To Be Chosen (34 page)

The gesture went a long way toward making the men believe their commander cared about them. Roder inspected the men, uniforms, weapons, tents, making sure all was up to Royal Guardsmen standards. Some of the men wondered why Sir Daniel did not perform inspections, but those complaints were
vastly out numbered by the gratitude expressed by those who were no longer saddle sore. When everything was as it should be, Roder went into his tent, stretched out on the cot, and fell asleep.

A tap on the shoulder caused Roder’s eyes to pop open. “Dawn is coming soon,” Corporal Duwin informed him.

Roder sat up while swinging his feet to the ground. “Is Sir Daniel awake?”

“He was already up talking to Bejarren and Konner when I awoke,” Duwin replied. “Sergeant Zaccum is up but Lord Ducalin is still asleep.”

Jacob Bejarren and Julius Konner both had third watch, along with Carper and Rabin, except the first two guardsmen had been off duty during the first and second watches, while the last two were sluggish and had some red in their eyes.

Roder did not need to ask if Russ Monner was awake. The aroma of bacon sizzling in the pans and being carried on the breeze was answer enough. Huge pots of oatmeal boiled near the pans and a few early risers were already standing in line waiting for the cook to tap Duncan Hawk on the shoulder, which was the signal for the youngest guardsman to begin serving breakfast.

Sir Daniel, seemingly fresh as a new day, uniform spotless, walked over and stood at the end of the line. Men stepped aside to let him skip to the front, but he refused. Monner tapped Hawk and breakfast was served. After eating and seeing that everyone else had done so, Roder made his way over to where the Knight was speaking to Lord Ducalin, who had been the last to awaken and eat.

“I hope you’re right about this,” the Duke’s son was saying.

“We should be where you exited the swamp in a few days and well before sunset,” Sir Daniel assured him, and then turned to Roder. “Good morning Sergeant.”

“So it seems,” Roder replied. “I just wanted to inform you that all have eaten and now ready for your orders.”

Sir Daniel eyed the area. “We ride as soon as you can get the men on their horses.”

“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Roder replied and then turned and called out in a loud voice, “Clean up, pack up, saddle up, and the last four to do so will be pulling third watch tonight.”

Men scrambled to obey and in short order, everyone was ready to ride. “Rabin, Carper, you must have enjoyed each other’s company, because you are both on third watch tonight. Rine and Swan, you will be joining them,” Roder called to the last four men to be saddled and ready.   

At mid-day Sir Daniel called for a three quarters of mark halt. While the men were eating their rations and taking care of other physical needs, Roder went over to where Sir Daniel sat under a pine strumming a guitarn. Both Teki were with him, but the Lieutenant was off, probably relieving himself.

“Do you trust that lordling to guide us through a swamp?” Silvia was saying.

David, who was tapping a beat on his thigh in time with the music, added, “Your navigating skills are far better than his.”

“The maps I studied in Aakadon were created during the dry season. I have no idea which trails are passable at this time of year, in a couple of months, yes. Now, no,” he replied, and his gaze flickered to the female Teki. “So, yes I trust Jonah to guide us. Don’t forget we also have Sergeant-of-the-guard Zaccum.”

Roder cleared his throat to get their attention. “Will you be inspecting the men when we make camp?”

Sir Daniel broke his rhythm in mid-strum. “You have done a thorough job.”

“Thank you, Sir Daniel. I will continue to do so, but the men expect their commander to do so as well. Not as thorough as the inspections I do, just a few spot inspections to show you expect standards to be maintained,” Roder told him while trying to make it sound like a suggestion rather than a lecture on the duties of a commander in the field.

“I appreciate you bringing this to my attention,” the Knight replied. “When we make camp tonight I’ll do an inspection.”

“When we start up again, you may want to send scouts out to report on what’s ahead, at our sides, and to the rear,” Roder suggested.

Sir Daniel plucked a few notes and then nodded his head affirmatively. “Pick your scouts, but they are to stay within half a span of the main body. In addition, choose two of your swiftest riders who can relay messages from me to them. I know exactly where we are going and have a fairly good idea of what is in these woods.”

“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Roder replied, and then went to select the men.

He was not entirely pleased, seeing as the Knight was not following standard procedures, but at least he had agreed to send scouts out, even if with restrictions. Roder began choosing the men for the job. Samson Kaypen, Manny Kenton, Trevor Hannon, and Adam Avery, accepted the jobs without grumbling, they were the best choices to be scouts. Raymond Carpenter, whose big eyes always made him seem in a constant state of surprise, and Duncan Hawk, the swiftest riders, were young enough to be thrilled to serve as runners for the Royal Knight of the Realm.

Sir Daniel gave the order and everyone mounted their horses and followed him through the trees, over brooks, and across grassy fields. They rode in formation, no one slacked off. Every now and then a runner would be sent to deliver a message to one of the scouts.
Four days later and three marks before sunset they passed out of the woods and onto the road, just as Sir Daniel predicted. Roder double-timed to the front of the column.

“Can we make it from here to the estate before dark?” Sir Daniel was asking.

“Yes,” Lord Ducalin replied.

“No,” Sergeant Zaccum said at the same time.

Sir Daniel glanced between the two. “Which is it, yes or no?”

Zaccum took a deep breath, clearly not wanting to be in the position of contradicting the Duke’s son. “Jonah, if we had a straight path, I would agree with you, but we don’t. The safest way to go is muddy at best and we will be zigzagging to stay out of the wettest areas, but it is the best course. It will take six hours to navigate through to your home.”

Sir Daniel fixed his gaze forward into the swamp. Just as Roder was convinced the young Knight’s mind had wandered far from the conversation, he shook his head and raised his hand, signaling a stop, and said decisively, “Sergeant Keenan, we camp here.”

“You said that when we arrived at the swamps, I would decide the way to go,” Jonah Ducalin reminded him.

Sir Daniel smiled, they were the same age yet the Knight seemed older, and was clearly not intimidated by a nephew of the Queen. “Jonah, I understand you’re eager to get back to help your loved ones. Believe me I have been there, but the danger is too great. There is no completely safe way into this swamp. We will be facing gators, pythons, water moccasins, and sasquatches. I prefer to deal with those creatures in the daylight.”

“He is correct about the dangers. The risk is too great,” Zaccum added his weight to the decision.

Jonah looked Sir Daniel straight in the eye. “When we cross into the swamp, I will be making the decisions on where we go.”

“I trust you not to lead us into a bog and if you violate that trust, bring us into avoidable danger, I will take charge, and ask Sergeant-of-the-guard Zaccum to lead us to your father’s estate,” the Kni
ght replied, undiplomatically.

“I know my responsibilities, it will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Jonah replied formally.

Roder gave the order to set up camp and the men did so speedily. Dinner, beans, ham, and dried bread, was served and guards posted. Sir Daniel sparred with Lieutenant Tomei, this time actually winning one out of twelve rounds, a great accomplishment. Half a mark later, the Knight started walking around the camp.

“Guardsman Tabon, your boots need shining,” the Knight told the thick-shouldered man, and went on to inspect the next person. Sir Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue jar. “Guardsman Thrush, take this, go into your tent and rub this on the infection,” he told the man.

“How did you know?” Long-jawed Fentnor Thrush responded while taking the jar and staring wide-eyed at his commander.

“You’ve been squirming in your saddle half the day and leaning to your right, so I figured the infection was on your left thigh,” the Knight replied.

“Thank you, Sir Daniel,” the guardsman replied and then went into his tent.

Roder had failed to notice the problem. The squirming and shifting must have been subtle, yet the Knight had noticed.

Sir Daniel went to every man, called him by name, and either ordered a correction or commended him for a job well done.

“Corporal Duwin, there is a tear on your coat,” the Knight observed. “We have stopped early. This would be a good time for mending.”

“It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” Duwin replied and then went off to make the correction the Knight suggested.

Roder smiled. The inspection had been successful. The field commander had showed a personal interest in each man and not even the ones who needed correction complained. How could they when the Knight kept his boots spotless and his uniform immaculate? He set the standard, did not yell, did not chivy, simply told them in a calm way what was expected of them. A Knight of the Realm can get away with speaking so, but a Sergeant has to shout, insult, and threaten in
order to keep the men in line.

They settled in for the night. Sir Daniel played his guitarn. The pair of Teki began to dance and shortly thereafter most of the men did so as well. Some three marks later the concert was long over and Roder went into his tent and fell asleep. He woke before dawn, dressed, and exited the tent. Crickets were still chirping and frogs croaking. Russ Monner was starting his cook fires and Sir Daniel was going through the sword forms by himself, using his knightly blade rather than wood. Tomei did not seem to be up yet. Breakfast was ready by the time the Knight finished his routine and everyone ate and then prepared to ride.

There was little discussion at the front of the line and Jonah Ducalin seemed to be getting more anxious as they drew closer to the swamps, but nothing of concern to a Sergeant. Roder dropped back toward the rear of the left column.

“It’s been a quite ride,” Squinty-eyed Lu Zannis observed to Chuc Carlin riding in the column to his right.

“There’s suppose to be sasquatches in the swamps, so stay alert, some of them might have wandered out this far,” Carlin replied, and spit a wad of chewing tobacco to his left, between the two horses. His low brow caused many a man to believe him dim witted, when in fact the guardsman was sensible, and possessed razor sharp instincts.

“Good advice, stay sharp, there’s more than those big smelly beasts awaiting us,” Roder spoke up, loud enough for most everyone to hear.

The pines and oaks gave way to black cypress, tupelos, and willows. The area to the left and right was saturated. Sunlight reflected off the water on both sides of the road, which was no longer hard packed, it was muddy. Mosquitoes pestered everyone except Sir Daniel, who rode on as if the little blood suckers did not exist. Roder wished he could do the same.

“We are in the swamp now,” Jonah declared.

“So lead the way,” Sir Daniel replied and then dropped back behind the Duke’s son and Sergeant Zaccum. Lieutenant Tomei and the pair of Teki followed his example.

Roder had been just a little concerned about what would happen if the Knight had chosen not to allow the Ducalin to lead. Fortunately, the situation did not occur.  As they journeyed farther, the young lord demonstrated that he did in deed know his duty. He led them through some smelly areas with thick mud, and some places where the horses were in water more than hoof deep, which was the situation now, but he did not lead them into a bog they could not retreat from. Roder was uncomfortable not knowing what was in the water, moccasins, pythons, gators, any or all of which could be right near their feet. Sir Daniel seemed to be taking advantage of the chance to follow rather then guide. His eyes were closed, yet he never wavered in the saddle, nor did his head suddenly bob as if he had fallen asleep. His head turned slightly to the left as if he was hearing something no one else heard. “Carper, gator to your right flank,” the Knight suddenly called out.

A gator, perhaps fifteen paces long, lunged up out of the water and stopped just short of grabbing Loner’s leg. The horse reared up, sending Carper splashing down into the water right near the huge reptile. Roder jumped from his horse while pulling his broadsword, and landed right beside the fallen guardsman. The gator rumbled in a deep base, causing the water to ripple away from it, and then turned and swam away.

“There are more critters in this water,” Sir Daniel called out. “You both might want to consider remounting your horses.”

Roder helped Carper to his feet and over to Loner. The guardsman climbed up in the saddle and then Roder mounted Dancer. To say everyone at that point was jittery would be an understatement. Thirty paces to the left a python swam, approaching the column, and then turned away as if it no longer had any interest in them. Jonah led them through thick grass high enough to reach the stirrups and then into water that reached just as high. A water moccasin swam right between Dancer’s legs and went on its way without striking or showing any particular interest, as if the horse’s legs were just something to be avoided like tupelos. They passed an area infested with gators of all sizes and most of the reptiles ignored them, for which Roder was grateful, and those that did not swam towards them, and would suddenly turn away before reaching the horses.