“Anything of note, Hodger?” the Duke asked, looking up from the casualty reports spread across his campaign table.
The captain of the Mage Corps placed five rings on the table.
“These require further study, my lord.”
The Duke picked up one of the stone rings.
“What are they?”
“Insignia of rank. The copper rings belonged to lesser leaders. The stone rings appear to have belonged to officers.”
“Appear?”
“All five are enchanted. Until I decipher the enchantments, I cannot be certain what authority they represented.”
The Duke returned the ring to the table.
“Where were they found?”
“On five orcs claimed by a levy recruit named Elias Rowan.”
“Five leaders?”
“Five among twelve confirmed kills.”
The Duke looked up sharply.
“Twelve?”
“I personally verified every claim. Five with his first spear, three with his second, and four with his shortsword.”
“How old is he?”
“Twelve. He has not yet awakened.”
Silence settled over the pavilion.
The Duke studied the rings again.
“Could removing those leaders have contributed to the collapse of their line?”
“Possibly. Their enchantments may tell us more.”
“Then determine their purpose.”
Hodger inclined his head.
“Yes, my lord.”
“And Rowan?”
“Captain Caldwell has already placed him under additional training.”
The Duke considered that.
“Leave the boy with his captain. Observe him, but do not parade him through command every time he does something unexpected.”
Hodger smiled faintly.
“That may prove difficult, my lord.”
“Try.”
***
I returned to the area our squad had claimed, covered in sweat, dried blood, and stinking mud.
My shield thumped against the ground beside my bedroll as I dropped my sack of loot and the replacement spear I'd claimed from the battlefield.
Every muscle in my body ached.
I wasn't even sure all the blood on my gambeson was mine.
"Going somewhere?" Brenn called after me.
I sniffed at my sleeve and immediately regretted it.
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"To find enough water that I don't smell like an orc."
A few of the older soldiers laughed.
"Try the horse lines," one suggested. "You'll fit right in."
"Helpful," I muttered.
Their laughter followed me as I wandered through the sprawling camp until I found a line of barrels beside a shallow creek. Half a dozen soldiers were already there, stripping off gambesons and cursing as cold water found fresh cuts.
I waited my turn.
When it came, I knelt beside the creek and splashed handful after handful of icy water over my face and neck.
The water instantly turned pink.
Then red.
Then brown as the mud finally gave way.
I scrubbed until my skin burned.
The smell of blood lingered anyway.
Looking down into the water, I barely recognized the boy staring back at me.
He looked older than the last time I'd seen him.
My face was nicked and scratched, the hair stiff with dried blood, and there was a weariness in my eyes that hadn't been there when I last washed.
I wondered if everyone looked older after their first battle.
Or if it was just me.
I stripped off my tunic and beat it against a flat stone until the water ran more brown than red.
It wasn't clean, just cleaner than it had been.
That would have to do.
I wrung it out as best I could before pulling the damp cloth back over my head.
It clung unpleasantly to my skin, but I only owned the one.
Cleaner now, or at least cleaner than I had been, I made my way back toward the area our squad had claimed.
I glanced up at the sun.
It was sinking steadily toward the western horizon. Evening wasn't far off, which meant supper would be soon.
I could already feel another appetite building.
Fighting all morning had left me hungrier than any day's work back home ever had.
My thoughts drifted to the sack I'd left beside my bedroll.
The rings had gone with Mage Hodger, but there had been purses, knives, the studs I had in my pouch, and whatever else the orcs had been carrying.
I found myself wondering what any of it might be worth.
If I was lucky...
Maybe there'd be enough coin to send something extra home.
I settled down beside my bedroll and pulled the grain sack toward me.
The other men drifted over one by one, curiosity getting the better of them.
"So," Arn said, settling onto an overturned bucket. "Let's see what twelve orcs were carrying."
I untied the sack and tipped the contents onto a blanket.
Coins clinked against one another as purses spilled open.
"There'll be enough there for a proper drink," one of the veterans observed.
"Not for him," Brenn answered before I could. "He's got brothers and sisters to feed."
I smiled faintly and continued sorting.
One pile for coins.
Another for things that might sell.
The wolf tooth necklace looked ugly enough that I couldn't imagine anyone wanting it, but I put it aside anyway.
The sharpening stone went into another pile.
So did the pipeweed, the brass buckle, the fishhooks, and a little carved bone die that looked like it had seen better days.
A cheap silver ring still wraped around a finger bone made several of the men grimace.
"Keep the ring," Arn advised.
"Toss the finger."
"I was planning on it."
That earned a few tired laughs.
I emptied another pouch.
Out slid several folded scraps of cured hide.
I frowned.
Carefully unfolding them, I found rough charcoal markings spread across the leather.
Roads.
Streams.
Little X's.
Even I could recognize a map.
"...Oh, for pity's sake."
The men looked over.
"What?"
I sighed.
"I've got to find the corporal again."
Arn laughed.
"You only just got back."
I held up the hide.
"It's a map."
"So?"
"So..." I looked at Brenn, hoping he'd tell me I was wrong.
The old veteran peered at it for a moment before nodding.
"Aye."
He looked almost disappointed.
"You'd better report that."
I groaned.
"I was hoping you'd say it wasn't important."
Brenn barked a laugh.
"Lad, if an enemy carries a map, someone higher than us usually wants to know why."
I folded the hide as carefully as I could.
"I suppose that means I shouldn't use it to wrap the pipeweed."
Half the squad burst into laughter.
Even Brenn chuckled.
"No."
Brenn climbed to his feet.
“I’ll walk with you.”
I blinked.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
The old veteran picked up his spear.
“But if this keeps up, folk are going to start thinking you enjoy talking to officers.”
The others laughed as I tossed the remaining loot back into the grain sack and added the silver ring still wrapped around the finger bone.
If Mage Hodger had been called in over the other rings, there was no telling what else might matter. Better to let someone who knew decide.
I hefted the sack over one shoulder.
“Bringing it all?” Brenn asked.
I nodded.
“They may call Mage Hodger in again. If there’s anything else important in here, I’d rather he find it than have me throw it away by mistake.”
Brenn studied me before grunting his approval.
“You’re learning.”
“Trying to.”
“Good. A smart soldier knows what he doesn’t know.”
Together, we headed toward the command tents.