Robert Adams - A Cat of Silvery Hue

Behind were the infantry archers, their compound bows larger and more powerful than the cavalry weapon, whose mission would be to try to keep the defenders too busy ducking arrows to loose any of their own at the laboring assault companies until enough of the abattises were cleared for the actual attack to commence.

Then came rank on rank of heavy infantry, the backbone of the Army of the Confederation, spearbutts and iron-shod shields grounded. Their helms were fitted with napeguards, cheekpieces and nasals, the high collars of their knee-length scaleshirts guarded most of the throat, and the plate greaves strapped to their lower legs included a kneecop which was spiked to facilitate climbing. The long pikes which Bili had seen them bearing on the march had been replaced by broad-bladed six-foot spears, handier for the kind of fighting anticipated.

Bili studied the faces under those field—browned helms, and all—old or young, Ehleen—dark or Kindred-fair—were weather-tanned and seamed with scars. Here and there a copper cat crouched atop a helm, denoting the valor and battle prowess of its bearer. A very few helms boasted silver cats, but Bili saw only two gold cats throughout the progress. One adorned a slender, hard-eyed young lohkahgos, standing stiff and motionless as a stone statue before his assault company; the other crested the helm of a grizzled, short-legged, thick-bodied soldier, whose equipage sported no other marks of rank or achievement.

“Well, I’ll be damned!” The High Lord reined up before the man and leaned over the chestnut’s withers to peer into the green eyes under the white-flecked brick-red brows. “If it isn’t Djim Bohluh. I thought you’d been pensioned off long ago. What’s wrong, has that scaleshirt taken root in your scaly hide?”

Letting his shield rest against his leg, the old soldier clasped both big, scarred hands about his spearshaft and raised one foot from the ground. Ignoring the venomous glare of a squad leader who looked young enough to be his grandson, he showed worn, yellow teeth in a broad grin. “Speak true, Lord Milo, can you see these here hands a-pushin’ a plow or a-milkin’ a cow?”

Milo chuckled. “You’ve a point there, right enough, Djim, but think on the rest of it, man. Your own piece of land, a snug cabin and a young wife to tend you and get you sons to fill the ranks?”

“No need to leave the army to do that last,” the soldier cackled. “I been a-doin’ that fer … well, fer more years ‘n I cares to think on. In fact. Lord Milo, chances are least a comp’ny’s worth of these here boys is my get, did they but know it! Fac’, young Lohkeeas Froheeros, there”—he pointed his chin at the almost apoplectic squad leader—“do put me much in min’ of a lil’ gal I useta pleasure, down Sahvahnahs way.”

Bili saw almost all the surrounding faces jerk or twitch to a muffled chorus of groans and gasps which told of strangled laughter, while the young sergeant’s lividity deepened until it looked as if he were being garroted. Not even the stern-faced strahteegos could repress a grin.

“You insubordinate old reprobate.” The High Lord crossed his hands on his pommel. “How old are you, anyway?”

Bohluh shifted uncomfortably. “Oh … ahh, I be unsure, Lord Milo, bein’ such a ignorant man an’ all. I thinks I be about forty-four … give ’r take a year.”

“Give a dozen or more, you white-haired scoundrel!” Milo snorted derisively. “Djim, you were a man, grown, when I awarded you that cat, after the Battle of Wildrose River. And that was more than thirty years ago! Strahteegos Ahrtos”—he half turned to the senior infantry commander—“why hasn’t this man been retired?”

The officer squirmed in his saddle. “Well, ahhh … well, my lord, it—”

“Lord Milo,” interrupted Bohluh, “don’t go blaming young Ahrtos, there, ‘cause it ain’t his fault. He be a damned good of cer, all us has been. But all my records they got burnt up in that big fire at Goohm, fourteen year agone. An’ when we set out tryin’ to do ‘em over, it might be some names ‘n’ dates got done wrong, is all.”

Milo sighed. “Djim, you must be pushing sixty, half again the average lifespan these days. War is an activity for young men, old friend. I think I should retire you now. Report back to the camp. When I’m done in this field, I’ll have orders drafted to get you back to Kehnooryos Atheenahs. Or you can retire in Morguhn, if you wish. There’re right many widows there and Thoheeks Bili is going to need some loyal husbands for them.”

Bohluh’s spear fell, clattering. His lined, seamed face working, he stumbled forward, one big hand raised beseechingly, the other on the chestnut’s reins. “Please, Lord Milo, please! Please let me stay. This be my home, Lord Milo, the only home I’ve knowed for over forty-five years. If I didn’t hear the drum of a momin’, I’d … I couldn’t, wouldn’t want to … I mean—” Then his voice broke and he could but sob chokedly. “Please, Lord Milo. Please don’t send me away.”

And something in those swimming green eyes touched a nerve in Bili Morguhn. He urged his horse up beside Mile’s and touched his arm. “My lord, if you please … ?”

The High Lord mindspoke impatiently. “This is none of your affair, Bili. It’s army business, a matter of regulations. We can’t afford the precedent of sixty-odd-year-old soldiers swinging a sword in the ranks.”

“I … I understand your position, my lord. So, I think, does he. He knows this be the end of his long road. But I do not think my lord understands him.”

“And you,” beamed the High Lord sarcastically, “from the eminent wisdom of your less than twenty summers, do?”

“Your pardon, my lord. I had no wish to offend.”

“Your pardon, Bili.” The edge was gone from Milo’s mind-speak. “I don’t suppose I’ll ever get over being jumpy before a battle, and I sometimes forget your constantly expanding mental abilities. What do old Djim’s words say to you?”

“He craves a last boon, my lord. A soldier’s death. And this final battle in which to find it.”

“And you know this, Bili?” asked the High Lord. “How?”

The answer came quickly and unhesitatingly. “My lord, I can just sense that we are much alike, Bohluh and I. And, were I in his position, this is what I would have of a man I’d served so long and so well.”

“Bili,” Milo mindspoke slowly, “discipline in my army is much stricter than what passes for such in your Middle Kingdoms hosts. Every ear within hearing heard me order him back to camp, and it would hurt morale if his pleas seemed to bring about a reversal of those orders. Besides, it’s highly probable that his company won’t even fight today. These regiments are drawn up for effect; we’ll not use a third of them, if that many.”

“Djim Bohluh has served you well, my lord?” prodded Bili.

“He’d not have that cat otherwise,” retorted Milo. “He’s been up and down the noncommissioned ladder so many times he’s worn a path in the rungs. But that’s because in garrison he’s a boozing, brawling, insubordinate rakehell. But on campaign, in battle, he’s been worth bis weight in emeralds! Had I as few as one regiment like him, the western border of the Confederation would be somewhere on the Sea of Grass today. Yes, Bili, Djim Bohluh has indeed served me well.”

“Then, my lord,” suggested Bili, “let him find what he seeks with me in my guard. I know damned well that we’ll wet our blades.”

After his long months with the Morguhn Company of Freefighters, Geros had thought himself inured to every degree of foul language, but the massive old soldier that Thoheehs Bili had had seconded to serve as color shield, while friendly was unbelievably obscene. No three words came from his lips but one of them was a depthless crudity, and the Freefighters hung, grinning like opossums, on his every phrase, obviously highly appreciative of the oldster’s seemingly limitless profane vocabulary.