"You are overdue for leave," he said. "You've served faithfully; if you want either leave, or to quit the Company entirely, you have the right. I would hate to see you leave us for good; you've done well, and I know Duke Phelan is pleased with you. Would you consider a year's leave, with the right to return?"

Paks nodded. "Whatever you say, Captain." She could not really think; her mind spun dizzily from fear to elation to sorrow.

"Then we'll speak to the Duke about it." Arcolin pushed himself up from his table. "You should come too. He may wish to speak to you about your service."

The Duke also had not gone to bed. His gaze sharpened when he saw Paks behind Arcolin, but he waved them into his tent. Arcolin explained what Paks wanted, and the Duke gave her a long look.

"Are you displeased with my command, Paksenarrion?"

"No, my lord." She was able to say that honestly. It was not his command, but his alliances, that bothered her.

"I'm glad for that. You have been an honest and trustworthy soldier. I would hate to think I had lost your respect."

"No, my lord."

"I can see that you might well wish to leave for awhile. A northern girl—a different way—but do you wish to leave the Company forever, or only for a time?"

"I don't know—I can't imagine anything else, but—"

"How could you? I see." He gave a short nod, as if he had decided some issue she hadn't noticed. "You know that High Marshal suggested you might need to leave this Company; he told me that as early as Sibili, after you'd been wounded." Paks noticed that he did not use the High Marshal's name. Nor did he mention her earlier insistence that she would stay. "Perhaps this is the right time. You would benefit from advanced training, I think. If you decide to enter another service, I will be glad to recommend you. My own advice is that you seek squire's training somewhere. You're already good with single weapons—learn horsemanship as well, and you might qualify for knight's training." He stopped, and looked at Arcolin. "She'll need maps for the journey north; I suppose you've already arranged about pay and settlements—"

"Not yet, my lord. She came just this evening."

"Well, then. You might stay with the Company, Paksenarrion, until you have decided how you will travel. The state Aarenis is in, going alone would not be wise. I'll be sending someone back to Valdaire a little later, if you wanted to wait—" The Duke had more advice, but none of the condemnation Paks had feared. He seemed more tired than anything else, a little distracted, though kind. She shook his hand, and returned to the cohort area with Arcolin, a little let down at how easy it had been.

Stammel was waiting. "You go on to bed. Tomorrow—"

"But tomorrow is Sord—"