Return of the Stormcriers

CHAPTER 37 - PRINCE WITHOUT A KINGDOM

   "Master Dustil, I am afraid my curiosity has gotten the better of me as I know nothing about you. Have you worked as a merchant guard since you came of age?" Nathan asked diplomatically so as not to offend the man with prying questions.

   "No, My Lord, when I was a younger man I served in your father's army for several years," Kyler answered, not bothering to turn his eyes away from the horizon he constantly scanned for threats.

   "Where did you serve?" Captain Gattis asked, intrigued by the revelation.

   "Here and there," Kyler answered vaguely. "I came and went wherever they asked me to." Gattis' brow furrowed in annoyance at the continued refusal of their guide to meet any of their eyelines as he spoke.

   "How long were you in the service of The King?" Jahn continued his captain's line of questioning, speaking for the first time since Paul's funeral. It was good, Nathan thought, to hear his guard actively rejoin their conversations. He had worried that the young man would retreat inside himself in his sorrow, much as his father and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Alexander had done after his mother's death.

   "I served for six years," Kyler said still turned away from the rest of the party. He retrieved his silver flask from his pocket and drank deeply before returning it to its place. His steps continued in a perfect march yet his voice never wavered or strained from fatigue.

"Why did you leave the service? You are obviously still physically fit to serve," Gattis asked a hint of accusation in his voice. Kyler's earlier, evasive answer clearly a source of irritation for the Captain.

"It was time," their guide answered simply. His tone remained calm and unchanged, but Nathan could tell his new companion had tired of the questions. With a glance, he silenced any further inquiries from Gattis and Jahn. Nothing further would be learned by pushing too hard so soon. His military experience would explain some of Kyler's skill with the blade, but war drills alone would not help him accrue the talent he had displayed. Natural ability and, by his own admission, a good teacher, had created the warrior that walked with them today. He wondered which of the swordsmasters in his father's employ Kyler had studied under.

   "Have you ever faced combat?" Kyler asked, turning the queries back towards Gattis. "Outside of that scuffle we faced together?" Once again he withdrew the silver flask and drank deeply; unlike previously he did not return the container to his pockets, choosing instead to leave it in his hand, readily available for use.

  "Of course I have," Gattis bristled, sounding mildly offended by the question. "Do you believe the High King would trust an unproven warrior with the protection of his son?"

  "What is the largest battle you have ever taken part in?" Their guide followed up, ignoring the Captain's snide remark. For the first time in hours, he tore his gaze away from the horizon, his eyes dark and purposeful, assessing the officer who walked beside him with expert scrutiny.

  Gattis sighed heavily, unhappy with the direction the conversation had taken. He looked slowly at Jahn and Nathan as if hoping that one of them would step in and rescue him from answering, but when it became aparent that no aid was forthcoming he reluctantly returned his attention to Kyler, "I took part in the siege of old Fort Dariax. A group of bandits had taken up residence in the ruins and were waylaying merchants that traveled through the area." He scratched the back of his head in thought. "This would have been fifteen or sixteen years ago when the West Illariyan Trading Company was first making noises about doing business here in Verden. High King Castius did not want them to be scared away by reports of bandit attacks."

"Captain, I have never heard you speak of this battle before," Nathan said, eager to learn more of his trusted captain's life. Gattis was a humble man by nature and had never spoken much of his past service before he had begun his role as Nathan's protector, and Nathan had always been much too polite to ask, a trait, he was pleased to see for it would allow him to gain a larger insight into his oldest companion, Kyler did not share.