by N. C. Reed
In time of war those bridges would become invasion routes. As a result, 2nd Corps was somewhat heavier than most, with an additional cavalry division and one ‘heavy’ infantry division. That division was specifically trained and equipped to make assaults on fortifications or to repel that same kind of assault from behind fortifications.
The 3rd Corps, in Shelby, guarded the bridge over the Great River, the sole remaining bridge that spanned the mile-and-a-half wide river. It, too, had an additional cavalry division and another heavy infantry division—the only such infantry divisions in the Soulan Army. The Kingdom of Soulan had never launched a war of aggression, thus the need for such formations was limited to defensive preparations.
That left the Militia divisions. Each of Soulan’s six provinces were required by law to maintain two divisions of Militia, both to aid in suppressing any bandit activity and to support the Army in time of war. This tradition was so old that no one, including the House McLeod, knew it’s origin. Parno supposed it had been a decree of the House of Tyree, the founding House of the Dynasty of Soulan, of which the House McLeod was directly descended.
The provinces had one division each of mounted infantry and cavalry. The decision had been made early on to absorb the various militia into the existing divisions within the standing army. Units would be added by brigade so that they could fight as a unit and their colors would see no break in service. Twelve divisions meant thirty-six brigades, plus what little artillery and support services each maintained.
Kent Provincial Militia units would simply be absorbed by the 2nd Corps. The men would be fighting on familiar ground and defending their families. It made little sense to send them away and many would likely object anyway.
Tinsee’s Provincial Militia would be added to 1st Corps, stationed just outside Nasil itself. The 1st Corps was primarily responsible for the defense of the heartland. It would fall to them to stop any invasion that made its way that far south.
The Misi forces would be used to patrol the banks of the Great River in their province. Their border was, by far, the longest along the River.
In the Alma province, their forces would join General Herrick’s 5th Corps in Moble. To him would fall the immense job of patrolling the expansive shores of the Gulf of Storms and defending those shores. A division of the Flora province would also aid him in that task.
The remaining Flora division, and both divisions of the Gera province would take the field with General Freeman’s 4th Corps, stationed in Lana. Their area of responsibility would include patrolling the Sunshine Coast and in aiding in the defense of the heartland should the need arise.
“Do not forget the heartland,” Parno said quietly amid the silence, “specifically, the Gap of Cumberland. It is a likely invasion route. If they can succeed in tying down our forces in the field, a large force coming through the Gap would be virtually unopposed.” Therron snorted at that.
“The Gap has few trails that would support such a force,” the Lord Marshall replied, disdain evident in his voice. “It would take over a week for mounted units to even reach it, let alone their trains and artillery.”
“A good sized cavalry force, living off the land, could wreak havoc once loose in the heartland, Therron,” Parno pointed out, his voice still calm. “We ignore that threat at our own peril.”
“The Nor will never get that far,” Therron predicted airily. “Davies will stop them and if not, I will take 1st Corps and personally run them into the ground.”
“And if 1st Corps is needed elsewhere?” Parno asked, careful to keep any challenge out of his voice.
“Where?” Therron asked derisively. “The Nor will attack across the Ohi as they always have and we will crush them as we always have,” he added, looking to the Generals around the table for support. One by one they nodded their agreement.
“That is the most likely route,” one voiced their opinion.
“It is foolhardy to expect the enemy to continue to make the same mistakes,” Parno said calmly. “We must assume that they will learn from their history, just as we teach from ours. We cannot afford to leave the Gap undefended.”
“You opinion has been noted…and dismissed…Parno,” Therron almost sneered. Parno looked to his father, who nodded in reluctant agreement. Memmnon’s face betrayed little, but Parno could see he was unhappy with the way Therron was managing things. Parno shrugged finally.
“As you wish, brother,” he said simply. He had tried. He couldn’t force them to see what he, himself, saw.
“Does anyone else have anything to add?” Therron asked. When no one else spoke, the Lord Marshall looked to the King.
“With your permission, Sire, we shall begin posting the orders.”
“Very well,” Tammon nodded after a brief pause. “That will be all for now, gentlemen.” The generals departed behind Therron. The middle son sneered slightly at his younger brother as he departed, but Parno refused to rise to the bait. Once they were alone, however, he looked again to his father and his oldest brother.
“Do not neglect the defense of the Gap,” he said one last time. With that said, he left the office himself. He wanted a drink and something to eat. Perhaps, he reflected, that would calm the uneasy feeling that Therron was leading them to disaster.
*****
The next day as Parno was preparing to return to Cove Canton a thought stuck him. Leaving his escort with orders to continue their preparation, he made his way back to his father’s office. There he found his father and both of his brothers pouring yet again over dispositions and training orders.
“Hello, Parno,” Memmnon smiled tiredly. “I thought you would be in the saddle by now.”
“I will be shortly,” Parno assured him. “I realized as I was preparing that I had forgotten to ask which corps my unit will be assigned to.”
“What?” Therron looked up sharply at that.
“Where will my unit be serving?” Parno repeated. “I didn’t think to look with everything we. . . .”
“Serving?” Therron looked aghast. “Nowhere! That rabble of yours will be useless in the war that’s coming. Stay at home and let your criminals continue to play at soldier. If they do well, we might use them as baggage guards for real troops.”
Parno’s face flushed deeper and deeper as Therron’s disdain for his men and their ability became more clear with each word.
“Therron, I hardly think that’s called for,” Tammon said softly, but firmly, “and Parno’s unit was formed for just such a time as this.”
“They haven’t had enough training to be of any use,” Therron waved a hand in dismissal, “and they aren’t soldiers in any case, just a loose bunch of rabble held together by promises and threats. They’ll fold at the first sign of trouble.”
“They are at least as well trained as many of the youngsters you’ll be committing to battle from the Provincials,” Parno grated, “and the shirkers and no accounts have long since been weeded from the patch. They are good men and good soldiers.”
Therron’s snort of disdain made his opinion know of Parno’s statement. Parno ignored him, looking to his father and his oldest sibling.
“Is that it, then?” he asked, voice trembling with fury. “Good boy, Parno, run along now? After all that work and expense, my men and I are considered worthless?”
“I’d not agree with that,” Memmnon assured him, glaring at Therron. “It’s true, they haven’t the experience that many of our units have, but as you say, neither do our younger recruits.”
“Those younger recruits are all volunteers!” Therron almost hissed. “And loyal, law-abiding citizens, I might add.”
“Therron,” Tammon’s deep voice rumbled across the argument. “Is it your professional opinion that Parno’s men are sub-standard? Or is it your opinion of your brother that powers your argument?” Therron looked nonplussed for a moment.
“It is true that I have no love for my brother, sire,” Therron said after a brief pause, his voice respectful, “but
in this case, no. That has no bearing on my decision and it is my decision to make. His men are not equal to the task.”
“And how would you know that, considering you’ve never laid eyes on. . . .” Parno broke off at the raised hand of his father. Tammon’s eyes, however, had never left Therron.
“Therron, I’ll ask you once more and I suggest you take great care in how you address me,” a warning timber crept into Tammon’s voice. “What reasons, what proof do you have, that Parno’s men are not capable of serving in combat?”
“I have had someone watching the progress of their training, Sire,” Therron replied bluntly, ignoring the gasp of outrage from Parno and a withering frown from Memmnon.
“According to my man,” Therron went on, “my brother’s project has not come to fruition as yet and is unlikely to do so. He has frittered away his time playing with noisy toys and diddling. . . .”
“I’ll kill you if you finish that,” Parno growled low in his throat, his hand resting on his sword.
“Silence!” Tammon roared. “I have a kingdom on the verge of war! I have no time for squabbling children!” He turned to Therron.
“If you were about to say what I think you were,” he warned, voice dangerously soft, “then I’ll remind you that trial by combat, against a champion of your choosing, decided that matter. If you raise it again, you do so at your peril. I trust I make myself understood?”
“Yes, sire,” Therron forcibly kept himself from retreating under his father’s hard gaze. “I meant only that he has wasted the time given him and has not seen to adequately training his men. I did not mean to imply anything outside of that. His men are not capable of sustained combat operations. I doubt they would last out the first day without deserting to a man.”
Tammon McLeod considered his middle son for a long moment, looking directly into his eyes. To his credit, Therron managed not to look away from the piercing gaze. Nodding suddenly, Tammon turned to his youngest son.
“I am inclined to take Therron’s advice in this, my son,” he spoke slowly, “and it is his decision, as Lord Marshall of the Army.”
“Sire,” Memmnon began, only to be silenced by a raised hand.
“I have made my decision,” he said stonily. “I am sorry, my son,” he told Parno. “Perhaps if you had used your time more wisely. . . .”
“Don’t,” Parno cut his father off, his voice thick with emotion. “Don’t finish it, Father. It is your right to make the decision, but you base it on deliberately false information. That, too, is your right,” he almost spat.
“Since I am not needed, I will take my leave,” he bowed stiffly, fury threatening to erupt from every pore. “Luck in battle, Father. Brothers.” With that Parno turned to leave.
“Parno!” Tammon called out to him. Parno stopped, but did not turn.
“Do not think of this as an indictment upon you,” his father told him. “Rather, it is. . . .”
“It is most certainly an indictment on me,” Parno grated, refusing to turn back, lest his brother gain some satisfaction in the tears of rage that threatened to spill from his eyes. “You, yourself, have said, ‘had I used my time more wisely’. That is indictment enough and nothing less than I should have expected. Farewell, and Godspeed.”
Without another word, Parno McLeod walked away.
*****
“Parno!”
Parno heard Memmnon’s voice as he mounted his horse. For a moment he considered simply ignoring it and riding on, but Memmnon had been good to him, of late. He felt compelled to look back.
“What is it, Memmnon?” he asked coldly.
“I am sorry, Parno,” Memmnon told him, voice ringing with sincerity. “That wasn’t right.”
“And as the purveyor of King’s Justice you stood by and said nothing in my defense,” Parno’s voice was still frigid. His tone and the look on his face said something else. As my older brother, and someone I had come to trust, you failed to aid me when I was wronged.
“There was nothing to be done,” Memmnon protested, though not heatedly. “It isn’t my place.”
“You could have defended me,” Parno told him. “You know that I haven’t wasted my time and that my men are far better prepared than many of Therron’s. As to that, were you aware of Therron’s spy?”
Memmnon’s silence was answer enough. Parno nodded.
“As I thought. What a fool I have been, thinking that matters between us were improving. Things haven’t changed so much after all, have they?”
With that final dig, Parno whirled his horse and spurred it on its way, taking him away from Nasil…and his family.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
When Parno returned to Cove he went directly to his house, allowing the orderly to see to his horse and gear. He was still in a foul mood, even after three days of hard riding. The men of his escort had recognized that mood and word soon spread throughout the cantonment; the Prince was angry.
Darvo had known from the look on Parno’s face and the way he carried himself as he stalked to his residence that his liege was aggravated in the extreme. He collected Karls Willard and the two of them headed over to see what the problem was.
As they entered both were surprised to see Parno sitting at the table in his study, drinking. Parno seldom drank these days.
“What do you want?” he demanded, voice surly.
“We’re fine, Milord,” Willard replied drily, “and how was your trip?”
Parno eyed him hostilely for a moment, then snorted in somewhat angry humor.
“My trip was wonderful,” Parno oozed sarcasm. “My family, happy to see me as always, made the visit even more so. Practically fawned over me. Quite embarrassing, really.”
“They did’na believe you, then?” Darvo asked, concern in his voice. Parno had convinced him that something was happening.
“Oh, they believed me,” Parno assured him, rising to his feet. He walked over to the window, gazing out at the camp.
“Then what’s the problem?” Darvo asked, when Parno didn’t volunteer any more.
“The problem,” Parno hissed, “is that there’s a traitor among us.” He flung the glass in his hand at the fireplace, sending a shower of slivers into the pit.
“What?” Willard was stunned. “You mean in the capital?”
“I mean here!” Parno retorted savagely. “My brother, the Lord Marshall, has a spy in our camp, or nearby. He has told my father that we haven’t ‘used our time wisely’ and that our men ‘aren’t capable of serving as a line unit’.”
“Based on that information, and his undying love for me of course,” Parno added snidely, “his Eminence, the Lord High Marshall has determined that our unit is ‘unsuitable for use in the coming conflict’ and the King, and the Crown Prince, have concurred.”
“That’s absurd!” Willard protested. “Our men are at least as ready as the Militia units that will be thrust into the fighting! And better trained and equipped, at that!”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I said,” Parno smiled bitterly. “But then, those Militia recruits are all ‘law abiding volunteers’, not criminals and apparently they’re more competently led.”
“Lad, let’s don’t be hasty,” Darvo started, but Parno waved him off.
“Don’t start with me, Darvo,” he warned. “Not today. Even if you’re right, this isn’t the time. Not while I’m mad.”
“Very well,” the older man nodded after a brief pause. “In that case, we need to set about trying to find our informer and get rid of him.”
“I’ve thought of little else, I assure you,” Parno nodded, “but where do we start? Is it one of the men? Someone Therron promised a full pardon to if he informed on us? Is it a sutler? Someone in town? Everyone has the potential to be his informer, Darvo.”
“Well, there are a few we can rule out,” Karls stated. “Starting with us and Cho Feng.” He paused for a moment, looking at the floor.
“It’s very possible that one of the men in my original
company is the traitor, Milord. They would be acting under orders, mind you, and not selling us out. Still, if I find out it is one of them, I’ll have his guts for lanyards.”
“None of that,” Darvo admonished at once. “We can’t go off half-cocked. And,” he added, “since the Lord Marshall has already told you of the spy in our midst, it’s possible that he’s gone, or that he won’t be reporting anymore, and you can’t punish a man for acting under orders from the very highest military authority in the land, short of the King himself,” he eyed Willard. “That’s not fair to the man following orders.”
“So we just let it go on, then?” Willard demanded, almost challengingly. “This is just the kind of thing that could destroy the morale we’ve worked so hard to establish!”