Chapter 17

The captain of the Latavit was resigned to his fate. As soon as he was summoned to the castle – to meet with the King himself – he knew he had involved himself in something that he would probably regret.

At first, he thought the King was going to admonish him for transporting Jorgarn and his party from Longview. He had spent enough time in Longview to know his female passenger was the Lady of the Manor. Then the captain worried that Landor would tell him that the parchment that awarded duty-free shipping was a sham.

By the time he left the castle, he probably would have settled for either.

"A war party," he said shaking his head. "I've lost control of my ship for the next month and I'm to be the captain of a warship."

Certainly the price the King paid was handsome. Not only did the captain receive another year of duty-free shipping into Emertland but the King insisted that he purchase the entire hold space that would have been used for cargo.

Instead the captain was to transport horses and a carriage!

Jorgarn would decide when the ship departed and where it docked in Longview. He would decide if the captain needed to change course during the voyage and probably how much ale to give the crew. Now he had to make two voyages to Longview in six days. This was an invasion force. He was to take the lead party across the day after the Ascension of Princess Denae, but he wasn't to dock. He was to let the party off in a longboat a mile from shore and head back to Emertland.

Well, at least his family wouldn't have to stand among the throng of well-wishers to greet the new Heiress to the Throne. The King had given him seats for his entire lot in the section reserved for visiting dignitaries and other "friends of the Crown."

His wife would be excited about that.

Seni was somewhat surprised when Jorgarn pulled him out of ranks a week before the Ascension Ceremony. Seni had gone out of his way to avoid Jorgarn, partially in embarrassment but mostly because he didn't want to risk the trainer seeking retribution.

"I am told you are the most capable woodsman in our group," Jorgarn said. "We have a strictly volunteer mission, if you're interested. It is a scouting mission on foreign soil. The area where you land is almost entirely comprised of forests. You will need to accrue information quickly and silently and you will need to be able to meet the main force no less than two days after you land. Is this something you would be interested in?"

Seni goggled.

"Yes, Sir," Seni said. "I would be glad to undertake the mission. Does this involve your disappearance a few weeks ago?"

Jorgarn nodded but stood mute.

"Then I will go," Seni said firmly. "Is it a solo incursion?"

"You may select as many as three for your team," Jorgarn responded. "I will need you to select four others for the advance force. Obviously, I don't expect them to have your expertise. But they need to be able to move silently in the trees and remain almost invisible."

Seni pursed his lips.

"May I select men from the Emertland Guard?" he wondered.

"Everyone except Pernice Wort," Jorgarn said. "He will be a part of the main force. Master Seni, please make your selections quickly so I may speak to them. This is strictly voluntary. No man will be forced to take part and no man will be looked down upon for declining. That includes you. I approached you to lead the advance force because of your reputation and because of the work you've done in training exercises. You are not obligated to undertake this mission."

Seni smiled but shook his head.

"If you believe I am best suited for the mission, I will go, Sir," he said. "I can think of no one from the Noble Guard who is likely to volunteer. May I ask who comprises the main force so I can plan accordingly?"

"Pernice, Fieth, Renoit, Lippit, DeStrad and Chamin," Jorgarn said. "Plus the three others you name. Pernice will select four others. He is second in command."

"DeStrad and Chamin?" Seni asked. "I don't know them. Are they assigned elsewhere?"

Jorgarn nodded.

"They are assigned to Lady Eslada, the King's niece," he said. "They also may be required to do some woodcraft. They are well-qualified."

Seni nodded.

"I will have the names for you later in the day, Sir," Seni replied. "When do we leave?"

"You will set sail two hours after the Ascension Ceremony ends," Jorgarn said. "I would not ask you to miss that. But you need to be prepared to leave as soon as it is over."

Jorgarn took his spot with the other Noble Guards lining the aisle that Denae would walk to her Ascension. He noticed her as she entered the back chamber, tugging at a portion of her gown.

"<You look beautiful, Denae, >" he thought to her. A smile came to her face almost immediately.

"<You look handsome yourself, >" she replied in kind. "<The green tunic looks nice on you but I can't wait to see how you look in your blue one, my love.>"

She hadn't meant to think those final words but she did. She blushed slightly but she didn't turn her eyes way. Jorgarn smiled back at her shyly as she walked past him beaming.

The swearing-in of the Noble Guard initiates came immediately after the Ascension Ceremony. Some of the nobles – who had children sent back to them – scoffed at the size of the class. Only 12 members of this class would take the oath. Prior to the ceremony, Sir Torbert, with the newly minted Sir Jorgarn by his side, raised his hand for silence.

"This is the final class of Noble Guardsmen who will take the path the rest of the squad has taken," he said. "No more will we take a man just because he comes from nobility. Henceforth, the following standards will be used for all incoming candidates."

A hushed silence fell over the crowd.

"Any family with a son in good standing can elect to send a second cadet through training," he announced. "We have decided to give preference to the dependable families whose children take the oath and live up the standards. If your family has not produced a full guardsman in the past 10 years, your candidate must meet exacting standards before he will be accepted. Those failing to meet the standards or failing to live up to the standards will be dismissed with prejudice. That means your family cannot send another candidate for 15 years.

"No longer will the Noble Guard be the exclusive club for second sons. Any child born of nobility will be eligible, so long as they will reach their 14th birthday prior to the start of formal court. That is correct. I say any child. A female squadron will be trained if there is enough demand for one. If not, we will train female guardsmen individually."

There was a gasp and some snickering from the ensemble crowd. But Jorgarn saw a look of excitement of some of the girls' faces.

"Sir Jorgarn and I are committed to growing the Guard," Torbert continued. "But that is our secondary consideration. Our primary aim is to restore the pride that has been lost over the past decade or two. We will do that in two ways: we will focus on training and retaining those we train; we will no longer provide a clearinghouse for your children. Our appointments will be based on merit. Those who complete the training will be required to agree to a three-year commitment. No more will we have people take our training to other lands or back to their families."

The crowd was again murmuring and Torbert held up his hand to quiet them.

"This class is the first in which every member met our exacting standards," he said. "That shows us it can be done. Certainly, we lost 28 of the 40 men who entered but those 28 simply could not cut it. Those of you who have had a change of heart and wish to re-apply, you're welcome. Those families whose sons have made it through the training in the past five years – and took the oath and lived up to its meaning – are welcome to recommend a second child. Any family sending a female will be allowed to send a son a year later if she qualifies for the Guard. Now I will turn the proceeding over to His Royal Highness, King Landor."

Torbert smirked a little when he turned to face Jorgarn before returning to his spot behind the King.

"<Very nice, >" Denae intoned in Jorgarn's head. "<You look very imposing in your blue tunic. That should get the nobility buzzing.>"

The ceremony ended shortly thereafter and Jorgarn escorted Princess Denae down the aisle again. He couldn't help but notice the pride in which the new Guardsmen carried themselves.

Putting together the rest of the group was simple. It was harder to decide who to leave behind as almost every new member of the Noble Guard volunteered without even bothering to ask what the mission was. They only knew that Jorgarn and Pernice were leading it and the King sanctioned it. That was enough for them, even though taking the oath was two days away when the mission was revealed.

Torbert threw another problem Jorgarn's way.

"You know that Melodart and Gorin cannot both take part in any battle," he said gravely. "Also, either Fieth or Renoit will have to stand down and remain at the back of the fray."

Jorgarn looked him in puzzlement.

"Gorin and Melodart are my seconds," Torbert explained. "Fieth and Renoit are yours, I assume. Or at least they will be named such after the Ascension Ceremony. All three of you can never be in battle at the same time. If I am not there, Melodart and Gorin cannot be in battle at the same time. One of our seconds must always be relatively safe. You can send Fieth and Renoit if you stay behind but that is the only way."

Jorgarn shook his head in amazement. His plans depended upon having people he trusted around him, particularly when it came time to track down Comar.

"Cläda," he said. "I will have to let Lippit know. He is planning our foray into Longview. Am I required to leave one of them on the ship?"

"No, but they must remain behind the battle," Torbert said. "They must understand that if you fall, one of them must return to Emertland immediately. The safety of the Princess is paramount."

"But the Princess is best served if we succeed in Longview," Jorgarn asserted. "Ridding the world of Pietro and Comar will pretty much assure Denae's safety. Don't you agree?"

"For now it will but what about the future?" Torbert said. "It is the problem with naming your most trusted lieutenants as your seconds. It serves the Crown very well but it ties your hands at times in battle. When Cray, my nephew, tried to kill me, Gorin came to my aid and Melodart went to ensure the King's safety. Both of them wanted to deal with Cray and it certainly would have ended there. But when it comes to the safety of our charges, we must take every precaution."

"By that rationale you and I should never leave their sides," Jorgarn said.

"I understand your frustration," Torbert said. "But it is the way it must be done. Melodart and Gorin both understand. They might try to convince you to take them because they are no longer affiliated with the Noble Guard. But they are still my seconds. Just like your pledge to the Princess, their oath is resolute. It lasts their lifetime. You have the option of choosing others as your second. You must determine whether the long-term risk is worth the short-term goal – just as I did 35 years ago."

Jorgarn was not pleased but his demeanor was pleasant when compared to the others when he revealed his strategy to them. None of the four said anything in the presence of others and Gorin and Melodart seemed resigned to accepting their fate. But Jorgarn could tell that Fieth and Renoit were feeling left out. He asked them to stay behind.

"Gentleman, I wish I would have had the chance to speak to you beforehand," Jorgarn said apologetically. "There are some nuances to my post that still evade me: Such as what I need to discuss with you now. I saw the looks on your faces when I handed out assignments. I hope you understand that you were omitted not because I don't feel you are up to the task or that I believe I cannot rely upon you. The opposite is actually true."

Neither man appeared to believe him.

"You are to be named my seconds," Jorgarn said. "Do you understand the meaning of that?"

The man glanced at the other and shook their heads.

"If something should happen to me, one of you will assume the Knighthood," Jorgarn told them. "That means the three of us can never – never – be in the same engagement. It is recommended that we are all three in the same room only periodically. I did not know that when I made my choice. I consider you both my friends and my closest comrades. That is why I wanted you with me on this trip. Ideally, I should leave one of you behind but we are too far along for me to do that. It is the same reason that Gorin and Melodart cannot participate fully. They are Torbert's seconds. Does it make better sense to you now?"