I had nominated myself guardian for the Lady, for the time being. There was no way we could keep those two women in one another's company for long. I hoped we could hold the group together as far as Oar. I would be satisfied with getting to the edge of the forest. We needed every hand. Our tactical situation could not have been worse.

"Shall we disband?" I asked.

That caused a stir. Everyone but Silent argued the negative.

I interjected, "This is a formal proposition. I want those with special interests to go their own ways without the stigma of desertion. That don't mean we have to split. What I'm saying is, we formally shed the name the Black Company. I'll head south with the Annals, looking for Khatovar. Anyone who wants can come. Under the usual rules."

Nobody wanted to give up the name. That would be like renouncing a patronym thirty generations old.

"So we don't give it up. Who would rather not go look for Khatovar?"

Three hands rose. All belonged to troopers who had enlisted north of the Sea of Torments. Silent abstained, though he wanted to go his own way, in pursuit of his own impossible dream.

Then another hand shot up. Belatedly, Goblin had noted that One-Eye was not opposed. They started one of their arguments. I cut it short.

"I won't insist on the majority dragging everybody along. As commander, I can discharge anyone who wants to follow another path. Silent?"

He had been a brother of the Black Company longer than I. We were his friends, his family. His heart was torn.

Finally, he nodded. He would go his own road, even without promises from Darling. The three who had opposed heading for Khatovar nodded too. I entered their discharges in the Annals. "You're out," I told them. "I'll deal out your shares of money and equipment when we clear the south edge of the forest. Till then we stick together." I did not pursue it further, or in a moment I would have been hanging all over Silent, bawling my eyes out. We had been through a lot, he and I.

I wheeled on Goblin, pen poised. "Well? Do I strike your name?"

"Go on," One-Eye said. "Hurry. Do it. Get rid of him. We don't need his kind. He's never been anything but trouble."

Goblin scowled at him. "Just for that I'm not leaving. I'm going to stay and outlive you and make your remaining days examples of misery. And I hope you live another hundred years."

I had not thought they would split. "Fine," I said, stifling a grin. "Hagop, take a couple men and round up some animals. The rest of you collect whatever might be useful. Like money, if you see any laying around."

They looked at me with eyes still dull with the impact of what had happened.

"We're getting out, guys. As soon as we can ride. Before any more trouble finds us. Hagop. Don't stint on pack animals. I want to carry off everything that isn't nailed down."