Disaster at the front

[Rufus]

Rufus was despondent - his first month as full warlord of Mularik's Company had not gone well. Extreme misfortune had befallen the regiment and the regiment had been driven from the field.

What had been worse was that casualties had been higher than necessary. The absence of a regimental healer had cost the regiment and Rufus ground his teeth in fury.

At the subsequent command meeting, his senior commanders were also outraged by the apparent desertion of the regimental healer.

It was welcome news that the adjutant general had sought the arrest of the missing healer.

It was a shock though when stories began to fly about that Broar had announced he had quit the cult of Chalana Arroy. The thought sprang to all that this would enable Broar to be challenged for bringing disgrace to the regiment but no, despite his absence, he was still regarded as a member of Mularik's company and it would be wrong to duel a fellow member of the regiment.

Justice would have to be done first - the work of the adjutant general had priority.

[Erik]

Erik listened to Warlord Rufus's lament about the disaster which had overtaken their regiment in the recent fighting. "We must not dwell too much on this setback" he urged his commander. "Yes, we lost our ground and lost far too many of our good troops. So we learn from our losses and plan how to do better next month. We must look forward, not back. You are our leader, a good one and the soldiers trust and rely on you. They were pleased that your courage and leadership was recognised by High Command who both mentioned you in Battlesongs and offered you a promotion. We can, and will, do better in the remaining months of the campaign and to do that the men and women of Mularik's Company need to see you looking confident and cheerful"
Erik poured out fresh glasses of wine for the two of them. "As for our cowardly regimental healer, if he has left the cult of Chalana Arroy, then surely he automatically forfeits his post. Nor was he ever a member of our regiment, the healer is attached to a unit but, as I understand the matter, does not count as part of it. Hopefully the Adjutant General will soon catch up with the snivelling little weasel and we will no longer need to worry about him."

[Ivarenna]

"Absolutely." agreed Ivarenna. "We live to fight another day." She took out her wooden cup and helped herself to the wine. "Good stuff this."