“Do I miss it?” Suiden sounded almost amused and I cracked one eye open. “I guess you can say that. Tell me, Rabbit. Do you miss the Border?”
Both eyes sprang open. “Sir?”
“Trooper Jeffen has asked if I miss the place where I was born and raised. Do you?”
The image of my parents smiling as pale old men led me away rose up and I began to say that I couldn’t care less, but then other memories pushed it aside. The forest in its wild spring greenness. Summer swimming holes and crisp fall mornings. Winter nights, mulled cider, and traveling bards’ tales of swords and sorceries. Playing chess with Dragoness Moraina while she spoke of beginnings and endings, and how the latter were foreshadowed in the former. Honor Ash Faena’s biting humor as she let me tag along on her strides of the Weald. I had to blink to clear my suddenly blurred vision. “A little, sir.”
“Both of you so very far from home,” Jeff said as we rounded a bend and the garrison came into full view. “And so very different from what you once thought you’d be.” He then snapped upright in the saddle as he remembered whom he was talking to. “Uhm, sir.”
“Well, as Lieutenant Rabbit is always saying, I wanted to see the world,” Suiden said.
Yeah, right, I thought hard, and then waited. But Suiden just smiled.
“I am who I have always been, honored Jeff,” Laurel said, “and where I’m supposed to be. At this time, in this place, with my present company.” We reached the garrison just then, saving any of us from having to respond. While there wasn’t a guard gate, sentries stood on each side of the garrison entrance—their eyes wide as they took in the Faena. I heard pounding feet and two groomers ran up, while Laurel bowed to the captain. “I will await you by that lake.” He pointed at one down a shaded lane that had a gazebo and vine trellis with ripening grapes hanging from it. “Until then, Your Highness.” Without waiting for the captain’s reply, he walked off, leading the packhorse. After saluting, Jeff followed him.
“It appears that Sro Laurel isn’t too happy with me because I won’t allow him time alone with you,” Suiden said, dismounting.
“Yes, sir,” I said. I dismounted also, wondering if he’d heard Laurel’s and my conversation earlier as we left the Border embassy or if he’d made a lucky guess.
“I don’t guess,” Suiden said and, handing the reins to the groomer, walked away.
I stared after him for a moment. Then, realizing that I was standing in the hot sun, I thrust the reins into the other groomer’s hands and hurried down the path, catching up with the captain just as he entered the garrison door.
The last time I had been in a garrison was in Dornel, two weeks before, and that didn’t really count as we had spent most of the time under guard. I was surprised at how much the Royal Garrison felt like home. The captain led me past the sentries into the main building (I glanced up but there were no paintings on the ceiling, just a honeycomb pattern), and down a series of halls and passages on the main floor until we approached a door with more guards. At that point my stomach growled so loud that I looked down at it, half expecting to see it snarling back up at me.
“I was going to introduce you to the commander before you ate,” Suiden said. “But by the sounds you’re giving off, he may think you have a wild animal with you.” He beckoned a passing trooper and told him to show me where the officers’ mess was. “I will come for you when I’m finished, Lieutenant. Don’t wander off.”
The officers’ mess was empty, the morning rush being over and the midday one not yet starting. I was able to snag porridge with honey, two soft-boiled eggs, toasted bread, butter and blackberry jam, a pomegranate, something called yoghurt, and a large pot of tea. I sat down by one of the open windows (facing away from the stables) and applied myself to making it all disappear.
“You’re Lieutenant Lord Rabbit, aren’t you?”
I looked up to find a major looking down at me, teacup in hand. I finished chewing and swallowed before I answered.
“Yes, sir.”
The major sat down facing me, setting his teacup on my table. “Have you been transferred here?”
“No, sir. I’m with my captain.”
The major lifted his cup and took a sip, looking around. “Who adds invisibility to his no doubt many talents.”
“He’s in a meeting, sir.”
“I see. You’re with that magical, aren’t you?”
I put my spoon down to answer. “We are assigned to the Border embassy, sir.”
“I see.” The major kicked the chair next to me out from under the table and propped his feet up on it, and waited until the spoon was almost in my mouth. “It’s kind of strange, isn’t it, all that?”
I put my spoon down again. “I wouldn’t know, sir.” My stomach rumbled, wondering why the gravy train had stopped.
The major took another sip of tea. A fly buzzed in one window and out another, while a wave crashed loud against the promontory’s cliff. Just to make sure, I reached for one of the toast slices, buttered it, slathered it with jam, and raised it to my mouth.
“You’re from the Border too, aren’t you?”
I put the toast back down and folded my hands on the table. “Yes, sir.” The major went back to his tea, and I sat there while my food got cold and soggy. My palm began to itch and I scratched it.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we have to close the mess now to get ready for lunch.” I looked away from the major to see a trooper there with apron and towel.
“Oh, too bad, Lieutenant. If you were a captain or higher, you could stay and finish but since you’re not, you have to leave.” The major took a long sip of his tea, his eyes gleaming over the rim of the teacup at me. “And they don’t allow food outside the mess.”
The itch spread over my entire hand. “I see.” I stared back at the major. “As my captain is meeting with the commander, I’ll just go to his office and tell them both why I had to leave the mess before I’d finished eating. Sir.” I flexed my hand a couple of times and tilted my head so that I could see the server too.
The major lowered his cup onto the table. “Do not be insubordinate, Lieutenant.”
“No, sir.” I flexed my hand again.
The major said nothing for a few moments; then he smiled and stood up. “You know, I’m sure there can be an exception made for you, Lieutenant Rabbit. Stay and finish your meal.” He nodded and, moving fast, headed out the door. The server made to follow, and I grabbed him by the arm, smearing butter on his uniform.
“A moment please, trooper.”
“Uh, I really have to help get ready for lunch, Lieutenant—” I shoved the rest of the cold toast in my mouth and started to work on my solidified porridge. “There is no rule that lieutenants have to vacate the mess, is there?”
“Uh—”
“My captain is really with the commander and I will ask them both.”
“No, sir. It was just a joke, sir.”
I’d been hazed before and shrugged it off as a part of life in the barracks. And this was mild compared to jokes played on me in the past. Yet I wasn’t tasting anything I was shoveling in my mouth and my stomach felt leaden from anger. The trooper watched me, nervous.
I nodded. “Dismissed.”
He rose and went through the mess to the kitchen doors, moving so fast that he created a breeze. I finished the rest of my meal and then stared out the window, watching soldiers cross in front of it going about their business. No one came to clear the table and I moved the dishes off to the side. Soon I heard steps behind me and turned, as Captain Suiden approached. His eyes narrowed as he saw my face. “What happened, Lieutenant?”
“Nothing, sir.”
Suiden sat down across from me. “Nothing?”
I scratched at my still itching palm. “Just a practical joke, sir.” Suiden was quiet, watching my fingers dig into my hand. I stopped and flexed it again, stretching it wide. The kitchen door opened and the same trooper came out, saw me, then dove back in before the door closed. I heard a muffled curse and a slight smile touched my lips.