Honor Crowned Read Free Page A

before first meal, he chose his words and tone carefully.  He needed to be tactful but blunt.  No fancy words or frilly speeches were needed here.
                  “Well, I guess you heard right.  I’ve kind of lost my taste for the title though.  If you’d rather call me Jorem than Rim, that would be okay.  Rim’s fine too.”
                  “Who’s makin’ all the racket out here?” Conrad bellowed as he came out of the tent.
                  Jorem grinned at the old hunter.  “And a good morning to you.  How you could hear us over your own snoring, I’ll never understand.  I swear you make the ground vibrate.”
                  “Taint nothin’ wrong with that.  Keeps the critters away,” Conrad said with a laugh.  “So, wha’s all the fuss about?”
                  “He’s Prince Jorem,” one the men said.
                  Conrad didn’t say anything right away.  He scratched his ample belly as he walked to the fire.  Snatching up an old rag, he pulled a pot from the edge of the fire.  Carefully lifting the lid, he peered inside the pot and then poured himself a mug of whatever it contained.  Taking a sip, he grimaced.              
                  “Gads that’s strong,” he grumbled.  “So, is it true?” he asked as he turned to Jorem.
                  Jorem walked closer to the blaze and warmed his hands.  “A title doesn’t make a man,” he said quietly.
                  “Aye,” Conrad nodded.  “I’d say yer brothers done proved the truth of that.”
                  The other men had moved closer and a few more had wandered over.  Nothing gathered men on a cold morning like a warm fire and curiosity, except maybe a hot meal.  A few of the men were whispering back and forth.  Jorem did his best not to listen, but knew he was the subject at hand.
                  “You don’t…,” Ferd said, then stopped himself, then started again.  “You don’t look like, well, like…”
                  “Like the spare heir,” Jorem finished for him.  He smiled to take the sting out of the words.  “I suppose I’ve changed a bit over the past few years.  But you know, I still manage to get on the wrong end of a lot of sharp pointy things.”
                  “There’s truth in that,” one of them said with a chuckle.
                  “But you could be cozied up in the palace,” came a remark from another.
                  “What, and miss out on Con’s nightly serenade?”  They all chuckled at that, even Con.
                  “Truth is,” Jorem continued, “I’d rather be here with you.”  He looked around at the men as he spoke.  He caught each man’s eye to be sure they knew he meant them.  “I’m no more important than any of you.  We serve the King.  We protect the people.  We guard each other’s back.”

 
    Chapter III
     
    It was just after the noon meal when Captain Jonas called for everyone to gather at the command tent.  The whole camp had been abuzz at the news of Jorem’s true identity.  A few more had come to ask him about it directly.  Most relied on the word of others.  Fortunately Jorem had plenty of practice dealing with being stared at; otherwise, he would have been on edge.
                  Jorem maintained his place with the scouts, and they adjusted quickest to his revelation.  It didn’t take more than a mark or two before they were treating him just as they had before.  Conrad had decided he’d been promoted.  After all, as he put it, he’d been bunking with a royal for so long, he was nearly a royal himself.
                  “Quiet down!” bellowed a man up front.
                  Jonas stood just outside the command tent, gazing out at the men gathered there.  One of the