Erik smiled and said, ‘Thanks,’ as he grabbed his saddle and then ran back to where the newcomers were leading horses. He selected one and quickly tacked it up, then stowed his roll behind the saddle and mounted.
He rode briskly at a trot down the line, as the compound seemed to melt away. Tents were folded, somehow forced into the small packs that carried them, and stacked up to be tied on the back of a baggage animal. The palisades had already been cleared of stakes, which were now being stored away on a baggage horse. Men were in their saddles and getting in line before the last of the horses were brought up by Nahoot’s men. The only things they were leaving behind for the Saaur were the moat, the bridge and gate, and some cookfires.
Erik watched as the Saaur camp went up. Ten large circular tents, fashioned from what looked like cane or wooden poles bent over into a semicircle, and covered with hide, were erected. They were so small that he wondered how the Saaur managed to get inside. He elected not to ask to see, and turned his attention to the last men.
The newcomers were ragged in getting themselves organized, but at last they were ready to ride. Erik moved aside as Calis gave the order to leave, and watched as the men rode past him. He also watched the Saaur commander keeping his eye on the departing humans.
There was something in those red and white eyes that seemed suspicious – at least, Erik thought that the case, but then suddenly the commander waved good-bye. Erik found his own hand raised in a parting gesture before he thought better of it. He turned his mount and took his place as last in line.
As he passed over the bridge they were leaving behind for the Saaur, he thought, ‘How odd. Like old friends bidding each other good journey.’
They passed down from the foothills overlooking the Plain of Djams, entering grasslands patrolled by Saaur companies. Whatever else might have occupied the invaders, a company of mercenaries wearing emerald armbands riding calmly toward the heart of the army wasn’t a cause for concern.
Several times they passed camps or signs of camps. Calis judged the Saaur and their allies were still sweeping the area regularly, perhaps to keep the Gilani at bay, or perhaps to guard against others seeking to hinder the southern conquest.
They rode for a week without incident until they came to their first major staging point, a motte-and-bailey construction large enough to house several hundred men and horses. A lookout in the tower high atop the motte called down and there was a squad of Saaur waiting for them at a checkpoint a hundred yards before the gate.
Without preamble, the lead Saaur shouted, ‘Orders?’
‘We’re to rejoin the host,’ said Calis evenly.
‘What company?’
Nahoot’s Grand Company,’ answered de Loungville.
The lead Saaur fixed de Loungville with a steady gaze and said, ‘You look different.’
Keeping his voice rough, de Loungville said, ‘You spend your evenings sitting up in those bloody damn hills chilling your backside for a while and see how different you look.’
The Saaur tensed, as if this wasn’t the answer he expected, but Dawar, one of the men from Nahoot’s company, said, ‘Let us get by, Murtag. We don’t have time for your games.’
The Saaur turned and said, ‘You I know, Dawar. I should cleave you both for your bad manners.’
Dawar said, ‘Then who would you have left to cheat at knucklebones?’
There was a long silence, then suddenly the Saaur named Murtag let out a bray that sounded like a leather thong being drawn through a drumhead. He said, ‘Pass, whoreson, but you must camp outside the moat. We are crowded inside. When you come to game tonight, bring plenty of gold.’
After they had ridden away from the checkpoint, Erik urged his horse up to Dawar’s side and said, ‘What was that noise?’
The mercenary shook his head and said, ‘That’s their idea of laughter, if you can believe it. Murtag’s a bully of sorts, but it’s all bluster. Oh, he could cut you in two if he had a mind, but he’d rather have you trembling and pissing your pants, or insulting him back. It’s the indifferent ones that get on his nerves. I’ve gambled with him enough to know. After he’s had some drink, he’s pretty good company, for a lizard. Knows some funny stories.’
Erik smiled. ‘You’ve earned a bonus.’
A calculating look crossed Dawar’s face. ‘You and me should talk later, Corporal.’
‘After the horses are bedded,’ answered Erik.
Erik made his way quickly to where de Loungville and Calis rode, leaning over in his saddle so he could speak quietly to de Loungville. ‘I told Dawar he earned a bonus.’
De Loungville said, ‘Then you can pay it.’
Calis motioned for the company to fan out on the east side of the moat, near another company of men, who ignored their arrival. He turned his horse around and said, ‘What is it?’
‘Young von Darkmoor here is giving away your money.’
Erik explained and Calis said, ‘What’s troubling you?’
‘He was too quick and easy to bluff us past the Saaur. I don’t trust him. I remember he was pretty quick to end the fight, as well, almost …’
‘As if he wanted to be captured?’ finished Calis.
De Loungville grinned, and Erik said, What is it?’
‘Those twenty we kept with us, Erik,’ answered Calis, ‘aren’t the men we felt most able to trust.’
De Loungville said, ‘They’re the ones we most need to keep an eye on.’
Erik sat back in his saddle and stared open-mouthed for a moment, then shook his head. ‘I’m an idiot.’
‘No,’ said Calis, ‘but you’ve a lot to learn about the less obvious side of warcraft. The twenty men we kept all had answers that came a bit too fast and easy for mercenaries. I think this Emerald Queen has agents sprinkled throughout her army. All twenty aren’t agents, I’m sure, but I’m almost certain one or two are, maybe more. So we keep the most likely close by.’
‘Trusting bunch,’ offered de Loungville. ‘Now, look. You and a couple of men you trust, say Biggo and Jadow, keep close to those men, don’t let too many of them off duty at any one time, and keep an eye on where they wander. If any of them head into that fortress, I want one of you along.’ He reached inside his tunic and pulled out a heavy purse. ‘We lost some gold on the baggage train, but I kept most of it.’ He opened the pouch and handed a dozen small coins to Erik. ‘Pass some of this around so that if any one of those twenty lads wants to step into the fort for a drink, you’ll be the fellow to buy it for them. Understand?’
Erik nodded. ‘I’ll make sure no more than four of them are free to cause trouble at a time.’ He turned his horse, put heels to its flanks, and rode back down toward the end of the line.
Calis said, ‘He’s rounding out nicely.’
De Loungville said, ‘Aw, he’s still not nearly half mean enough, but I’ll fix that.’
Calis smiled slightly and turned back to oversee the making of the camp.
Erik walked the perimeter of the camp, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. With the fortress at their back, Calis had ordered no rampart and trench dug. The men set up their tents quickly and saw to their stores, and began to settle in for the night.
As he moved along, Erik noticed that