The Red Knight (17 page)

Lorhine drew a breath. Talin hoped the big knight wasn’t about to talk himself into even more trouble, but Alyda shot him a warning look and he held his tongue.

“If you feel you’ve been persecuted, why haven’t you seen fit to tell your commanding officer about it?” She jabbed a thumb at herself. “That’s
me
, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Tiran gulped. “I felt it was my duty as an officer to deal with the situation myself…without involving you, Captain.”

“That’s not your decision to make and you know it. Any dispute between officers under my command is my concern, and should be brought to my attention. Now, why do you feel you have been persecuted, Lieutenant Tiran?”

Talin whispered to Jamie. “Did you know about this?”

“Me? No, Highness. I’m the Captain’s squire; sensitive conversations tend to stop when I enter a room. I heard rumours, but nothing specific, and I don’t poke my nose into the senior knights’ business. It’s not how we do things.”

“No. Apparently you beat the shit out of each other, which is seldom the best way to resolve a dispute, if you ask me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking you anything.”

Before Talin could rebuke him, the squire added;

“It would be rude to question a prince.”

Tiran cleared his throat. “Lieutenant Lorhine has consistently thwarted my attempts to encourage the proper and respectful worship of Sestrian within the Company. He has threatened me in the past, and today he attacked me in front of half the Company.”

Alyda turned to Lorhine. He looked like he was going to explode. “Let’s hear it, Lorhine.”

“Captain, this…this,
zealot
,” he spat the word like it was poison, “has been causing trouble from the moment he was promoted. I’ve had to put up with his bullshit for a year now. Before he got made up he was infuriating, since then he’s behaved like a bloody tyrant.”

Lieutenant Vysten scribbled a note and passed it to Alyda. She read it before continuing to question Lorhine. “I’ll ask you the same thing I asked Tiran: why didn’t you come to me? Or don’t you trust my judgement either?”

“I trust your judgement implicitly, Captain. I thought I’d give him a chance to see his foolishness for what it was and put an end to it himself. I thought it was the best way to deal with the situation for the good of all. I see now that I was wrong.”

“How astute. A shame your insight’s come a bit late in the day. Now, what happened?”

“He’s been trying to force his lance to worship Sestrian—
only
Sestrian. He punishes those who don’t follow his devotions and favours those who do. It goes against everything we stand for—”

Tiran opened his mouth in a wide ‘O’ of outrage and rounded on Lorhine. “All Antians should be proud and grateful to kneel before the blessed Hawk of Dawn, He who is the Lord of all!” Tiran thundered. “You wouldn’t understand, Captain, but it is the solemn duty of all pure Antians to—”

Alyda raised her hand and cut him off. “Pray tell, Lieutenant Tiran; what wouldn’t I understand? And what in the Void is a ‘pure’ Antian?”

“Well, Captain…you’re half Tamalak and half Hadami, I don’t expect you to understand the strength of feeling we pure-blood Antian’s have for Father Sestrian. Although, I’m sure you agree; a strong faith is vital if we are to have a strong kingdom.”

Alyda gave Tiran a look that Talin hoped she’d never bestow on him. “Lieutenant Tiran, after what you’ve said and done, I can’t imagine I’d agree with you that shit is brown without checking first.”

“Be assured, Highness, Tiran is in a minority,” Jamie whispered.

“Are you sure, Jamie? You’re the Captain’s squire, remember? Who’d tell
you
if he wasn’t?” he immediately regretted his words. He was angry at Tiran, not Turlowe. Bear was right; he could be such an ass at times.

Jamie looked like he wanted to punch him. “With all due respect, Highness; I’d know.”

Before Talin could offer one of his rare apologies, Alyda slammed her fist against the table. The unexpected display of temper stilled the room.

“What you have failed to realise is that I promoted you in spite of your ‘strong faith’, not because of it.” Although she was clearly furious she still didn’t raise her voice. “I had hoped your unbending devotion would soften when you gained more responsibility. Instead, you’ve used your promotion to pursue your stringent beliefs even more aggressively.” She sounded disappointed. “This shows a woeful lack of judgement, and a lack of respect for the Company and our values. You talk of strength, but what you’ve done undermines, not only the morale of the Company, but the respect due to King Daris, who you have sworn an oath to serve. What gods a person chooses to worship is a matter for their own conscience; that is the King’s law.”

“It is the business of all devotees of the Hawk to ensure his faith flourishes,” Tiran declared, as though he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. “Sestrian is the first amongst gods and none shall deny Him! Not even a king.”

“This fool is close to treason,” Talin hissed.

“I’d like to think he doesn’t realise what he’s saying, but in truth, I don’t think he cares,” said Jamie.

Talin nodded. “He sounds brim full of conviction, and utterly bereft of doubt. That’s never a good thing.”

Alyda shook her head and turned her attention back to Lorhine. “What caused the fight, Lorhine?”

“A disagreement between fellow officers, Captain Stenna.”

Talin noticed her right hand ball into a fist, but this time she didn’t slam it into the table. “I’ll ask you once more, Lieutenant. If you still feel unable to tell me, I will have no option but to discharge you from the Company.”

Lorhine winced, but the threat proved enough of an incentive to loosen his tongue. “I told him never to beat the squires in his lance again. A lad ended up in the infirmary this morning.” He paused; perhaps in the hope that he’d said enough. The look on the Captain’s face said it wasn’t. He took a deep breath. “I told him if he did it again I’d have no choice but to inform you.”

“Go on, Lieutenant,” Alyda insisted.

Lorhine swallowed hard. “He said, ‘Go and run to the half breed and…” He shrugged. The room held its breath.

“And what? Gods, this is like pulling teeth. What else did he say, Lieutenant?”

“Nothing, Captain…That’s when I hit him.”

Alyda raised an eyebrow and looked at Tiran. “Lieutenant Tiran; have you been beating my squires?”

“They…they need disciplining from time to time,” he murmured, unable to meet her gaze.

Lorhine rounded on him. The big knight was shaking with rage. Talin thought he might hit Tiran, but he didn’t. As much as Tiran deserved a punch for what he’d said, it was good to see Lorhine finally exhibiting some of the vaunted, ‘Guards discipline’ he’d heard so much about.

“You do it because you enjoy it, you miserable—”

“Not another word, Lorhine, or you’ll be spending the night in the guard house,” Alyda assured the furious knight. “As for you, Tiran, you know that a good officer upholds discipline by example, not by beatings.”

Tiran stared resolutely at his feet.

“Do you deny beating the squires in your charge?”

He shook his head. “I…I do not. As I said, they need disciplining. Roland wasn’t in the infirmary for longer than an hour or so. It was just a—”

“Enough. It’s quite clear that you do not respect the Guards, or the laws we live by. And yet, you fought bravely on campaign.”

That got his attention. He looked up.

“With that in mind, I’m going to give you the opportunity to resign your commission with honour. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to ask Commander Trease to convene a full disciplinary hearing in Weyhithe.” Alyda paused a moment to let the weight of her words sink in. “If that happens, and you’re found guilty of the charges that I will bring against you, I promise
,
your discharge will not be honourable.”

Tiran looked like she’d run him through. “But you can’t…my family have served in the Guards for generations!”

“And you have shamed their service.” She looked and sounded completely unmoved by the knight’s plight, but Talin noticed her fist rested white-knuckled against the scarred tabletop. “You have until sunset to make your decision. The offer is more generous than you deserve.” She tapped the note Nevenna had passed to her. “The boy you put in the infirmary is ten years old. You are dismissed, Lieutenant Tiran.”

Stunned, Tiran staggered from the room. Lorhine stared straight ahead, bracing himself for his turn. Talin felt sorry for him, but doubted if even the words of a prince could sway the Captain’s decision.

“Lieutenant Lorhine, no matter what the provocation it is unacceptable to strike a fellow knight, let alone another officer. What kind of example does this set for the younger members of the Company?”

“With all due respect, Captain Stenna, it shows ‘em that bigots and bullies will not be tolerated in the Hammer.”

Her eyes flashed.
If looks could kill,
thought Talin.

“If you ever command your own company, which I seriously doubt given your current attitude, you’ll be able to make those decisions. But while you serve under me, you will do as you are told. You’re not a fucking Clan Lord; you’re a Royal Guard, a knight. We follow the rule of law and order, not ‘
whoever hits the hardest wins’
. Can you get that through your thick Tamalak skull? You can either serve this Company and abide by its rules, or take your sorry arse back to Tamalan. Now, what’s it to be?”

“I wish to serve, Captain!” he confirmed without hesitation.

“Then you shall wear a single braid, Lorhine. Until you learn to command yourself, you will not command others… and you will not take part in the tourney. You are dismissed, and this hearing is closed.”

When everyone except Jamie had gone, Alyda sat back and put her feet on the desk. Her spurs scratched a few more grooves into the ink stained leather.

She was already regretting giving Tiran the chance to request a disciplinary court; he was stupid enough to think he might win and put them all to more trouble than he was worth.

“Damn laws,” she muttered.

Jamie handed her a glass of wine. “Pardon, Captain?”

“I was just thinking that if this goes to a full trial, Trease will discharge both of them.”

“But that wouldn’t be fair; Lorhine was provoked.”

Alyda snorted. “The Commander wouldn’t give a damn about that. He’ll go by the letter of the rules and I’ll lose a good officer as well as a bad one.

“He was defending you.”

“Aye.” Alyda laughed. “He’ll think twice before he does that again, I’ll wager.”

That night, the Great Hall buzzed with conversation about the fight and the hearing. Talin was surprised that there was some sympathy for Tiran, until he remembered that the knights thought losing your commission was a worse punishment than death. He thought they were well rid of treasonous cur, but kept his own council. Prince or not, it wasn’t his place to comment on Company business. He spied the man he’d come to find, sitting on his own by one of the huge fires that blazed at either end of the hall. He went over.

“Mind if I join you?” Talin asked Lorhine.

“No, Highness, but I warn you—I’m miserable company this eve.”

“I’ve got a bottle of Dragon’s Blood.”

Lorhine kicked a chair towards him. “I feel less miserable already.”

They cracked the bottle and set about putting the world to rights. Hours passed; the hall emptied, the roaring fire burnt down to glowing embers and the Prince’s bottle of Dragon’s Blood became one amongst many. All deference to rank and status vanished along with the drink.

“My Larissa is the most intelligent, beautiful, funny person in the whole kingdom; no—the world,” Lorhine slurred.

Talin shook his head. “Because you are a man of good taste, I’ll allow she may be the second.
The
smartest, most beautiful, just about perfect, woman in the world isn’t called Larissa. Trust me; I know what I’m talking about.”

Lorhine snorted. “So who is this paragon, you think rivals my Larissa?”

Talin was far too drunk to guard his tongue and smiled as he pictured her face. “Her hair is as black as a moonless night and her eyes are as bright as emeralds. She’s a brilliant commander of fearsome warriors and she has a smile that could melt the Ice Halls of Tamalan. You know of whom I speak.”

Lorhine laughed and slapped Talin on the back, almost knocking him off the chair. “Ashania’s sweet paps! ‘Tis a good thing you’re a prince, or I’d say you aimed too high.”

“If only my title impressed her. If anything, it goes against me. She doesn’t see me as a person. To her I’m nothing more than a duty—an inconvenience.” He threw up his hands in frustration. “You know her Kieran; how do I get close?”

The knight shrugged. “Buggered if I know—she busted me down to a single braid, remember?”

He sighed. “I’m a desperate man.”