Read Online Young Lord of Khadora by Richard S. Tuttle - Free Book Online

justification is for his outlandish behavior is unimportant. The fact remains that he has violated his Vows of Service and the punishment is quite clear. Not even the Lord Marshal can override the Vows. To do so would violate your own Vows. You cannot allow Marak to remain as Squad Leader any longer, not even until the official sentencing by Lord Ridak.”
    “I am quite aware of my Vows, Cortain,” snapped Grefon. “The fact is, Marak is no longer a Squad Leader. Marak, did you discuss this problem with anyone?”
    “Only Squad Leader Tagoro, Lord Marshal,” answered Marak. “He was present when Cortain Koors and I spoke on the evening in question.”
    “In your opinion,” quizzed Grefon, “would he discuss this problem with anyone else?”
    “No, Lord Marshal, he would not,” Marak replied.
    “I am, then, puzzled by the annoying show of support for you this morning,” commented Grefon. “I do not appreciate such displays in my Army. I find them insubordinate. Cortain, who have you spoken with concerning this affair?”
    “Everyone in the Corte knows about it, Lord Marshal,” stated Koors as his smile turned to a tight-lipped grimace.
    “And how do they know?” prompted the Lord Marshal. “I wish to hear how this confidential matter has become common knowledge.”
    “Well, Lord Marshal,” fretted Koors, “one of Rybak’s men spotted a soldier leaping the fence into the slave compound and reported it to Squad Leader Rybak. Rybak immediately informed me and I waited for Marak in his barracks.”
    “That explains how two men knew that some soldier was in violation,” remarked Grefon impatiently. “What I asked was how the entire Corte knew that soldier was Marak.”
    Beads of sweat formed on Koors’ brow. While he had been successful in getting Marak forced into slavery, he had erred in letting the knowledge out before sentencing. It was not a serious offense, but Grefon could take his yellow plume for it and lower him back to Squad Leader if he was angry enough. Koors contemplated lying about it and decided to just stretch the truth a little.
    “I did discuss the matter with Squad Leader Rybak,” admitted Koors. “Perhaps some of the men overheard us.”
    Lord Marshal Grefon again rose from his chair and paced to the window. He could strangle Marak for giving in to temptation and Koors for being such a belligerent fool. The worst part of it was that he could come out of this looking like a fool, himself.
    “Both of you wait in the sitting room and send Squad Leader Rybak in,” ordered the Lord Marshal.
    Squad Leader Rybak entered and closed the door before saluting.
    “Squad Leader Rybak,” began Grefon, “how did the men in your squad learn of Marak’s plight?”
    Rybak noticed the lack of the words ‘Squad Leader’ in the Lord Marshal’s question and smiled. Evidently, Grefon was still concerned about the wrist bands and was making it part of the same disciplinary action. It also sounded like Koors had probably tried to blame him for spreading the word. While Koors had been a golden ladder to the rank of Squad Leader, Rybak was not about to slide down that ladder for his Cortain. “Cortain Koors and I spoke of it in the barracks,” Rybak answered.
    “Do you think the men overheard your conversation?” quizzed Grefon.
    “Without a doubt, Lord Marshal,” answered Rybak. “They were all around us. Cortain Koors wanted everybody to know that he had finally succeeded in getting Marak. I can only assume that my men told the other squads in the Corte. I certainly did not.”
    Grefon nodded and was about to dismiss Rybak when another question popped up. “On the morning of the first meeting day, did you hear me give orders to Cortain Koors?” he asked.
    “Yes, Lord Marshal,” admitted Rybak. “I was present at the time.”
    “Was it clear that my orders were for Marak to have slave detail?” queried the Lord Marshal.
    “Yes, Lord Marshal,” answered Rybak. “Cortain Koors,