“Deann,” Herzer said quietly, “there’s only one problem.”
“What?!”
“It’s true,” he replied and rolled over on his side.
Kane came into Edmund’s office when summoned and looked around at the others. Besides Edmund, who was behind the desk with a stony expression on his face, there were Gunny Rutherford and Daneh Ghorbani now swollen with child.
“Kane,” Edmund said, gesturing at the couch next to Gunny. “Would you mind telling me, your side of the events last night. All of it, please.”
“One of my troopers apparently tried to pick a fight with the Blood Lords over them changing the lyrics to a song,” Kane said. “I was getting ready to drag him off when Herzer intervened and tried to separate them. The trooper, Trooper McIerran, then accused Herzer of having ‘cut and run’ when…”
“When I was raped,” Daneh said, rubbing her stomach.
“Yes. At that point, Herzer punched him. Hard.”
“His jaw is broken in multiple places,” Daneh said. “I’ve tried to put it back together but he’s never going to be much of a talker again. Fortunately, I might add,” she said, spitefully.
Kane’s face worked and he shrugged. “McIerran has… never been one of my best troops. The problem is that he was thrown across our table when Herzer hit him and a couple of my other troops took exception to the action, whether it was the blow or the drinks spilled everywhere. And then Herzer was going after McIerran as if to kill him. So we attempted to… intercede. Two of my other troopers and a couple of militiamen are…”
“Down for at least a few days,” Daneh sighed and shifted positions. “Herzer is…”
“Herzer is the question we have to address,” Edmund said pinching the bridge of his nose. “The problem is, according to Daneh, the accusation is true. Something she had so far failed to make clear,” he added, stonily.
“True and… not how it sounds,” Daneh sighed. “He was with McCanoc’s band, but from what I have been able to glean they weren’t doing anything wrong up until then. They were just… surviving. It was a confusing time. He was lost like most of the rest of us and he knew McCanoc and… Aggh!” she threw up her arms. “You know what that time was like! I shouldn’t have to explain it!”
“Go on,” Edmund said, quietly.
“Some of McCanoc’s men caught me and brought the rest, including Herzer. He told McCanoc I was a friend of his and McCanoc’s answer was, more or less, that that was good, he could go first.”
“Ouch,” Kane said, shaking his head.
“McCanoc had drawn his sword. Herzer was unarmed and outnumbered. If he’d tried to fight he would have died and it wouldn’t have changed anything!” Daneh snarled then winced as the baby made a sudden motion. “This is my honor and my body that we are talking about and if anyone should be angry,” she added, looking pointedly at Edmund, “it should be me.”
“And you’re not?” Kane asked, surprised.
“Herzer was my patient,” she said with a sigh. “Before the Fall. I put a lot of work in him. I would prefer not to see it wasted.” She paused and sighed again. “What other feelings I have beyond that are mine.”
“Did Trooper McIerran actually have information about this?” Edmund asked.
“Well, he’s not talking very well,” Kane admitted. “But he indicated that, no, it was a shot in the dark. I’ve… heard the rumors too.” He shook his head and shrugged. “Herzer has become popular in the community. He’s well known to some of the major members of the community and his actions at the roundup are already legendary. Including his… somewhat intense heroism. That has caused a degree of envy. Some of the sequence of events are known about your… attack, doctor. Not this sequence but that Herzer was there even before anyone else.”
“Rachel,” Daneh said, pursing her lips.
“Probably, but not generally,” Kane corrected. “Rachel to some friend to another friend all getting mixed into rumor. A nice juicy rumor to pull down somebody who just comes across as too Simon Pure to be true. A rumor which, unfortunately, now appears to be true.”
“Gunny, effects on the Blood Lords,” Edmund said with a sigh.
“Bad. Herzer’s one of their natural leaders. They’re not sure how to handle him now. Being a hero is what they’re all about. ‘Fight until you die and drop.’ He ran. He’s a coward in their eyes. They’re very black and white about that. On the other hand, he’s one of them. More now that he’s not triari. They’re rallying around him, but you can tell they’re uneasy about doing it. We’ve had two more fights in the last two days.”
“What’s your take?” Edmund asked. “Where are you, Miles?”
Gunny thought about it for a moment then shook his head. “How many, Doctor?”
“Eight,” she said neutrally.
“Armed?”
“One with a bow, McCanoc with a sword and a couple of other daggers.”
“Maybe, maybe I could have fought my way out of that,” Gunny said. “And kept you alive and unraped doing it. Herzer, no way. Not then. Probably not now. One day, sure even against McCanoc. He made the tactical decision to retreat and leave you behind. Sometimes, you have to cut your losses. When he came back, he was armed, wasn’t he?”
“Yes,” she said, softly, kneading her stomach.
“He was probably dreading coming back and finding you with your throat cut. If he has nightmares, that is probably them. And if he had, I don’t think he’d be alive now, but most of them would be dead as well. He doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him. He’ll do. I can handle the Blood Lords. I’m not to sure how he’s going to take it, though.”
“He’s liable to kill himself being the hero, is the answer,” Edmund replied, gritting his teeth until the rest could hear them squeak.
“Edmund, forgive him,” Daneh ordered sharply.
“I will,” Edmund replied. “Just do me the favor to give me a little time. All right?”
“All right,” she said, unhappily.
“People will be down on him, though,” Edmund said. “That’s natural. I’d watched people build him up even when he didn’t mean it to happen. Now they’re going to drag him down.”
“I’ll work on that,” Daneh said determinedly. “I’ll bring it up in the next session. And the Ladies will let it Be Known that coming down on Herzer doesn’t work.”
“Rachel,” Edmund said.
“Family,” Daneh said, nodding at the others.
“Okay, if that’s it…”
“Not… quite,” Kane said unhappily. “You know how you wanted me to send a patrol down valley?”
“Yes?” Edmund said. There had been a report from a pack trader that a “large force” was seen moving north near Rowana. The target could be either Raven’s Mill or Washan. The patrol had been sent out to see if it was Washan and another was due to head down the valley to see what was happening there.
“Well, my ‘patrol’ is in the hospital. The rest of the riders are out patrolling south of Resan. I’ve only got three left hale, and myself. I’d rather be here for when the others get back. And I don’t want to send three out by themselves. Besides, they’re all… pretty inexperienced.”
“Shit,” Edmund said, shaking his head. He thought about it a moment longer then cursed. “Ah, hell.”
“Yeah,” Kane replied. “You just got to the part I got to a while ago.”
“Herzer,” Gunny grunted.
“He can stay on a horse better than most of my riders,” Kane said. “Way better than the three I’ve got left. I mean, it’s him, me or Edmund.”