.”

The Knight had warned of the gator before it lunged. “I just put on a clean uniform, see if you can warn me in time to keep from getting it dirty.”

He glanced up to see Duke Cantor walking across the courtyard with the commander of the Southwestern Legion. They came to a stop in front of the Royal Knight. “Sir Daniel, I would like you to meet General Conner,” Cantor made the introduction.

“I have heard about you from the Queen. It’s good to finally meet you,” Sir Daniel told the senior officer.

The general, a clean shaven man of medium build, wore a pair of gold stars on the collar of his light green shirt, the finest quality chain mail, and four golden hawks on the shoulders of his jacket, which was gold trimmed, and a slightly darker shade of green. The royal hawk in flight was engraved in gold on his green lacquered helmet, much like that of Sir Daniel’s. “And I have heard and read much about you, although I have to admit your presence here was unexpected. News from the capital takes a while to reach Bolover. I’m surprised to hear Lord Jonah managed to get to Ducanton and back here so quickly.”

“He moved swiftly and we wasted little time in getting here,” Sir Daniel replied.

The general made no mention of the diminutive size of the force sent from the capital, Roder noted.

“Between your force and mine, I think we can fully man the defenses,” the General said, and Roder knew by the twinkle in the man’s eye the officer was being facetious.

“I was planning on taking all fifty Royal Guardsmen in pursuit of the raiders,” Sir Daniel replied, and then feigned a put upon expression. “But, if you feel a thousand cavalrymen inadequate, I suppose I could leave a few Royal Guardsmen behind.”

Roder barked a laugh, but wore his most solemn expression by the time they all looked at him. The General’s right eyebrow flickered in annoyance, bur Sir Daniel smiled and then the officer smiled as well. The Duke’s expression had remained neutral.

“Are you actually planning to pursue the Aakacarns?” Conner asked.

“Those are my orders,” Sir Daniel replied.

The general frowned. “This sounds like a matter best left to the Eagle Guild, much as I dislike having to admit that.”

Sir Daniel was shaking his head. “At this point, I would not trust them to guard a chicken from a fox. Be that as it is, Queen Cleona has given me the task, and I will accomplish the mission she assigned to me.”

“A chicken from a fox,” the General mumbled. “I see having been among the Aakacarns has not dampened your Ducaunan spirit, which is good to know.” He paused, eyeing the young Knight. “I can triple your strength without diminishing the effectiveness of my forces here.”

“I appreciate the offer, but what Her Majesty has provided is more than adequate,” Sir Daniel replied.

“It will be as you say,” Conner replied.

Roder noted a small gathering around the Teki. The little bundle of furry joy was now the center of attention. Tomei joined the crowd and with him, Angelina Ducalin. Jonah made his way through the crowd and walked up to Sir Daniel. “There is still the matter of that thing you brought here,” the Duke’s son stated grimly.

“Sheila is leaving with us, that ends the matter,” the Knight replied, evenly, face neutral, which meant he was about to get stubborn, a thing Roder had learned by observation. This could get interesting. Jonah was at home, in the presence of his father, and unlikely to back down. Who would win the contest of wills this time?

“Kill it! Kill it!” Angelina shouted in a voice that was sure to be heard out into the swamps.

By the time Roder reached the trouble spot with Sir Daniel, Duke Cantor, and General Conner; Silvia and David were backed into a corner, with the Teki woman facing the wall, keeping the baby safe while her husband stood facing four Ducalin guardsmen armed with halberds.

“Stand down,” Duke Cantor ordered, and the guardsmen instantly obeyed. “What is going on here?”

“That woman brought a sasquatch here, in my home, and I want it dead,” Angelina replied.

“My feelings exactly,” Jonah added his voice to the demand.

“I cut Sheila from her dead mother,” Sir Daniel spoke up. “She is an innocent and I’ll not see her harmed.”

“Then close your eyes and I will kill the beast,” Jonah suggested.

“You are just a Royal Knight of the Realm. I’m the heir apparent to the crown and am ordering you to kill this creature,” Angelina told the young Knight.

“He is the Chosen Vessel, get out of his way,” Silvia declared, although she was ignored by the nobles, but the statement got Roder thinking about the possibility.

If Angelina thought her words were intimidating the man before her, she was in for a disappointment. “Queen Cleona has ordered me to pursue the Aakacarns and deal with the sasquatches, how to do so has been left to my discretion. Sheila is leaving with me.”

Angelina’s eyes fixed on her father. “Are you going to let one of the beasts who killed Kryten live?”

“I admit to having no fondness for the smelly creatures, but this is Sir Daniel’s call to make. If he wants to take the thing and raise it as his daughter, so be it,” Duke Cantor replied while cringing at Sheila.

Roder had no idea what part the baby sasquatch had in Sir Daniel’s plans, but w
as inclined to back the Knight.

The matter seemed to be resolved, but the hard feelings the baby sasquatch stirred up did not die so easily. The Ducalin siblings, brother and sister, stared hard at the Knight who had defied them in front of the entire household and guardsmen. They finally turned and walked stiffly into the manner. Duke Cantor and General Conner followed shortly thereafter. The incident was over a
nd the crowd began to disperse.

“Sergeant Keenan, please have someone bring me my tent,” Sir Daniel requested, rather than ordered.

“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” he replied formally, and started for the barracks.

Corporal Duwin and the rest of the men were in the huge facility, which was filling up with cavalrymen. Roder briefed the guardsmen on the continuing mission, and then told off Duncan Hawk to fetch the Knight’s tent. The young guardsmen returned a quarter of a mark later.

“Did you know Sir Daniel intends to sleep out toward the river?” he asked.

Why would the man want to sleep outside? “Did he give a reason?”

“Its little Sheila, Lady Angelina and Lord Jonah didn’t want the babe under their roof, so Sir Daniel is honoring them by making camp outside the walls,” Duncan replied, licked his lips, and then added, “With your permission, I would like to pitch my tent next to his.”

Roder was surprised by the request. “Granted,” he replied, and was further surprised when each and every man made the same request.

By the time he and the men passed through the gates, night gear in hand, two tents were alone on an area cleared of hedge grass. Silvia and David emerged from one and Sir Daniel, holding Sheila, came from the other. His eyebrows arched up and he appeared momentarily confused. “I didn’t order anyone to join me. You all should be getting a good night’s sleep in the barracks. We will be leaving early in the morning.”

“Guardsmen Hawk,” Roder began while gesturing toward the young man, who was standing beside him, “felt the need to camp out and it seemed such a good notion we all decided to do the same.”

Sir Daniel smiled while eyeing all fifty men. “I’m glad for the company.”

“You pack a powerful swirl,” Silvia remarked in a whisper.

The Knight shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, but I think this is something more than that,” he replied just as softly. Roder doubted their voices carried farther then he and Duncan.

Every man in the unit respected the rank of their commander, only a fool would disrespect a Royal Knight of the Realm, but this went deeper. This young man had earned their loyalty and that of their Sergeant. The tents were pitched in short order without a word of co
mplaint, which was a first.

Sherree topped the hill and stopped to take in the view. Cedars and elms along with mistletoe and bunch berry to her right and left spread out from the grassy game trail. Down below was Lake Tomlin, twenty-five spans north to south and about seven spans across. The sun was low and reflecting off the water while blue jays and sparrows flittered in the sky, and belted-kingfishers flew above the waves and ducks swam leisurely in all directions. Half a score of hatchlings were following their mother to the east bank. A golden spire projected two cubits up from the water, the only sign of the city beneath the waves. On the east bank of the lake were three two-storied buildings, new constructs of the Stone Guild. No other sign of human presence existed in the remote area. The brown center building had the symbols of the Aqua and Stone Guilds on the roof and walls, the place in which they worked and conferred. The gray building to the right of it had the rock and hammer symbol of the Stone Guild while the blue-green one on the left wore the golden drop of the Aqua, both were living quarters. The compound also included a small stable and corral, where six horses stood nibbling on the grass.