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Authors: Richard S. Tuttle
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Grefon’s outstretched hand and pressed his lips tightly together. Koors took the paper and scribbled a letter of resignation as his eyes moistened.
Lord Marshal Grefon took the paper and read it. He signed the paper making the retirement official. “If I may make a suggestion to both of you,” Grefon remarked. “If you were to recommend your own replacement right now, Cortain Koors, word could be spread that you had done so. The real purpose of this meeting need not be known, only the outcome. Both of you will look better for it.”
With tears in his eyes, Koors went through the motions of recommending Marak as his replacement and then asked leave from the Lord Marshal. After Koors left, Grefon turned on Marak.
“You, soldier, have some rather strange ideas on how an army should be run,” declared Grefon. “I know you spoke from the heart and were ready to take your punishment, so I believe what you said is what you truly feel. It is by sheer luck only that you have escaped the ax man. Personally, I am glad. Officially, you are on notice for aberrant behavior. Next time bring your grievance to me before taking action of your own.”
Grefon walked over to the wall map and motioned for Marak to join him. “This is Fardale,” instructed the Lord Marshal. “You know from the meeting days of the problems they have. Your Corte is being assigned to Fardale on temporary terms. Your men are more experienced than Marshal Garouk’s and, frankly, I think he is underestimating the Chula. He has orders to wait for your arrival before baiting the cat people. I want you and your men to scout out this Sitari Valley and be the bait he is seeking.”
“Do we have any information on these cat people?” Marak asked.
“Nothing over what you have already heard,” clarified Grefon. “I am giving you two weeks to get your Corte in shape. You are going to need a new Squad Leader to replace yourself. Give me suggestions when you have them.”
“The man for the job is Botal, Lord Marshal,” Marak said unhesitatingly.
“Very well,” Grefon agreed. “Botal is a good choice. You may inform him, but I will make the formal announcement when your promotion and Koors’ retirement is announced. Send him to see me this morning. That’s all I have for you, Cortain. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Lord Marshal,” smiled Marak for the first time since the meeting began. “I will endeavor to raise the proficiency of my Corte to the highest levels.”
Grefon nodded and Marak turned to leave when the Lord Marshal suddenly spoke. “Cortain, your first orders are to spend the morning with your mother. You may tell your Squad Leaders of your promotion. I suspect that Rybak will not be surprised and his squad should have taken over for Tagoro’s by now.”
“Thank you, Lord Marshal!,” exclaimed Cortain Marak. “Why do you say Rybak will not be surprised? I have always taken him for Koors’ man.”
“You have much to learn, Cortain,” chuckled the Lord Marshal. “Rybak’s kind has been around as long as there has been an army. Rybak is nobody’s man but his own. You should watch him closely.”
Marak felt on top of the world as he pranced out of the mansion and headed for the barren field. The Lord Marshal was correct about Rybak. The man didn’t blink an eye at hearing that Marak was now his Cortain and that he had been ordered to spend the morning with his mother.
As a Cortain, Marak was free to speak with his mother or any slave, but the Lord Marshal’s orders were still necessary in order to relieve her of her duties and for Marak to be able to take her away from the overseers. He gently led her across the creek to his personal practice field and started the encounter with a kiss and a long embrace. Glenda's tears rolled down her cheeks as Marak told her about his promotion. For hours the two talked and hugged, as they had not been able to for years.
After a couple of hours into the encounter a smiling, but
Lord Marshal Grefon took the paper and read it. He signed the paper making the retirement official. “If I may make a suggestion to both of you,” Grefon remarked. “If you were to recommend your own replacement right now, Cortain Koors, word could be spread that you had done so. The real purpose of this meeting need not be known, only the outcome. Both of you will look better for it.”
With tears in his eyes, Koors went through the motions of recommending Marak as his replacement and then asked leave from the Lord Marshal. After Koors left, Grefon turned on Marak.
“You, soldier, have some rather strange ideas on how an army should be run,” declared Grefon. “I know you spoke from the heart and were ready to take your punishment, so I believe what you said is what you truly feel. It is by sheer luck only that you have escaped the ax man. Personally, I am glad. Officially, you are on notice for aberrant behavior. Next time bring your grievance to me before taking action of your own.”
Grefon walked over to the wall map and motioned for Marak to join him. “This is Fardale,” instructed the Lord Marshal. “You know from the meeting days of the problems they have. Your Corte is being assigned to Fardale on temporary terms. Your men are more experienced than Marshal Garouk’s and, frankly, I think he is underestimating the Chula. He has orders to wait for your arrival before baiting the cat people. I want you and your men to scout out this Sitari Valley and be the bait he is seeking.”
“Do we have any information on these cat people?” Marak asked.
“Nothing over what you have already heard,” clarified Grefon. “I am giving you two weeks to get your Corte in shape. You are going to need a new Squad Leader to replace yourself. Give me suggestions when you have them.”
“The man for the job is Botal, Lord Marshal,” Marak said unhesitatingly.
“Very well,” Grefon agreed. “Botal is a good choice. You may inform him, but I will make the formal announcement when your promotion and Koors’ retirement is announced. Send him to see me this morning. That’s all I have for you, Cortain. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Lord Marshal,” smiled Marak for the first time since the meeting began. “I will endeavor to raise the proficiency of my Corte to the highest levels.”
Grefon nodded and Marak turned to leave when the Lord Marshal suddenly spoke. “Cortain, your first orders are to spend the morning with your mother. You may tell your Squad Leaders of your promotion. I suspect that Rybak will not be surprised and his squad should have taken over for Tagoro’s by now.”
“Thank you, Lord Marshal!,” exclaimed Cortain Marak. “Why do you say Rybak will not be surprised? I have always taken him for Koors’ man.”
“You have much to learn, Cortain,” chuckled the Lord Marshal. “Rybak’s kind has been around as long as there has been an army. Rybak is nobody’s man but his own. You should watch him closely.”
Marak felt on top of the world as he pranced out of the mansion and headed for the barren field. The Lord Marshal was correct about Rybak. The man didn’t blink an eye at hearing that Marak was now his Cortain and that he had been ordered to spend the morning with his mother.
As a Cortain, Marak was free to speak with his mother or any slave, but the Lord Marshal’s orders were still necessary in order to relieve her of her duties and for Marak to be able to take her away from the overseers. He gently led her across the creek to his personal practice field and started the encounter with a kiss and a long embrace. Glenda's tears rolled down her cheeks as Marak told her about his promotion. For hours the two talked and hugged, as they had not been able to for years.
After a couple of hours into the encounter a smiling, but
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