The Deed of Paksenarrion Read Free Page B

heard Korryn’s nasty chuckle and whispered comment.
    When she reached the tables, she saw stacks of plain brown tunics, socks, and low boots. The woman beckoned her, and grinned. “You’re a tall one, right enough. Let’s see—” and she began measuring Paks with a length of knotted string: neck to waist, waist to knee, shoulder to elbow to wrist. “Here—” she held out a tunic, after rummaging in the pile. “This should do well enough for now. Change.”
    Paksenarrion took the tunic, stripped off her shirt and trousers, and pulled the tunic over her head. The cloth was not as scratchy as the wool she was used to. The sleeves fell just short of her elbows, and the hem almost reached her knees. It felt more like a dress cut short than anything else.
    “Try these boots,” said the woman. Paks put on a pair of the heavy brown socks and eased her feet into the boots. They were short. The woman offered a larger pair. These fit well enough. “Here’s a belt for you, and a sheath. You’ll be issued the dagger later.” The belt, like everything else, was plain brown; the buckle was iron. Paksenarrion took her old clothes back to the quartermaster, feeling silly with the tunic rippling around her bare thighs.
    “Ooh, look at the pretty white legs she has.” She was sure that mocking whisper was Korryn or Jens, and hated herself for blushing as she handed the clothes to be sacked away. But Stammel heard the whisper too.
    “Korryn,” he said. “Who told you to talk in ranks?”
    Paks, returning to her place, dared not look at Korryn’s face as he replied: “No one, Sergeant.”
    “Perhaps you need reminding that you are to do what you’re told and nothing else?”
    “No, sir.” Korryn did not sound as confident as usual. “But, sir, such a pretty sight—”
    “If a pair of legs can make you forget your duty, Korryn, you’ll have to be better taught. I don’t care if the Marshal-General of Gird’s Hall in Fin Panir walks through the lines stark naked and tweaks your beard—you pay attention to me, and not to her. Is that clear?”
    “Yes, sir.” Korryn sounded sullen. “But—”
    “No buts!” growled Stammel.
    * * *
    In less than an hour, Stammel’s group of recruits was outfitted in the recruit uniform. They moved into one of the big barracks rooms, with Bosk and Devlin, another corporal, assigning bunks.
    “File leaders will rotate from week to week for the first month or so,” said Devlin. He was taller and thinner than Bosk, and looked as if he would smile more easily. Right now he was not smiling at all. “File leaders bunk here, by the door,” he went on. “File seconds here, then thirds, fourths, and so on. You’ll change your bunk as you change your place in the files. Now: each bunk has the same bedding, and this is how you’ll make it up.” The corporals demonstrated, then pulled the bedding apart. “Your turn; get busy.” As the recruits struggled with the bedding, they walked from place to place, explaining and criticizing. The long, straw-stuffed pallet had to be patted into an even rectangle, muslin sheet stretched tightly over it, and the brown wool blanket folded in one certain way at the foot. Paksenarrion finally achieved an acceptable bunk, and stood beside it waiting for the others to finish. Her legs still felt chilly and exposed, and she was hungry. Most of the others looked as uncomfortable as she felt.
    At last they were all done. Corporal Devlin went to fetch Stammel, and Bosk moved around the room, positioning recruits beside each bunk, ready for inspection.
    Stammel came to the door.
    “Ready?”
    “Ready for inspection, sir,” answered Bosk.
    Stammel began with the file leaders, checking the bunks first. Then he looked at his recruits, twitching a sleeve into place, here, asking about the fit of the boots, there. When he had made his way all around the room, he returned to the doorway.
    “You’ll present like this for inspection every morning before