Madman's Army by Robert Adams & Ken W. Kelly - Cover

Author:Robert Adams & Ken W. Kelly - Cover
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780451149688
Publisher: New American Library
Published: 1987-09-01T23:17:37+00:00

Chapter VI

The cat-footed, silent servants presented basins of warm, sweet-scented water on which rose petals floated to each of Thoheeks Sitheeros' guests as well as to their master himself, followed by soft, fluffy cotton towels. Others came in to take away the trays which held the foodstuffs, but when they made to bear away the dregs of the wine, the thoheeks spoke.

"Bring another decanter of that vintage. There's still the end of a tale I'd hear."

He turned, smiling, back to Captain-of-squadron Bralos and said, "Have you the time to indulge me, my boy?"

Bralos replied, "But ... but I would've thought that, as a member of Council, you surely would've heard it all, long since, my lord."

The thoheeks nodded. "Most assuredly, in several versions, too, but I'd hear yours as well, if I may."

Bralos shrugged. "I am, of course, at my lord Thoheeks' command."

Thoheeks Sitheeros settled back in his chair, smiling. "Very well, now, how much rest was granted you after your whirlwind campaign in the foothills?"

Bralos laughed once, a harsh bark. "Three whole days, my lord, then orders came down through cavalry brigade headquarters that I and the other squadron captains should have our units ready for the road within two weeks. In the interim, all common soldiers were to be restricted to the environs of the camp, save only when on organized details without it. Lancers and light infantry were to regularly patrol the perimeter and enforce this promulgation to the extreme of bare steel, if necessary. Expressly forbidden to enter the camp precincts were women of any description or hawkers of wine, beer or cider, although this last was to not include any merchants or vintners supplying officers, of course."

Upon announcement of this last enormity of senselessness, two of Bralos' troop-lieutenants sought words with the captain upon behalf of married sergeants whose wives lived in the peripheries of the camp, and after hearing them out, Bralos called for a horse and rode over to Senior Captain Thoheeks Portos' headquarters.

But seeing the brigade commander took much more waiting than was at all usual, and when at last he was ushered in and had stated his case, the harried-looking senior captain just shook his head, brusquely, and barked, "Dammit, Bralos, we have to do it because the Grand Strahteegos says we have to do it. If the old man truly considers you and yours to be mercenaries, however, you just might be able to get by with ignoring most of these insanities; Guhsz Hehluh intends to do just that and so, too, do all of the Horseclansmen, the artificiers and the eeahtrohsee, I understand."

"And you, my lord Senior Captain Thoheeks?" asked Bralos. "Your heavy cavalry are as much on loan to this state and this army as are the units commanded by Captains Guhsz Hehluh and Pawl of Vawn, truth to be told. Have you the intention of submitting your officers and troopers to such injustices?"

Portos squirmed his body uneasily. "Let's ... let us just say that I intend to

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