Stavin tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "It seems to happen to me a lot, Sir."
"How often is 'a lot', Lieutenant Kel'Aniston?" a major asked from the other side of the general.
Stavin gave the officers a brief account of his battle experience, including the number of times he had been injured, in an off-handed manner that left everyone glancing at one another.
A colonel on the other side of the table shook his head slowly as he looked at Stavin. "I've been in uniform for the better part of forty years, and I've only faced one man in a death-match."
"If I count the assassin, I'll have killed forty-five men, Sir," Stavin said, then took a deep breath. "Six more and I'll have my second star."
"You say that so casually," the general said as he looked down at Stavin.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I don't mean to seem casual about it. I honestly never thought I'd manage even one star. Once my five expeditions were completed, I had planned on spending the rest of my life in the Archive or teaching in the Academy." Stavin looked down at his lap and continued in a softer tone. "I have a hot temper, Sir, and I let some bullies drive me to do something foolish by calling me a coward. Since then, it seems that everywhere I go, someone tries to kill me."
The meal continued in relative silence as the officers digested Stavin's comments along with their food. When the dining hall was nearly full, the general patted Stavin on the shoulder and said, "Come with me, Lieutenant." Stavin immediately dropped his fork, wiped his mouth, and stood to follow the general to the front of the room.
General Zel'Kordil walked up onto a small platform and Stavin followed a respectful pace behind him. The room quieted as the general stopped. "Gentlemen, ladies, I want you all to take a good look at the young man beside me. He is Lieutenant Stavin Kel'Aniston, Friend of Evandia. By now you've all heard about yesterday. This morning he was attacked by an assassin, which tells us that the plot against the king extended beyond the Zel'Candans. All watch sections are to remain on high alert, and Special Order six is to remain in effect until further notice." The general looked around the room for a moment, then turned to Stavin and pushed the cape clear of his left shoulder. Turning back to the room, the general spoke in a hard, uncompromising tone.
"I saw some sour faces out there when I introduced the lieutenant. I want each and every one of you to look at the star on Lieutenant Kel'Aniston's shoulder. This is the insignia of a Warleader Fifth by the old code. That translates to just a little above Captain under our current ranking system. He earned that rank in battle. I suggest that you nobly born youngsters consider that before you say anything unfortunate."
Stavin saw several men look down as the general spoke. I should have expected that, he mused, realizing that Chosen guardsmen wouldn't like having a Warrior ranked above them.
The general turned and headed back to his seat, and Stavin obediently followed. Once they were seated again, the general addressed the other officers. "No slack. Anyone who is disrespectful to Lieutenant Kel'Aniston will be disciplined, no matter who they are related to."
The gathered officers snapped, "Yes, Sir!" almost in unison.
The general shifted his gaze to Dahvin Zel'Fordal. "Your father tells me that you've already taken young Stavin under your wing, Dahvin. Spend the day with him. That should keep the jealousy within acceptable bounds." Turning to Stavin, the general smiled. "Her Highness wants to see you this morning, Lieutenant. Lieutenant Zel'Fordal will see that you get there. But before you go, drop by the armory and retrieve your weapons. You're a Guardsman now: You're supposed to be armed."
Stavin sat up straight in his seat, and the look of surprise on his face drew chuckles from the men around them. The general stood and left with the higher ranking officers trailing behind him. Soon only Stavin, Lord Dahvin, and three other lieutenants remained at the table.
"If you're ready, we'll go get your weapons and then go see what Marina wants." Stavin's eyes widened at Lord Dahvin's use of the princess' name and Dahvin chuckled. "We're first cousins, Lieutenant. We spent a lot of time together when we were growing up. We very seldom use titles among ourselves unless it's a formal occasion."
Stavin nodded, not fully trusting his voice yet, then stood. Lieutenant Zel'Fordal joined him and guided him down to the armory. Stavin left his Dragon's Tongue there, but tucked his knives away. Then the master of the armory handed him the huge ornamental knife that Lord Zel'Candan had carried. Stavin shook his head slowly. "The king was right. This thing is damn near a sword. Too bad I don't know how to use it."
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal choked, then coughed. "You don't know how to use a sword?" he asked in a stunned tone.
Stavin sighed. "I'm too scrawny to use a proper sword, and we don't go for short swords. Besides," he said, turning a grin up to the tall young lord, "who'd trade a Dragon's Tongue like mine for a sword, no matter how fine it was?"
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal laughed a little at that. "You have a point. But carry it anyway. Right now, you and I are the only ones who know. Anyone else seeing you with it is going to assume that you're as deadly with it as you are with everything else."
Stavin considered that idea for a moment, then started trying to figure out how to attach the sword to his armor. Lieutenant Zel'Fordal saw his dilemma and spoke to the man in the armory. "Get us an officer's baldric." The man immediately brought a polished black leather baldric and handed it to Lieutenant Zel'Fordal. "Here, Stavin, use this."
Stavin slipped the baldric over his head, then took it back off. He took off his cape, then put the baldric on and followed it with the cape. He affixed the big knife to the baldric, and adjusted it so it was settled comfortably at his left hip.
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal was nodding his approval as Stavin finished. "At least you know how to wear a sword."
"Oh, yes," Stavin laughed. "I spent span after span trying to find a way to use a full-sized sword. They were usually dragging on the ground behind me, no matter how hard I tried to prevent it."
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal chuckled and patted Stavin's shoulder. "Let's go see Marina."
The pair drew plenty of attention as they marched through the palace. They soon arrived at the door to Princess Marina's suite and stopped as the guardsmen there came to attention. "Lieutenant Kel'Aniston is here in response to Her Highness's request," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal said as Stavin stood at attention beside him.
The right hand guard knocked on the door, but he never took his eyes off Stavin. Or, more precisely, he never took his eyes off Stavin's weapons. "Sir," he said as he shifted his attention to Lieutenant Zel'Fordal, "are you sure--"
"Lieutenant Kel'Aniston is a full and trusted member of the Royal Guard, and your superior officer," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal snapped.
The guardsman swallowed visibly. "Sir, it's just that--"
"It's just that you don't know him," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal said in a weary tone. "Do you know why he was made a lieutenant in the Guards? He's taken down two assassins in as many days without weapons. Giving him back his weapons just makes him more effective. There aren't many things that could make him more dangerous."
The guardsman was saved from having to answer by the door opening. The man who looked out saw Stavin and smiled. "Her Highness will receive you in her study, Friend Stavin," he said, opening the door all the way and stepping aside.
Stavin led the way and they walked into the princess' suite and to the room where he had left Amarna and the others. The princess was there, but she was not dressed for the day yet. All she wore was a silky blue robe that didn't do much to hide her figure. When she saw Stavin her face lit with a bright smile, and she walked directly to him. Before Stavin knew what was happening she had wrapped her arms around him and clasped him in a tight embrace.
"Thank you for saving my father, Stavin," she murmured into his hair.
Stavin was struggling not to wrap his arms around her in return. Given the disparity in their height, she was pressing his face into her ample bosom. He managed to say, "It
was my honor to serve the king," but he felt her shake her head.
"I don't mean the king, Stavin," she said without letting him go. "Thank you for saving my daddy."
Now Stavin gave up his struggle and let his arms go around her. He said, "You are very welcome," as he returned her hug.
"Let the poor man breath, Marina," Lord Dahvin said from beside the door.
Princess Marina eased her grip on Stavin, but kept one arm around him as she guided him to a sofa and said, "I'm told they came after you this morning," she said as they sat down.
"An assassin came to my suite in the early hours, Your Highness," Stavin began, but the princess shook her head.
"You need never again be formal with me in private, Stavin. Formality has its place, but not between friends when they are alone." She smiled as Stavin glanced at Lord Dahvin. "Dahvin doesn't count. He's family."
Stavin bowed his head. "If that is your wish, Your High--Marina."
"It is, Stavin."
Lord Dahvin said, "You'll soon find yourself on a given name basis with quite a few of our generation of the nobility, Stavin. I'd appreciate the same consideration as Marina. Titles can be tiresome."
Stavin again bowed his head. "As you wish, Dahvin."
Princess Marina asked, "What happened this morning, Stavin?"
Stavin told the full story, and Princess Marina's complexion paled a little when he reached the end. Lord Dahvin was shaken as well. He hadn't heard all of the details before.
"You went bare-handed against a knife-wielding assassin, and you act like it was nothing?" he demanded.
"I still had my under padding on, Dahvin," Stavin answered matter-of-factly. "That gave me quite an advantage."
"How so?" Princess Marina asked.
Stavin smiled sheepishly. "It's dragon scale. That man could have hit me, but he couldn't have cut me. And, really, as fast as I am when I'm not encumbered by armor, he'd have had a hard time hitting me."
"Unless he went for your throat," Dahvin pointed out.
Stavin shook his head. "Unless they train against armored opponents, most knife fighters go for the heart or liver, not the throat. They are bigger, easier targets. Elder Kel'Kaffrey explained that the center of mass is harder to move quickly, so it's better to strike there."
Princess Marina was staring wide-eyed at Lord Dahvin. "I wonder how many of our guardsmen know that?"
Lord Dahvin shook his head. "I didn't."
Princess Marina shifted her attention back to Stavin. "How long will you be staying with us, Stavin?"
Stavin had to shrug once again. "I don't know. I have a responsibility to the Zel'Vandar Trading House to get their caravan back to Aravad. Rahlina hadn't planned on staying in East Bridge for more than one day."
"Who is Rahlina?" Lord Dahvin asked.
Stavin explained what had happened to the caravan in Barren's Bridge and Valovad. "Rahlina doesn't have her vest yet, so she can't take the caravan home without me."
"And you have to go home as well," Princess Marina said softly. "You have your wife waiting in Kavinston."
Stavin smiled shyly. "I may have a baby waiting for me as well. Shari was in the fourth moon of her pregnancy when we left. She may have already delivered."
"You don't waste any time, do you, Stavin?" Princess Marina said with a wide grin. "I was going to try to get you to stay with us and send for your wife," she continued, "but you have responsibilities to your employer, and your wife wouldn't want to travel with a newborn." A figure came to the door and Princess Marina looked over at her chamberlain. "Already?"
"I'm afraid so, Your Highness," the man said with a sympathetic smile.
She shook her head slowly. "I wish we could have more time, Stavin, but I have responsibilities as well. Dahvin, make sure Stavin sees my father this morning so he can return to his other duties."
Lord Dahvin nodded. "I'll take him there next. He doesn't rise as early as you do."
Stavin stood and bowed very deeply to the princess. "I am very happy that I was there to save your father, Marina. Until we meet again, I wish you happiness."
"Fare well, Stavin. Return to us when you can." With that she stood and walked to a different door where a brace of maids were waiting. Stavin joined Lord Dahvin and they walked out of the princess's suite.
"We'll go see if the king is up yet and get permission for you to leave," Lord Dahvin said as they walked out of the suite. He guided Stavin down several passageways and reached the guarded doors of the king's suite in time to hear him bellow, "That's unacceptable!"
"He's up," Lord Dahvin observed casually.
The king's voice came from behind the closed door once again. "Well, find out! I don't care what it takes, find out!" The door opened and General Zel'Kordil walked out, trailed by four other officers.
The general saw Stavin and grimaced. "It's a good thing you're so close by, Lieutenant. His Majesty wants to see you right away."
Stavin and Lieutenant Zel'Fordal both snapped to attention. Stavin said, "Yes, Sir," as the general walked past them. Stavin took a deep breath and walked forward with Lieutenant Zel'Fordal at his side. "I am here in answer to the king's summons," Stavin said to the guards.
The guards looked over their shoulders at the door to the king's suite, gave Stavin a better you than me, look, and knocked. The door opened immediately. The guardsman said, "Lieutenant Kel'Aniston to see his Majesty," to the servant and the door opened.
"This way, Lieutenant Kel'Aniston," the servant said, bowing to let Stavin and Lord Dahvin pass.
"That was quick," the king said when he saw them enter. "Where were you?"
"We just left Princess Marina, Your Majesty," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal answered.
The king's eyebrows lifted for a moment, then he shrugged. "I was just discussing how an assassin could have gotten as far as your suite with General Zel'Kordil."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Stavin said with a slight bow.
The king's eyebrows rose again, and Lieutenant Zel'Fordal explained. "We heard, Your Majesty. I suspect the grooms in the stables heard as well."
The king's expression turned rueful. "I just get so infuriated by this sort of thing. Jarvik having a knife I can understand. Hells, I let him do it. But an unknown intruder making his way through half the palace without being challenged, and knowing which suite Stavin was in, is inexcusable."
"I don't think anyone would disagree with you about that, Your Majesty," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal said.
"No, I suppose not," the king agreed, pacing the room. "Are you truly all right, Stavin?"
Stavin bowed slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty. He never came closer to me than you are now."
"And you still killed him," the king mused.
"I don't think I can claim that kill, Your Majesty. He died of his injuries, but a lamp can hardly be considered a weapon."
"You used one quite effectively," the king said as he gazed at Stavin. "What shall we do with you now?"
"With respect, Your Majesty, I request permission to return to my other duties."
"Your caravan?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. It's time we turned toward Kavadia and home."
The king nodded. "Go with our thanks and that of the kingdom as well. I'll expect you to drop in whenever your schedule brings you to Twin Bridges. Don't make me send for you again."
Stavin bowed very low and replied, "I look forward to our next meeting, Your Majesty."
The king shifted his attention to Lieutenant Zel'Fordal. "Dahvin, make sure Stavin has an escort back to his caravan." The king paused to chuckle. "There's a watch section pulling extra duty this morning. Take them."
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal grinned as he bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty." The king walked away and Lieutenant Zel'Fordal led Stavin from the room. He was chuckling by the time the door closed behind them.
"What's so funny?" Stavin asked.
Dahvin grinned at him. "Pulling extra duty, indeed. That's the watch section that was on duty yesterday. Do you think
fifty-one Royal Guards will be a sufficient escort?"
Stavin gaped at Dahvin for a moment, then simply sighed, "Oh, Gods Below."
The two lieutenants made their way back to the suite where Stavin had left his vest and the rest of his armor, then the armory to collect his Dragon's Tongue. "One more stop, Stavin," Lieutenant Zel'Fordal said, guiding Stavin to a door with the general's name on it. "You have to take leave of the general as well."
Stavin stepped forward and knocked twice on the door. It opened and a major looked him in the eye expectantly. Stavin said, "Sir, Lieutenant Kel'Aniston request a moment of the general's time, Sir." The major looked away for a moment, then turned back and opened the door the rest of the way.
Stavin walked into the general's office and stopped a pace from his desk and came to attention. "Sir, I have His Majesty's permission to return to my other duties, and request your permission as well."
"Very well, Lieutenant. I'll expect you to report when your journeys bring you to Twin Bridges again." The general shifted his gaze to someone behind Stavin. "Did His Majesty have any special instructions?"
"I'm to provide an escort for Lieutenant Kel'Aniston. His Majesty suggested the watch section on extra duty."
The general smiled and nodded. "An excellent idea. See to it." The general stood and looked at Stavin again. "You've always got a place here if you desire it, Lieutenant. Remember that."
Stavin bowed very low and said, "I shall remember, Sir. Thank you." Then he turned away and Lord Dahvin joined him as he walked out of the general's office.
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal said, "We have to have a word with the leader of yesterday's watch section, then we'll go get your horse," as he lead Stavin through the guards barracks. They emerged into a large courtyard where a group of men and women were engaged in the time-honored tradition of physical training.
Lieutenant Zel'Fordal walked over to the captain who was leading the exercise and came to attention. "Sir, I have orders to take your watch section as an escort for Lieutenant Kel'Aniston as he returns to his caravan."
The captain looked at Stavin as he wiped sweat from his face. He said, "I'm pleased to meet you, Lieutenant. I'm Captain Zel'Tarlin. We'll be ready to go in two spans." Turning to face his subordinates, he bellowed, "Dragon Watch, dismissed to quarters. Clean up and return in dress uniform for escort duty as quickly as possible."
Traders and Traitors (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 2) Page 20