Stiger’s Tigers (Chronicles of An Imperial Legionary Officer Book 1) (21 page)

Sergeant Boral, hand on his forehead, shook his head, trying to recover his wits. After a moment, he too followed, wide-eyed at what he had just witnessed and greatly relieved Captain Aveeno was no more.

Sixteen

Stiger found Lieutenant Ikely in the courtyard. The lieutenant looked more than satisfied as he greeted his captain. He seemed confident, in control and in great spirits. The courtyard was packed full of men. Stiger guessed there were around two hundred prisoners under guard, all sitting in the middle of the courtyard. They had been stripped of their armor and weapons. Some of the prisoners were sporting nasty bruises or nursing minor wounds. The company’s surgeon’s mate was making his way through the prisoners, working on the more serious wounds.

Several of Eli’s scouts, armed with their small bows, stood on the battlements above, looking down on the prisoners with a casual competence. A large pile of weapons and shields sat off to one side. Bodies had been lined up next to the pile. Several of the bodies sported arrows, testifying to the accuracy of the scout’s work.

“Sir,” the lieutenant reported. “Most surrendered without a fight. We have secured the courtyard, both gates, the stables and the battlements. I thought it best we begin cleaning out the barracks. Sergeant Ranl began sweeping them a few minutes ago.” As he reported this, several additional prisoners, under the watchful eyes of a guard, emerged from the barracks into the courtyard.

“Very good, Lieutenant,” Stiger said, pleased with his subordinate’s initiative. “How many casualties did we take?”

“I have two dead and four wounded, sir,” he reported, handing over a paper with the names of the dead written on it.

“How many of the garrison?”

“Out here … around thirty-two of the garrison who chose resistance are deceased. I have not yet had the wounded counted.”

“I see.”

“You should know that some of the prisoners turned on their own. Several were killed before we could intervene. I had to separate that group from the rest.” He nodded toward a separate group of ten men, under heavy guard. Unlike the mass of other prisoners, each one had their hands bound securely behind their backs with rope. Several in the group appeared to have been beaten rather badly.

“Captain Aveeno’s bullies, I take it?” Stiger said with a deep sigh.

“It appears that way. They seem to have compromised themselves.”

Stiger had a feeling he would soon be ordering the execution of those ten. An investigation would have to be initiated to determine the facts. The executions would likely follow.

“Did you manage to locate Captain Aveeno?” the lieutenant asked with some interest.

“Yes,” Stiger answered. “Father Thomas dealt with him. He is no more.”

Ikely raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing further. He had gotten to know his captain pretty well over the past few weeks. When the captain was ready, he would tell him more.

“Aveeno was a servant of Castor,” Stiger explained.

“Good gods!” Ikely exclaimed. “Really?”

“Spread the word that if anyone comes across any strange items, they are to leave them alone until Father Thomas can verify they are safe.” Stiger made a mental note that as soon as the paladin was capable, he would make sure that each of Aveeno’s bullies was carefully screened for any lurking evil.

“I will, sir.”

“Sergeant Boral.” Stiger turned to the man, who had been following him, along with Eli. Blake had separated himself from them a few minutes before and taken some additional men at the captain’s orders to reinforce and thoroughly search the keep. “Would you be kind enough to assist Lieutenant Ikely here with the search and securing of the rest of the castle?”

“It will be my pleasure, sir,” the sergeant said.

“When the castle is secure,” Stiger continued, “I would like your thoughts on the forces in the valley and specifically, who I can trust.”

“It would be an honor, sir,” the sergeant responded, snapping to attention and saluting rather smartly. “Thank you, sir, for freeing us.”

Stiger nodded and stepped away from the lieutenant and sergeant, working his way around the prisoners, who eyed him carefully. He doubted they knew his name yet, which was a good thing. They might begin to fear for their lives, which would make them potentially desperate. Desperate men could behave stupidly. He shook his head at the mess that Aveeno had left him. He hoped and rather suspected that these men could be rehabilitated. With the current poor state of the southern legions, he had a suspicion that soon every able-bodied legionary would be needed.

If what General Kromen had told him was true, there were close to a thousand legionaries garrisoning the castle and valley. With Aveeno dead, and as the senior officer in the area, Stiger was now responsible for them all. What had started as a simple resupply run had turned into much more. He was now effectively the garrison commandant, at least until relieved.

“Eli.” Stiger stopped and turned to his friend. “Would you kindly send one of your scouts to update the supply train? Also, see that the eagle is brought in.”

“I will,” Eli said, and then suddenly flashed a grin. “Congratulations on storming your first castle.”

“It is a bit more intimidating than those forts we assaulted in Abath, isn’t it?” He returned his friend’s grin. “Does it matter that they opened the front door for us?”

“Should you refrain from mentioning that little detail, then certainly I shall as well,” Eli promised with a wink, and went off to find a scout. Stiger watched him go.

“Well,” Stiger said quietly to himself, “I have taken my first castle. Now … what do I do with it?”

***

Stiger had set up his headquarters in a very large room on the fifth floor of the keep. It had somehow felt wrong to take the great hall as his headquarters, which was why he had selected this room. Someone had found a large, solid wooden table and several chairs to serve as a place for the captain to work.

The captain suspected that the room had once been a bedroom. There was a sitting room before the bedroom. Sergeant Ranl had secured a desk and chair and taken up a station to work from the sitting room like it was an office. Ranl was acting as Stiger’s direct assistant. Two armed guards stood before the door at the entrance. Lieutenant Ikely had seen to posting guards throughout the keep and castle. He had also set up random patrols in the hopes of catching anyone lurking about. Several of Aveeno’s thugs had been discovered hiding in the keep. There was no guarantee there were not more about.

Though a day after the fight, Stiger was reasonably confident the castle was safe. Under heavy guard, the bad actors had been locked up in the castle dungeons. It had helped that the rank and file had not hesitated to point out the ringleaders, thugs and bullies who had collaborated with the corrupted Captain Aveeno.

Lieutenant Peal stood at attention before Stiger. The man was literally quaking in fear as he waited to learn his fate. The lieutenant was sweating, despite the coolness of the air blowing into the room through the open shutters. Stiger coldly considered the lieutenant, nearly a broken man, for a few more seconds. Peal had clearly not been in Aveeno’s camp, but seemed to have been a small enough fish to have escaped. Perhaps the man could be rehabilitated, Stiger wondered, though judging by the quaking, he might only be good for administrative work. Well, he thought, there was only one way to tell the man’s worth.

“I am going to give you a second chance,” Stiger growled. “Several of the men have to one degree or another vouched for you, including Sergeant Boral.”

“Thank you, sir,” Peal breathed a huge sigh of relief, shoulders slumping.

“The rank and file who did not collaborate will also be given an opportunity to continue to serve the empire. You will set up a proper camp on the valley side of the walls and begin training the men up. I will assign you Sergeant Boral. Sergeant Blake will also assist you with training. I suggest you listen carefully to their advice. Both men have far more experience at this sort of thing than you do.”

“Yes sir.”

“I will loan out a few of my corporals to help you whip the men into shape. I expect that in my spare time, I will work with you as well.”

“I will not let you down, sir,” the lieutenant said eagerly. Stiger noticed how young Peal was; probably seventeen, maybe even sixteen. His parents had likely purchased his commission. Yet his age did not matter. He was imperial nobility and as such, much was expected. The honor of his house, though a minor one, demanded nothing less.

“I should hope not,” Stiger said coldly. “You are lucky to have a second chance. Do not disappoint me.”

“I will not, sir.”

“Sergeant Ranl has your orders.”

The lieutenant saluted and quickly stepped out of the room to speak with the sergeant. Stiger had assigned the lieutenant close to two hundred men who had been captured in the castle itself. He had already spoken with those men earlier this morning and offered them a chance to once again serve. No one had refused. Upon learning they would be spared death or worse, a life of slavery, they had cheered themselves hoarse, many thanking him profusely.

Unfortunately for Stiger, Peal was the only officer available. Promoting a man from the ranks not possible, so in the end the lieutenant had been his only choice. Captain Aveeno had either executed or corrupted the other officers in the keep. All of those men had either died with him in the great hall or elsewhere in the castle.

Stiger would have to work closely with Peal to make sure he could handle his assignment. Should he prove to be incapable of handling the men, Stiger would be in a bind. He was hoping there were a few officers of worth in the valley on whom he could rely to help.

“What of the rest of the valley’s garrison?” Eli asked, looking out the window at the magnificent view of the large, lush valley below. Though winter was nearly upon them, the mountains shielded the valley somewhat. Eli was referring to the troops occupying the three forts in the valley. There were around seven hundred men in those forts. Stiger had sent Blake to those posts, along with written orders.

“According to Boral,” Stiger sighed, “none is commanded by anyone higher than a lieutenant. Aveeno killed anyone senior. Sergeant Boral tells me most are good men, though there are a few of Aveeno’s watchdogs who will have to be dealt with.”

“Do you think they will accept your command?”

“They don’t have a choice,” Stiger responded with a tired sigh. Aveeno’s reign of terror was over and as such, he expected no resistance from the officers. With the remaining officers on board, the men should fall gratefully in line.

Eli said nothing in reply, but turned back to the window and the magnificent view. The valley was much larger than he had expected, at least twenty miles in length and ten miles in width. A brilliant blue river snaked its way through the middle. The elf thought the valley a rather pleasant spot.

“Sir,” Sergeant Ranl said from the doorway. “Councilman Bester is here at your request.”

Stiger stood as the councilman was led in and introductions were made. The councilman was a short, balding man in his fifties, slightly pudgy. The man looked of much different stock than most Southerners. In fact, he could have passed for an imperial citizen. Bester represented those who lived in the valley. Stiger understood he owned a large mill. The man had been in the great hall when Stiger had taken the castle, and he looked more than a little uncertain about meeting with the captain.

The relationship between the residents of the valley and the garrison was in a terrible state. The garrison had been taking whatever it wanted from the people of the valley. There had even been some attacks on members of the garrison, and the beginning typical reprisals.

The captain had no idea how long he would be in command of the garrison. It was entirely possible that General Kromen or General Mammot, whoever was now in command, would view this as an opportunity to get rid of a potential headache by leaving Stiger in command. Thinking about that worried him. Though it was more likely they would promote one of their favorites instead. Either way, Stiger expected to be in command of Vrell for at least two to three months. That meant this meeting was important. He wanted to get things off on the right foot and begin to repair the damage that Aveeno had inflicted. The last thing he wanted was to have to clamp down on a hostile population while he got the remnants of the garrison under control.

“You are wondering if I will be worse than Captain Aveeno?” Stiger asked, holding up a hand to forestall a response. “Let me assure you, I am not anything like the late Aveeno. I understand that the residents of this valley have been treated poorly. That changes immediately. As long as I am in command, your people and property will be respected, as it was prior to the rebellion.”

“We will very much appreciate that, Captain,” Councilman Bester said neutrally. Stiger could tell the man wanted to believe him, but they had built no mutual basis for trust yet. Good faith would be developed over time. “The valley supported the empire, not the rebellion.”

“I was aware of that,” Stiger said, and motioned for Bester to take a chair at the table.

The councilman sat as requested. Stiger took a seat on the other side of the table and continued. “I would like to earn that support back. Should any of my men step out of line or mistreat your people, I expect to hear of it, and those involved will be swiftly disciplined.”

Bester said nothing.

“As long as the residents of the valley respect us,” Stiger continued, “my legionaries will respect your people. I expect no attacks on my people and simply put, we will not molest you.”

“We want nothing of the rebellion,” the councilman said emphatically. “The rebellion has only brought us trouble and heartache.”

“That is encouraging to hear,” Stiger said.

“What of those of the garrison who have already done harm?” Bester asked.

“Captain Aveeno’s thugs will be dealt with,” Stiger answered.

“Is what I hear true, Captain?” Bester asked.

“About Captain Aveeno being an agent of Castor?” Stiger breathed heavily. “You were there. You saw it with your own eyes. Father Thomas removed that filth from this world.”

“Then it is true,” the councilman said. “This Father Thomas is a paladin of the High Father?”