Aliam looked worried. “Kieri, I know you can do it—but—think what it looks like. You’re proposing to give me, an old friend, a contract—”

“Because there is no one else, Aliam. Surely you see that. I don’t want to bring in foreign troops, or I’d hire my old Company. You’re Lyonyan already. And you’re the only one here.”

“They are eating our reserves,” Estil said. “We haven’t had them all at our place in years—never, really, because after the Company got that big, Aliam wintered some of them in the South.”

“I can’t make a profit out of it,” Aliam said. Estil stirred but said nothing; he went on. “If I do it for cost alone—their board, their salaries—and if I do not command it myself, the Council may agree that it is fair. Otherwise I fear they might turn against you, Kieri, and you are the best—I think the only—hope this kingdom has.”

“It will be helpful to get them out of our storerooms, to be sure,” Estil said.

“Let me talk to the Council,” Kieri said. “From what you say, you should go back to your home, and I will move as gently as I can, and still get anything done. But you should hear something by the half turn. And if you choose to send troops south, instead—”

“No,” Aliam said. “I think not. I really don’t feel like another trek over the mountains and back.”

“Well, then. Let’s to more pleasant things—tell me about the family.”

Next morning, Kieri arrived at the salle with Aliam, Astil, and Varñe to find more than four hands of men and women in forest-ranger green and russet waiting for him, Arian among them. Carlion and Siger, who’d been warned some applicants might come, eyed them with professional disdain.

“There’s too many to assess at once, Sir King,” Carlion said. “If you’re to get any training this morning, that is. I’d rather take groups of four.”

“We’ll rotate them,” Kieri said. “And to save time—Siger, take the others to the stables, and tell Sir Ganeth I want a riding assessment on both grays and browns. Carlion, when you’re through with the first four, send them to the stables, and Siger will send you another.”

“Will you want to spar with them all, Sir King?”

Kieri shook his head. “I haven’t time today; I have a Council meeting after breakfast. Today Aliam and I will work together.”

Kieri and Aliam went on into the salle and let Carlion make his choice of the first four. They began with stretches and other exercises that soon had Aliam puffing.

“You used to run me ragged with these,” Kieri said. “Is Estil right? Have you been sitting around too much?”

“She thinks so.” Aliam grunted as he clambered up from the floor. “But I’m getting older—see how much balder I am? It’s all right for her, but my joints ache.”

“You told us the best cure for aches was more exercise,” Kieri said.