the Leathermines

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Moving was pain, but it was an all over, constant pain that Laun understood and could push through.  The medics had exclaimed that the ocean salt water had cleaned her wounds as well as they would have with their stinky tinctures, consulting among them about how to get a bath of salt water for her use.  New bandages were put on, almost a full underlayer of gauze beneath the leather and metal undergarment Laun put on beneath her almost military tunic and riding leathers.

She was not going to stay in the room or on the deck that day.  She had energy and a need to see the compound, and find Liam.  There was one of the Commander’s aides waiting in the corridor for Listas that she looked at and smiled at and he could not step away.  Laun thought carefully and both signed and said, “Please escort me?”

He came to attention and motioned down the corridor, leading her by letting her lead.  Hazalam stepped to her back as Gem took charge of the children again, a glance and a smile to the assassin before the small group left the barracks.

There was a small walk to the mess hall, some of the soldiers saluting the higher ranked man at Laun’s side, some recognizing her and saluting Laun.  Today was not to be a sloppy day.  When the salute was to her, Laun made as sharp of a salute back as she could, nodding to the men who saluted the Lieutenant at her side.  Laun asked a few questions of the man, needing answers to simple things, such as where the medical teams were treating Liam.

The Lieutenant became less frightened of her and more comfortable in her presence as they walked through the compound.  He did not offer more than she asked, she did not whine or cajole to get more out.  She treated the men as soldiers as they passed by and saluted, not trying to catch their eye and flirt as he had seen other noble women visiting do.  She sometimes used military hand signals mixed with a few others he did not know to emphasize what she was saying, his own hands starting to answer.

“From one of the local fish farms, Ma’am.”  He motioned to one of the doors that led through to the officer’s mess in the building.

Laun nodded and went through, a call to salute coming from one of the Corporals serving in the room.  She called out, “At ease, men,” before following the Lieutenant to a line of empty chairs along one of the tables.  Hazalam stood behind her as she sat, the naval man across from her glancing up and then back down to her.  Laun was not sure if the concern she saw was for her assassin or for her.

“Ma’am?”  There was a frightened looking Corporal trying to get around her man.

Laun turned slightly in the chair and said, “Yes?”

“What would you like?”

Laun blinked and looked at the aide and then the naval man across from her.  “I don’t know.  I didn’t know the military gave choices.”

The Lieutenant took pity on her, and himself, before the laugh could get all the way out.  “Ma’am, there are usually selections of meat and fish, sometimes other seafood.  The bread is not always good, but passible.”

Laun nodded.  “I am not too picky.  I ate in the other hall last night, after all.”

A look of revulsion was on the Lieutenant’s face.  “I was not on duty with the Commander last night, but I heard of it.  I think the quartermaster doesn’t know what is in store at the meeting.”

Laun turned and looked the Corporal in the eye.  “Meat, please, and any local fruits and greens, if they are available?  I’ve been up North and we don’t have all that much that is fresh right now.”

He came to attention and then went off.  Laun’s hand went to her chest where the embellished scar was and pressed, trying not to scratch through the layers.  Her eye caught the Lieutenant’s as she turned back, his eye not going below her neck, but she knew he had been one of the men to look at her for a long time as she was drying.

“You were telling me of the food supply for the garrison.  Up North, we don’t farm fish, we just catch them.”

The Lieutenant nodded once and found that half the words he was saying were also coming out of his hands as he was speaking.  “About a hundred years ago, at the turn of the reconstruction, the fishermen around here found that the fish liked certain places, avoided others, but not all the time.  There is a type of deep ocean seaweed that makes these huge rafts that break off and come close to shore.  The fish follow these and feed, even in the areas they don’t always like.  Then we found how to grow the plants and the fish come to the rafts to feed.  There are some fishermen who put nets around the areas with the rafts of seaweed, and when the fish are not big enough to eat, they can get in and out of the nets easily.  After they are big enough, they cannot get out after feeding, so they just stay and feed until the fishermen come to harvest them.”

Laun was smiling.  “Why did you go into the Army and not the Naval corps, Lieutenant?  You have the sea in your blood.”

His face flushed slightly.  “I can’t be on a ship for more than an hour before I am over the side with my lunch, Ma’am.”

Laun put her hand on his shoulder.  “One of the best reasons I have heard.”

“And yet, the Commander still sends him out to check the island fortifications every week.”  The naval man smiled as he verbally harassed the Lieutenant.

“I know how to fix the warning launchers,” he said into his mug of tea.

The Navy man smiled, but did not press the issue.  The Corporal was back with a tray, several plates mounded with food on it.

“Ma’am, the meat today is steer, and this was marinaded in vinegar and oil before being roasted for dinner last night.  It is sliced-”

“Now I really am sorry I ate in the other mess last night.”  Laun waved the Corporal to serve the food and said, “This is a lot of food for first meal.”

“Ma’am, we do full night shifts here, so it may be last meal for some of the men,” the Lieutenant said.  He turned to the Corporal and asked, “The fish today?”

“Sir, fried Reds with a curry sauce.”  The Lieutenant nodded and the Corporal headed back to the kitchen again.

“Food is one of the only reasons I like to travel.  I am what my Chatelaine calls a home body, and I don’t like leaving Salam-Dir if I don’t have to.  Though every time I go somewhere, I learn things, and eat wonderfully different food.”  Laun had more pulled the cold meat apart than cut it as she was speaking, eyeing the bright greens and the few slices of orange on the other plate.

“You would love being on one of the Midland’s ships, then, Highness.  We catch fresh fish and shellfish every day, and nothing is better than seaweed wrapped fish for dinner,” the Navy man said.  He was done with his meal and pushed the plate away, the Corporal for the table swooping in and taking it within a moment.  He did not leave, propping his elbows up on the table as he held his cold mug of tea.

Laun was enjoying her food, but was taking small bites to make sure she could still speak with the men around her.  She lifted her knife with a bite of the meat over her shoulder for Hazalam, feeling it taken as she said, “I can eat some fish, but I haven’t had much more than the river fish from the North.  I am still recovering from the ordeal, so I don’t want to push it.  Though there was a mussel soup I had onboard the ‘Midnight Hour’ that was excellent.”

“Better with oysters, Ma’am.”  There was a slight glint to the naval man’s eye.

Laun tilted her head and looked at him as she chewed a peppery green leaf from her plate.  “I know the Army’s insignia, but I haven’t been introduced to the Naval ones.  Your rank?”

He sat a little straighter and said, “Captain-Major Herrid Cansper, Ma’am, from the Royal Ship KingsArrow.”

“Thank you.  It took me most of a summer to be able to recognize the soldier’s ranks.  Now I have to learn the Naval ones, too.”  She smiled and saw the glint in his eye again.

There was a small clearing of a throat and the Lieutenant beside her swallowed the bite of the pinkish fish from his plate.  “It’s not needed, Ma’am.”

Laun turned and looked at him, feeling the bruises on her ribs get pressed sharply by the supportive undergarment.  The slight condescension in his voice annoyed her.  “Then shall I call you Corporal because I don’t know your rank from the rank plate on your chest?”

He blinked and shook his head.  “I see your point, Ma’am.  Pardon me.”

Laun smiled and shook her head.  “You have no need to be forgiven for anything.  I understand that you men are at odds because of your different services, and that I have no rank within either corps.  But, if I slip and do not give the proper response because of my ignorance, I expect to be corrected as any green recruit.  I do not know as much as I need to, or want to.  I have worked my way up through the noble ranks, I expect to have to do some of the same in the military when I am around you.”

Laun heard a small click from Hazalam and turned her head as Verat, escorted by one of the compound’s guards, came to her side and said, “Mistress, I am glad you are safe.”  He bowed slightly and stood at a languid attention.

“Verat, how the hell did you get down here so quickly?  The messenger for Falmir went out yesterday.”

There was a small hand signal from him that said, “heard danger,” as he said out loud, “There were a few things you forgot in the Capitol City, and I knew you would not want to leave the Flint behind.”

Laun turned in her chair as much as she could and held her hands in her lap, but visible to Verat as she signed, “paid kidnappers.”  She sighed and said out loud, “I am forgetful, aren’t I?  Thank you, Verat.  I don’t know what I would remember without you.”

He bowed slightly and said with both his hands and his voice, “My service, Mistress.”

“Have you eaten?”

Verat nodded.  “I was able to grab a bite while in the market on the way through the city.  Your favorite, Mistress.”

Laun glanced further over her shoulder to Hazalam, a flicker of darkness in his eyes.  “Then, if you would go and see my Gem, I think she has some stories to tell.”

Hazalam nodded and backed up.  Verat bowed slightly again, a small sign asking, “Brief?”  Laun smiled and nodded, the two men turning and gone within a breath.

There was a small pause from the men around her as Laun started to eat again.  She looked up and smiled at the men.  There were questions on their faces, but she was not going to give what they did not need to know.

“Ma’am...,” the Lieutenant paused, a question in his voice as he looked at his food.

Laun turned and propped her head up with her hand, an elbow on the arm of the chair.  She felt the small scab on her chin and tried not to pick on it as she looked at the man beside her.  “Ask, but I may not answer you what you want to know.”

He blinked and then turned to her, lowering his voice slightly.  “There is a rumor... Highness.  That you are training and leading an elite team to go against Myrned.”  His eye went to where Hazalam had been behind her chair.

Laun snickered into her hand.  “What will people come up with next?  I am unconventional, yes, and I have some training.  I have even been asked to take an apprentice or two.  What would make such a rumor have wings?”

The Captain-Major leaned back and looked at the Lieutenant, waiting for the explanation as several of the other officers around them were quietly eating and not trying hard to cover their interest.  “Ma’am...  You brought in a squad of Rosemond bandits by yourself after it looks like you were tortured by them.  It is known that the King has given you a company for yourself and the Prince-Heir does not.   All of your people are wearing the same green as you...”  He looked pointedly at where the wounds and bruises were on her chest.  “This is not the first mission you have been on.”

Laun wanted to laugh it off.  Laun wanted to tell him he and the rumor were full of it.  She wanted to flutter her eyelashes and have him think she was a vapid noble woman.  “I cannot deny that this was not my first mission.”  Her voice was low, the rumble she had learned from Edgar that she knew would carry, and bring a certain attention to her.  “But I will deny that anyone of my household is being trained to go against Myrned, even with their political maneuvering.  The colors of Salam-Dir are black and dark green.  My people are just wearing my household colors.”  She smiled, a small amount of bloodglint in her eye as she finished with, “Even if those are good for operations.”

There was an audible gulp from the Lieutenant.  “If you say so, Ma’am.”

Laun could not hold back her laughter.  Many of the officers around her took up the humor, even the Lieutenant after a moment.  “Don’t be so serious!  Get your nose out of the Commanders ass and lighten up.”

There was more laughter as several of the officers around them crooked their pointer fingers and rubbed them down their noses.  Laun put a gentle hand on his arm and smiled, the Lieutenant pausing for a moment before looking up and smiling back.

The conversation, what there was of it, went to everyday compound operations.  Some about the duty roster, some about how many civilians were with the garrison and even some about troop movements.  General Alsen’s name was mentioned and Laun smiled.

“I haven’t seen him since before last Fall.  I hear he is leading some sort of training maneuvers down South here, somewhere.”

The Lieutenant shrugged as he finished his tea.  “If it is training, it is like the training you are not doing, Ma’am.  He keeps finding and sending Rosemond soldiers and mercs for holding here.”

Laun nodded.  She thought of the Captain who had protected her from the others in the bandit-soldier group.  “It will take some time to get everyone who shouldn’t be here out.  We have to be careful.  Even in Salam-Dir, I have heard that the Midlands has started to push at the people who have been disruptive in the past.  It is a fine line between keeping the peace and ruling with the sword.”

There was a thoughtful pause.  The Captain-Major had not left and had been a good part of the conversation.  He put one hand flat on the table and then his other hand on top of it, fingers interleaved, as he said, “Ma’am, it is hard to know which hand is the one actually controlling when they are so alike and so close.”

Laun tilted her head and nodded.  “I like that.  I will have to use that on Falmir next time I see him.”

There was a small jolt of surprise at the familiarity in the use of the King’s name, and the remembering that the woman with them was the Kings’s Daughter.  Laun saw the way the conversation had just closed around her.  She was not going to be able to get any more information as the formality washed back over them.

“I have taken up far too much of your time, gentlemen.  I am sure that there are duties, or perhaps your kit, waiting for you.”  Laun started to push back from the table, the Corporal there to pull and help her up.  Laun was glad of it for sitting for that long had tightened up some of her back.  “If I could have several plates like what I just had sent to the non-com’s barracks?  My people are probably hungry, and I was remiss in making sure they were fed before.”  The Corporal nodded before he came to attention and then backed away.  “Lieutenant, the Commander is probably wondering where you are.  If I may be escorted to the medics, you can get on with what you really need to do, not babysit a spoiled noble woman.”

There was a small stir in the men and many at the table started to rise as she stood.  The Lieutenant stood and came to attention.  Laun saw that he was going to salute and she shook her head and signed, ‘no.’  There was a small nod to his head and he stepped away from the table.

“Ma’am, if I may escort you?”  Laun and the Lieutenant turned to the Captain-Major.  “I have little to do on land and don’t go back out until tomorrow’s tide.  This shave-tail needs to get some paperwork done, I am sure.”

“Herrid, If you think you can paint favor with the Commander-”  The Lieutenant stopped before he fully swore at his friend and rival.

“Blue, if I thought-”  Hs eye went to Laun.  “Highness, please, it would be my honor to escort you, even only as far as the medical building.”

Laun put her hands together and clasped them at her waist.  “Gentlemen, thank you for your attendance.  Lieutenant, I have taken too much of your time.  If you wish to continue our discussions, please follow or find me later.  Since the Captain-Major is dutiless until tomorrow, it makes sense that he would take the time.”  Laun looked between both of them and the Lieutenant nodded slightly.

Laun moved from the table, a salute coming from her after the table started to salute.  She called out, “At ease,” and was followed by the two military men.

The Lieutenant went a few paces into the compound’s main open yard and then saw the Compound Commander heading their way.  “Highness, I leave you in his hands.”  He turned and strode towards Listas, knowing he was in for some sort of a reaming for disappearing.

The Captain-Major walked slowly next to Laun, a pace that she liked.  Military men went by and saluted, mostly at Laun, as they went across the open yard between the support buildings.  Laun could see that there were signs on each building, the Sclepi twined snakes above the door of the large brick building they were going towards.  The pace slowed slightly more as Laun’s back twinged.  He stopped and held his arm out to Laun, offering support.

Laun had a hand on his fist as she stood, trying to unclench her jaw and not swear.  Herrid stood, not talking, not moving but watching as the woman used him as an anchor point to calm the pain she was in.  She had been slightly sweating as they had been eating and talking, winces as she moved obvious to him, but covered with smiles as she talked.  She was ignoring her own pain, but it had made it’s self known and would not be ignored.

There was another smile as her hazel eyes opened and Laun’s face was more relaxed.  “Thank you.  I guess I truly need to go see the medics, not just visit Liam.”

“Ma’am.”  Herrid waited until she was ready to move and kept his fist under her hand.  She was comfortable walking that way, still saluting as the occasion arose.

Laun was escorted from the fist of the Captain-Major as soon as she was inside the building.  There was hardly time for a nod before the medics had her swept away into a private room a ways down the central corridor, an orderly left with her to make sure she did not move from the bench she was seated on.  A Captain came in, the red sleeves Laun remembered on Aloen bright and unsoiled on this officer.

He looked at a pulp paper that had a few scribbles on it pinned to a smooth board.  “Ma’am.  I am Surgeon Captain Maddoc.  I have not had the pleasure of attending you before.”

Laun stood, the stern eye of the orderly watching her.  “Sir, I am Laun.”  She did not offer her hand and did not try to salute.

He nodded and looked at the scribbles again.  “The report says that you have mostly superficial wounds, many bruises and some punctures.  It also has a note that you have some scarring from previous wounds.”

Laun nodded and started to pull off her leather vest.  She saw the wide eyes and start of the orderly and said to the Captain, “The only way to know is to see for yourself.  I just ate, but I am still very thirsty and I think the dip in the ocean I had this morning suppressed a fever.”

The Captain came closer and put up his hand.  “Ma’am, may I touch you?”

Laun smiled, thinking of Aloen and nodded.  “I have very little modesty, sir, and a fairly high pain tolerance.  If you do something I don’t like, you will know it.  Oh, and my back has a twinge that stopped me cold as I was walking here from the mess hall.”

He clenched his jaw slightly and used the charcoal stick with the paper to make a small note.  “You have done this before, Ma’am?  You sound like you are too used to being hurt.”

Laun was pulling her tunic off, showing the supportive undergarment, and the pinkening bandages on her one breast.  “You may say that.  Don’t coddle me, sir.”

His eyes had glanced at the bandages and looked at the notes, seeing it had only been a few hours since the medics on duty had attended her in the non-com’s barracks.  He looked back up and Laun had stripped the undergarment off, the full bruising and the scars from before much more obvious.

The Captain waved the orderly out of the room, having to snap his fingers to get the soldier’s attention.  “You weren’t kidding about no modesty, Highness.”

“The name is Laun, Captain.  I find not giving a shit what people think of my body makes some things just go faster.”

He blinked.  He clenched his jaw.  He motioned for her to stop as she started to unbuckle the brown leather pants.  “Unless you have wounds below your waist, that should be good for now.”  He pulled a high stool out of a corner and Laun sat.

He touched her forehead and did feel a slight sweat and heat there.  He put hands on her neck, looking for swollen things and finding several sets of tooth scars ridging her skin.  He cut off the bandages wrapping her torso and clenched his teeth hard as he saw the cuts on her breast before he saw the others on her side.  The double line of punctures on her back...

She was not reacting to his hand pressing on any of the marks, cut or closed.  The Captain was concerned that she did not feel anything at all until he saw the breathing of the woman become controlled and slow, her muscles relaxing even as she was having obviously painful marks pressed upon.  Practiced, a level of training of mind and body he hardly saw outside of the dark corps.  His eye went to her neck again and did not see the mark of the Assassin’s Guild he knew.  Though, there were many others.

His hand went over a place on her back that felt hot to the touch and she finally winced.  Her head turned slightly and she said, “An old training weakness that kicks me in the ass when I don’t pay attention.”

“What do you normally do for it?”

She shrugged a little and said, “Hot stones and some awful tasting brown stuff that knocks me out for a while.”

He made some notes and poked his head out of the room, catching one of the other medics as he went by.  The other man was brought in, the Captain consulting with him about the muscle strain while pointing out some of the scars Laun had on her.  They were standing behind her, talking with their hands more than with their mouths.  Laun watched them in a mirror for a while and started to giggle.

Both of the men stopped and turned.  “Just ask me.  It will take less time, though I would like to get in on some of that wager, too,” Laun said over her shoulder.  The men’s eyes went to the mirror and Laun waved at them, signing, “still here.”

“Pardon us, Ma’am.”  The Captain seemed stricken at being caught.

Laun laughed.  “I would win the wager, though.  It was neither a horse or a lover.”  Laun turned on the stool and faced the men.

Two sets of eyes went to the heavy gold rings through her nipples.  Laun knew what they were looking at.  She was not going to let them off easy.  “Are there ointments for my cuts that I should be applying, or are dry bandages enough?”

The other medic shook his head and then nodded.  His eyes went to hers and the light blue of them made Laun smile slightly.  “Ma’am, there are some salves we can give you to use.  One is good for the muscle spasm you have, too.”

Laun sighed.  “That sounds good.  I am tired of pain.”

Maddoc turned to his peer and said, “If you would requisition the analgesic salve and the Thyme tincture for me?”  There was a nod and Laun was alone in the room with the Captain again.

He made some notes and then stood, looking at the paper, but not seeing it.  “Ma’am, I really am sorry.  I’m not used to a noble woman knowing hand-code.”

“I may not have a commission, Captain, but I am as much of the Midlands military as any of the soldiers or sailors here.  I seem to be saying this a lot today, but just treat me as one of your recruits if I mess up.  I’m here to learn, as well as recover from my ordeal.”

“...ordeal...”  Something went across the medic’s mind.  His hand went to a silver charm on his belt.  He looked at the closed door to the hallway and back to her.  “Ma’am, I have a question for you that may seem out of place.”

Laun sat as upright as she could on the stool and put her hands together on her thighs.  “If it is a question I can answer, I will.”

His hand left the charm, the shape unfamiliar to Laun.  “You say ordeal.  The word can mean several things.  Ma’am... Laun, were you going through a Guild Ordeal?”

Laun thought and tilted her head, looking at the man.  “I can rightly say that no Guild has claimed me, though I have been associated with many.  You may say that I am a bit of a rogue in what I do.”

He put the board and paper down on the bench and stood closer to Laun.  “I ask, because there have been rumors of a...  Guild Ma-.  No.  Of a leader that has become known to those who look through the light and into the twilight.  A new Mistress.”

Laun smiled and tilted her head the other way, looking at his silver charm.  It was a small horseshoe with a bent nail through it.  “A Mistress that is not a broken lock or a clapperless bell or a broken key or a redscarf...  or one of the grayworld’s messengers.”

His hand went back to the charm.  “Exactly.”

Laun felt a chill.  Her hands went to the nipples that were tightening around the gold rings, the reaction to the cold bringing an ache.  She supported her breasts as she said, “I have not heard as much as you have, I am sure, Brother, but I think I know who you are talking about.”

The Surgeon Captain stepped just a little closer and then went to one knee.  “Sister, do you know who this new Mistress is?”  His eye went to the flower on her breast and said, “Mistress Peach?”

Laun looked at him and did not know how to play this little game out.  There were things that she could have said, ignored it, even as the word play had been strung out.  Laun wondered to herself why people could feel what she was and then she looked at the scars and wounds and knew.  She sighed and nodded.  “I am known as Mistress Peach.”

There was a nod from him.  “I had been hearing things, and you match the description of the woman...”  He looked to the door again.  “Highness, as a lost nail, I swear to you that it does not leave my lips unless you tell me-”  His hands went to her cuts along her ribs as the door opened, the other medic stepping in with a basket over his arm and an orderly behind him.

“The Commander wants to see her Highness as soon as possible.”  Things were being put on the bench just out of reach of the Captain.  “It was more of a request than an order, but he can get tough when he isn’t attended to quickly.”

“Thank you, Jess.  Would you hand me the thyme?”

It took almost half an hour for the two medics to apply the various tinctures and salves to Laun, the bandages being placed differently to be kept in place by her undergarment, not the lengths wound around her as before.  The orderly was used to keep Laun still as a few stitches were put into one of the cuts on her side, the wound open and not scabbing over on it’s self.  She did not like it, but she did not even whimper or wince as it was happening, though a tear did roll from the corner of her eye.

Laun was tired from the healers by the time her clothing was back on her.  She asked if she could just stay for a while to get her breath back, perhaps to see her friend Liam.

Maddoc escorted Laun to the bedside of Liam.  He made more notes on the pulp paper as they walked and warned Laun that Liam was not completely lucid.  He was in a common room, several other beds around him, though none of the others in the room had a guard as he did.

Laun smiled and thanked the medic before he left, a nod to her and a glance to Liam that told Laun volumes about how badly Liam was.

The Rosemond man was sweating, but was also shivering under the many blankets over him.  Laun put her hand on his forehead and felt the fever within him.  His eyes opened, but it was as if she was looking at him through a veil.  He did not see her, he saw someone, but Laun was not sure who.  She stood for a moment and then sat on the bed with him.  She put her hand on his chest and just was there with him for a while.

The Commander’s aide found her there about half an hour after she had arrived at Liam’s bedside.  The Lieutenant watched her as she was lightly rubbing Liam’s chest through the blankets, a lullaby being lowly hummed.  He had to bring her to the Commander, and immediately unless he wanted to be reamed out again.

There was a light hand on Laun’s shoulder.  She turned her head slightly and saw the Lieutenant she had eaten first meal with.  He motioned to the door with his head and she nodded.  Laun leaned over Liam and kissed his damp forehead, the first real reaction from him as he mumbled something she could not catch.

The Commander’s office was one building over, but on the third floor.  Laun was winded by the time she was at his door.  She held back slightly until she could stand there without gasping for air.  The Lieutenant knocked three times on the door and they heard Listas call to enter.

It was not a sparse room, but everything in it had a place and a purpose.  Including the man who sat behind the half-circle desk.  Listas looked up from the paperwork before him and squinted at Laun.  She came in and stood at a loose parade rest, her hands clasped in back of her to keep them from shaking in front of him.

Commander Listas had a growl beneath his voice as he said, “Highness, there are a few problems that need to be sorted out.”  He looked at her and expected her to sit, to complain, to do something other than just stand there as if he were about to brief her for a mission.

His hand went to a stack of paper and parchment.  “This is about you and you being here.  Standing orders from your Father and King.  Complaints from the Dock Master about the ship.  Requisitions for you and your baby.  Requests from local nobles for your time and presence.”  She just stood there, a nod at some of what he said, a small shake of the head to others.  “What the hell did you bring me, Highness?”

Laun came to more of an attention, but did not salute or raise her voice.  It seemed appropriate and the Commander was accepting in her actions in front of him.  “Sir, I only bring myself and my people.  How can I help to rid you of these nuisances?”

He leaned back and looked at her.  “I think we are much alike, Laun.  The most pressing is the Dock Master asking for payment for the ‘Midnight Hour’.  You don’t happen to have any crown plate on you?”  He nodded to her negative shake and grunt.  “I can hold him off for a while, since it is still under military protection.”  He took the top paper off the stack and turned it over, looking at the one beneath.  “There are orders in our files about you, updated last fall.  The King has ordered that if any of the Midlands military has contact with you, that you are to be taken care of, are to be escorted and protected.  And-”

Listas leaned forward again and pushed his finger into the paper while looking at her.  “He has put a great amount of trust and power in you, Laun.  By your Father’s hand, you are the equivalent warranted rank of a Field General or Home Admiral.  You outrank me, Ma’am.”

Laun felt a flush of fear go through her.  She stopped her head from tilting as she looked back at the compound Commander.  “Sir, you are the ranking military here in the garrison.  Even General Alsen should salute you while in the compound, as should I.”

Laun came to attention and had a smart salute to the Commander before he could stop her.  His hand went up and saluted back, both of them relaxing their salutes at the same time.

“Ma’am...”  He looked at the order and back to her, a slight confusion in him as he said, “There is also something about letting you pick men for temporary personal assignment...?”

Laun could not hold in her laugh.  She had to hold her side as her laughter calmed.  “Damn the bastard.”

“Ma’am?”  His tone was almost hurt.

Laun motioned to the chair she had been ignoring and he nodded.  She sat and sighed before saying, “I usually have appetites that he knows about.  I am in little condition to go through the squad I normally would.”

His eyes went wide.  “I thought Alsen was just bragging-”

Laun laughed again.  “Word does get around.  Father wants to keep me happy, and one of the best ways is to keep me occupied.”

There was a silence between them.  Laun did not use her unblinking stare at the man, but waited for him to make the next move.  He pulled the paper off the top of the pile and turned it over, a question still on his face, but he did not ask what he wanted to.

Instead, he pointed to the pile and said, “Word of your presence in Hamlis has burned through the nobles.  You have a month worth of meals here-”

Laun grimaced and shook her head.  “Unless there is someone who you deem truly worthy in that pile, or someone who has an excellent cook, I would rather send word that I am not accepting offers right now.”

He smiled.  “You find them as tiresome as I do.  I thought so.”  A handful of paper was flipped over, a few sheets left from the original pile.  “The requisitions for you and your baby.”

“Babies, Listas.  Twins.”

His eyebrow went up and he nodded.  “Makes more sense, then.  Your girl asked for certain things and it seemed a bit much for one child.  With a few things for you that seemed...odd.”

He picked up the papers and Laun had to get up to take them from his outstretched hand.  She scanned the pages, seeing what Gem was really asking for, seeing the cover she had used to get what she wanted for Laun.  “Again, sir, I have tastes.  And I didn’t remember to bring a few things with me on my...trip.”  Her eyes met his and he nodded.

The papers went back to him and covered the others that had been dealt with.  He got up and went around the desk and stood.  He did not exactly tower over Laun, but his presence was imposing.  He took a breath and held out his hand.

The warrior’s grip was not brief.  There was meaning in it, comfort and companionship offered and taken.  Hands on shoulders completed the gesture, the grip not heavy, but not insubstantial, either.

Laun relaxed her side before he did.  “Sir, thank you.”

“Ma’am.  If you need anything, it is yours.”  Laun read the slight raise of his eyebrow and smiled a little.  “Anything.”

Laun chortled as they stepped away from each other.  “Let me recover a bit more, Listas.  I doubt you want your men to think you took a virgin.”

He had a one-sided smile and looked at the place the cut flower was on her breast.  “We both have reputations to uphold, Laun.”  He leaned on the desk and looked her up and down.  “Since that is off the roster for now, how shall we keep you... occupied?”

“If you have something to read?  I have had the same twelve books to read over the Winter and my mind is itching for something different.  I should be resting, after all.”

He smiled and looked at the small shelf he had behind his desk.  “I’m afraid I don’t have much in the line of story-”  He stopped himself and saw the raised eyebrow and the set to Laun’s shoulders.  “What do you prefer, Laun?”

“I read law books and histories for fun, sir.  Anything I can learn something from.”

He squinted at her slightly, Laun finding that was one of his facial ticks to show he was not entirely pleased.  “Lieutenant Beau mentioned that you know some of the army hand signs.  I would recommend going through the manual to make sure you know more.”  He went to his books and picked out one with a canvass cover and straps to keep it closed.  “And this one, since you told him you don’t know the Naval ranks.”

The two books were handed across the desk to Laun and she nodded her thanks to him.  “If there is anything else, sir?”

She saw him clench his jaw before he said, “Ma’am, please don’t go wandering into the surf without having the beach secured first.  That includes the cliff top.  I have a feeling I will not be able to order you to stay out of the ocean, but I can damnedwell keep you from making too much of a scene.”

“As long as you have the proper men assigned to me and mine, I don’t think it will be a problem.”  Laun backed up half a step and came to attention.  “Listas.”

“Laun.”  He waved to the door and Laun turned on her heel, not looking back as she left.

There was a small line of men in the corridor as she closed the door behind her.  She nodded to the Lieutenant and started towards the stairwell before he cleared his throat.  Laun stopped and turned, a flash of social tiredness going through her.

“Ma’am, I have been assigned as your aide d’camp while you are here, and this is your staff.”  He gestured slightly towards the others standing in the hall with him.

Laun tried not to sneer.  “You will both be bored and overworked around me, men.  I have whims and times when I don’t seem to be doing anything.  I think this is unneeded, but if the Commander thinks this is for the better, I accede to him.”  Laun turned and motioned for them to follow.

 

In Chapter 12, Laun starts training to be able to face the Bell Council