V

PURANTI

“For mercenaries are disunited, thirsty for power,
undisciplined, and disloyal; they are brave among
their friends and cowards before the enemy; they
have no fear of God, they do not keep faith with
their fellow men; they avoid defeat just as long as
they avoid battle; in peacetime you are despoiled
by them and in wartime by the enemy”

Niccolò Machiavelli

For two years, half the Thousand Swords pretended to fight the other half. Cosca, when he was sober enough to speak, boasted that never before in history had men made so much for doing so little. They sucked the coffers of Nicante and Affoia bone dry, then turned north when their hopes were dashed by the sudden outbreak of peace, seeking new wars to profit from, or ambitious employers to begin them.

No employer was more ambitious than Orso, the new Grand Duke of Talins, kicked to power after his elder brother was kicked by his favourite horse. He was all too eager to sign a Paper of Engagement with the well-known mercenary Monzcarro Murcatto. Especially since his enemies in Etrea had but lately hired the infamous Nicomo Cosca to lead their troops.

It proved difficult to bring the two to battle, however. Like two cowards circling before a brawl, they spent a whole season in ruinously expensive manoeuvrings, doing much harm to the farmers of the region but little to each other. They were finally urged together in ripe wheat-fields near the village of Afieri, where a battle seemed sure to follow. Or something that looked very like one.

But that evening Monza had an unexpected visitor to her tent. None other than Duke Orso himself.

“Your Excellency, I had not expected—”

“No need for pleasantries. I know what Nicomo Cosca has planned for tomorrow.”

Monza frowned. “I imagine he plans to fight, and so do I.”

“He plans no such thing, and neither do you. The pair of you have been making fools of your employers for the past two years. I do not care to be made a fool of. I can see fake battles in the theatre at a fraction of the cost. That is why I will pay you twice to fight him in earnest.”

Monza had not been expecting this. “I…”

“You have loyalty to him, I know. I respect that. Everyone must stick at something in their lives. But Cosca is the past, and I have decided that you are the future. Your brother agrees with me.”

Monza had certainly not been expecting that. She stared at Benna, and he grinned back. “It’s better like this. You deserve to lead.”

“I can’t… the other captains will never—”

“I spoke to them already,” said Benna. “All except Faithful, and that old dog will follow along when he sees how the wind’s blowing. They’re sick of Cosca, and his drinking, and his foolishness. They want a long contract and a leader they can be proud of. They want you.”

The Duke of Talins was watching. She could not afford to seem reluctant. “Then I accept, of course. You had me at paid twice,” she lied.