by Candy Rae
It was Elliot who ended the tension. Snagging a large piece with his own fork he raised it to his mouth where it promptly broke into about a thousand little green pieces.
Everyone laughed.
“Crisp isn’t the word for it,” he said and went for another bit which he managed to get into his mouth. “Gorgeous,” he added, chewing, eyes half closed.
“We don’t get food like this at the Academie,” agreed Jen who was making short work of her own portion.
“Plain and wholesome,” agreed Hilla with a grin.
“So tell me what its like to be in the Garda,” Derek said.
“Pretty good on the whole,” answered the blonde Shona and Elliot, seated opposite wondered why such a pretty girl would want to be a soldier.
“Why soldiering?”
“Family tradition mostly,” Shona answered, “same as Jen here, we both come from families with a history of service. My father’s a colonel.”
“Is that what you want to be, a colonel?” asked Derek, “or are you aiming higher?”
“Not sure yet,” she answered, tucking in with good appetite to the main course.
“Don’t you want to get married, have children?” asked a perplexed Derek.
“Yes,” she answered, “but that wouldn’t stop me reaching senior rank if that’s what I wanted. Never heard of maternity leave?”
None had. Maternity leave was not in the dictionaries at home.
“Time off to have children,” butted in Jen. “Everyone’s entitled. The Garda allows for two children. I might think of it myself if I meet someone I’d like to marry.”
“Some female officers do leave when they marry,” said Sandra, “or least when the children arrive. The point is that we don’t need to.”
“You from a military background too?” asked Elliot of Hilla.
“No I’m not,” Hilla answered, “but I’ve always wanted to be a soldier. My father is an innkeeper. I’m not the only one either.”
“You have a brother in the Garda?”
“Only got the one brother and he’s at the inn with my parents and younger sister. It’s us daughters,” she giggled, “who have given father so much trouble.”
“Would you tell me why?”
Hilla shook her head and caught Robain’s eye.
“Tell him,” he encouraged, “it’s a good story.”
“If you’re sure I won’t bore you?”
“I’m sure,” said Elliot, “no one else is listening.” Indeed, Jen was deep in discussion with Derek about something and Sandra and James were laughing at a joke.
Hilla told him about the twins Zak and Zala, of how Zak was at the inn, learning the trade and would inherit and of Zala’s marriage and long family.
“The first big shock for Father was Tala’s decision to take an apprenticeship. He didn’t think it ‘quite the thing’ especially in the Technicians Guild but Tala’s clever; she used to help us with our lessons when we were little. He’s proud of her now. She’s a journeywoman and works for the Guildmaster himself.”
“Is she married?”
“She says she never will, says she likes her work too much to take time off to have children.”
“Are you the next oldest?”
“Yes. We three come next.”
“We three?”
“We’re triplets, Rilla, Zilla and me, I’m the eldest, then Rilla then Zilla. I was my Father’s second big shock. He got plenty of warning; I must have been around eight when I said I wanted to be a soldier. He insisted that I try for officer training so I dug in at my lessons and here I am.”
“How does your father feel about it now?” asked Elliot who was surprised at these signs and actions of independence in northern womankind.
“He was proud when I got into the Academie.”
“Any shocks from your triplet sisters, from Rilla and Zilla?”
“Rilla’s the one who nearly gave him a heart attack, at least that’s what Zilla said when she wrote.”
“Quite recent then?”
“Yep. I mean, five daughters; one married to a rich husband with screeds of kids; the next a journeywoman in the most prestigious guild in the country; the middle one a future officer, he was riding high.”
“So Rilla brought him down with a bump?”
“Well put, yes, he’d decided Rilla should marry well too, she never wanted an apprenticeship or anything like that. He even found that he called ‘the perfect match’ and then …”
“And then …” prompted Elliot.
Hilla giggled, “then Zawlei came along and she left the Inn then and there, didn’t even tell Mother or Father she was going. She said goodbye to Zilla and went.”
“So she eloped?” grinned Elliot, “with a man not to your Father’s liking.”
Wide-eyed Hilla looked at him before bursting into chortle after chortle of laughter.
“Eloped. You are funny.”
“Why?” he asked, at a complete loss. “Is Zawlei not her husband?”
Hilla began to hiccup and had to take a long drink of water before she replied, “Zawlei, he isn’t a man, he’s a Lind. Rilla ran off to be a soldier with the Vada.”
“The Vada,” breathed Elliot. “I would like to see the Vada.”
“There’s not many about here,” said Hilla. “This is Settlement, the Garda look after this area. You’ll see plenty as you go west. There are Ryzcks stationed all along the coasts.”
“I am looking forward to it,” he replied, “so your sister is a what do they call it?”
“Vadeln, a Vada Cadet if you want to be precise. She’s not long started and I don’t think the vadeln are allocated to a Ryzck until they’re eighteen or thereabouts. We’ll probably finish about the same time.”
“Your Father did not like her choice?”
“Choice doesn’t come into it,” said Hilla, “you either become vadeln or you don’t. Anyway he’s not happy because her desertion left him looking stupid in front of the father of the man he had chosen for her. He’s important, might well be Head Councillor after the election is called in a few months.”
“Your father is a politician as well an inn-keeper?”
“He’d like to be. He’s on the town council and there are ward elections coming up.”
Elliot was on firmer ground here, he had studied how Argyll was governed, perhaps political in-play wasn’t so different in Argyll and Murdoch - less powerful men trying to get power and trying to marry their daughters into powerful families to get it.
“I’m sure he’ll forgive her eventually. Give him time. So where is your father’s inn? Is it in Stewarton? We’re going there; at least we will be later on.”
“No, it’s along the Southern Trade Route. Robain said you’d be going that way. That’s why I said you’d see plenty of Lind. The inn is at Dunetown.”
“We could perhaps stay there, I’d like to meet your sister. I’ve never met triplets before. Are you all alike?”
“Everyone says that. No, we’re not alike. Zilla is very pretty, got masses of blonde hair and a gorgeous complexion, not like Rilla and me at all. You should take rooms; it’s the best inn in the district, very comfortable. Ask your tutor if you can. Perhaps you could take a letter to her from me and a few trinkets I’ve picked up for her, if it’s not too much bother?”
“No bother at all,” replied a gallant Elliot, his manners well to the fore and Hilla smiled her thanks.
“And if you get to Vada itself find Rilla and introduce yourself. Give her the news that you’ve seen me and Zilla. She feels isolated.”
“I will,” Elliot promised, intending to ask Philip Ross if they could go to Vada. He rather thought Philip and the other two would want to go too.
By this time the meal was over and the eight were lingering over cups of sweetened kala. Robain was throwing meaning looks in Hilla’s direction.
“Looks like its time we were going,” she informed Elliot. “We’re under a bell-curfew and daren’t be late, eve
n if Leftenant Hallam is with us.”
“I think it’s the same at the Regimental Officer School back home,” said Philip looking up, “fact is, I know it is.”
“I’ll send the letter and parcel for Zilla during the next day or so,” smiled Hilla.
“That will be fine,” Elliot replied and executed a quick bow.
She acknowledged it with a smile as Robain put her cape over her slim shoulders and the two of them left with cordial waves and goodbyes. Shona and Jen followed behind at a discreet distance.
“Bit of an eye-opener what?” breathed a tipsy James. “What a girl that was, a real stunner.”
“And you a happily married man,” teased Elliot.
* * * * *
Elliot
They spent longer than they had intended at Settlement. Derek Merriman was not unhappy about the delay - he had taken a shine to his dinner partner, Hilla’s friend Jen. He saw Jen as often as he could and they were becoming genuinely ford of each other.
The reason for the delay was the late delivery of the harnesses and saddles for the horses. The stablemaster was insisting they should fit with an exactitude bordering on fanaticism.
Philip agreed with his sentiments but it didn’t stop him growing impatient to be off. James and Elliot were also eager to leave.
At last the stablemaster pronounced himself satisfied with the saddlery and Philip informed his three charges that they would be leaving the next day. He went downstairs to inform the patron and to demand the initial tally.
Derek decided that he would go to the guardroom of the Garda to leave a message for Jen asking her to meet him that evening.
James and Elliot decided to start packing.
“Don’t forget that package Hilla gave you for her sister,” James reminded Elliot.
“I won’t. Hand it over will you? It’s on that shelf over there and I’ll put it into this saddlebag.”
“It’s not heavy,” James said as he picked it up.
“Yes thank the gods, Philip keeps on reminding me to keep the weight down to an absolute minimum.”
“He does go on a bit sometimes, doesn’t he?”
There was a knock at the door.
“Wonder who that is?” queried Elliot.
“Come in,” said the less careful James.
It was one of the maids. She bobbed a curtsey as she turned to James. “There’s a gentleman downstairs to see you sir.”
“Me?” asked a surprised James. “Who could it be? Did he give you his name?”
“No sir, he just said it was important.”
“Better go,” said Elliot, forgetting Philip’s orders that he mustn’t be left on his own. “Go on, it’ll just be for a moment or two, I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not sure I should,” James prevaricated.
“Tell the gentleman that Kellen Cocteau will be right down,” Elliot ordered the maid.
“Yes sir,” she bobbed another curtsey and disappeared.
James busied himself with the saddlebags.
“You not going?” asked Elliot after a long moment.
“If it’s that important he’ll wait,” answered James. “I’m not leaving you. Philip would have the skin off me if something happened while I was away.”
All of a sudden the door opened and three black clothed men rushed in. Their faces were masked and they were holding long knives.
“Which one is it?” one called out.
“Don’t matter, kill them both,” the tall one said. His underlings lunged at James and Elliot who backed towards the window. James had his knife in his hand but Elliot was unarmed.
“What do you want?” shouted Elliot at the top of his voice, hoping to gain some time and to warn passers by that there was trouble.
“Help,” James yelled at the top of his lungs pulling Elliot behind him. “Elliot, get away. Out of the window.”
Elliot didn’t do any such thing. Instead, he picked up his half full saddlebags and threw them as hard as he could at the advancing underlings. He was lucky, the shorter and thinner one fell groaning to the floor.
James was wrestling with the short fat one. He managed to lift up his leg and kneed the man in the crotch. The assassin dropped his knife. Elliot reached over and picked it up not a moment too soon. The tall attacker leapt at him.
Elliot could see the man’s eyes through the mask.
James saw what was happening and tried to extricate himself from the short fat man but the assassin was holding tight to his legs and he could not get away. In desperation James stabbed at him, slashing at his neck. It was a lucky swipe, bright blood spurted out and the man, shuddered, gurgled and went limp.
Elliot was struggling with the tall assassin. The door burst open again and Derek Merriman lunged in. He had met a confused maid on the stairs when he had returned after leaving his message for Jen.
“Please sir,” she had said, “the gentlemen that were asking. They’ve gone. Could you tell Mr Cocteau for me sir?”
“I will,” Derek had told her, “no, go get Baron Ross for me, now, I think he’s with your master.”
Derek had taken the stairs three at a time, pulling his sword from its scabbard as he went. He heard the shouting and burst in, ready for trouble. He leapt over James who was struggling to his feet and made straight for Elliot.
The tall man turned, saw him and threw his knife. Derek tried to duck but it happened too quick. The knife embedded itself in Derek’s chest.
The assassin punched Elliot in the face then threw himself out of the open window. When James managed to get to the window and look out, he had vanished.
The small, thin assassin was still groaning on the floor. James kicked him in his face and had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes bulge out before he passed out.
Elliot stood in the corner, blood pouring from his nose. James thumped down on his knees beside Derek and felt for a pulse.
He had just ascertained that Derek was still alive when Philip burst into the room.
Philip took charge, ordering Elliot to get a towel to stem the blood and sending James for a doctor. He bent over Derek, applying pressure to the wound.
The Hotelier arrived and sent one of the staff for the Watch. Within the bell Derek had been removed to the Infirmary where he had to undergo an operation to repair the damage. Luckily the knife hadn’t reached any of his vital organs but as the doctor later reported to Philip, Derek wouldn’t be travelling anywhere for at least six tendays.
Philip, James and Philip were questioned by the Watch. These worthies came to the conclusion that the three were thieves who had thought to divest the four of their riches. They went away insisting Philip, Elliot and James wait until the Assizes so that they could be called as witnesses. Philip argued that statements should suffice and that they need not stay. He wanted Elliot out of Settlement as fast as he could manage it.
The Commander of the Watch was however adamant. It was only when Philip sent for Robain Hallam that matters were resolved.
Behind closed doors Philip told Robain the truth about Elliot’s identity and the probable reason for the attack.
“Not robbers, assassins,” Philip informed him, “and one got away. I need Elliot out of here.”
“I agree,” said Robain. “I’ll go speak to Major Bellahouston, see if he can help.”
* * * * *
Robain
“Tell Baron Ross that I will clear it with the authorities and that he and his charges will be able to leave as planned,” Major Bellahouston said, “but I am worried about the Prince-Heir travelling around our country with only two protectors. If anything were to happen to him while he is here in Argyll it would create a diplomatic incident. We’ll have to do something and sorry Captain, I can see no other help for it, you’ll have to go with them.”
“Sir,” remonstrated Robain. “I’ve just received word of my next posting.”
“I’ll find a replacement. You’d better start packing, they were intending to leave the tomorrow?
Tell who you must that you’re going on a temporary assignment. It’s true enough. You are dismissed for now but I’ll be wanting to talk to you about the finer details before you go.”
Robain saluted and headed for the door, wondering how he was going to tell Hilla. They had been delighted when the news about his next posting had come through. Robain had been going to take command of a company of Garda Foot within reasonable travelling distance of Settlement. She would be disappointed.
“Captain?”
Robain turned.
“Send a runner for the Commander of the Watch. I’ll need to instruct him about what to do with the remaining assassin. You said he was unconscious when they took him away?”
“Yes sir, but the Commander said that he was going to interrogate him when he woke up.”
“He’ll not be able to if the man is in the slammer here in the barracks,” returned the Major. “The injured young southerner, he too must come here. I’ll send our medics to bring him to our infirmary as soon as he can be moved. Until then there will be a guard with him round the bell to make sure he says nothing. Less chance of idle talk and speculation. Now go get packed, say your goodbyes and get yourself down to the hotel. Your duty starts immediately.”
It is on record in the Garda Archives that Captain Hallam was detached on an unspecified assignment that evening, duration time to be determined.
Orders given, the Commander of the Watch dealt with, Major Bellahouston now gave some more thought to the problem. The fact that there was still an assassin at large was troubling him a great deal.
Insurance, we need insurance.
He sent for another to whom he made an unusual request. The request was accepted.
Only then did he make his way out of the Academie and go to the administration buildings to make his report to the Field Marshall.
When Philip, Elliot, James and Robain left Settlement they left behind a confused Commander of the Watch, an indignant doctor, a happy hotelier who had been well paid for his silence, an upset Juvenis Hilla Talansdochter, a delighted Juvenis Jen Durand and a very worried Major.