Chapter 47

Marnit was much happier on solid ground and had slept a good portion of the day. Leyota said that boded badly for the trio as far as her sleeping at night. But Jorgarn didn't mind. He was used to going on only a few hours of sleep and it gave him precious time with the baby.

She awoke the trio in the middle of the night with her cries but she refused to eat. So Jorgarn collected the small bundle and the pair walked the castle until Marnit drifted off again. He found himself outside of his old chambers a floor above Bralan's suite of rooms. Rayna had taken her former room down the hall and Leyod slept in a small bed in her chamber.

Memories flooded his mind as he stood and rocked Marnit while looking at the door to the sitting room he used to share with Denae. For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of regret. He could have stayed and maintained his status as her Knight. He didn't need to flee to Freeland.

Then he realized how happy he was that had. He would not be carrying this child – a child he shared with a woman he had always loved and one who loved him completely – if he had stayed. Denae would never have permitted him to marry someone he cared about. Perhaps she would never have permitted him to marry at all. The side of her that had appeared prior to their engagement had galled him. The fact that she had returned to her earlier practices the moment he was away from the castle told him that she was only pretending to care for him.

Perhaps Leyota was correct and the woman had grown. He certainly hoped so because Emertland could never truly be safe so long as Denae believed herself aggrieved.

Leyota had never pretended and he cursed himself for doubting her love for him. She had set out to do what she thought was best for everyone and she had succeeded.

His thoughts drifted from Leyota to Bralan. He still wasn't sure they could make things work for the three of them but she and Leyota seemed convinced they could. Bralan had been excited about the prospect of a plural marriage and she vowed to see what precedents needed to be in place before it was possible.

Marnit was sleeping soundly when he returned them to their chambers. Leyota and Bralan, who had started out on either side of him, had shifted to the middle of the bed and lay entwined in the other's arms. He didn't have the heart to awaken them, so he sat on a chair and let Marnit sleep on his shoulder for a while longer. He worried that he might doze and drop her, so he moved to the full settee along the opposite wall to the bed. He put Marnit's tiny head on his shoulder closest to the back of the settee and they both slept.

It was how Leyota found them in the morning when she awoke: the two people she loved most under Creation sleeping soundly. Jorgarn had his arms wrapped around the girl and he had used his cloak as a coverlet to keep her warm. The baby slept on his shoulder as if it were the nicest place she could find. Leyota had slept on that very shoulder several times, and she agreed that Marnit might be right.

Bralan awoke and together with Leyota, she stood and admired the scene before her. She had seen Jorgarn in battle. He still carried scars on his face and arm from them. She knew him to be a deadly enemy and a ruthless warrior. But at that moment she saw his face set in such tranquility it was hard to guess he had ever seen a moment's strife in his life.

Marnit awakened first and shifted slightly. Neither Leyota nor Bralan was surprised at how quickly Jorgarn recognized the movement and sprang awake himself. He wrapped his arms gently around the baby and looked around for a source of danger. He saw Bralan and Leyota gazing at him and looked at them sheepishly.

"You were already asleep when we returned from our walk," he said, "so we decided this was a better option than waking either of you up. I am afraid Marnit will need a few years' sword training before we will risk that."

Leyota was shocked that Marnit did not cry as she usually did when she awoke. Her eyes opened and she seemed a bit disturbed by the rough beard that was on top of her head. She was warm and comfortable so she let it go.

"I need to feed her," Leyota said softly. "And you need to prepare for Tribunal. I brought your best tunic with me. I will prepare it for you once I have fed Marnit. Bralan, do you require assistance with your gown?"

"I have it all prepared," she stated, "although I might require your aid with my hair. I should have set it last night but I forgot."

"It looks wonderful," Jorgarn offered.

"Such a sweet boy," Bralan said with a smile. "I believe we should keep him. He is ever so good with the children."

"I trained him well," Leyota said as she picked up Marnit and kissed Jorgarn warmly on the lips. "It took me many years but I finally succeeded. Now we just need him to stay in bed during the night. I will leave that training to you."

The meeting of Tribunal was only a formality. The six members – because the spot previously occupied by Denae was vacant – voted unanimously to install Bralan as Landor's successor. They took only a few minutes to review the evidence before voting to strip several landholders of their titles. Those outside of Landor, Torbert, Jorgarn and Bralan seemed surprised that the King did not have new names for them to consider. He told them instead they would remain Crown lands until the uprising was put down.

The day brought two more ships to port, one carrying 20 members of the Tark Archers and one carrying 25 members of the newly named Emertland Raiders, formerly the Dometian Cavalry. As soon as their horses were unloaded and settled, the Raiders set off in six groups of three and one group of seven, with the smaller, nimble members of the freshly coined Emertland Rangers, formerly the scouts and trackers sent by Jorgarn's father, riding behind them on their steeds. Their mission was twofold: pinpoint the exact location of the enemy and gauge its speed; and warn the population along the path to be prepared to evacuate.

Jorgarn and Torbert sat with Pernice and Belad to discuss their options. A joint venture to the site Jorgarn proposed was warranted but Jorgarn knew that everyone would wish to accompany their leaders.

"Let's just go and set up camp," Pernice declared. "It is everything Jorgarn said it is. One side of the road is forested and the other side is a sheer drop to the bay. There will be no escape for them in that spot, nowhere they might flee."

"Still, if the enemy is weeks away, we don't want them restless," Jorgarn replied.

"Said the man earning a ton of Konecs each night at the tavern," Pernice rejoined with a laugh. Jorgarn had filled the men in on what he had learned of his financial status and earned a laugh from everyone.

"He says they are eating for free," Torbert joked. "But I'm sure he is charging double for the wenches to make up for it. I have heard him say numerous times there is nothing free under Creation."

Jorgarn rolled his eyes and tried to move the men back to the discussion at hand. He was only partially successful.

"Why don't you buy the tavern near Pernice's home, too," Ronac offered with a sly grin. "That way you won't lose money if we depart. But don't tell Vellendira. She won't let me go if she knows I have access to tavern wenches."

Jorgarn lifted his eyes and Belad blushed.

"We married just before we came here," he said. "She didn't think a wedding trip to a war was a bad plan. I wanted her to stay at home but she insisted upon accompanying us. We have almost two dozen married couples in our ranks now."

Jorgarn congratulated the man warmly but he was saddened to learn that there was no way Belad would remain behind in Emertland now. He had a wife and a future family to consider now.

"Now we just have to find someone for Fieth, Renoit, Lippit and Wort," Ronac joked. "But I saw Pernice with a couple tasty things yesterday."

Torbert cleared his throat.

"One of those 'tasty things' was my youngest daughter," he pointed out with mock severity.

"Astid?" Ronac said. "I'm sorry. I still remember her as a little girl. I would never have made that comment if I had known who she was."

"At least not in front of you, Torbert," Jorgarn laughed, happy to needle his friend for once instead of the other way around. "Incidentally, the other was Fieth's sister. So you might want to watch your comments about how 'tasty' she appears, too."

Duly chastened, Belad moved his focus to the map.

"If we tire of giving Jorgarn our coin, we can always move out and look for other places to fight," he said.

Pernice shook his head.

"I believe Jorgarn selected the perfect spot," he told them. "I have long noticed the strategic importance of the spot. The road narrows so they cannot come more than three abreast – two if they wish to be able to swing a weapon. They cannot turn south without falling off the cliff, nor can they turn back the way they came easily if they bring wagons or anything else with them. That leaves the forest to hide in and I believe our archers will be able to keep them at bay there. I saw Lady Darnot this morning. She is at the capital. I made her aware of the situation. She said we could burn the forest if it was necessary to keep the invaders away from the capital. I hope that does not become necessary."

"It shouldn't," Torbert said as he reviewed the scenario again. "It will be dark. If we can keep relatively silent, the lead group should blunder into us without warning. The Cavalry will set upon the group from the rear, bunching them together in the bottleneck. Then we have our archers thin them out before we attack from three sides. They will have the choice of surrender or diving to their deaths. We should know more in a few days. The horses, even riding double, can cover in four days what it takes a man 10 days to traverse. The routes we sent everyone has them converging at several points. The Rangers plan to harass the rebels every time they wish to sleep and then slip away."

"Vellendira says the Rangers are known as the Silent Killers," Belad stated. "The cavalry is the Mounted Death."

"Such pithy titles from a group who strikes from behind and murders women," Pernice spat. "I find it sad that they spent more time thinking up clever nicknames than learning honor."

"Honor is a foreign concept to the Umbrians," Belad told them. "They are trained from an early age that only the strongest survive and that winning means everything. Vellendira was treated most harshly for being captured and released instead of killed."

"I'm sorry, Ronac," Jorgarn said.

Belad waved his hand.

"How could you have known?" he asked. "We had no one return from capture but we would have welcomed them. At least those of us here at the table would have. I have told Vellendira that events that occurred have no bearing on the love I have for her. Those who abused her will feel my wrath but she is not to blame for the actions of others."

The three other men nodded sadly. For Pernice and Torbert, it brought up images of what the women they held dear must have faced. For Jorgarn, it reminded him of the heinous injuries he had seen on Rayna's body. But those wounds were not caused by Umbrians. They were the handiwork of men from Emertland. It sickened him.

"There are those among us who would behave the same if we permitted it," Jorgarn said sadly. "There are men who do not understand consequence, who feel they are above reprimand. These are the men we deal with soon. The risk of being struck from behind comes not only from the foreign soldiers hired to fight but from the men who hired them as well. Dishonor is the one thing all the conspirators have in common. Do not let your guard down simply because you face a group comprised of Emertis. They are just as capable of atrocities as the Umbrians."

The men's eyes turned to Jorgarn as he spoke. They knew he must have a reason for his warning but none could figure what it was. Only Torbert knew of Jorgarn pulling Rayna aside the day before and he didn't know the reason for it.

"He speaks truly," Pernice said. "And, surprisingly, wisely."

He cast a sideways smile at his friend.

"Let us agree to dispatch our opponents accordingly regardless of the nationality we face," Belad agreed. "I believe we have almost 400 under our various commands. Torbert, who do you plan to lead the Tarks?"

Torbert glanced only a moment at Jorgarn before replying.

"Pernice," he said. He expected a heated discussion with Jorgarn about this but instead his fellow Knight simply nodded.

"Then here is what I propose," Belad stated, his eyes fixed on the men in front of him. "Pernice and the archers in the woods with the Rangers; Jorgarn and the Guard at the rear with the Cavalry. I will command the Freeland militia from the front."

"What of the Freelanders unattached to the militia?" Pernice asked.

"We will ask where they wish to serve and send them there if the commanders are agreed," Belad said. "Does this seem reasonable to all? The Guard will have the advantage of the horsemen but will still see a large portion of the action. They also are likely to capture the leaders of this group, who undoubtedly will choose to lead from the rear. It is the way with most cowards, I find."

He looked sympathetically at Pernice and Jorgarn for a moment.

"I apologize for suggesting on numerous occasions that you should stay behind," he said. "Now that I command a sizable group, I find it an unpalatable thought. You were right when you told me I would one day understand your need to be with your men. I'm sorry I doubted that statement."

Jorgarn and Pernice waved off his apologies but Torbert looked thoughtful.

"I wish I could be there," Torbert said.

"So be there," Belad stated. "I am certain Jorgarn would cede field command of the Emertland troops to you. You will need to be nearby anyway. I would wager you will be the only man who will have sense enough to stop us once we start killing these cowards."

"It is also you who should accept their surrender," Jorgarn pointed out. "As Captain of the Guard and Knight of the Realm, invaders should submit to you before being taken to the King. Gorin can handle watching the King. I can ask for volunteers from the Guard to stay or even ask Fieth and Renoit. They might agree since their sisters are remaining in the castle."

Torbert seemed to ponder the possibility.

"If a suitable contingent agrees to stay to protect the castle, I will accompany the troops," he decided. "I will remain the overall commander and delegate the field commands to you three – assuming you will agree to that, Ronac."

"Of course I will, Sir Torbert," Belad stated. "It was never a question that my troops would be yours to command."

Torbert smiled and nudged Jorgarn.

"Should I tell him Landor's original plan?" he whispered.

"Later," Jorgarn replied with a sigh. "After all, it is not too late for him to take his troops back to Freeland."

Jorgarn left his meeting and took a stroll in the village. It was something he had done infrequently during his first stay in Emertland's capital. Denae did not like the village and Jorgarn did not believe it would be a good idea to lift a pint with the men under his command in full view of the public they protected.