by James Bee
“This is a great honour, Your Majesty,”Gerald lied, trying not to let his dismay show. He couldn’t afford to look ungrateful or difficult. “How long exactly will I be stationed there?”A flicker of unease crossed the king’s affable expression. Gerald’s stomach sank.
“Well, we don’t really know,”he answered slowly. “Until we can find someone else to do the job. It really is quite remote, you know. The winters tend to be rather harsh as well. Nothing that a hardened soldier like yourself can’t handle though, eh?”He winked at Gerald again. Through a heroic effort the knight managed a chuckle. “I’m sure you won’t be out there for too long. Back before you know it.”The King rose and held his hand out in front of him, large ring flashing in the torchlight. Gerald rushed forward and knelt down to kiss it. The king patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and sat back down. “Now off with you. You leave in the morning, and I’m sure that you have lots to do. Sweethearts to say goodbye to and the like. Going to leave a trail of broken hearts behind you all the way to the mountains, I don’t doubt,”he said. Gerald bowed before turning and walking away from the throne.
“Gerald,”the queen said, stopping him dead. Turning around, he looked back up at the raised platform. “Conduct yourself as a knight should. Don’t do anything else to dishonour your father’s name.”The queen’s face was still buried in the document.
“Yes, Mother,”he managed, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. Gerald’s face burned as he strode out of the room. The look on his face must have given away his dismay.
“What happened?”Kayl asked, hurrying to catch up with him. “It can’t be that bad —they let you walk out of there on your own at least.”
“We’ve been exiled. Gather your men and make ready. We leave tomorrow at first light,”Gerald spat, walking out of the palace and toward the nearest tavern.
3
Chapter 3
Gerald packed all of his worldly possession into the sack and was left with space to spare. Hefting it easily over his shoulder, he looked around his room. A narrow bed, topped with plain sheets, took up the bulk of the space. A stained and weathered chest skulked in the corner, hiding from the meagre rays of sunlight streaming in through the bars on the window. A few candle stands and a wash bucket were all that kept it company. Save for the sword in the corner of the room, there was nothing to mark the room as his. Once he was gone, there would be no trace of the past twenty-two years spent in it. Sighing, he strapped the sword to his waist and stepped out through the door. It was early still, and the corridors were mostly deserted. Here and there a servant flitted, preparing for the day ahead. Many smiled at him as they passed, and he nodded back. He’d always felt more at home amongst them, and they had accepted him as one of their own. Hurrying down the tower stairs, he strode out into the morning air of the courtyard.
The rising sun shone into his eyes with the bite of a dagger. Regretting the past night’s drinks, he bowed his head and hurried toward the stables. Inside was a frenzy of activity. Pages and stable boys rushed hither and thither, saddles and belts slung over their shoulders. Soldiers shouted orders, filling the air with their voices, all hurrying to get prepared. They stared at Gerald as he passed with unfriendly and wary eyes.
Arriving at his stable, Gerald put his hand out and patted Frothy on the nose. A quick glance ensured that his horse was properly saddled; he leapt on and rode out. The mare’s head snapped side to side, spraying its namesake at unwary passersby. Gerald alone may have attracted some stares, but the two of them together practically screamed for attention. Outside of the stables, he tied Frothy to a post and began securing his belongings to the horse.
“Gods, you’re still on that beast? Couldn’t find another one to put up with you?”a voice said from behind him. Prince Rauf stood there, hands on his hips, shaking his head in mock disapproval.
“He makes me look better by comparison,”Gerald replied.
“Not sure about that. I’d still say he’s the pretty one.”The prince grinned at him. “I came to see you off! Away to keep the king’s peace! Such a noble young man! You do the realm credit!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll bring back some pretty stones for you,”Gerald retorted. “I imagine all I’ll be doing is looking at rocks. Can’t see much else going on. Fifty men feels like forty-nine too many for this task.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,”the prince said. The levity had lessened slightly in his voice. It was never truly gone. “Mother asked me to give you this. It’s an overview of the situation up in Redwood, or whatever the name of that town is.”He handed over an parchment sealed with the king’s stamp. A stamp that was broken.
“Redstone. You looked at it?”said Gerald as he took it from him. Rauf didn’t even bother to attempt to look bashful.
“Of course. I had to see what you were getting yourself into,”the prince said.
“Wanted to make certain you weren’t missing an adventure, more like.”Gerald snorted, tucking the parchment into his coat.
“That’s not all. She also wanted you to have this.”Rauf snapped his fingers, and a servant ran over. In his arms was a fur coat. “The north is cold this time of year. Would be a shame if you froze to death before a northerner could stab you.”Rauf took it and handed it to Gerald. The coat was finely made, far more expensive than anything he had ever owned. To Gerald’s eyes it was made up of at least four different types of animal fur. Shrugging off his own threadbare cloak, he pulled the new one on. It fit well; the inside was luxuriously soft. “It looks well on you, every bit fit for a conquering hero,”Rauf said. Gerald raised his eyebrows at him.
“Or a prince? I saw you wearing this last week, Rauf,”Gerald said, picking at its sleeve. The prince shuffled his feet with an embarrassed look.
“I thought you wouldn’t notice. Figured you’d feel better if it came from her,”Rauf said. The unspoken awkwardness that always threatened to come between them was rearing its head. Gerald stepped forward and placed his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.
“I don’t need any other family, Rauf. You’ve been a brother to me, even if we can never be. Thank you for this gift. I’ll use it to keep the northern girls warm during cold nights,”he said, dissipating the tension. Rauf laughed and grasped his hand. The two of them stood there for a moment until a grin broke out over Rauf’s face.
“I fear you might have some stiff competition for them,”he said, looking over Gerald’s shoulder. Turning, Gerald saw a young man riding toward them, broad grin plastered on his face.
“Ho there! Is there room for one more in this illustrious company?”he asked, stopping in front of them. Gerald saw that his horse was laden with bags.
“What are you doing here, Orland? The taverns aren’t yet open,”Gerald asked with a bemused smile.
“I’ve decided to seek out new exciting taverns to the north,”the young man said, sweeping his hand out and pointing in the wrong direction.
“A noble quest. I envy your bravery and ambition,”Rauf said.
“You’re coming with us? All the way to Redstone? Your father…?”Gerald asked.
“Is more than happy to get me out of his hair,”Orland said carelessly.
“Your father is bald,”the Prince said.
“His chest hair then!”Orland said, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation. Gerald chuckled, shaking his head.
“I won’t turn away my best drinking partner, but I warn you. It’ll be boring,”he said.
Orland spread his arms and looked around the courtyard.“More boring than this? Inconceivable!”
“I suppose I’ll be able to find some way of entertaining myself while you three are away,”the prince said. “Now I must leave you. My bed is warm and here it is cold.”He held out his hand to Gerald, and then to Orland. “Give my best to my subjects, and try not to freeze your cocks off.”With those words the prince strode away. Gerald watched him go, the familiar feeling of longing aching in his chest.
“Has a way with words, doe
s your half-brother. Too bad he got all the charm,”Orland said, fussing at the sword on his belt.
“He’s not my half-brother, you know that,”Gerald said wearily, uninterested in the well-worn argument.
“By law no. But by every other way, yes. Who else but a brother would give away his cloak?”Orland asked, eyeing the one around Gerald’s shoulders.
“He tried to tell me that it came from the queen,”Gerald said.
Orland barked out a laugh.“He was wearing it when we played cards only last week! Royal bastard was too drunk to remember!”Gerald shook his head absently, looking around at the soldiers massing around the yard. Men were strapping swords to horses, preparing for the long journey ahead of them. Soldiers who would be away from their families for an unknown amount of time. Men whose lives were now completely his responsibility. Looking around at the unfamiliar faces, Gerald wished it were his regiment that was travelling with them. Men that he had marched with, bled with. Won over bit by bit through painstaking effort.
Instead, these men looked at him with hard eyes, many bordering on scorn. They didn’t know him, except by his name and the shame that it carried. They would all know the story, his story — everyone did. No doubt they would whisper it around their campfires at night, filling in those too young to remember.
“Where’s Kayl? That big bastard is never tardy,”Orland asked, standing up in his stirrups to better look around.
“Probably chasing after some layabouts. The sun’s already risen; he won’t let us be late if he can help it,”Gerald answered. On cue, a familiar booming voice sounded above the din of the courtyard.
“MAKE READY! WE LEAVE IN FIVE MINUTES!”Kayl rode through the stable gates astride his massive charger. Clad in full plate mail with his great sword on his back, he glittered in the sunlight.
“Now there’s a man I could follow. Shame he isn’t leading this expedition,”Orland said, eyes open as wide as he could. Gerald punched him in the leg, the only thing he could reach.
“Just because you’re not a soldier doesn’t mean I can’t make you dig a latrine,”Gerald said as Orland scowled down at him, rubbing his thigh. Gerald raised a hand in greeting as Kayl rode toward them.
“I’ve found a new recruit for you. His arms are a bit weak, but he can be counted on to at least block a few arrows,”he said, gesturing to Orland.
“Not sure even I could whip this one into shape. But I suppose he can set up my tent and pour my ale,”Kayl said, bringing his horse to a halt in front of them. “The men will be ready to leave quick enough.”
“Good. I’d like to address them before we leave,”Gerald said, taking the queen’s parchment out of his coat and opening it.
“What’s that?”Orland asked.
“A report on the situation in Redstone,”Gerald said absently as he read it. The further he read, the more his heart sank. Tucking it back into his shirt, he mounted Frothy.
“Anything to worry about?”Kayl asked.
“No. Nothing to worry about,”Gerald said, avoiding his friend’s gaze. Kicking his heels, he rode ahead to the front of the column, Kayl and Orland close behind. Men stared guardedly up at him as he passed. Clearly they didn’t trust him, likely worried that he was going to usurp Kayl’s position. Like most soldiers, they feared change. Gerald didn’t blame them. They knew what kind of a man Kayl was; Gerald himself was unknown.
“Men! Listen! I’ll only speak for a moment. I’m certain all of you are anxious to begin marching,”he said, to a smattering of chuckles. The majority of the faces looking at him were hard ones. Scarred and weather-beaten, they were mostly veterans. Experienced soldiers were hard to come by lately. That they were being spared for this mission unsettled him. Why would they be sent on a mission as boring as this one? Especially with all the fighting along the borders. “I’m sure Sir Kayl has told you all where we are heading. It’s a long road to Redstone, but I doubt we’ll run into much trouble on the way. That said, I expect complete discipline from you all, and any who fall out of line will be punished accordingly.”The frowns in front of him deepened. Threatening punishment was hardly the best way to ingratiate himself to them. “However, while I am in charge of this expedition, you are all still under the command of Sir Kayl. I am afraid you will not be rid of him that easily!”More scattered laughs, more polite than mirthful. “Let us get on with it!”Kayl gave the order, and the column began to march.
Gerald sat on his horse to the side, watching them pass. If he was to spend months with these men, it would help to get their measure as soon as possible. A trio in front of him caught his eye. They were all badly bruised, showing the signs of a recent beating. They nodded at him as they passed. Gerald returned their nod, reckoning that at least three of the company would have taken a liking to him.
4
Chapter 4
“There’s a tavern not half a league from here,”Orland said, grinning impishly at them. The frenzied hustle of setting up the camp had died down, replaced by the crackle of cooking fires and gentle laughter of men relaxing.
“How could you possibly know that? We’re out in the middle of nowhere. Haven’t seen anything but a few farmers all day!”Kayl said, shaking his head.
“I asked the farmers,”Orland said simply.
“I suppose you want to go there,”Gerald said, not opposed to the notion himself.
Orland nodded vigorously.“The lads don’t need us here! I’m sure they can manage a few hours without mother Kayl to watch over them.”
“Those ‘lads’are all older than you. Besides, it’s not good for morale for a company’scommanders to go out and get drunk,”Kayl said, frowning at him.
Orland waved this away dismissively.“Bah, so long as we bring them back a few bottles they’ll be happy enough!”Kayl pursed his lips but said nothing. Orland looked expectantly over at Gerald. The notion of a drink was appealing, he had to admit.
“We both know he’ll go without us, probably end up getting in a fight with some big armed farmer’s son. As members of the King’s Own, we can’t let a member of the nobility get roughed up by some country tough. It’s practically our duty to escort Lord Orland Mallister to this establishment,”Gerald said, throwing his arm around the slim nobleman. Kayl sighed loudly, but a smile crept slowly onto his face.
“Fine! We’ll go, but only for a few hours! I don’t much fancy trying to find our way back here in the dark,”he said.
*
It took them nearly an hour to reach the place after stopping to ask for directions twice. The tavern was as large as a barn. In fact, Gerald wasn’t convinced that the back half wasn’t being used to store hay. It didn’t look like much of a place; the wood on the outside was split and cracked. Yet as they got closer, his misgivings melted away. The familiar smells of cooking food mixed with drunken yells and laughs excited him. He’d always felt the most at home in taverns. A man was never more accepting than when he was drunk.
Pandemonium greeted them at the front door. The musty tavern was filled nearly to bursting with drunk men and women. The usual shouts, bellows of laughter, and drinking songs were magnified twofold.
“For a shack, it sure does hold the sound in,”Orland shouted, struggling to be heard over the noise. Gerald could only shake his head. Pointing to an open table, Kayl stepped through the door. The room quieted slightly as people caught sight of them. Gerald and Kayl’s officers’ uniforms drew every eye in the room. Attempting to ignore the stares, Gerald sat down in a well-worn seat, polished to a dull shine by a multitude of farmer’s arses. Before long, a barmaid swayed her way through the crowd and up to their table.
“Welcome to the Golden Deer, gentlemen. Ales? And we have a nice mutton soup today,”she said, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her face. Orland grinned up at her, a smile that Gerald knew too well.
“Aye, that sounds lovely, miss. I’ve worked up a mighty thirst that’ll take something special to quench,”he said, winking at her. A flush crept up her cheeks, and she nodd
ed, hastily retreating toward the bar. Gerald spluttered with laughter as Kayl shook his head.
“That’s your best line?”the big man asked. “A mighty thirst? You’re not even in uniform. Women love a man in uniform. She’ll be after you, Gerald, mark my words.”It was Gerald's turn to blush as he made eye contact with the barmaid across the room.
“Bah, you military types always say that. These county boys aren’t staring at you too friendly. I doubt they’d take too kindly to you bedding one of their sisters. I, however, am one of them. A man of the people,”Orland said. Gerald gave a high, disbelieving laugh.
“Orland, your outfit is probably worth more than this whole bar twice over. They probably think that we’re your bodyguards,”he said, gesturing at the young man’s clothes. Orland frowned down at his jacket, a mess of oiled leathers and luxurious furs.
“I picked this out because I wanted to blend in,”he said as the barmaid returned with a tray full of beer and bowls. “Miss, what do you think of this jacket?”Orland asked as she placed the food and drink down in front of them. Her face reddened even more as she looked down at him.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, my prince,”she said, curtseying slightly. Laughter overtook the table at her words. Kayl raised a glass in Orland's direction.
“A toast to the king’s health, long may he live and keep this bastard from the throne,”he said, taking a deep drink. Gerald roared with laughter, drawing glances from nearby tables. The barmaid seemed uncertain, looking from face to face. Orland placed his hand on her arm.