“I apologize, it is not your fault my aunt decided one Knight and fifty Royal Guardsmen were sufficient for the task. I find it odd that a foreign prince warrants a full legion as escort while a matter so crucial to the kingdom receives so few,” Jonah said, and then let his horse drop back behind the pair of Teki.
The statement was left hanging in the air and nagged a little at Roder’s own concerns over the mission. It was clear as a spot on a recruit’s collar that the Queen had complete confidence in the abilities of those she sent; otherwise an entire legion probably would have been dispatched. Infantry would be better in the swamp than cavalry, but neither branch of service was directly responsible for the safety of the royal family. Only five thousand Royal Guardsmen were on the rolls, one thousand at the palace, and the rest were scattered across Ducaun, guarding the royals and their properties. Roder was as proud of his uniform as any, but would not have minded much if Cleona had added some infantry and cavalry on this mission.
He dropped back to where Corporal Duwin was chiding Guardsman Rabin for slacking a pace behind in the formation, causing the entire back end of the left column to shift back by the same distance, and be out of sink with the right. The correction was made by the time Roder reached the trouble spot.
“You will be pitching Sir Daniel’s tent when we make camp and pull first and third watch,” Duwin told the guardsman.
“As you say, Corporal,” Rabin replied, sourly.
Roder gestured to Duwin. “Start telling the men we will be stopping for a three quarter of a mark rest within the next two spans,” he told him, speaking loud enough for his voice to carry to the nearest guardsmen.
“It is about time. You know, Sir Daniel hasn’t sent any scouts out. We have no idea what is ahead, to the sides, or on our flanks,” Duwin replied in a soft voice. “What was wrong with the field we just passed?”
“Did you happen to see the mother bear and her three cubs?” Roder questioned him in a voice meant to carry. Some of the men close by may have heard the question; several heads had nodded when the corporal had asked it.
“No,” Duwin replied.
“Sir Daniel did. He was raised in the backwoods and is aware of everything around him, even with a cavalryman nattering in his ear,” Roder stated, and drew a few chuckles from some of the men. That said, the Corporal had been correct, scouts should be out, but it was better to build up the confidence of the men in their leader than to undermine it.
Duwin nodded his head and then rode up and down the columns spreading the word. Shortly after they rounded the bend, the field Sir Daniel spoke of came into view. There was a good deal of moaning and groaning when the men dismounted and walked around after being so long in the saddle. None, and Roder included himself, had spent so much time on a horse in ages. In Ducanton, most of the guardsmen marched and stood at their posts, only riding their horses on the training field or in the city when escorting the Queen or some other person whom she wanted to receive the honor. Presently, men relieved themselves in the bushes while others broke out their rations for a quick meal. The Knight drank from a canteen, ate no food, and moved with ease, showing no sign of fatigue or soreness. The Teki did not appear any worse for the wear, nor did the cavalryman seem to be feeling any pain.
Three quarters of a mark later, Sir Daniel called for all to mount up and surprised the men by leading them deeper into the woods rather than back onto the road. Word had spread about the Knight’s powers of observation by that time, so few of the men complained, especially since they now had some food in their bellies. The forest was thick with pines yet the young commander navigated both columns through the midst of them without error, which also boosted the confidence level of the men in him. The sun was glowing amber in the sky and Roder was wondering when a halt would be called. Traditionally, they would have stopped by now to give the men time to set up their tents, dig a latrine, eat, post guards, and tend to the horses before dark.
Roder double-timed to the front of the column. The Knight glanced at him and then back at the men. “There is a spring half a span to the left, we will be camping there. Inform the men if you please.”
“As you say, Sir Daniel,” Roder replied crisply. He was gladdened by the fact that the Knight did not need reminding.
He dropped back to Corporal Duwin. “Sir Daniel has ordered that we will be stopping shortly near a spring to make camp. Spread the word.”
Duwin nodded his head and rode down one side of the column and up the other, informing everyone. A small lake came into view, no doubt formed by the spring, and Sir Daniel called a halt. Men dismounted and began performing their assigned tasks. In short order, all of the tents were up and the horses were being brushed and fed. Russ Monner, the designated cook, the best in the entire Royal Guards, which is why Roder had chosen him, broke out the pots and began making beans and frying slices of salted ham on a skillet. The aroma soon had everyone’s mouth watering.
Sir Daniel went over to the horses, touching them, rubbing their necks, and speaking softly in their ears. They seemed to respond well to his ministrations. Each horse he walked away from perked up as if no longer fatigued from the extended ride.
“He cares more about the horses than he does us,” Guardsman Carper grumbled before forking in a mouthful of beans.
“Lonni, I care more about your horse than I do you,” Allen Camden told him.
“Loner is better looking,” added Marco Reynar, who was sitting beside them.
“Yuk it up you two. I’m being serious, my butt hurts, my legs are chaffed, and this is just the first day,” Carper replied after swallowing and washing down the beans.
“Do you see Rabin over there,” Roder asked, while pointing at the guardsman who had just finished erecting the tent for Sir Daniel. “He is about to go on guard duty and will go on it again in the third watch. Carper, if you would like to join him; keep complaining, the both of you can keep each other awake with all the bellyaching.”
“Serge, I was just saying,” Carper began.
“I heard you well enough and that sounded like the beginning of another complaint.” Roder interrupted. “Every Royal Guardsman is sore. Sir Daniel and his Teki escorts are clearly used to a long stretch in the saddle, Lieutenant Tomei as well. I will be blighted before allowing us to appear weak in front of them. Your fellow guardsmen seem to feel the same as I, seeing as not one of them is talking about how his butt hurts. You now have first and third watch.”
Carper frowned, but his expression could not get more soured. “It will be as you say, Sergeant,” he said, finished eating, and then walked over to where Rabin was now out guarding the trees a hundred paces to the left.
Sir Daniel and Lieutenant Tomei broke out the wooden practice blades and were soon moving gracefully through the forms. After the warm up, they began to spar. Both blades moved in a blur with Sir Daniel mostly on defense, although he did occasionally go on the offensive, causing the Lieutenant to back up. They went ten rounds and the Knight managed to graze his opponent’s shoulder, once, which would be a minor scratch in a real fight, but was a major accomplishment against a Master-of-the-blade. Sir Daniel had lost every match, yet did not seem discouraged in the least. What Roder truly found remarkable was; the Knight was not even breathing hard at the end while the Lieutenant sweated like a horse after a ten span trot.
The four of them, Sir Daniel, Tomei, and the pair of Teki ate together and then the Knight spoke to the couple, who began to pull small containers from their packs. The female walked straight up to Roder, smiled sweetly, she was pretty, and handed him one of the containers.
“The ointment will lesson your discomfort. Sir Daniel bought enough from our troop for all of you,” she informed him and then went on to Guardsman Pinehill before Roder could thank her, while the male Teki made his way around the camp passing out more of the stuff. They did not stop until every guardsman had a container of ointment.
The gesture went a long way toward making the men believe their c
ommander cared about them. Roder inspected the men, uniforms, weapons, tents, making sure all was up to Royal Guardsmen standards. Some of the men wondered why Sir Daniel did not perform inspections, but those complaints were vastly out numbered by the gratitude expressed by those who were no longer saddle sore. When everything was as it should be, Roder went into his tent, stretched out on the cot, and fell asleep.
A tap on the shoulder caused Roder’s eyes to pop open. “Dawn is coming soon,” Corporal Duwin informed him.
Roder sat up while swinging his feet to the ground. “Is Sir Daniel awake?”
“He was already up talking to Bejarren and Konner when I awoke,” Duwin replied. “Sergeant Zaccum is up but Lord Ducalin is still asleep.”
Jacob Bejarren and Julius Konner both had third watch, along with Carper and Rabin, except the first two guardsmen had been off duty during the first and second watches, while the last two were sluggish and had some red in their eyes.
Roder did not need to ask if Russ Monner was awake. The aroma of bacon sizzling in the pans and being carried on the breeze was answer enough. Huge pots of oatmeal boiled near the pans and a few early risers were already standing in line waiting for the cook to tap Duncan Hawk on the shoulder, which was the signal for the youngest guardsman to begin serving breakfast.
Sir Daniel, seemingly fresh as a new day, uniform spotless, walked over and stood at the end of the line. Men stepped aside to let him skip to the front, but he refused. Monner tapped Hawk and breakfast was served. After eating and seeing that everyone else had done so, Roder made his way over to where the Knight was speaking to Lord Ducalin, who had been the last to awaken and eat.
“I hope you’re right about this,” the Duke’s son was saying.
“We should be where you exited the swamp in a few days and well before sunset,” Sir Daniel assured him, and then turned to Roder. “Good morning Sergeant.”
“So it seems,” Roder replied. “I just wanted to inform you that all have eaten and now ready for your orders.”
Sir Daniel eyed the area. “We ride as soon as you can get the men on their horses.”
“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Roder replied and then turned and called out in a loud voice, “Clean up, pack up, saddle up, and the last four to do so will be pulling third watch tonight.”
Men scrambled to obey and in short order, everyone was ready to ride. “Rabin, Carper, you must have enjoyed each other’s company, because you are both on third watch tonight. Rine and Swan, you will be joining them,” Roder called to the last four men to be saddled and ready.
At mid-day Sir Daniel called for a three quarters of mark halt. While the men were eating their rations and taking care of other physical needs, Roder went over to where Sir Daniel sat under a pine strumming a guitarn. Both Teki were with him, but the Lieutenant was off, probably relieving himself.
“Do you trust that lordling to guide us through a swamp?” Silvia was saying.
David, who was tapping a beat on his thigh in time with the music, added, “Your navigating skills are far better than his.”
“The maps I studied in Aakadon were created during the dry season. I have no idea which trails are passable at this time of year, in a couple of months, yes. Now, no,” he replied, and his gaze flickered to the female Teki. “So, yes I trust Jonah to guide us. Don’t forget we also have Sergeant-of-the-guard Zaccum.”
Roder cleared his throat to get their attention. “Will you be inspecting the men when we make camp?”
Sir Daniel broke his rhythm in mid-strum. “You have done a thorough job.”
“Thank you, Sir Daniel. I will continue to do so, but the men expect their commander to do so as well. Not as thorough as the inspections I do, just a few spot inspections to show you expect standards to be maintained,” Roder told him while trying to make it sound like a suggestion rather than a lecture on the duties of a commander in the field.
“I appreciate you bringing this to my attention,” the Knight replied. “When we make camp tonight I’ll do an inspection.”
“When we start up again, you may want to send scouts out to report on what’s ahead, at our sides, and to the rear,” Roder suggested.
Sir Daniel plucked a few notes and then nodded his head affirmatively. “Pick your scouts, but they are to stay within half a span of the main body. In addition, choose two of your swiftest riders who can relay messages from me to them. I know exactly where we are going and have a fairly good idea of what is in these woods.”
“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Roder replied, and then went to select the men.
He was not entirely pleased, seeing as the Knight was not following standard procedures, but at least he had agreed to send scouts out, even if with restrictions. Roder began choosing the men for the job. Samson Kaypen, Manny Kenton, Trevor Hannon, and Adam Avery, accepted the jobs without grumbling, they were the best choices to be scouts. Raymond Carpenter, whose big eyes always made him seem in a constant state of surprise, and Duncan Hawk, the swiftest riders, were young enough to be thrilled to serve as runners for the Royal Knight of the Realm.
Sir Daniel gave the order and everyone mounted their horses and followed him through the trees, over brooks, and across grassy fields. They rode in formation, no one slacked off. Every now and then a runner would be sent to deliver a message to one of the scouts. Four days later and three marks before sunset they passed out of the woods and onto the road, just as Sir Daniel predicted. Roder double-timed to the front of the column.
“Can we make it from here to the estate before dark?” Sir Daniel was asking.
“Yes,” Lord Ducalin replied.
“No,” Sergeant Zaccum said at the same time.
Sir Daniel glanced between the two. “Which is it, yes or no?”
Zaccum took a deep breath, clearly not wanting to be in the position of contradicting the Duke’s son. “Jonah, if we had a straight path, I would agree with you, but we don’t. The safest way to go is muddy at best and we will be zigzagging to stay out of the wettest areas, but it is the best course. It will take six hours to navigate through to your home.”
Sir Daniel fixed his gaze forward into the swamp. Just as Roder was convinced the young Knight’s mind had wandered far from the conversation, he shook his head and raised his hand, signaling a stop, and said decisively, “Sergeant Keenan, we camp here.”
“You said that when we arrived at the swamps, I would decide the way to go,” Jonah Ducalin reminded him.
Sir Daniel smiled, they were the same age yet the Knight seemed older, and was clearly not intimidated by a nephew of the Queen. “Jonah, I understand you’re eager to get back to help your loved ones. Believe me I have been there, but the danger is too great. There is no completely safe way into this swamp. We will be facing gators, pythons, water moccasins, and sasquatches. I prefer to deal with those creatures in the daylight.”
“He is correct about the dangers. The risk is too great,” Zaccum added his weight to the decision.
Jonah looked Sir Daniel straight in the eye. “When we cross into the swamp, I will be making the decisions on where we go.”
“I trust you not to lead us into a bog and if you violate that trust, bring us into avoidable danger, I will take charge, and ask Sergeant-of-the-guard Zaccum to lead us to your father’s estate,” the Knight replied, undiplomatically.
“I know my responsibilities, it will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Jonah replied formally.
Roder gave the order to set up camp and the men did so speedily. Dinner, beans, ham, and dried bread, was served and guards posted. Sir Daniel sparred with Lieutenant Tomei, this time actually winning one out of twelve rounds, a great accomplishment. Half a mark later, the Knight started walking around the camp.
“Guardsman Tabon, your boots need shining,” the Knight told the thick-shouldered man, and went on to inspect the next person. Sir Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue jar. “Guardsman Thrush, take this, go into your tent and rub this
on the infection,” he told the man.
“How did you know?” Long-jawed Fentnor Thrush responded while taking the jar and staring wide-eyed at his commander.
“You’ve been squirming in your saddle half the day and leaning to your right, so I figured the infection was on your left thigh,” the Knight replied.
“Thank you, Sir Daniel,” the guardsman replied and then went into his tent.
Roder had failed to notice the problem. The squirming and shifting must have been subtle, yet the Knight had noticed.
Sir Daniel went to every man, called him by name, and either ordered a correction or commended him for a job well done.
“Corporal Duwin, there is a tear on your coat,” the Knight observed. “We have stopped early. This would be a good time for mending.”
“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Duwin replied and then went off to make the correction the Knight suggested.
Roder smiled. The inspection had been successful. The field commander had showed a personal interest in each man and not even the ones who needed correction complained. How could they when the Knight kept his boots spotless and his uniform immaculate? He set the standard, did not yell, did not chivy, simply told them in a calm way what was expected of them. A Knight of the Realm can get away with speaking so, but a Sergeant has to shout, insult, and threaten in order to keep the men in line.
They settled in for the night. Sir Daniel played his guitarn. The pair of Teki began to dance and shortly thereafter most of the men did so as well. Some three marks later the concert was long over and Roder went into his tent and fell asleep. He woke before dawn, dressed, and exited the tent. Crickets were still chirping and frogs croaking. Russ Monner was starting his cook fires and Sir Daniel was going through the sword forms by himself, using his knightly blade rather than wood. Tomei did not seem to be up yet. Breakfast was ready by the time the Knight finished his routine and everyone ate and then prepared to ride.
To Be Chosen Page 25