The Red Knight (9 page)

He swept her up in a bear hug. “It’s so good to see you, Ali!”

She winced, the tightness in her side reminding her of Suvia. Her mother narrowed her eyes.

“What have you done?” she demanded.

“Nothing, it’s just a graze,” Alyda answered lightly when her father put her down. “How are the horses?”

Her mother raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press. “They’re good—I’ll be going to the summer pastures from here to get the measure of the yearlings. Are you looking after Lyco? He looked thin the last time I saw him. Antians don’t know how to take care of Shemisana horses, and when can I take him for stud? I’ve some mares that I want him to cover while he’s still able.”

Alyda smiled. “I’ve missed you too, Mother. You can have Lyco next year. Don’t worry, he’ll still have enough fire in his belly for your mares, but I need him now; it wouldn’t do for a captain of cavalry to be without a horse.”

Alyda saw her mother tense, but before the usual argument over horses could start, her father broke in.

“—Karl sends his love, but we’re busy at the moment with a big order, which is why he and Greta couldn’t come I’m afraid.” He smiled apologetically.

“Ah, my poor, overworked brother. Don’t worry, he’s already sent me a letter telling me how hard you’re working him.”

Her father smiled sheepishly and hugged her again. “I’m blessed to have such talented children. I’m so proud of you both.”

“
We’re
proud of you both,” her mother added. “Now, what did you do to your side?”

At last, Garian had heard something interesting. A big order of siege engines meant trouble for someone. He made a mental note to find out who the old mercenary was working for. Other than that solitary scrap the night had been a complete waste of his time. He was exhausted and bored of listening to inane small talk. What made it even more of a chore was being forced to wait on the King’s guests whilst wearing hose that were so tight, they threatened to ruin his chances of ever siring a child.

But all of those indignities paled in comparison to being struck by the Captain of the 5th. Garian was murderously furious, and would repay the bastard with interest for striking him. For now, he’d have to swallow his ire. He’d keep his eye on the arrogant knight, not least because he was rather obviously flirting with the wife of the King’s brother. She didn’t seem to mind the attention, quite the contrary. That she was there, and her husband wasn’t would also be of interest to Lord Hyram.

The knight and the Princess probably thought they were being discrete. They hardly made eye contact, and kept a respectable distance from each other, but occasionally, when they must have thought they were unobserved, their eyes would meet or their hands would touch and they would whisper to each other.

To Garian, who was trained to read people, it was obvious that they were not the slight acquaintances they pretended to be. No surprise there. Corvinius was renowned far more for jousting between the sheets than at the tilt rail. He’d make sure to keep an eye on them; see if he could turn up any dirt that he could use against Corvinius. One way or the other, he’d pay him back.

As he was watching, a page delivered a message to the knight. Corvinius dismissed the girl, and took his leave of Princess Matia. Garian followed him at a discreet distance, filling proffered glasses as he went, while thinking how easy it would be to stick a knife in the knight’s back. Corvinius sidled over to Captain Stenna and snaked his arm around her waist. It made Garian smile to see her shrug him off.

“There you are, ‘Lyda my love.” Corvinius slipped his arm around her. “His Majesty has requested that you join him on the terrace.”

Alyda uncoiled his arm from her waist. His presumption irritated her, and he was drunk. She also caught the faint whiff of Pel on his breath.

“If you’ll excuse me…” She bowed to her parents.

“Aye, well, duty calls and all that,” said her father.

“Don’t be long,” said her mother, “King or not, we’re your parents, and I think that gives us more of a claim on your time.”

Despite her annoyance at Corvinius, she had to laugh. “I’ll be back soon, Mother, I promise.”

As they walked through the hall, Corvinius again tried to slip his arm around her waist. It wasn’t a sign of affection she liked, or one that they’d ever shared. She knocked his arm aside and rounded on him.

“I don’t know what’s got into you, Rufus, but don’t do that again.”

Corvinius chuckled. “You’re not embarrassed that I showed affection in front of your parents are you? I’m sure they’ll be delighted that you’ve gained the interest of a
real
gentleman.”

“You excel at being wrong about so many things, Rufus.”

“I was trying to be friendly. You should be pleased that I lavish time and attention on you
.
Play your hand well, and I might even be persuaded to sire a child on you one day; give your family a leg up in the ranks. Twins know, they need it. Why, even the bastard of a Corvinius would be a step up from a horse breeding gypsy and a barbarian Tamalak.”

His words stung, but it would be a cold day in the Void before she’d let him see that he’d got to her. She smiled. “You might belong to one of the oldest houses in Antia, but your family tree has few branches, and your bastards are ten-a-penny, so if you don’t mind, I’ll decline your generous offer. Goodbye, Rufus.”

When Alyda was allowed through the cordon of guards and onto the terrace, she saw King Daris talking to Commander Trease and Lord Costaine. She was glad he was busy; it gave her time to calm down, and let her anger at Corvinius dissipate. When they finished, Trease beckoned her over.

“Good to see you again, Alyda. Your parents are well I trust?” the King asked.

Alyda saluted. “They’re well, Majesty, thank you.”

“Good, good. Please give them my regards. Now, I’ve been talking to Matlin about a new recruit that I’d like you to meet.” Daris smiled broadly. “I need you to take him back to Trelanlith and knock him into shape. Come, I’ll introduce you now, while he’s still sober.”

Daris led her over to where Queen Thea was talking to a veiled Khusani ambassador, General Tyrus, and some other people who had their backs to her. Alyda got the sinking feeling that the ‘new recruit’ was the King’s eldest son, the renowned rake, Prince Talin.

“It’s about time that he finished off his martial training, somewhere away from the…” the King coughed, “…distractions of Weyhithe. After talking it over with Matlin, I thought, where better to send my son than to the Hammer? ‘Tis only fitting that the future king serves with the best. I’ll warn you now though, he isn’t used to hard work, or discipline, or even getting up in the morning. Talin! Come here and meet Captain Stenna.” Daris called out to one of the people talking to Queen.

Alyda registered that the King was still talking, but when the heir to the throne turned round, she stopped listening. The person who she’d spent the evening with, wasn’t simply Talin, he was
Prince
Talin; the heir to the throne of Antia. Swords, arrows, and lances she could handle, crushing embarrassment was a much more awkward foe to get to grips with. She felt such a fool. How could anyone fail to recognise the heir to the bloody throne?

The Queen ushered her son over. “Please make sure he doesn’t break his neck, Captain Stenna, Talin can be quite reckless.”

His eyes widened. “It’s an…er, an honour to meet you. Yes.
You
. Captain Stenna. Ali, Alyda Stenna. Who is…that is to say, who you are.”

The King muttered something under his breath.

Queen Thea frowned. “Tal, are you drunk already?”

Alyda wondered if now was a good time to ask if he wanted to join the 2nd.

Unlike his father, Talin had no desire to be a warrior. He liked to hunt and, upon occasion, play martial games, but he’d spent the time he should have been training with the 5th, whoring and drinking with Bear. As for the Captain of the Hammer, he’d only ever seen her from a distance, head to toe in steel, just another of his father’s implacable knights. If he’d known who was underneath all that tin, he might have taken more interest in his martial studies. He recalled hearing Trease say that she was ‘highly competent’. That was gushing praise coming from old Granite Face. If only he’d said she was beautiful and excellent company. Bear was going to laugh her arse off when he told her what had happened. He hoped the Captain would understand that he hadn’t intended any mischief by hiding his identity. He hoped the contrite smile he gave her would convey how sorry he was; it always worked on his mother.

He was therefore disappointed to see that her face remained perfectly composed; untouched by emotion, as unreadable as stone.

Chapter Three

T
he 1st had been back at Trelanlith for a week. As the days passed, the Company slowly re-adjusted to peacetime duties. It wasn’t easy; the transition from battlefield to barracks took time. On this particular day, Alyda was struggling. Sunlight was pouring through her office window, drenching the room in syrupy, will-sapping warmth. She fought valiantly to muster some enthusiasm for going over the accounts with the Paymaster, but it was a losing battle. The air in her office was as thick as honey and when her vision wasn’t swimming, her gaze constantly drifted from the books to the window. Outside, knights were drilling on the parade ground, something she found infinitely more interesting than the ledgers spread before her. Malby cleared his throat. She looked round. The Paymaster was looking at her expectantly.

“Sorry, Mal, what did you say?”

Malby’s thin lips tightened. “I said, it would leave a balance of two hundred and seventy crowns, and eighty shillings rounded up. This doesn’t include the second quarter, when we were in Suvia. I’ve kept those accounts separate. Would you like to see them now or after we’ve been through these?”

“Alas, it’ll have to be later—tomorrow in fact. I have to take one of the new knights out on the Chase now.”

Malby pulled a face, but didn’t voice his displeasure. Like everyone else in the garrison, he knew who the new knight was. “Of course, Captain, but the sooner I have the final figures approved, the sooner I can send in the accounts. You know—”

“—Saddles aren’t made for free, and every rivet and link must be paid for. Yes, I know Mal, I know. We’ll finish this first thing in the morning.”

She knew that the Paymaster would prefer it if they didn’t do all that riding and fighting. It made the accounts untidy. Later that evening he’d no doubt air his grievances with his equally ill-used comrade, Surgeon Gedthis. They’d retire to the infirmary, as they did most nights, and put the world to rights over a glass of port or three—which, Alyda noted, had been accounted for as ‘
medicinal supplies’
.

When Malby left, she took her sword from where it was hanging on the wall beneath the shrine to Sestrian and Ashania, the patron gods of Antia. Unlike the weapon, the shrine was thick with dust. She’d had the blade re-honed since Suvia, but she drew it out of habit and checked its edge. It gleamed, as clean and bright as the day she’d made Lieutenant, the day her parent’s had given it to her. It was a fine weapon, and had served her well since the Border Wars. Etched into the blade was an inscription that she didn’t need to read to remember:
I serve the one, who serves the one, and neither shall be parted from the Other
. Alyda rubbed her thumb over the incised words before sheathing the blade and going to meet the Prince.

Lacgarde was leaning on the stable door, watching Talin from beneath the heavy slab of his brow as the Prince tacked up his horse. When he was done, the Company Standard Bearer grunted his approval. In the short time he’d been with the 1st, Talin had learnt that the knights had a specific way of doing just about everything, from saddling a horse, to buckling on a sword belt. There was the ordinary, inferior way, and then there was the Company way. The knights were ridiculously fastidious, but he couldn’t help but be impressed by their devotion to the Company they served. They ate, breathed, and slept
the Company
.

Even though they’d only recently returned from campaign, the knights’ appetite for hard work and rigorous training was voracious. The contrast between the 5th and the Hammer couldn’t have been greater. He now understood why the 5th were regarded as the worst of the best, and how the Hammer had earned their fearsome reputation. Their loyalty and dedication bordered on the fanatical.

Lacgarde pointed to a speck of dust on one of the gleaming stirrups. “I’d wipe that off, if I was you, Highness. The Company comes back dirty—it never leaves that way.”

Talin brushed it off, doubtful that anyone else would have even noticed it. “How long have you been with the Company, Rann?”

“Over ten years this summer, Highness. I made Standard Bearer less than two years ago.” The big man beamed proudly, displaying the many gaps in his smile. “I came to the First from the army, chosen from a half dozen squires out of the Eighteenth, my mother’s regiment. It was a proud day for my family.”