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pledged not to station any of the Southern Guard in the Iron Valleys for the
next twenty years. In return for these conditions, he has asked the newly
established Northern Guard to provide four horse companies under their own
officers, of course for service with the Southern Guard in defending the
borders of Lanachrona.
Alucius repressed a nod.
Feran snorted.
We felt that far less dislocation would be involved if those companies that
were already going to be displaced were among those assigned. Weslyn smiled
at Alucius. In addition, the Twenty-first
Company has a reputation for effectiveness, and the Lord-Protector
specifically requested that you be among those companies. Unless, of course,
you would choose to buy out your service time all four years as a captain,
which would be four times the rate of a herder conscript, since your service
is not yet complete.
Alucius didn t have to consider that provision for long. A conscript s buyout
would have taken half the revenues from the stead for each year. A captain s
buyout on those terms would destroy the stead. We will serve as requested.
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I had thought you might. Weslyn turned to Feran. There are two
possibilities for Fifth Company, Captain. You could be assigned to the outpost
to be opened at Eastice and charged with ensuring that the high road be kept
clear of brigands& and provide border guard service along the northern
boundaries with Madrien, or you could be assigned to accompany Twenty-first
Company.
Feran s lips tightened.
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If Fifth Company went with Twenty-first Company, you would, of course, be
under the command of
Overcaptain Alucius. That is, unless you choose to leave the Northern Guard.
Weslyn took a sip of his ale.
Alucius concealed a wince. Weslyn was clearly trying to force Feran to leave
the militia.
After a long moment, Feran presented a smile a cold smile. If it s all the
same to you, Colonel, I think it s fair to say that Fifth Company and I would
prefer to serve with and under Overcaptain Alucius.
For the briefest instant, an expression of surprise flickered across the
colonel s face before he replied smoothly. Both the Northern Guard and the
Lord-Protector will be pleased to know that two such experienced companies
will be defending our borders.
When had Lanachrona s borders become our borders? Alucius wondered.
As he cut through the gravy-covered mutton, Weslyn looked at Alucius. Your
promotion to overcaptain will become effective when you leave Emal two weeks
from yesterday. I will make sure your insignia are dispatched in time.
Might you be able to tell us where we will be defending those borders? asked
Alucius.
Oh& I didn t mention that, did I? The Lord-Protector is sending a detachment
of five horse companies to support the Landarch of Deforya. Four will be from
the Northern Guard, and one from the Southern
Guard. It s good to know that the Twenty-first and Fifth Companies will be two
of them.
How& or where will we join this detachment?
The detachment commander is a Majer Draspyr, I believe. I have your route
here, and I will leave it, obviously. You will cross the Vedra here and ride
south to the high road and a road outpost there in a place called& what is
it& Senelmyr, that s it. That s where you will meet the majer and the other
companies. We brought the new shoulder patches, also. They re really just blue
shimmersilk triangles, but they go on your tunics so that the Southern Guard
can tell who you are. We can go over the details in the morning, once you ve
had a chance to think about it.
What about the outpost? Alucius asked. Will the militia close it? Or sell
it?
The Northern Guard has not decided, the colonel said slowly. Certainly, if
we can sell unused assets, to defer costs, that would be prudent. Abruptly,
he smiled again. That is not bad fare for such an isolated outpost. The
commandant glanced at Feran, then Alucius. Might I ask how you have managed
such?
As carefully as we could, sir, Alucius replied. Gravy is not terribly
expensive, and allows one the luxury of thinking the meat is less tough than
it is, and the apples are a type that does not travel well, and so they are
not expensive.
You two are resourceful. Very good. It will serve you and us very well.
Weslyn smiled yet again.
Did you know that we are already receiving brownberries in Dekhron? And
without tariffs, even the lower crafters can afford them.
Alucius got the message that the colonel had said all that he was about to
say. So he listened, and commented politely, until supper was over. After more
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pleasantries the two outpost captains excused
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themselves and made their way out into the still-light evening. The sun was
poised over the western river bluffs, its white light tinged with green as it
dropped toward the horizon. The two walked silently out through the gates and
along the causeway until they were certain they were alone.
I m sorry, Feran, Alucius said. I didn t
It s not your fault, and I don t hold anything against you. But I meant it.
I d be sanded if I d take an assignment where there are only two months out of
ten without snow. And they are going to pay that stipend.
You think Fifth Company&
They feel the same way. A third of them came from Soulend or Iron Stem to get
out of the cold.
You think they want to serve in a place three hundred vingts closer to the Ice
Sands?
He decided to promote me to force you out, Alucius pointed out.
We both got sanded. You couldn t afford that kind of buyout, could you?
It would force my family into poverty. They d have to sell the stead, and
they d still end up owing hundreds of golds.
That much?
Low hundreds, Alucius admitted, but there wouldn t be any way to pay them.
Well& at least you ll get a few more coins out of it.
A few more coins, and much more trouble. As he watched the sun set, Alucius
reflected. Troubles just compounded themselves. He d gotten captured by the
Matrites. To escape he d had to use his Talent to destroy the power behind the
Matrial s torques and kill the Matrial. But to get accepted back in the Iron
Valleys, he d had to stay in the militia, if as an officer, rather than a
squad leader. And now he was being sent to fight a nomad conqueror who had
routed the army of the largest and most powerful land in Corus.
He pushed away the sense of self-pity. He d managed to get back alive, when
most didn t, and his abilities had been recognized, and he had been able to
marry the woman he loved even if he hadn t been able to spend much more than a
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