Firebrand

He mounted his horse and, accompanied by Donal, Connly, and a dozen guards, departed. He glanced over his shoulder before the keep and clearing were lost to sight, and saw that she alone lingered to watch him leave.

RIDER ASH

Elgin used a horsehair brush to remove lint and dust from Laren’s formal longcoat. It tickled in some spots, and she, someone who did not giggle, couldn’t help but giggle.

“Not very dignified,” Elgin muttered.

She’d never had an orderly before, and now Elgin seemed to take to the job, and voluntarily, like he was born to it.

“I’ll brush you off and see how you like it,” she said.

Much had changed since her promotion. She now occupied the largest rooms in officers quarters. The bed chamber was separate from the public room. There were even a small office and separate bathing room. The trade-off, of course, was having to take on greater responsibilities and deal with the other colonels and high officers. They’d looked askance at her infringing on their meetings. She could read their disdain for her just by looking at their faces—she didn’t need her ability for that. It was clear in their manner that they did not believe she deserved to be among them, even though General Washburn had informed them she was there by royal command.

It was not unlike when she had become Rider captain years ago, but the other captains and lieutenants were accustomed to there being Rider captains, male or female, among them. Eventually they got used to her. The higher officers would get used to her, as well. They’d little choice. Their copious amounts of gold braid and medals did not intimidate her at all. She now had some nice gold braid herself.

Elgin set aside his brush and retrieved her sash of blue-green plaid. He started to wind it around her waist.

“I can do that,” she said, snatching it from him.

“All the other colonels have orderlies to dress ’em.”

“You are not dressing me.” She took the sash and knotted it around her waist.

He gazed at her work in disapproval. “Can’t even tie a decent sash knot.”

“Elgin.”

He waited with his hand held out. She untied the sash in resignation and handed it over. He straightened it out, carefully wound it twice around her waist, and tied a far neater knot. He then handed her her swordbelt, and this he let her buckle on herself.

She looked in the mirror to see the effect of the gold braid and new insignia, and the flourishes Estora insisted be added to her dress coats. Around her collar were embroidered gold wings, the tips nearly touching at the nape of her neck. Her cuffs featured gold embroidered feathers. She laughed at herself. Elgin looked indignant.

“Finally you get what you deserve and you laugh?”

It only made her laugh harder. “I’ve gotten what I deserve all right. Maybe those other officers will like me better with all the gold thread, but I doubt it.”

“Hmph. I do think there is something missing.”

“Oh, please don’t bring that up. You know I prefer not to remember.”

“Did you stop to think you dishonor their memory by not wearing what was given you?”

“Elgin, I can’t.”

“It was a long time ago and we all hurt, but now it is time for your Riders to see their captain, their new colonel, in a different light.” He went into her office and opened a drawer—she had an actual desk now—and withdrew a flat box. How in the hells did he know where she kept it? He brought it out and flipped the lid back, and metal glinted. “I even polished them for you.”

“Elgin, I don’t—”

“If you can’t wear ’em for yourself, wear ’em for your Riders, the ones here now, and the ones who are not.”

She looked away, closed her eyes. All that the medals in that box represented to her was blood. Not valor, but blood.

“Make them proud, Red,” Elgin said.

“Queen Isen used to hand out medals like calling cards.”

“She did not, and saying so devalues the sacrifices of many. Those were dangerous times. I bet none of those baby-faced generals you’ve got to deal with were even out of nappies during the time of the Darrow Raiders. You should wear these when you meet with them and remind them that these aren’t the only dangerous times, and that you’re not just a nobody the queen picked.” When she hesitated, he added, “The Riders did most of the hard, dangerous work against the Raiders. They need to remember. We need to remember the sacrifices, and you are being selfish.”

Selfish, was she? She shook her head and relented because it was easier than arguing with Elgin. Three medals for valor during the Darrow Raiders, one for the mission that had caused her to be almost split in half by a knife, which had left its own prominent mark on her. Several lesser medals for actions in combat, and several colorful campaign ribbons.

She gazed in the mirror once again, sobered by difficult memories. But making light of it, she said, “I am not sure I can stand the glare of all the shiny stuff.”

Elgin laughed, as she had hoped he would, and the city bell tolled three hour.

“Better get going,” he said. “Your Riders will be waiting for you.”

• • •

She’d told them they’d be meeting in the records room beneath the stained glass dome of the First Rider—not to mourn this time, but to go over matters of organization and to celebrate King Zachary’s victory in the Lone Forest against Second Empire, as well as the demise of Grandmother and Immerez. Many of the details were unclear, like how Zachary had ended up there in the first place, what had happened to the aureas slee, and how Karigan and her companions had come into the picture.