t h i r t y

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It was evening when Antony awoke.

As he made his way downstairs, he saw his men, gathered in the corner, chatting and playing cards. Kade looked up, smiled, and moved over to make a spot for him.

Soon after he had finished the meal of corn and potato chowder, Pierce entered the inn and gestured to Antony and Kade, who retreated to a far table to discuss the events that had lately been taking place around Jurmala.

"Tell us more about the times when you've sent men to pursue the enemy," said Kade, frowning.

"I don't know what else to tell you. We've sent men. They always fail to keep track of them, lose them in the woods. The ones who have been more successful have been injured, or killed. We've really no other information."

Antony frowned at his cup, trying to think through what this might mean. He finally looked up at Pierce.

"Is it too late in the evening to see the men who were injured in the most recent attempt to pursue the looters?"

"No, Sire," confirmed Pierce, and he stood, leading Antony and Kade from the inn and down the street, to the building that served as the hospital.

The stone building seemed cold from the outside, but once they had been admitted entrance, they were ushered into a long, carpeted corridor with pictures hung on either side and sitting rooms off to the side, each with a fire crackling merrily within.

A maid in a simple dress and apron appeared, suddenly, from one of the far rooms and came to stand before them.

"May I help you?" she inquired, her voice soft and somewhat shy.

"I've brought the king and his general."

"Oh..." Her gaze flicked to Antony and Kade, and she curtsied. "Of course. Follow me."

Pierce seemed to have already discussed the possibility of their visiting with the hospital personnel because the maid immediately began walking down a side hallway that Antony had not noticed before. After climbing a short staircase at the end of the hallway, the maid stopped at a wooden door and turned to face them.

"Lord King; General," she said, nodding to each of them in turn. "You'll find the leader of the group in this room."

"Thank you," said Antony, inclining his head to her. She curtsied once more and then disappeared back down the hall, looking back once over her shoulder.

Antony took a step forward and knocked, twice, on the wood surface.

"Come in," he heard a tired voice say.

He glanced at Kade, then the two of them entered.

There was a small fireplace, an armchair, and a bed. In the bed was a man, a man who looked too strong to be in a hospital bed. If it weren't for the bandage swathing his upper chest and right shoulder, he would have looked perfectly healthy.

"Sire," said the invalid, inclining his head. "I was told you might be visiting."

"What is your name?" inquired Antony.

"Butler, Sir. Sergeant Darin Butler."

"I hope we're not disturbing your rest?"

"No, General," he said, turning to answer Kade's question. "To be perfectly honest...I've been very bored, unable to do anything just because an archer's arrow got me at the base of my right shoulder. I feel fine otherwise. It's torture being cooped up here."

"We wanted to ask you what you saw the night you were shot. That is, if you're willing to tell us."

Darin looked from Antony's face to Kade's, before sighing.

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