Honor Crowned Read Free Page B

squad leaders stood beside the captain with his hands cupped to his mouth.  The squad leader had to shout a few more times before everyone settled down.  All remaining murmurs and whispers were silenced when the captain took a step forward.
                  “Men,” Jonas said clearly, “we have received new orders from the crown.”  That got everyone’s attention.  “A small contingent of men are to split off from here and proceed through the northern passes to the border.  The rest of us are to march to the capital.  There we will join with the third battalion under Prince Farthon.”
                  “Excuse me sir,” said one of the squad leaders. “Who will be leading the contingent going to the border?”
                  Jorem had no difficulty identifying Braten, the same man who’d led his squad onto a loose patch of shale on a steep hillside.  They’d lost a man that day, nearly lost several.  Braten had no liking for the scouts.  He had ignored Jorem’s warnings of the danger and had disregarded the trail Jorem had marked for them to follow.
                  “As many of you know,” Jonas continued, “we have been joined, or perhaps I should say rejoined, by Prince Jorem, fifth son of King Haldon, heir to the throne.”
                  “Don’t you sound all important,” Conrad whispered just loud enough for the scouts to hear.  Several of the scouts had to smother their mirth.  Jorem just rolled his eyes and shook his head.
                  “Prince Jorem, would you come up here?” Jonas requested.  “I’ll let you explain the details of your mission and, while you’re at it, you might as well select the men you want with you.”
                  When Jorem got to the command tent and turned around, his stomach knotted up.  There were so many men looking at him. “Funny ,” Jorem thought , “Father always made speaking to a crowd look so easy.”   He pursed his lips while he reconsidered what he had planned to say.  It had sounded so reasonable when he’d thought it through earlier.  Now he wasn’t so sure.  Most of these men were older than he; several were old enough to be his father.  Would they even listen?
                  “It’s okay son,” Jonas said quietly.  “Just tell them what to expect.  They’re soldiers.  They need someone to follow.”
                  Taking a deep breath, Jorem tried to relax.  “I’ve been ordered to take a small group of men through the northern mountains of the Kingdom.  We are to visit every town, village, farmhouse, and shepherd camp to ensure them of their safety and importance to the crown.”  He let this information sink in for a moment before continuing.
                  “For those of you who are thinking this will be a huge waste of time, I agree with you.  If that is all there is to it, we might as well stay here and tell tall tales and roast rabbits.  There are some, however, who feel there is a chance, slight as it may be, of a force invading the Kingdom by this route.  If so, we need to find evidence of such and report to the crown.  We’ll be on foot so we’ll carry whatever we need in packs.  The terrain will be rugged and resupply points far apart.
                  “I’m sure many of you have heard it takes a small army to keep the spare heir from breaking his own neck.  In this case, I’ll have to make do with a dozen men.  I don’t suppose anyone would care to volunteer?”
                  To Jorem’s surprise, nearly every man stepped forward.  Several men pushed their way to the front.  Of these men, some he had fought beside, some he’d helped rescue from a rock slide, and others he’d trained to defend themselves.  All of the scouts had come forward.
                  Of the men who had stepped forward and those who had come to the