Table of Contents – (spoilers)
Choke managed a good three hours of fitful sleep; just enough to have a fine nightmare of being ambushed by a swarm of goblin infants while taking a shit in a filthy latrine. The dream awoke him just a few minutes before the bugle’s call to morning muster.
His finer tabard now had a crossbow bolt hole in it, as did his chainmail and doublet. It was all still bloody. He put on his rougher tabard of muted colors and went down to his unit’s barracks where Knuckle and Pinch were rousing the recruits.
“So, what’s the agenda for today?” Pinch asked Choke quietly while Knuckle stomped around barking at the men.
“I’m sure I have no idea, and I shudder to imagine. I’m going to go and find Lieutenant Cooper and see what’s what. Pinch, once you and Knuckle get the men assembled downstairs, can you go to my quarters and take my mail and doublet to the armorer for repair?”
“No problem. What about your tabard?” Pinch asked.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll deal with it,” Choke said.
“No you won’t. Yar an officer now, sir. You don’t do that kind of work. I’ll do it.”
“You don’t need to—” Choke started.
“Yes. I do,” Pinch interrupted. “I’m not going to trust any of these guys with it, am I? And I’ve always been pretty good with a needle and thread. So I’ll deal with it as soon as I can.”
“Well, thank you, Pinch. I appreciate it,” Choke gave Pinch a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Now, I suppose I should address the men about what happened.”
“I’ll set them up proper for that,” Pinch said. He turned on his heel to straighten up and bellow: “Attention! Lieutenant Pekot has something to say! Attention, I said!”
Pinch then moved off to herd the men. He and Knuckle quickly got them into their two lines standing at attention.
“Men!” Choke said in a loud, clear voice. “I suppose you have heard from your sergeants something about what happened last night. I would like to speak on it for just a moment before we head down to muster.
“Last night during watch, an attempt was made on my life. Sergeant Nikolas and I were on watch with a man that betrayed his duty. He and three others, who had hidden themselves outside the keep, attempted to kill me and Sergeant Nikolas. They probably would have succeeded in this, were it not for the sharp notice of Sergeant Nikolas, who overheard their signaling. Forewarned, he and I turned the tables on the scoundrels. I killed one with my bow after he shot at me with his crossbow. Then Sergeant Nikolas here killed two more with his bow. The fourth attacker was wounded and is now a prisoner awaiting interrogation.
“However, their attack was not entirely thwarted. During it, I was shot by a crossbowman. As well, during the course of the attack, I was stabbed.”
Choke paused now to look over the men carefully. Some met his eye, their gazes inscrutable. None of them seemed pleased or upset at any of the news. Choke continued:
“As you can see, I am now quite well. Thanks to Altas, and Father Gerban, I was healed of my wounds. I ask you to think about that. Meditate on it. Four men came to kill us. Three are dead. One is now in great pain in the dungeon, and living only to face even worse before his death. And are his three slain fellows any better off than him? Can they spend the coin they were paid to forsake their duty and turn their hands to murder? Do you think that coin spends in Hell?
“Those men were not the first that have come to kill us. And yet here we stand before you. Thanks to the favor and the grace of our Lord Stron and his holy father, Altas, we have prevailed. And so we stand.
“And as you think on that, meditate on this: I am sure they will not be the last men coming from the shadows to kill us. But do we fear these men? Do we look afraid to you? I tell you: we will continue to kill all those who come to earn the Devil’s coin. You can trust in that.”
Choke stared at his men a good long while. Finally, he finished:
“Any questions?” Choke asked his men.
There were none, so Choke nodded to them all and left. He went downstairs through the keep and out into the courtyard. There, under an overcast sky threatening rain, a very bleary Lieutenant Cooper was doing his best to look in full possession of his faculties as he oversaw his platoon of men. With Sergeant Euan of Lieutenant Hamon’s platoon confined to quarters, and Choke’s not yet out of the keep, there were no more proper soldiers in the keep to assemble.
“Ah! Lieutenant Pekot! I trust you slept well,” Lieutenant Cooper said.
“I most certainly did not, but I thank you for the opportunity to have tried. What is our status, Lieutenant Cooper?” Choke asked.
“Just a second, and I shall bring you up to pace.” Lieutenant Cooper turned to his man, Sergeant Neil: “Sergeant! You can have the men fall out for breakfast. They may take their time with it. It has been a long night. You have all done very well!” he shouted at his men as they fell out to follow Sergeant Neil around the side of the keep to the kitchen access.
When his men were out of earshot, Lieutenant Cooper leaned in close to Choke.
“A few things to report, although not nearly as much as I would like. Captain Edison was feeling poorly last night, and did not take well to being awoken. Even so, I believe he was able to grasp the report I gave him. At least the broad strokes. He ordered me to tell you to report to him as soon as you are able. Now, I do have to tell you that I made a strong case for you being in rather rough shape from your wounds, so the Captain may not be expecting you quite this early. And I am quite sure he would prefer being given as much time as possible. I think it should be safe for you to have breakfast before you call upon him.”
“Well, thank you for that, Cooper. I think I shall do that. Will you join me?”
“A hoard of goblins could not prevent it! Lead on!”
Choke briefly considered whether he should wait for his men in the courtyard, but realized that Pinch and Knuckle would probably manage to get the men to breakfast without being ordered to. He and Cooper went to the keep’s main hall to await their breakfast service.
“Now, about some other matters,” Cooper said, settling into a deep slouch in his chair, “I have sent a man to report to the Father at the church and then to the Colonel at Pinewhispers about what has happened.”
“Oh. That’s good. When did you send him?”
“About forty minutes ago. Just after dawn. I didn’t think it warranted waking up anyone at the church earlier than that. So, I expect we shall have Otilla joining us shortly, at the very least.”
“Excellent. Thank you,” Choke said. “And what about our prisoner. Is he still well?”
“Oh, quite. And yowling like a tomcat, last time I checked. He’ll survive to be embraced into Father Morrenthall’s tender mercies; I am sure. Poor bugger.”
“Well, he has earned it.”
“Oh, absolutely! Do not get me wrong on that account. And… there was one more thing… what was it, now? Pardon me, I am completely fucking bagged. Oh. Right! Two things, actually. Firstly, there is a crossbow missing from the armory. Also, that Butters fellow your man was talking about. The corporal? Yes, he’s buggered off,” Cooper said as he began a hearty yawn.
“Corporal Butters? He’s gone?” Choke asked.
“Ahhh! Ah,” Cooper finished yawning and produced a fine linen handkerchief to wipe away his tears. “Yes. Fucked off completely. All his belongings gone, as well, apparently. He has flown the coop. So, it would seem that he was indeed your shooter.”
“It seems so. But how do you suppose he got out of the fort?” asked Choke.
“Well, there is the sally port out the south face of the keep. Now, that was barred from within when we checked it, but someone could have done that for him after he left. Also, there is the ‘secret,’” Cooper made air quotes, “passage out of here to the west slope. If Butters was Orel’s man he surely would have known about it.”
“I see. Well, good riddance, I suppose. I hope he stays gone. Is there anything else I should know about?”
“Ahhmmm… just that I am utterly overdue for some stugroot and breakfast. Where is that pig, Tylor?” Cooper snapped, glaring in the general direction of the kitchen.
“I would guess that breakfast service has been complicated by confining Hamon’s platoon to quarters,” Choke said. “I’ll go and check.”
Choke went to the keep’s large kitchen. There, the head cook, Corporal Tylor, was arguing with one of Lieutenant Cooper’s corporals about getting breakfast served to the men restricted to quarters. The big, portly cook seemed to be having the best of it. Then he noticed Choke heading his way and blanched as he snapped his mouth shut mid-sentence. He and the other corporal jumped to attention and saluted Choke.
“Good morning, Corporal Tylor. Corporal,” Choke returned the salutes. “I understand everything is quite disrupted, so I will keep this brief. Lieutenant Cooper and I need our breakfast. If you could just load a tray, I would be more than happy to take it myself. Yes? Thank you,” Choke finished as Corporal Tylor hopped to it.
“I assume you are here about getting Hamon’s men fed, yes?” Choke asked the other corporal.
“Yes, sir. They’ve been complaining.”
“I am sure they have. How have they been behaving themselves, otherwise?”
“Just fine, sir. As far as I know,” the corporal answered.
“Good. Thank you,” Choke finished. Then he directed his attention back to Corporal Tylor with a shout: “and two large mugs of the strongest stugroot you can manage, please! It need not be fresh, so long as it’s strong!”
“Yes, sir!”
Corporal Tylor soon came huffing back with a large serving tray, loaded down with two breakfast platters and steaming mugs.
“My apologies, sir! I will bring it to the hall, sir!”
“That is quite alright, Corporal. I will take it,” Choke said as he reached out to do just that. “Focus on your other duties.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“No problem. About that, though, you haven’t forgotten our little discussion about my men’s meals, have you? I will be really pissed off if I have to talk to you again about it,” Choke said.
“No, sir! I won’t! I haven’t! They are getting only the best! Sir!” Corporal Tylor stammered, clearly terrified.
“Well, then, thank you, Corporal. But I suppose that you will have made up for the previous shortages. From now, you don’t need to worry about giving them the best. Only what is fair. Yes?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Alright, then, as you were,” Choke said. With his hands full with the tray he gave the men a deep nod, as opposed to a salute.
Choke took the breakfasts back to the hall, and he and Cooper shared their meal together. They did not speak as they wolfed down their food.
“Well, now, that is more like it!” Cooper said before belching as he pushed his plate away. “Now all I need is a good week of sleep and I will be right as rain.”
“No shit,” Choke said. “Sadly, we both have another long day ahead of us, I am sure. Speaking of which, I should probably get on with mine and report to Captain Edison.”
“Better you than me, my friend,” Cooper chuckled. “You go ahead and do that. If you want, I can take your boys in hand. Maybe have them run some proper soldering drills with some of my lads.”
“That would be great, Cooper. Thank you so much for all your help,” Choke said.
The two stood up from the table to shake hands warmly.
“Think nothing of it, Bartholomew. Remember, I am expecting great things from you! We shall make our moves together, yes?”
“Sounds good. Thank you, again,” Choke said.
Choke left the hall and went upstairs to the Captain’s office on the top floor. It was an open floorplan that occupied the whole floor, so Choke knocked on a post at the top of the stairs before entering.
Captain Edison was laying on a cot in the corner. The bed was made and he was on top of the blanket with his uniform and boots on, so it was likely that he had had gone down for a nap after having been up earlier.
Captain Edison groaned loudly. He lay and groaned a while more, before finally sitting up. Edison sat on the edge of the cot with his head between his knees spitting into the chamber pot between his feet. Eventually, he raised his face to gaze at Choke with bleary eyes and a slack face. He looked as though he was still quite drunk.
“Ah. It’s you,” Captain Edison said, clearly disgusted.
“Yes, sir. Reporting as instructed, sir.”
“Wonderful. Bring me that jug of water there,” Edison ordered, snapping his fingers at a large, earthenware jug on the large table nearby. As Choke moved to do so, Edison changed his mind:
“No. That’ll be warm. Go downstairs and fill it from the spring. Not the cistern. The spring. So that it is fresh. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Choke said. He hurried downstairs to fulfill the order. Now unarmored, going down and up the five flights of steps barely got his heart rate up.
Captain Edison was laying down again when Choke returned. He got himself upright quickly, though.
“There. On the table,” he pointed.
Choke set the jug down near the two empty brandy bottles. Captain Edison came to the table and sat down to pour himself a cup of water. He drank several before he was done.
Choke stood at attention nearby and waited for Edison to finish.
“Stron’s cock, I can’t drink like I used to. The hangovers these days,” Captain Edison belched. Then he sat with his eyes closed, clearly fighting the urge to throw up. “Robbed even of that pleasure now. What is there left, eh?”
Trusting that the question was rhetorical, Choke stayed silent as he kept his gaze off into space above his captain’s head.
“Don’t your priests have something they can do for hangovers? They have spells for that, don’t they?” Captain Edison asked Choke, pointedly now.
“Yes, sir. Neutralize Poison. And, in extreme cases, Remove Disease. But, it has been my experience, sir, that priests only utilize them on themselves. For the rest of us, they regard a hangover as penance. Sir.”
Captain Edison snorted at this. “Yes, no doubt they do. The best of everything for them, these priests. And how about you?”
“Me, sir? How about me, what?”
“You like a drink, do you? Many penitent mornings puking your guts out?”
“Well, um… no, sir. I don’t drink very much, sir,” Choke said.
“No, of course you don’t. That would humanize you too much, wouldn’t it? Mustn’t have that. But yet you spoke of drink just now as though you partake yourself. A sly attempt to ingratiate yourself, then. In truth, I’m sure you prefer glowering at everyone over your Holy Book, don’t you?” Captain Edison sneered.
“Well… I suppose so, sir.”
“Yes. Thought so. Feeling ever so superior. Well, I’ll have you know that I don’t trust a man that doesn’t drink or curse properly. What do you have to say about that, Lieutenant?”
“Well, sir, I suppose that means that I’m at least half fucked with you. Sir,” Choke said, his bearing still that of a cadet on inspection.
“Excuse me? What did you just say?” Captain Edison snapped. It seemed like he wanted to shout it, but his hangover prevented him.
“Just a poor attempt at humor, sir. I apologize.”
Captain Edison sat glowering at Choke for a while before again speaking:
“Your father in the church has been put in charge of us. Our lives and careers are in his hands. And you are his pet. So there you stand, smug as can be, knowing that I dare not give you a crack, lest you inform upon me to your master. And yet I am meant to command you.”
Choke said nothing to this, still staring at the spot just above Captain Edison’s head. Eventually, Edison continued:
“You do quite well for yourself, with these priests. Near death, last night, I heard. And yet here you stand, not a scratch upon you. Quite blessed you are,” Captain Edison sneered.
“Yes, sir. Father Gerban gave me Altas’ healing, sir. As he would have to any of our men so injured, I would think, sir.”
“Would he? He would rouse himself like that for any of us, you say! How very comforting.”
Captain Edison let this sit for a while more before finally continuing:
“Well, then, I suppose we should get on with it. Last night I put you on watch. One of the men that Sergeant Euan chose to watch with you attempted to kill you with some other men who had hidden themselves in the stables. Am I missing anything?”
“Yes, sir. Someone crossbowed me from within the keep. Whoever that was is still at large. Possibly coincidentally, there is a crossbow missing from the armory, and Corporal Butters disappeared last night with all his belonging. Sir.
“Ah. Indeed. Nice for him, then. So, with all this being the case, is there anything you want to say to me, Lieutenant?” Captain Edison asked.
“No, sir.”
“No? Nothing you want to accuse me of?”
“Accuse you, sir? No, sir.”
“I suppose that will come later. When you are again at your master’s heel. When I am not there to defend myself!” Captain Edison barked.
“Sir. If I were to do so, which I have no intention of doing, but if I did, you would have ample chance to defend yourself to Father Morrenthall with the truth. Those without complicity need fear nothing from him. And you, sir, I am most sure, are not complicit. Sir,” Choke said smartly.
Captain Edison glared at Choke for a while. When at last he spoke, it was with barely contained rage:
“So, let me get this straight: last night the man on watch with you attempted to kill you with three other men. How was it that they were not successful?”
“My sergeant, sir, Nikolas, noticed Trooper Cyrel, the man on watch with us, close to the door into the keep on the west wall. For a suspicious amount of time. Then, as he left the spot, the man gave a barn owl hoot as a signal to his fellows.”
“He gave a hoot. Am I meant to?” Captain Edison snapped.
“Sir. He signaled the others. Who were in the stables, and who attempted to kill me. With this foreknowledge, we were able to turn their ambush against them, sir,” Choke said, as calmly as he could.
“Oh, you were, were you? Did it not occur to you to simply sound the alarm? To call for support? This situation could have been deescalated without bloodshed!”
“Yes, that did occur to me. But that would have been witless, sir. The men found in the stables would simply deny what they were up to. Claim they were drinking on the sly, or some other such story.”
“Drinking or buggery. Both, probably. Usually go together, those,” Captain Edison said, his gaze adrift to some middle space of his mind’s eye.
“Ah…” Choke stammered, now at a loss for words. “Yes, sir. But, the point is that they were not there doing that. They were there to kill us.”
“Apparently. But had you simply sounded the alarm, they would have failed in that, wouldn’t they? Instead, you charge in like a bloodthirsty savage, and now I am down four men! Three dead outright! One more to be executed! Oh, not four, no! And a corporal run off, to boot! Five! Five men lost, Lieutenant!”
“Sir? Pardon my saying so, but it seems to me that we have lost nothing. Rather, we have five fewer murderous scum in our midst. Sir.”
“You Holy Book addled fool!” bellowed Captain Edison. “They are all murderous scum! All of them! If given half a reason, any one of them that are worth a damn would cut your throat just as soon as look at you! You lot being here with a price on your heads simply gives them cause to act! Use your head, man!”
Captain Edison had to take a moment, then. With trembling hands, he poured himself another cup of water, which he drank slowly. After this, he produced a handkerchief which he doused with more water, spilling plenty of the floor in front of him. He then leaned back in his chair and wiped the back of his neck with the wet handkerchief.
“Lieutenant,” Captain Edison eventually said, his voice now quiet and miserable. “What was it I asked of you when you joined us here. What was it? Two days ago? Three? I don’t even know anymore. What was it I asked of you?”
“Sir, I—” Choke started.
“I asked,” Captain Edison interrupted, “that you not cause disruption. I asked that you not allow your situation to create dissent and trouble. I asked that you get along smoothly.”
“Yes, sir. I understand. I suppose, then, that I should have let them kill me so that things can run more smoothly for you here,” Choke said, finally dropping his gaze to meet Captain Edison’s eye.
“Yes. I think you hit the target square on that, Lieutenant. What say you to that?”
Choke looked away and took a moment to attempt to calm himself before answering:
“If you ask me that seeking an answer, sir, I suppose I might choose to answer you with scripture.”
“Oh. No shit. What a surprise. Well, go ahead then,” Captain Edison said.
“You say, sir, that it would be better that I die myself than kill a batch of murderers under your command. Better for what? For whom? Better for your lists, perhaps. But I ask you: When the goblins come, when the tide of evil that Father Morrenthall has foreseen breaks upon us, who do you think will serve our King the best? Me and mine, or the craven killers sent to backshoot us over some gangster’s bruised ego?”
Choke paused before dropping his gaze to meet his Captain’s eye again. He did so squarely, his anger deeply contained within his discipline.
“So, Captain, you say to me that it would be better if I had died. Well, sir, the Holy Scripture tells us that a poor carpenter’s roof may leak, but is it the worst of carpenters that blames the rain for it. Perhaps you should lend your hand to those attempting to fix your roof. Sir.”
With this, Choke straightened up and squared his jaw, ready for whatever the Captain would return.
Captain Edison took a moment to react. His pupils dilated and his rage seemed to throttle his mind. Then he stood up and stabbed his finger straight at Choke, stopping just a few centimeters from his face. Choke did not flinch.
“How dare you! You… you… insolent scum! Fuck you, you whore-spawned jink! I would have been kinder had you just ridden in here and trampled me to death under your horse’s hooves! As your kind does! At least that would have been honest! You see them coming, at least. Know what they are about. Their intentions are clear. Unlike you, with your Holy Book talk and monk’s robes, pretending to be something you are not. Sneering at us as though you are something other than the scum that you are!”
“Yes, sir! Is that all, sir?” Choke shouted back with his parade ground voice.
“Get out!”
“Yes, sir!”
Choke saluted and turned to march smartly from Captain Edison’s room atop the Spitzer Fort.
Muse Vassal 