to lean over and prompt him, but Will had already been coached on the subject. He gave his response, the reciprocal oath of protection and succor that outlined his duty as the baron’s liege lord. That done, he took Baron Hargast’s arm and urged the man to his feet, grateful it was over.
“I have been wanting to meet you for some time, Lord Hargast,” Will lied graciously. “As I’m sure you know, I’m rather new to all of this and I’ve had my hands full.”
“It seems we are all destined to a surplus of labor for the foreseeable future, Your Grace,” returned Hargast. “This war will take us far from home and keep us busy.” The four men chatted for the next half hour. Some of the others arrived, but they merely nodded as they were caught up in their own conversation. Last to arrive was Baron Lambel, a tall, lanky man on the younger side with thin, wispy blond hair that made for a rather sad beard. He hurried over and offered fealty as Hargast had.
And then a bell chimed, and a servant came and ushered them into the conference room for their meeting. A solidly built table with six chairs sat in the center of the room. A nobleman that Will hadn’t met yet stood at the opposite end of the room, beside the chair that sat at the head of the table, or the foot of it, depending on your perspective. Will was fairly certain which end Duke Lustral wanted it to be perceived as while he watched them enter.
“Gentlemen,” said Lustral, “Thank you all for coming.” He looked over the others with calm confidence as he motioned for everyone to take their seats, and his eyes lingered on Will for a moment, examining his plain uniform. “Duke Arenata, it is good to make your acquaintance.” A faint smile played over the man’s lips.
Lustral had carefully engineered the room and their entry to take control of the meeting, and if Will hadn’t been forewarned, he would have been completely at a loss for how to react. “It’s all right to get a little angry, if it keeps you from losing your confidence, but don’t let it show. If your emotions show, they’ll lose respect, and it will be difficult to take control,” Selene had warned him. She’d also given him specific pointers, one of which applied to the current situation.
All the other men had taken their seats, while Lustral stood by his chair at the end of the room. Given his past, Will felt a strong urge to immediately take a seat at the opposite end, but that would be a mistake. He moved to his chair then gestured to Duke Lustral. “Please, sit.” It was a command, couched as a polite phrase. The other man’s face flickered with uncertainty for a moment, then he sat down.
Triumphant, Will sat last, casting his gaze over the table. All eyes were now on him. Trying to affect a relaxed demeanor, he put one hand on the back of his chair and addressed them, “For many of you, this is the first time we’ve met, so I’m sure you have certain doubts about the situation we find ourselves in. Rest assured, I intend to take full advantage of your talents, wisdom, and experience.” Pulling his chair out, he sat down. “Let’s start with a summary of what resources we will have come spring.”
Gregory Nicht, who had formerly been a knight before Lognion had granted him the title and lands of the late Baron Fulstrom, coughed nervously. “We put together a summary two weeks ago for Duke Lustral…”
Will frowned but did his best to cover his surprise. His gaze drifted to the man at the opposite end of the table. “Lord Lustral, I haven’t seen this report yet. Please give everyone an oral summary to bring us up to date.”
“Of course,” answered Lustral, fingering his fading salt-and-pepper beard unconsciously. “I didn’t mean to exclude you. I asked for the summary to prepare for today’s meeting.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “That’s fine, but in future send a copy to me as well, or better still, consult with me first.” Will could feel sweat starting to gather at his temples despite the cool air, and he hoped he didn’t look as nervous as he felt.
Duke Lustral dipped his head in acknowledgement and then launched into a summary of the troops they expected to muster, though perhaps the word ‘summary’ was a misnomer. He