The Coup

Page 4

We rode in mostly silence for the next three days before we dismounted just before twilight at the edge of the lake. we could see down further along the lakes edge that the third regiment was still camped where my father had ordered them.

"What do we do?" I asked. So far I was just a tag-along on this journey and I was content to leave things in his capable hands.

"We wait for full dark. We'll be able to go in easily. With you under my cloak and me in uniform no one will pay attention to us." We tied the two horses to low trees and settled in to wait. As dark came down around us we could see the camp settle down for the night. With the cloak wrapped around me and the generals uniform back on from where he'd put it in our sack we headed for the camp. He was right no one gave us a second look as we walked plain as you could be through the camp. The general stopped a passing foot soldier.

"Yes sir?" The young man asked only glancing briefly at me before going to attention in front of the general.

"Is Commander Hine in camp?"

"Yes Sir, toward the other end of the camp, shall I show you sir?"

"Thank you." The soldier turned and led us through the camp.

"This is it sir." The soldier said pointing at a tent with officers colors on it.

"Thank you, about your business."

"Yes sir." The man saluted and left. My general didn't call out or knock but just walked right in. A man around the generals age sat in a chair a glass of wine in one hand and a comely young woman in the other. The general laughed bring the mans attention to him. The commander stood so quickly the woman went crashing from his lap to the ground.

"General! My god sir, it's good to see you alive. We'd feared the worst." The man saluted then grasped the hand the general held out.

"It's good to see you too Commander. Trying to keep your spirits up I see." The commander chuckled and turned to the young woman who had gone from glaring to smiling at hearing who had interrupted.

"Cecily, thank you, but as you can see I've guests to entertain." He handed the girl several coins and ushered her out of the tent. I just stayed standing to one side of the tent closure, hood still up. The general had told me to be quiet and cautious until he was sure that I was safe. "Have a seat general, what happened? We've gotten little Intel from the castle besides the obvious."

"What were you told?"

"That Lord Tyne had taken the throne, his coronation is in a week, the king and the prince were both killed in the coup. It was said that you were presumed dead when they found a burned body in the stables. He had a soldiers cloak but his rank was not clear. Since you were the only man missing the assumed it was you. Looks like they've got an unknown on their hands. We were all sorry to hear about the king, and his son, they were good men. Lord Tyne's forbid anyone to show mourning colors for them. The men, almost all of them have taken to saying a blessing on their souls before each meal, a kind of snub to the new 'king'. Noble he might be but king he is not though he may sit upon the throne."

"So you're not so thrilled with our new king?"

"Nae and don't try telling me you are I know you to well. The old king, bless his soul, was like a father to you. His son though some said he was too tame to sit on the throne would have been a great king as well. If only he had survived we might have had a chance to get rid of this usurper, alas he is with his father. May god rest there good souls."

"That might be a little premature at least on the part of the Prince." The commander stared slack jawed at the general.

"Mercy be, are you saying the prince is alive?" The general moved toward the table and poured a glass of wine for himself. "Praise god, if he is alive then there is still a chance for us. Tyne has already begun to try and change the laws. He's reinstated the laws of Lords Rights for marriages, he's also reinstated the old laws for indenture in the face of debt. He's carting off any who were working off their debt in the kings service and has put them up for sale. He's even taken families of those who have large amounts of debt. One old woman was sold to a noble lady for a maid and killed herself two days later for the shame of it. We're hearing all kinds of things from the merchants passing by. Not to mention the carriages of whole families trying to leave the kingdom before Tyne's coronation. If we could tell them that our Good Prince was alive and would soon sit back on his throne it would give them hope."