Chapter 4
The Oak and the Willow
Eagle, Gladius
"I never saw myself as being fit to lead. However, when the duty was thrust upon me, I could not do anything but my utmost to meet my obligations. One of the things I have learned about leadership is the management of conflict. When conflict can be avoided, that is usually best, but when it cannot, you must decide if you will stand fast like the oak or bend like the willow. The danger is that the oak can break from its inflexibility and the willow can permit that which ought not pass."
-Excerpt from the assorted writings of Mark the Guardian
Even though much of the trade routed through Corinth had transferred to the capital, one way Corinth retained its influence was through its control of the banking in the kingdom. Both the Great Houses and the Lesser Houses were required to pay taxes through their accounts with the bank in Corinth and there were steep penalties for keeping more than one-fifth of the family's wealth anywhere else. No matter how you felt about the patricians, you had to put your wealth in their hands or lose it entirely.
Because Sonia pledged to pay Rowan's portion of the tribute to Titan, she and Mark made a side trip to Corinth while the Rowanite and Watercress levies went on ahead to Eagle. No longer keeping pace with conscripts on foot, they were able to push their mounts a little harder to reduce the time spent on the detour. They were able to settle matters with only a half day lost.
When they arrived in Eagle, Sonia split off to check on the levies while Mark went to the Aran estate to make sure all the necessary preparations were in order. He would be hosting the leaders under his roof that night while making provision for rank-and-file conscripts. Raimund knew better than to complain to him about the expense. Gold and silver did not sit idle in House Aran for long.
He did not want to keep Sonia waiting, so Mark only briefly checked in on Catherine and Nathan after meeting with Raimund and Sir Osric. It was a good thing he did not tarry long, for by the time he reached the city square where the levies had assembled, they looked more like two armies set against each other than a single company.
Mark quickly recognized the regular troops from Newstone with the Corinthian and Sandstone levies behind them on one side facing off with the Rowanites backed by Watercress and Stormtree. The Eagle and Cruz levies were being held back by their leaders while the Templar Sir Honorius put himself between Sonia and an officer of the Royal Army.
"You dogs!" the cavalryman spat at the Rowanites. "You would defy the King! And you, milady, you would side with them!?"
"You're damn right I would, you whipped dog!" Sonia snapped back to the cheers of the Rowanites.
Mark quickly moved in, shouting, "Peace, peace!" When the two sides quieted down some, he then asked whoever would answer, "What is going on here?"
"Milord, the woodland savages disobey the King's orders!" the cavalryman complained, pointing at the Rowanite scouts.
"Who are you?" Mark asked.
"Sir Emerich," the cavalryman replied, "a lieutenant of the House Cavalry. I am charged with the King's men and carry out the King's will. I am assigned to serve as your second."
"The Lady Sonia is my second," Mark said. "If I recall, you were to be my third."
"More importantly, milord, do you intend to allow this gross defiance of the King's orders?"
Mark wanted to ask what orders were being defied when Sonia unhelpfully loosed another barb at Sir Emerich.
"It'll take more than a scrap of parchment from that old drunkard's brat to tell the men of Rowan what to do."
Sir Emerich gritted his teeth and reached for the hilt of his sword.
"Milady, I will not allow this insult to His Majesty to stand, regardless of your rank or the fact that you are a woman."
Sonia scoffed at the challenge, saying, "You want to try your luck, pup?"
"Enough, both of you," Mark said. "Sir Emerich, explain the situation."
"The men of the levy are to wear the King's livery and bear the King's arms," Sir Emerich said, "but the woodlanders refuse."
"The men of Rowan fight by their own ways," Sonia said.
"We will present a disciplined and uniform company to our allies to bring honor to His Majesty," Sir Emerich said in turn.
Now that Mark understood the reason for the dispute, he was all the more appalled that the situation had gotten so far out of hand.
"You know nothing of the hunters of Rowan, do you, Sir Emerich?" Mark said.
To this Sir Emerich had no reply. Either he genuinely knew nothing or what he did know would not be prudent to put into words.
Mark turned to the Rowanites and said, "Men of Rowan, you know me and you know my deeds. I call on you to remember the pact between your fathers and the Mountain Kings. When marching, I ask you wear the King's colors and bear his arms. When ranging, though, you may kit yourselves as you see fit. Do we have an accord?"
The Rowanites looked to each other, then Aiken stepped forward. Though hardly the eldest among the scouts, Aiken commanded a certain respect as the firstborn grandson of the former headman and because he was already an acquaintance of Mark's, he was the one who spoke for the group.
"Aye, milord," he said. "For you, we'll do this."
Mark placed his hand over his heart and gave a slight bow.
"I thank you."
With the source of the conflict resolved, the two sides stood down with the exception of the men from Newstone, who remained fixed in place.
Sir Emerich gave Mark a disapproving look and said, "Milord, a man of your rank should give orders, not make requests if you are to be respected."
Mark placed a hand on Sir Honorius' shoulder to silently thank him for doing what he could to keep the two sides from coming to blows. Sir Honorius then saluted him and withdrew to the levy from Cruz.
"Respect must be earned, Sir Emerich," Mark said. "Rank and title will not cow every man. The Rowanites respect only ability and there are few outsiders they will acknowledge. However, you will not find in Gladius any more skilled at bending the bow or tracking man and beast. You will be thankful to have them."
Again, Sir Emerich was silent. Mark was hoping it was for the sake of quiet reflection.
Mark then raised his voice and shouted, "Levies, assemble! Form ranks!"
Assuming her role as vice-captain, Sonia echoed his order.
"You heard the man! Form it up!"
The order was then echoed by the men leading the levies in varying fashions that told Mark a thing or two about these lieutenants and the men they led.
Once the levies had formed up, Mark stood in front to address them.
"With the exception of those of you who call this city home, I welcome you to Eagle. Most of you do not know me. I am Mark, the son of Luther, of House Aran, called the Guardian. I, along with Lady Sonia the Defender of House Leon, will be leading this expedition.
"Some of you, I see, are of knightly stock, but most of you are common folk who have been pressed into service. You have been taken from your trades, your homes and your families, perhaps not of your own volition. To all the lowborn in this company, I will pay a sum of one silver crown a day every day until we return for honorable service. You will not steal, you will not dishonor any women, you will harm no man save the enemy on the battlefield, you will not show cowardice before the enemy, and you will hold true faith to God and King in all things.
"Those of you who are professional soldiers, vassals and bannermen, your recompense will come from your liege lords. I expect you to set the example for the conscripts to follow. Every day we will have one hour to train in the drill of arms so that our company will avail itself well on the battlefield. Every man will train together. No exceptions.
"Lady Sonia, is there anything you would like to say?"
Sonia stepped forward and said, "I'm going to forget about that little tiff we just had. I suggest the rest of you do the same." She made a sweeping motion with her hand. "Look to your left and your right. You may not have known them before today, but now they're your brothers. Your life depends on them. Their lives depend on you. A lot of you are too young to have fought in the Restoration, so you don't know what war's like. You're going to find out. Don't think of anything or anyone else but the man on your left and your right and don't you dare fail them. That's all."
"Thank you, Lady Sonia," Mark said as Sonia stepped back. He then addressed the levies again. "From each town one of you has been named a lieutenant. I suggest you appoint leaders of tens, of twenties and of fifties. Take responsibility for the men under your command. If you think you are unfit for command, speak to me before we set out so that we can appoint a fit leader in your stead."
Besides some local onlookers, there were quite a few others in the square, among them people that had been on the road with them from Rowan and Watercress. Each levy brought with it a number of camp followers. Mark did not intend to simply turn a blind eye to them as some men would.
To the camp followers, he said, "I see that more than the King's levies intend to go with us. This is the way of an army on the march and those of you who mean to cook and clean and tend to the sick and the wounded, I am grateful for your service, but a word of warning. I will permit no harlotry in my camp. If you have no other trade, depart from us now. If a man and his wife are to be found in this company, I ask you to abstain for the sake of those who will not know the warmth of their loved ones' embrace until we return. Am I understood?"
There were assorted ayes and a 'Yes, milord' or two, though far from a unanimous response. Mark sincerely hoped that he would not be forced use his Templars to police the camp, but it was probably an inevitability.
He then said, "Would that I could invite all of you under my roof this night, but my house is not so large. You will camp here in the town square. Provisions will be made for you and I expect you to not disturb the public order. There will be no drunkenness, brawling or any other misbehavior that will bring shame on this company.
"Because you are away from your homes, this night I will camp among you, even though my wife and my son are yet close at hand. Your sufferings will be my sufferings, your privations my privations. I will be hosting the lieutenants at my estate for the evening repast, but just as you are not sleeping in your own beds this night, neither shall I.
"Now, go, make camp. There will be an inspection in an hour. Supper will be served shortly thereafter. Take stock of your gear and turn in early, for we set out at dawn. That is all. You are dismissed."
"Fall out!" Sonia shouted. "Get those tents up! And make it orderly! Two paces all around! And don't tell me you don't know how to set up a tent without stakes! It won't all be soft dirt out there! If you don't know, my boys from Rowan'll show you how!"
"You're enjoying this a little too much," Mark said, amused.
"I gotta have something," Sonia replied with a grin. She watched the conscripts at work for a while before then saying, "So you're inviting us over for supper and then kicking us out in the streets, eh, Lord Mark?"
"I'm kicking myself out right with you," Mark said. "That should be fair."
"It looks good for the men, yeah, but are you sure?"
"If I want their respect, I have to show that I am with them from the start."
"I do not believe that is how respect works, milord," Sir Emerich said.
"And how long have you led men, Sir Emerich?" Mark asked.
"More than eight years now, milord, ever since I was knighted."
"What has your experience taught you about how respect works?"
"A man respects the iron glove more than the velvet one."
"There is a time and a place for both, Sir Emerich," Mark said. "I hope you will come to see that."
"You are lord of a Great House and my captain for this expedition, milord. So long as it does not go against the King's will, it is my duty to obey your orders. There needs be nothing more than that."
Mark sighed. Sir Emerich was going to be a difficult one, but at least it appeared his sense of duty would make him reliable. They just needed to avoid more conflicts like today. That was surely easier said than done. Even the horrors of battle might seem preferable compared to the administration of the camp. God preserve him.