It lacked but an hour and a half of midnight when Komees Hari arose and stiffly stretched, his joints emitting sharp snaps. “Kindred,” he addressed them all, “it is my thought that Bili will be to his clan a chief of famous memory. This night’s questioning has proven that he possesses more patience and wisdom than most men of his years. He’s a likeable young fellow, even if his manner is a bit stiff and overly formal for this Duchy. But all of us who have soldiered in the Middle Kingdoms can recall the stiff formality of the nobility of those lands, and since Bili was reared and trained there, he is but reflecting his mentors.
“Now, true, he seems a bit bloodthirsty,” the Komees chuckled, echoed by his brother and Komees Djeen, “but it is not mere vicarious pleasure, for he is clearly a proven warrior, and his answers to the problems set to him by Djeen and Ahndros and Vaskos show that he possesses enviable talents as tactician and strategist.”
“Plus a thorough understanding of the principles of logistics,” put in Komees Djeen, holding his specially fashioned winecup with his brass hook, while accenting his words with jabs of the stem of his pipe, “which I wish I’d owned when I was his age. Our Army could use a man like him. And I think he’d enjoy the life of a cavalry officer. Now, if Hwahruhn improves and lives a few years longer…”
“Sun and Wind!” Drehkos snorted disgustedly. “For as long as I can remember, Djeen, you’ve been selling army life to all and sundry. I vow, in your way you’re as bad as Myros. The moment he claps eyes to a wellformed lad, his mind commences to bed him, while the moment you see one, you’re mentally fitting him into a cuirass!”
“Those were most unkind words, Kinsman,” came the quiet, gentle, but penetrating voice of the blackclad Vahrohneeskos Ahndros. “Komees Djeen’s Strahteegos Oath binds him for life, and pointing officer-quality men toward our Army is a worthy and laudable act. He it was who persuaded my brothers and me to serve, and I regret none of those years in the Army of the Confederation. Indeed, I would not have returned when I did, had not my inheritance been in jeopardy.”
Drehkos made a rude noise. “Strahteegos Oath indeed! Listen you, Ahndros, Djeen’s passion to put every man on two legs into armor, and the foxy wiles he uses to achieve that result, far predate his elevation to Strahteegos. Why, thirty odd years ago he came back here and did his damndest to hornswoggle me and Hari and all the other young Kindred he could catch into that troop of mercenaries he took up to Pitzburk. This, his principal idiosyncrasy, is nothing new or patriotically laudable, young Kinsman!”
His single eye skewering Hari’s brother, Komees Djeen said slowly and gravely, “And you’ should have ridden with your brother and me, Drehkos. You’d be a better man for it, today. And you’d have cost your poor, dead father far less expense, heartache, and embarrassment.”
Drehkos squirmed and dropped his gaze, his face reddening. “Possibly!” he snapped, shortly. “But we’re not gathered here to ruminate on my misspent youth, you know. A chief should have good mindspeak. How is young Bili’s? All here know that I possess none myself, so I’ll have to take your words for it.”
“What say you, Bard Klairuhnz?” inquired Hari. “Your mindspeak seems stronger than average.”
Once again, Bili noticed those very odd looks which the Bard and Vahrohneeskos Andros who supposedly had never met prior to this night were exchanging. He was absolutely certain that the two were mindspeaking, but he could not receive them, try as he might.
“Our young Kinsman is blessed with excellent natural ability,” answered Klairuhnz, smiling. “He both transmits and receives well … on the basic levels, that is. Of course, with the proper training, he could be even better, stronger.”
Stubborn as a dog with a bone in his teeth, Komees Djeen immediately snapped, “And he could get that training in our Army, gentlemen, no place is better. Why, there is a special school, in Kehnooryos Atheenahs for the very purpose of developing latent mental abilities. Ask Andros, he attended it.”