but never threaten or warn.” Urake met each of the blank stares until someone deigned to respond.
“This meeting is concerning tactics that are best kept secret.” The cocky young major spoke up this time in a conciliatory tone meant to calm the tense emotions in the room.
“All the more reason that I should be here. It seems to me that if you want the fruits of my intelligence network, then I should know what to direct my people to look for.”
“We still haven’t determined that your intelligence network is of any use to us.” Balinor icily responded.
“Oh? Well let me see if I can convince you of the value of my information. You, general Balinor, were in the southern army just over a month and a half ago. Before you protest that this is common knowledge, I can tell you what you had for supper that night. Roast boar with a side of quail and rabbit. There were various trimmings of boiled vegetables that were probably not cooked very evenly. The seasonings were bland to say the least. Now something that I just now put together was your reason for being there. The day after you were there, the southern army stepped up their attacks on the elves. A stroke of genius I think. The common word among the troops was that you argued against ramping up the war effort, but that was just what you said within hearing of the troop, wasn’t it? The elves now consider the southern army a threat and will be stepping up their defense to compensate. Possibly even making an offensive. Perhaps going so far as to massacring the occasional patrol.” Urake paused long enough to take a breath and continue over Balinor’s indignant spluttering.
“Here is the genius part of your plot. The elves will think that Reigns was behind the attacks and will, at the very least, prevent Reigns from moving the southern army up here to deal with you. If it were to become a losing battle for the rebellion, then you could even appeal to the elves for support claiming to have tried de-escalating the war effort in the south and citing a common enemy.” Urake had been carefully watching Balinor’s shocked expressions through his recital and knew that if he wasn’t perfectly correct, his guesses were extremely close to the truth.
“How could you possibly know that?” Balinor had slumped back down into his seat while Urake had been unraveling his careful plan as if it were a child’s plot at stealing candy.
“As for what you ate? I shot the boar, rabbit and quail the day before. I was a member of one of the patrols that was massacred and spent some time with the elves as a result. I doubt very much that they would concede to offer you any assistance, although… they do seem very upset with the actions of the southern army and are likely to make it exceedingly uncomfortable down there. Knowing Reigns as well as I do, he won’t be willing to back down or admit defeat so he will leave the southern army there. Even if it means weakening his offence up here in the north. He still is sore at the unequivocal beating his armies took at the hands of the dragons and with his ego, he won’t back down twice.” Balinor was still sitting in stunned silence so the cocky major decided to break into the discussion.
“At the very least, as a civilian, you should address us respectfully by our titles.” The guard that had been standing nervously behind Urake chose this moment to return to his post on the other side of the door.
“Major, know that I only address you by your title because I am unsure of your name. Your opinion means nothing in this discussion. Colonel Redzyn has earned my respect as an old friend who respected me as a person, even when he had no idea who I was.”
“It’s etiquette!” The major was now a shade redder than Balinor who was recovering from his shock.
“Quite simply, etiquette doesn’t require a noble from one of the major houses or a knight to recognize and address those with lower ranks than themselves with the honorary titles. If I were to follow etiquette, then I would only have to use your family name in a formal setting.” The major being addressed drew closer to losing his temper while Redzyn leaned back with his fingers interlocked behind his head with a half-smile as