Captain Anji had a tough hide, able to take these repeated slings without showing their impact.

“No offense taken, verea. Your militias and ordinands are sufficient for local traffic, but in terms of disciplined troops who can act in concert at range, and under severe conditions, you need a different sort of training, a thoroughgoing element of toughness. That’s what my troops can provide. We are the skeleton of a new fighting force, one that will protect Olo’osson. Every man willing to take up arms can receive the same training.”

“I don’t see we have a choice,” said Guri. “It’s true enough that Kotaru’s legions are trained to serve local matters and local manners, not to march in cohorts under the command of a single general. But this is my question. Put our men under control of the city, then what’s to say the city doesn’t decide it controls us? Neh, Marshal?”

“The man’s got a point,” said Volla.

“It’s a fair enough question,” said Joss. “But these aren’t ordinary times, Censor Guri. If the Northerners attack again, having learned from their last attempt, we can’t fight back as a scatter of small units. We’ll be crushed.”

“Let me tell you something about my mother’s people, the Qin,” said Captain Anji. “Our ancient enemies are demons who live in the west. There are a lot of them, I assure you. They steal young men and women from our people when they can.” His gaze drifted to a point somewhat above his listeners’ heads, and for a pair of breaths he stared pensively into the sky. By the way his jaw tensed, he was thinking about a matter that displeased him. Then he blinked, relaxed, and continued.

“Why have the demons not overrun us? Because we have a var—a king—while demons always fight among themselves. They have no leader, no general. So we ride as a united people, and they scatter themselves into tribes.” With a half smile, he nodded at Volla. “Not that I’m comparing you folk to demons.”

She snorted, pleased with his turnabout joke.

“But bear in mind,” he went on, “that those who lead the northern army don’t care about niceties of Hundred custom. You can take your chances with an army in which you have some say, or you can take your chances with the invaders, who won’t stop to ask your leave. That’s how I see it. I came here to make a home for myself. I don’t want to ride to war. I want to live with my wife and raise my children—if I have many children, as I hope—in peace. So I’ll do what I must, to get what I want.”

AT DAWN, JOSS rose after too little sleep, washed his face, dressed, and slouched out to the gates of the temple. Thank Ilu that Volla had kept the assizes polite, swatting down witnesses and offenders who threatened to become unruly or loud. She had kept him supplied with a good stock of decent wine. His head ached, but so far it was a dull throb.