The Ruby Knight

Sir Knight. I’ve never been a part of a formal army before. What are the general rules about pillage?’
    ‘I don’t think anybody would get too concerned,’ Sparhawk replied, ‘as long as you limit your plundering to the enemy dead. It’s considered bad form to loot the bodies of our own soldiers.’
    ‘Stupid rule, that one,’ Kring sighed. ‘What does a dead man care about possessions? How about rape?’
    ‘It’s frowned on. We’ll be in Arcium, and that’s a friendly country. Arcians are sensitive about their women-folk. Wargun’s gathered up a fair number of camp-followers if those urges are bothering you.’
    ‘Camp-followers always act so bored. Give me a nice young virgin every time. You know, this campaign is turning out to be less and less enjoyable. How about arson? I love a good fire.’
    ‘I’d definitely advise against it. As I said, we’ll be in Arcium, and all the towns and houses belong to the people who live there. I’m sure they’d object.’
    ‘Civilized warfare leaves a lot to be desired, doesn’t it, Sir Knight?’
    ‘What can I say, Domi?’ Sparhawk apologized, spreading his hands helplessly.
    ‘If you don’t mind my saying so, it’s the armour, I think. You people are so encased in steel that you lose sight of the main things – booty, women, horses. It’s a failing, Sir Knight.’
    ‘It is a failing, Domi,’ Sparhawk conceded. ‘Centuries of tradition, you understand.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with tradition – as long as it doesn’t get in the way of important things.’
    ‘I’ll bear that in mind, Domi. Our tent’s right over there. Tynian will be glad to see you.’ Sparhawk followed the Thalesian sentry on through the camp to where the horses were picketed. He made some pretence of checking Faran’s hooves, looking intently out into the twilight at the perimeter of the camp. As he had noted earlier, there were dozens of men riding around the outside. ‘Why so many patrols?’ he asked the Thalesian.
    ‘The Pelosian conscripts are unenthusiastic about this campaign, Sir Knight,’ the warrior replied. ‘We didn’t go to all the trouble of gathering them up only to have them sneak off in the middle of the night.’
    ‘I see,’ Sparhawk said. ‘We can go back now.’
    ‘Yes, My Lord.’
    Wargun’s patrols seriously complicated things, not to mention the presence of the two sentries outside their tent. Ghwerig was getting farther and farther away with Bhelliom, and it seemed that there was very little Sparhawk could do about it. He knew that by himself, using a mixture of stealth and main force, he could escape from the camp, but what would that accomplish? Without Flute, he’d have little chance of tracking down the fleeing Troll, and to take her along without the others to help guard her would be to place her in unacceptable danger. They were going to have to come up with some other idea.
    The Thalesian warrior was leading him past the tent of some Pelosian conscripts when he saw a familiar face. ‘Occuda?’ he said incredulously. ‘Is that you?’
    The lantern-jawed man in bull-hide armour rose to his feet, his bleak face showing no particular pleasure at the meeting. ‘I’m afraid it is, My Lord,’ he said.
    ‘What happened? What forced you to leave Count Ghasek?’
    Occuda looked briefly at the men who shared the tent with him. ‘Might we discuss this privately, Sir Sparhawk?’
    ‘Certainly, Occuda.’
    ‘Over there, My Lord.’
    ‘I’ll be in plain sight,’ Sparhawk told his escort. Together Sparhawk and Occuda walked away from the tent and stopped near a grove of sapling fir trees that stood so closely together that they precluded the possibility of anyone’s pitching a tent among them.
    ‘The count has fallen ill, My Lord,’ Occuda said sombrely.
    ‘And you left him alone with that madwoman? I’m disappointed in you, Occuda.’
    ‘The circumstances have changed somewhat, My Lord.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘The Lady Bellina is dead now.’
    ‘What happened to her?’
    ‘I killed her.’ Occuda said it in a numb voice. ‘I could no longer bear her endless screaming. At first the herbs the Lady Sephrenia advised quieted Bellina somewhat, but after a short while, she seemed to shake off their effects. I tried to increase the dosage, but to no avail. Then one night as I was pushing her supper through that slot in the tower wall, I saw her. She was raving and frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog. She was obviously in