Captain of the Guard

Been a while. Whoops.

The palace guard can't stomp their feet and throw a fit like a lord or lady can. There's no holding their breath and making demands. They don't get paid, they don't work. Some of them have been forced into service as a sort of prison term. So when the palace guard stops working, word gets out. Sometimes it's a disasterous mess...

Sometimes the criminals show their support in a very odd fashion.

Read, review and enjoy.

 

They trained in the afternoon, took lunch on the palace grounds and then trained in the evening as well. By the time Elt made it to his bed, he was so tired that he slept through the night and didn’t even notice the passage of time. The next morning he was awakened by the oldest of the group, who woke him ahead of the others as a favour. He was technically late to rise but he dragged on his clothing and made his bed, then stood with the others as the eldest of them rang that damned bell.

Morning training, late morning chores, afternoon training and then lunch. In the evening they were broken into groups of three and patrolled the palace, then reported back on the whereabouts of guards and men, of the drug dealers working the corridors and the whores who were suddenly offering their wares, but dressed like ladies.

Sleep, morning training, late morning chores, afternoon training and then lunch. Evening patrol that involved roughing up a drug dealer and stealing his wares. These, they took to the common room, the great hall where many gathered in the evenings to hear of tales and stories. They made it clear that the palace guard would not suffer an addict to live on palace grounds.

Talten was frightened by the show, Leo watched in silence and Niph raised his voice to back the palace guard.

Sleep, morning training, a message from Talten’s mother saying that no money could be found in the treasury for the palace guard, that they were to disband immediately. A runner was sent to each village and the cutthroats and rapers were told how to get into the palace. Lunch, evening training.

Talten’s guard tried to throw them out of the guard house but Leo showed up. The crown prince was furious and he showed it in how effortlessly he beat back the untrained men. They tried, they did, but they were no match for a warrior in his prime, who had been trained to fight since he could walk.

Sleep. Sweet, blessed sleep.

When they rose the next morning, the ladies were running from the palace screaming, the lords a step behind them, screaming in a higher pitch. The cutthroats and rapers had brought in actors and dirty folk from the villages, had appointed a leader to their group.

“Palace guard holds the peace and keeps the warriors,” their leader grumbled to them as they walked out of the guard house, “without you folk to hold him back, he’d kill all those of us who are hard in life. Balance of everything would be thrown into the refuse pile and blood would soak the streets. No telling if he’d stop with just the dirt of life, or if he’d go on to kill babes in their cribs.” The man was older, gruff and rough. He had seen his fair share of street fights, given the look of him, “Talten is headed this way with his guards. If the little bastard says no, walk away. We’ll do what we can.”

“What about Leo?” Elt asked, “he’ll rise soon.”

“Doubt it,” the leader muttered under his breath, “we haven’t touched the family wing or treasury. Only bothered the whores, drug users, lord and lady dignitaries. Someone broke a vase but he cleaned it up and is waiting for the crown prince to pass judgement. We might be crooks but we know how to cause a raucous without upsetting a warrior.”

The man melted into the pre-dawn shadows as Talten and his guard approached them. Talten was getting better at hiding his fear. The ten year old boy even managed a glare at them as he pulled to a stop.

“You are the palace guard, meant to protect the palace. Why aren’t you protecting it?” Talten snapped, stomping his foot as he did so.

“Your mother,” Elt responded before anyone else could, “dismissed us.”

“That doesn’t matter, you are the palace guard, paid or not, you have to protect the palace.”

“Not the way it works, chitty-poo,” Elt responded, crossing his arms, “we are commoners. We do not care if the lords and ladies are raped. We do not care if the king is attacked, he has his guard, after all. So well trained, aren’t they? We are sworn to protect the warrior and obey his every whim, but we are paid to protect the palace. No pay, no protection.”

Talten stomped his feet again, “I am king, I order you to protect the palace!”

Elt stepped up to Talten, looked down at the ten year old boy, “kings can try and order commoners, but commoners have the right to say no and take it to the warrior. I wonder what Leo will think of that order.”

“Someone broke a vase,” as if saying his name brought the crown prince to them, Leo appeared at Elt’s side, “Talten, you’re up awfully early.”

“The palace is under attack!” Talten snapped.

Leo looked up as a whore was dragged away by a cutthroat. He took in the sight of rapers chasing lords idly and then looked at Talten, “palace is fine. Except someone broke a vase,” he turned to Elt questioningly.

“We would have protected it, but Talten’s mother dismissed us.” Elt responded steadily. He waited for Leo’s anger, prepared himself for it.

It never came. Leo frowned but it was a frown of confusion, “Talten’s mother is a warrior?”

“No, but she controls the purse strings.”

“Is Talten a warrior?”

“No… Leo, we’re not getting paid.”

“Neither of them are warriors?”

“No. Leo.”

“So what right do either of them have to dismiss the guards?” Leo asked, “Only a warrior can disband the palace guard. If they won’t pay you, too bad, you work for free.”

“We are working for free, we are protecting you and still serving you,” Elt snapped back, “we have families to support Leo.”

“And?”

“… we need money to support our families.”

“Yes, and?”

“… Leo, I don’t think you understand the severity of this.”

“Of course I do, Talten’s mother has said that you won’t be paid from the palace treasury.”

Elt stilled, “you can’t afford to pay us, Leo.”

“I also have access to the treasury,” Leo responded, “Talten will speak with his mother and make it clear that she had best keep her mouth shut when it comes to the palace guard. Yes?”

“She has every right-“

“No right, Talten, no right at all,” Leo said sternly, “if I don’t have the palace guard to help me, who did Niph said we were going to take our aggression out on?”

Even in the dawn light, Elt saw Talten pale, “me.”

“So what right has your mother got to touch, destroy or screw with the palace guard?”

“None.” Was the quiet response.

“Then go inform her of that,” Leo responded, watching as his brother turned and left, his guard trailing behind him. Leo clenched his jaw and looked to Elt, “clean up the mess you made.”

“I didn’t do it, the crooks-“

“Just happened to know that the side entrance would be unlocked?” Leo asked, “nice try. They’re awfully clean for crooks, they didn’t touch anything that would have upset me. Bring me the man who broke the vase. Get rid of everyone else.”

“Leo.”

“Elt. You’ve made your point. Get rid of them. Now.”

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