Chapter 43: If you want to make Illuminar laugh...
I now have an editor, so you all shouldn't need to put up with my typos and poor/dyslexic editing skills anymore.
:)
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"Interesting." Ethan mused as he considered what he'd just heard from Lord Kalus of Timarou, the man who had helped him against the orcs earlier that day.
He was sitting at the table in the house that Lord Kalus and his wives were using after having eaten a meal with them. He was still at the table, while his wives and Kalus's wives had moved to another room to discuss decidedly less martial concerns. It sounded like they were mostly talking about children, since all of Lyra's children and the rest of Shara's children had been left under the care of someone named Titus back in Timarou. Kalus's son Taiven was sitting at the table with them, not speaking but hanging on every word.
He looked at his host. "So you're saying you actually encircled a larger enemy force with your smaller force and defeated them that way? Wow, impressive."
Kalus shrugged. "It was the only option left, it seemed imprudent not to take it."
"I can't imagine that happens very often."
"No." The lord replied. "But much work had been done to make them think our force was larger than it actually was, which partially accounts for the battle's success."
Ethan noticed that Lord Kalus didn't use the word "I" much when talking about his achievements. He told the story, but he wasn't the star; merely another player in the events. He found that quite interesting and rather liked it about the man. He was extremely confident, but there didn't seem to be an ounce of arrogance in him.
"It sounds like you've seen a lifetime of battles." Ethan said. "I've only seen a few, and none involving armies."
"You are fortunate then." Lord Kalus replied. "Soldiers suffer in war, but the civilians usually suffer more; doubly so when the military is willing to sacrifice them for an objective."
"It sounds like you have a specific instance in mind." Ethan noted.
"Not one I was involved in, but there is an excellent example involving Lord Delmar."
"Oh?" Ethan perked up, suddenly even more interested.
"Many years ago, before he was a lord, he was a commander in the Narlotten Military." Kalus said. "His military intercepted a communication from an enemy force and learned two things. First, the enemy was going to attack a village on Narlotten's outskirts in five days. Second, the enemy was going to leave only enough troops to maintain the appearance of strength at one point in their lines in ten days."
"So if he saved the village, the enemy would know he intercepted the communications and wouldn't weaken their lines." Ethan replied. "But if he didn't save the village, he could break their lines and score a major victory."
"Precisely."
"How many people in the village died?" He asked, not sure he actually wanted to know.
"In this case none, but not because of Lord Delmar's intervention." Lord Kalus replied. "The enemy apparently stumbled upon a dragon not far from the village. The sounds of battle, dragon's breath, and dragon's roars caused everyone to flee the village, leaving it empty when the enemy did arrive. Still, the villagers lost everything except their lives, which would not have happened if Lord Delmar had intervened."
Ethan nodded, not sure what to make of the story. To be sure it was cold hearted for Lord Delmar to leave the village exposed, but what if he had been the dragon? Was that him trying to have his cake and eat it too by warning them as a dragon? Even if it was, it was still cold to allow their entire village to be captured so the villagers lost everything. Brilliant, calculating, and ruthless, but not
entirely
devoid of compassion.
Hmm.
Interesting.
"How'd you hear of this?" Ethan asked.
"Every lord has spies in every other lord's court." Lord Kalus replied.
"Fair." Ethan nodded, thinking that politics in the Ten Kingdoms was probably just as cutthroat as on Earth, and 'cutthroat' might be more literal here.
"Mr. Ejder sir." Taiven spoke up during this slight lull in conversation. "If you would be willing, I would very much like to show you something before you leave."
"Oh? What's that?"
Lord Kalus got a smile on his face that was both proud and amused.
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*Okay, this should be interesting.* Kendra thought to everyone while suppressing a smile. She wanted to laugh out loud, but was trying to be sensitive.
*Yes, Rachel's son-in-law was very insistent.* Ethan replied with a grin.
*Guys...* The redhead shook her head.
"Are you watching Mr. Ejder sir? I promise you won't regret it." Taiven said. He had set up several small targets at the end of a blind alley in the mining town, and was standing with a sling ready and several smooth stones in a small pouch on his belt. He had insisted on showing Ethan how skilled he was, and Kendra was pretty sure this had a lot to do with him wanting to wed Ethan and Rachel's future daughter.
"Yeah, go ahead." Ethan replied, then thought to the group. *I'm really not expecting much. I mean, how good could a seven year old...*
He trailed off as the boy started slinging.
He was good.
Very good.
Taiven had set up ten targets on top of pieces of pottery. The targets were only about two inches in diameter, and they were at least a dozen yards away. He hit every single one without a single miss, and quickly too. He would load the sling, and then while his right hand gave it exactly one full rotation and released, his left hand drew a new stone from the pouch. After the release, he had catching the free end and re-loading down to nearly an art form.
The boy was seven years old.
"Wow." Ethan said when Taiven had finished.
"Yeah." Kendra nodded, thinking that there weren't many children so skilled with a sling even among the Aldmiri.
"I will be able to take good care of your daughter if you let me marry her Mr. Ejder sir." Taiven said with a small bow. "And father says I'm ready to move up from practicing with wooden swords to training with blunt steel ones. I will be an expert swordsman by the time she comes of age."
"I'm sure you will be." Ethan nodded, the edge of a chuckle in his voice.
"He's very dedicated." Kendra observed to the boy's mother, who along with her fellow wife and husband had watched the whole thing as well.
"He is." Shara replied, and no one could miss the note of motherly pride in her voice.
"That's my son." Lord Kalus said, and he sounded even more proud than the boy's mother did.