“Hands promised it at the door by the time you descended.”
“I will need but a moment or two to ready myself,” Burrich said quietly. I noticed he did not phrase it as a request.
“Go then. Both of you. Plan on catching up with us as quickly as you can.”
Burrich nodded. He followed me to my room, where he helped himself to winter garb from my clothing chest while I got dressed. “Brush your hair back and wash your face,” he ordered me tersely. “Warriors have more confidence in a man who looks like he expected to be awake at this hour.”
I did as he advised and then we hastened down the stairs. His lame leg seemed forgotten tonight. Once we were in the courtyard, he started bellowing for stable boys to bring up Sooty and Rud. He sent another boy scrambling to find Kerf and pass on the orders, and another to ready every available horse in the stables. Four men he dispatched to town, one to the warships, three others to make the rounds of the taverns and rally the fleet. I envied his efficiency. He did not realize he had taken command away from me until we were mounting. He looked suddenly uncomfortable. I smiled at him. “Experience counts,” I told him.
We rode for the gates. “We should be able to catch up with Queen Kettricken before she reaches the coast road,” Burrich was saying just as a guardsman stepped out to bar our way.
“Hold!” he commanded, his voice breaking on the word.
Our horses reared back in alarm. We reined in. “What’s this?” Burrich demanded.
The man stood firm. “You may pass, sir,” he told Burrich respectfully. “But I have orders that the Bastard is not allowed out of Buckkeep.”