by Travis Peck
Crallick recalled steering the wagon over to the side of the avenue across the way from headquarters. He and Garet walked into the offices of General Aelpheus one last time. Myrna and the children waited patiently on the wagon for their return.
***
While Garet was still sipping on his kof, Crallick couldn’t help but to reminisce about their last meeting with the general. He mentioned as much to Garet, and the former sergeant could tell from his old captain’s inward gaze that he was already reliving the moment.
***
Garet led the way, as was customary, and the guards at the entrance waved the two through. The corridor on the way to the general’s receiving room was floored in black marble and lined with statues of former kings, queens, and other heroes of the empire. They were life-sized and had been carved with painstaking detail out of white styricite. Garet knew them all by heart, even the oldest ones whose features had been eroded away over the centuries. But today was the last time he would see them, so he gave them one last look as he strode between the proud figures, trying to forever preserve the memory in his mind. There were many memories of his service that he wished he could forget. This one, though, was worth remembering.
One of the general’s aides saluted sharply to the two men as he opened the door leading to the general’s offices. Garet and his sergeant returned the salute crisply and continued on through the double doors. Both of the men paid special attention to their surroundings, knowing that this would be a series of lasts for them. More aides filled the large room; desks were lined up precisely, and at each one, there was a man or woman with reams of paper in front of them. Giant maps hung low from the ceiling near whichever corresponding section was responsible for that region of interest. Each section was staffed by experts of their specific regions. Every piece of information about that region was collected, closely examined and confirmed, then catalogued for later use.
Styr was at peace for the moment, having defeated her enemy to the south, the Zhurakite Sultanate, in a naval battle a few years ago. Even with the absence of armed conflict, Styr kept a great deal of information about all of its own lands, and those of its neighbors—whether or not they were deemed to be enemies. Runners filtered in and out, and each time one entered the office, aides would update troop movements and strengths on their maps. Despite the bustle, nothing of real import was happening that Garet knew about. It was quiet, for which the captain was pleased. If Styr was involved in any hostilities, he did not know if he would have been given permission to retire.
Yet another aide saluted them as they approached the general’s private office. The young man knocked politely and stuck his head past the slightly ajar door. Garet could not make out the words, hearing only the muffled voice of the aide. The general must have assented because the aide pushed open the doors. The young man closed it as soon as they entered.
General Aelpheus sat at his large oak desk. Papers were neatly stacked about it; on top of each stack was an eclectic variety of objects used as paperweights. The Grand Eagle medal was not usually thought of as an appropriate paperweight, but the leader of the Styric Empire’s military was a practical man, so the rare honor that had been bestowed upon him at the close of the Third Ravinor War was put to good use. Garet smiled when he saw the medal used for such a mundane purpose; he knew that Myrna had his own medal hidden away in her jewelry box. He did not know where his sergeant kept his. All three had received their respective Grand Eagle medals at the same ceremony presided over by Queen Amalia herself.
A hilt of a Nøm-Ünish warrior’s longsword and the bejeweled hilt of a Zhurakite emir’s scimitar rounded out the general’s unusual set of paperweights. Other martial trophies lined the shelves. There were helms, gauntlets, arrows, maces, any form of weaponry and armor that the general had come across during his lifetime of campaigning.
Although his commanding officer was a few decades older than Garet, the captain could see his own career lined up on those shelves as well. Nøm-Ün had long since been defeated by the time Garet had joined, and even the general must have been green recruit at the time, but all the other mementos reminded Garet that he had seen enough of war. He was proud of what he and his men had accomplished, but it was time to say his farewells to all of that and start a new, peaceful life with his family.
General Aelpheus rose from his chair and shook hands with each of them. Garet couldn’t help but feel emotional. He had been a soldier under command of the general for most of his life, and the three men had been together in the thick of it more than once, that was certain.
“Protus!” Aelpheus said, barking out to his aide standing outside the door. The door opened immediately, and the young man peeked his head in, waiting for his orders. “Get the gifts ready for these two and bring them in.” The aide saluted and shut the door.
“I mentioned surprises,” the general said with a wide smile. “No one has earned this more than the pair of you.”
Garet’s face flushed at the rare compliment from the normally stoic commander. He heard Crallick mutter something which Garet took for polite dismissal. The sergeant was no more used to those words coming out of their long-time commander’s mouth than his captain was.
“While we wait for young Protus to bring your other gifts, I’m pleased to say that the queen herself has granted you two, and your family, a large tract of land to the north. It is good land. Fit for nearly any use you can put it to.”
“Thank you, sir,” Garet responded with surprise. It was customary for soldiers who were retiring to be given land for their service, but he had expected a small plot outside of Styr. According to the map the general was pointing at, it was a huge swath of land far up north near the village of Haelle, in the kingdom of Kharisk.
“You two have earned it,” the general said, his voice sounding more gruff than usual in an attempt to keep his own emotions in check.
At this moment, the door burst open and three tawny blurs came bounding into the office. Protus was being towed into the room as he struggled in vain to keep his charges under control. The three war mastiff puppies were already the size of large dogs, even though they were still quite young. They all had huge paws for their age that indicated they were going to be massive. The two smaller ones, a male and female, stood a little behind the large male who was clearly established as their leader.
The male and female pup ran up to the men. Their hind ends wriggled to and fro along with their stiff tails. The biggest male was excited but didn’t immediately approach the men. His hindquarters gyrated at a more dignified pace.
Garet and Crallick greeted the two war mastiff puppies with scratches and pats, trying—and failing—to avoid their enthusiastic puppy tongues. After they were properly introduced, the two pups made room for their leader. The big puppy was no longer wagging his tail. He sensed that he was being challenged for dominance over his comrades. His tail stiffened behind him, and his hackles rose. A deep growl from such a young pup came rumbling from deep down in his chest.
Garet confidently approached the growling war mastiff. Though it was young, a war mastiff pup was as potentially dangerous as a fully grown dog. But Garet had commanded war mastiffs, along with his men, and knew what they responded to.
Keeping eye contact, Garet said quietly, but with his stern captain’s voice, “Sit.”
The big pup hesitated for a split second then sat back down on its haunches. His hair smoothed out, and his tail started to wag again. Garet gave the pup a respectful scratch behind his ears. It would not do to be too playful or familiar yet.
“That settles it,” the general said. “You still have your touch, I see. I tried to get that one to submit to me for I don’t know how long.” The general was visibly chagrined by his recollection of being bested by the mastiff pup.
War mastiffs were not like normal dogs. They had been bred specifically for use against ravinors. For such a use, they had to be exceptionally dominant dogs. Even the two smaller pups, who had so clear
ly submitted to the men and their leader, would not tolerate any dog other than a war mastiff to be above them in their hierarchy. By accepting Garet as his own leader, the largest pup had transferred the authority over the pack to the captain.
Crallick now walked over to the pup. His position in the hierarchy was not yet defined for the young mastiff. The two young ones took the sergeant’s dominance over them as a matter of course. The leader pup, having just acquiesced supreme dominance to Garet, was not about to give up his beta position so easily. The large pup stood back up and growled at the sergeant. Crallick continued to close the distance. The pup bared his teeth at the hulking figure coming toward him, undaunted by the size of his opponent.
Garet did not dare interfere; if the war mastiff pups were going to be living with his family and Crallick, it was important to get this straightened out. Garet could command the alpha pup to submit to Crallick, but then the pup would keep challenging the sergeant over and over again, and it would not do for the sergeant to have to wrestle around a full grown war mastiff. Better to do it now.
Crallick didn’t wait for the pup to lunge at him first. The sergeant moved fast and tackled the pup to the ground; his huge arms wrapped about the tawny mastiff, preventing it from clawing or biting him. The pup was desperately trying to get at Crallick any way he could, but the large man’s strong hold on him would not let the war mastiff budge. The sergeant dared to give a playful ruffle to the pup’s ears. The pup surged against the big man at his temerity, and the two rolled around the office floor.
Crallick began to laugh as their fight continued. The pup struggled on for a few more moments. Then, despite his seriousness, he began to enjoy the contest. The two were now clearly playing about. Crallick’s face was red from exertion and laughter, and even the pup’s tail now wagged playfully back and forth. The pup gave the sergeant a big lick on his face, and the matter was settled.
Crallick got back to his feet, and the pup stood up as well, both of them panting. Before this strange new day of demotions was over, the pup wanted to make sure his two subordinates still knew their place. The pup swaggered over to the two smaller pups who had been sitting and watching the entertainment next to Garet. The pup’s lip raised in a snarl, and the two pups immediately lay down on the floor and showed their bellies, tails tucked up against their stomachs.
Content now with the knowledge of everyone’s position, the leader pup nosed the two smaller pups out of the way and took his place by Garet. He sat down and looked up at his new master with adoration—as if awaiting the opportunity to prove his loyalty.
“I didn’t think to try that!” the general said with a chuckle, slapping Crallick on the back. The three men laughed together, and once again Garet was taken back to past times. Although there had always been a difference in rank between the men, when it mattered most, they had shared in an easy camaraderie.
Each man seemed to be reminiscing now; no one said anything for several moments. There were more than a few memories shared between these men; some good, others terrible. The one positive link to each was the recollection of how each man had depended on the other.
“Let’s not drag this out,” Aelpheus said, breaking the silence. Garet and Crallick both came back to the present with these words from their commander. If it hadn’t been in the morning, the three of them would have likely gone to an inn somewhere to talk the night away over many pints. But this was the general—the supreme commander of the military might of the empire—and so their brief moment of nostalgia had to end here.
The general gave both men a final handshake and a quick half-embrace. Then he formally saluted the two retiring soldiers. The two men snapped to attention and returned the salute, banging their right fist over their heart; a gesture made more impressive when wearing the standard-issue breastplate which none of the three had on at the moment. The general handed over two lacquered and finely crafted wooden boxes. Garet did not have to look inside to see what it contained: discharge papers, the deed to his new property, and a bank note for his pension—money owed from his years of service.
The door opened after a quiet knock from Protus. “Sir, the queen’s briefing is in less than a candle,” the aide reminded.
The general nodded and looked to the two men, solemnly. “It was a pleasure and an honor, gentlemen. Send word now and again… Well—hhrum—duty calls.” Aelpheus cleared his throat. “Give my regards to Myrna and the children, and get those damned pups out of here before they tear my office apart!” The general laughed once more as he gathered up a leather satchel that must have contained the reports for the queen.
The general gave one final nod to the two men, then signaled to his aide and briskly strode from the room. One did not make the queen wait. “Oh,” their commanding officer called out just before leaving his office. “I know the tradition as well as anyone, just make sure you wait until you’re out of the city to call them their new names. I’d be disappointed if one wasn’t named after me,” the general said with a wink, then disappeared from their view. It was a long-standing tradition for retiring soldiers to name whatever animals they kept, mastiffs, horses, and the like, after their old commanding officers.
Garet and Crallick stood in near shock. This was the end of their old lives, and it was finally happening after all their years of talking around the campfire while on campaign about how they imagined this moment would be. They were officially retired. “This one is obviously Aelpheus,” Garet broke through the moment, ignoring his old commander’s suggestion as he pointed at the largest war mastiff pup still sitting beside him. “And the noble lady shall be none other than Amalia. And the last one?” the ex-captain asked, gesturing toward the slightly smaller male.
Crallick looked down at the pup who was busy gnawing off a large piece of sole from his sturdy boots. “Tyrant.”
Garet laughed. “Tyrant it is.” Tyrant was not a commanding officer’s real name. When they were first being trained—so many years ago now—their instructor had been Sergeant Timan. The sergeant’s complete lack of compassion or mercy shown toward his green recruits had earned him the nickname of Tyrant.
The two retired soldiers gathered up their boxes and the three war mastiff pups. Still with a sense of joyful disbelief, they walked out of the general’s office for the last time.
Chapter Twelve
MARTEL FELT HUMAN AGAIN after he had finished bathing and donned the new clothes the dame had sent over for them. His ankle still caused him a great deal of pain, but the promise of beginning their journey from horseback eased his worries of whether he could manage to keep up with Mon Lyzink.
The two scholars—now clean—sat at a corner table of the inn. Empty plates were scattered about the table, along with a full pitcher of ale—they had finished off the first one with haste. The server was clearing their mess away by the time Dame Shavoli strode into the inn; she was flanked by a wiry and bespectacled man carrying a satchel.
Martel and Mon Lyzink stood up as the dame approached and waited for her and her man to be seated before returning to their own. Their benefactor gestured for the server to return and ordered a bottle of wine and another pitcher for the two scholars.
“My memories of seeing you lecture match the man sitting before me, now that you are clean,” the dame said, with what the two men were growing accustomed to was her normal and forthright way of speaking.
“I feel more like me now, too,” Mon Lyzink said with a chuckle as he poured himself another pint of ale. They had been too long in the field and were making up for its lack of comforts by freely imbibing.
Dame Shavoli gave them a polite smile, then she introduced her companion. “This is my steward, Finnrick. Finnrick, this is Herris Mon Lyzink and Martel.”
“Pleasure,” Finnrick said in a quiet voice.
“Finnrick shall draw up a note of credit for you to get what you need for this urgent matter you must address. I trust you will have no objections if I send a message to your tower for reimburseme
nt?”
“Of course, dame. My secretary should be there, and she has my authority to get the funds for repayment. Do you mind if I send some messages along of my own with your man?”
“Not at all. But first, gentlemen, I would ask that you tell me what has happened that led to the pair of you arriving here in your previous state. I assume an emergency of some sort is afoot, and as such, it is my duty to investigate.” Two blank stares from the scholars prompted the dame to elaborate. “I am the acting legate of this province. I am obligated to assist you, and I am also obligated to ascertain what is going on here.”
“Perfect!” Mon Lyzink said. “We must warn the empire of some changes that we have observed within the ravinor population, though we are not certain as to the extent of these changes. That is why we need to resupply and be on our way.”
The legate gave a small sign to Finnrick, who reached into his satchel for quill, ink, and parchment. When he was ready, she motioned for Mon Lyzink to continue.
Dame Shavoli was quiet throughout the explanation of what had befallen the two scholars out in the field and what they had witnessed. By the time their story had been told, the day was waning outside. Only once Mon Lyzink was finished with his account, and Finnrick completed writing it down, did the legate respond.
“Do you think we are in any danger here?” the dame asked first.
“It appears that the three flocks we observed were going off to the west. But I would recommend increased vigilance in the near future,” his master answered.
Legate Shavoli nodded. “It seems that you have made several important discoveries over the last few days. I will see to it that this information is spread as quickly as possible across the empire.”