The Beast of Maug Maurai, Part One: The Culling Read Online Free PDF Page A

victory, was it not? Two thousand men faced
more than six thousand. I can’t imagine luck had much to do with that victory.”
    “It wasn’t exactly like that, sir.”
Grae righted the goblet. “It was closer to five thousand. And there were –“
    “Ah, the modest commander. Don’t hide
your accomplishments, Brig, revel in them! We have so few chances to bask in
glory during this life.” He stood up, searched absently for something to sop up
the spilled wine. Spotted the chemise by the bed and picked it up. “I
understand they are teaching that battle at the War Guild. That’s what we want.
That’s the sort of commander we need for this assignment.”
    Grae thought back to Finrae, back to the
pinnacle of his life. Most of his best battles had been fought in the West, in
Nuldryn, or in the Durrenian mountains. Finrae was the only great battle he’d
had in the East. He could hear the ovation from his soldiers. The shouts of
“Laraytia!” echoing across the valley as his men bound the hands of each
prisoner.
     “A sad waste,” said the Chamberlain.
He gazed at the spilled wine then threw the chemise over the table. Grae
watched the wine soak through the silk. The sight gave him the unpleasant
impression of a murder taking place.
    “Finrae,” said the Chamberlain,
refilling Grae’s goblet. “In all honesty, Finrae was all I needed to know.
Finrae. And of course, Cydoen.”
    There , thought Grae. There it is .
    “Yes,” said the Chamberlain. “Finrae
exemplifies your brilliance. And Cydoen shows your strength of character.”
    After thinking back on the heights of
Finrae it was a spiteful thing to be dashed upon the rocks of Cydoen.
    “Those were some dreadful orders at
Cydoen,” The Chamberlain said softly, perceiving something jagged in Grae’s
expression. “But you didn’t flinch.”
    Grae struggled to keep from downing
the contents of his cup, made himself sip. Cydoen . “This assignment,” he
said. “Is it to be like Cydoen?”  I won’t do it , he thought . If it’s
like Cydoen, or Thaulot, or Vantreu, or that other village … what was the name
of that other village… I won’t. I’ll herd orchard pigs for the rest of my
career. I won’t do it. I can’t. But he knew he would. He would do it
because they would order him to.
    The Chamberlain walked to a small
writing desk in the corner of the room and gathered several documents. He sat
again, holding the letters flat against his chest. “The night before last, a
caravan carrying most of House Cobblethrie disappeared on the forest road
through Maug Maurai. They were headed here, to Kithrey, for the festival. Two
of their carriages were found upended and dead guardsmen scattered everywhere.”
    “Yes, sir,” said Grae. “I heard the
story from a cider vendor at the gate. I understand Black Murrogar was with
them.”
    “A cider vendor!” The Chamberlain
slammed his goblet on the table. “Why must news flow like a gushing wound
through this fief?” The Chamberlain took some wine and savored it. He drew a
breath then shrugged. A slow, dramatic gesture. “If a gate vendor knows then
every soul in Kithrey does. We have far less time than I had hoped. You must
leave tonight. As soon as we are finished here.”
    “If that is your wish, sir,” said
Grae. “But I was planning on riding to Furin Tahl to take some equipment.”
    “Not at all. I’ll have Berryll take
you to the armsman. He’ll get you whatever you need from the armory.”
    “From the garrison’s armory?”
    “Your Standards are doing the Duke a
favor. It’s the least we can do.”
     “Thank you sir, that’s very kind.”
Grae sipped at the wine, waiting to be told where it was that he was to go. The
Chamberlain drank in distracted silence. Grae cleared his throat and spoke
awkwardly. “I wanted to speak with you about the soldiers that have been
assigned to the squad. I would have preferred to select my own men.”
     The Chamberlain’s eyes focused on
Grae.