Empire of Ashes

Chapter XXVIII - Law and Order

"How long do you leave them up there?"

"Oh, a few days usually does the trick, especially after an ordeal. We let them go hungry but give them plenty to drink. It's a form of punishment which inflicts minimal lasting physical damage, so they can still fight if need be," Colloe said.

"And what's an ordeal?" Melia asked curiously. "We don't have those down south. My father usually just ordered floggings for the criminals."

Not quite true, I felt like saying. Our village smith had lost his eyes to the Lord Ulric's justice before I was born, leaving him unable to practice his craft. He had made tools for the entire area, so it had proved quite problematic. I remembered my father riding out all the way to Duskos for a new scythe once. Maybe if the village had possessed a metalworker, we would have owned a few more blades with which to fight the soldiers when they had arrived.

"Just a trial." Anlai answered this time. "If a man cannot prove his innocence, he undertakes some dangerous act to clear his name. It's often fighting or the more risky scouting missions, but I've seen people run through fire and leap off cliffs in the name of the law."

"That's stupid. A thief or a murderer is as likely to survive those things as anyone else," I complained.

Anlai bristled at the insult to northern customs, but Melia laid a hand on his shoulder and Fendur quickly intervened. "I don't think it's meant to be accurate, Lyra. It's more about proving that you can still be useful to your people. I would rather have a thief or murderer at my side in battle than no one at all."

"Fair enough," I admitted.

After that, we visited the med tents. While Fendur had his dressing changed by an actual expert, the rest of us separated to wander among the sick beds. The battle had resulted in few casualties on our side, but the injured were very numerous. Seeing their young leader was good for the morale of those who had lost limbs or suffered the worst wounds. Temris greeted many of them by name, spreading reassurances and occasionally making jokes with a dark sort of humour. I trailed behind silently.

"And what happened here?" he inquired of Hallos, who was covered in blood-soaked bandages.

"Got myself on the wrong end of an Anglian spear," the combat trainer said with a shrug. "It's nothing more than a pinprick."

Temris raised an eyebrow. "A pinprick that has gotten you off your feet. Will you be fit to command in a few days? I had half a mind to leave you in charge of my army."

"Really?" Hallos sounded chuffed. "I'm only here because my idiot of a tyro thought it was necessary. The doctors will release me tomorrow if you ask them to."

"I'm here to check on you, not break you out of hospital. No matter — Bevan's just about ready for some responsibility, and Anlai will be here anyway. The three of you can split command."

"You honour me, Ragnyr," he said. A pause. "My son ... I heard..."

The warlord grinned. "Fendur's fine. At least, he says he is. Took an arrow in the back during the battle, but he's walking and talking, so it can't be too serious."

Hallos nodded. "That's good. I assume you're taking him wherever you're going..."

Northerners, I mused. They never presumed on their leader's patience, never daring to ask outright questions when answers weren't automatically provided. This man trusted Temris enough to help lead two thousand men in his absence, without ever knowing where he was going. Orders were orders, the reason behind them completely irrelevant.

"Of course. I couldn't leave him behind if I tried."

The rest of the wounded had heard of the Ragnyr's presence by then. They were out in droves, craning for a word. A few healers were unsuccessfully attempting to herd them back into their respective tents. Colloe, the only other person who had stayed close for obvious reasons, rested a hand on his sword hilt. Temris raised his voice above the murmur of noise. "Back inside, the lot of you. Anyone who next disobeys a healer answers to me."