The Chronicles Of The Council #1: The Sun's Tears

Chapter 52: Caith - Demotion

“Courage promotes leaders; fear demotes them. Most people who have difficulties climbing up success ladders are fans of fear.” - Israelmore Ayivor

Caith sat at his desk in the tent. After ensuring Aebbé's safety, the soldiers escorted him to King Ferdaid. After a series of arguments, Ferdaid had no choice but to let Caith go, but he had given Caith only two days to hand over to his second-in-command who, fortunately, was Eoghan.

Caith was sparse with showering compliments, but for Eoghan he had praises to spare. He would only be leader until after this war, as decided by Caith and Eoghan a long time ago. He had other more important duties to fulfil. Eoghan was engaged and would marry as soon as he left the order. With his marriage, he would be crowned as king. With Aylissa by his side, he would be formidable indeed. Caith had anyway been sharing the command with Eoghan for years already.

Caith had only one last thing to do. He looked up. Eoghan was in the same tent, also doing paperwork at his desk, but Caith knew it was mostly an excuse to keep an eye on Caith. Eoghan feared he would disappear, leaving this mess behind.

Caith put his pen down, demanding Eoghan's attention. “Prince Eoghan, can you please call Walter? I need to speak to him urgently.”

Eoghan dipped his pen in ink, before slowly and deliberately writing another word prior to answering Caith. “You are too fond of that boy, Caith. From the first day he walked into your office, you gave him more than the others.”

“Eoghan, the night is late, and I have to speak to Walter. You are my only true friend, but I cannot explain myself to you. Tonight I am still in command. From tomorrow on, you can do as you please. I have been the leader of this order for twelve years. Please, friend, do not question me tonight. Trust me this last time, as I have trusted you for many years.”

“Yes, Caith, I will get the boy,” the prince replied with a sigh, scraping his paperwork together before he tied them together neatly with a blue ribbon.

“He was a boy ten years ago. Now he is a man.”

Eoghan left silently. Caith did not want to speak so harshly to the prince, but he had to.

Walter entered only minutes after Eoghan had left. “Sir Caith, I was told to come to your tent.”

“Walter, I am pleased to see you,” he said, and he meant it. The boy always brightened up Caith's day.

“Likewise, sir. You were gone for two weeks sir. Not even the prince knew where you were. Then the next thing we all know, is that you rescued the princess. It was rush - even for you, sir.”

“You know I would not tolerate such words from anyone other than you, Walter.”

“I know,” the boy sighed as he placed his hands on the back of the chair where Eoghan was seated moments before.

“Walter, you have been here for ten years. You have grown from a stuttering boy to a formidable, strong man. You are one of only four, no five, people that I trust. Tomorrow morning, I will announce to my order that I will step out of command. Prince Eoghan will take over. He will choose his own Second-in-command the same day. I know who he will choose. The next person will be in charge right after the war, when the prince steps out.”

“Sir, did the king force you to step down?”

“He did, but I would not do so if it was not the right thing to do. I have been here too long. Now, do not be angry at the king. He did what was right.”

“But he does not have a say in the rule of this order,” Walter says, clenching his hands on the chair.

“Walter, Eoghan will choose you.”