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another request to Commander Meylyd for replacement lancers. He has completed
the second draft and is reading it when there is a knock on the door.
Ser? There be some lancers here, asking of Majer Maran.
Lorn frowns. He hasn t come back? Have them come in. He remains seated as
two lancers step into the inner study.
Ser& squad leader Jugyt, ser, and Shalar, ser, offers the broad-shouldered
junior squad leader. We had been expecting the majer& but none be seeing
him.
Lorn offers a puzzled look. We took a short ride. He said what he had come to
say, and then said he would be back later. I came back, and I haven t seen him
since. I thought he had come back and left with you, since I hadn t heard
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anything.
No, ser.
Lorn fingers his chin. The last time I saw him, he was riding the wall road,
toward Westend, but we were only a few kays from here. He stands and calls,
Kusyl!
Yes, ser? Kusyl re-appears.
Do you know if anyone has seen Majer Maran?
No, ser.
He said he was coming back, but his men here haven t seen him, Lorn
explains.
I don t know as anyone has seen him since he left the compound, ser.
Lorn purses his lips. If you d check with the guards and any of the men-or
see if Juist s company saw him. They rode back in a while ago.
Yes, ser.
After Kusyl leaves, Lorn looks at the two lancers. All we can do is look and
see if anyone saw him. I ll have my company check the area. It seems strange
that he d leave without you, but maybe he did.
He rides alone at times, it be true, ser, but always he returns, says Jugyt.
Lorn shrugs helplessly. I scarcely know what to say. We can check to see if
there has been a tree-fall nearby, or if there are any tracks on the
deadland. He glances toward the window, and gestures toward the sun that
hangs just above the compound walls. Best we hasten.
Yes, ser.
Lorn reclaims his sabre, then heads for the stable. This time he will use a
spare mount, for despite the search for Majer Maran, Second Company will still
begin a patrol tomorrow. After all, Maran would certainly not to have wanted
Lorn to deviate from accepted Mirror Lancer procedures.
The captain who would be more offers a brief smile as he nears the stable.
CXI
As Second Company rides slowly toward the gates of the compound at Jakaafra,
Lorn looks down at his blood-splattered trousers, and then at the depleted
firelance in the holder. The sun is almost touching the western horizon,
outlining the silhouettes of distant orchards to the west, and casting long
shadows from the walls of the compound.
Lorn does not look back at a company that is now really but the size of a
single full-strength squad, nor at the three mounts that bear dead lancers.
They have not permitted any wild creatures to escape despite another fallen
trunk, but that is due to luck, and to the renewed tendency of the creatures
to attack the lancers, rather than to attempt to escape beyond the deadland.
We getting any replacements, ser? Kusyl asks quietly, from where he rides
alongside Lorn.
I ve requested more lancers three times, Kusyl. Majer Maran never offered
much encouragement, but he didn t say no, either. That s if he got back to
Geliendra, but I haven t heard about that, either.
Funny about that, ser. His men found his mount, but not him. Think the Forest
got him? They say that happens, sometimes.
It could have happened, but we didn t see any traces of wild creatures. Lorn
shrugs tiredly as they near the gates. I just wish he had sent us some more
lancers. The men are accomplishing the impossible, but it can t go on.
What if we just waited until the Engineers arrived? Before getting near the
trunk, ser? asks Kusyl.
We d have as many dead lancers and some dead Engineers, probably, and Second
Company would have a new captain and new squad leaders, Lorn replies.
Thought it be like that, ser. Kusyl shakes his head. Can t be saying as I
understand. Do you, ser?
Not totally, Kusyl. I ve heard that the Magi i are going to try something,
but that was seasons ago, and nothing has happened. Maybe they just want us to
hang on until they can. Or maybe it s something else.
Whatever it be, ser, best they do something or they ll have creatures running
free throughout northeast Cyador.
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The other companies are short of lancers, too, Lorn points out.
Not near so short as Second Company.
They don t face so many tree-falls.
Kusyl shakes his head sadly.
Evening, ser, calls the gate guard as Lorn nears the gates. Hard patrol?
Hard patrol, Lorn confirms.
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