The Vanguard

The three months Yuji had been prevented from assuming Till’s responsibilities had been rationalized as allowing him to recover from his injuries and reacclimate his body to the demands of his various harsh positions. However, it was openly known that it was an unofficial grounding for the embarrassment he had caused the margrave. He was permitted to train, study, and generally have free range of the premises, but all authority and privilege of his official position had been denied him since the commencement of his punishment.

This had irritated Mirk, but he used the time to put Yuji through a three month long intensive. Adjusting him to his master’s body and behaviors. Grilling him on military strategy and history. Coaching him on posture, etiquette, and presentation. Though Yuji could never truly be Lord Till, Mirk had molded him into what he felt was a passable substitute. This carefully crafted imposter was going to meet with the three sub-captains of the Bastion Inner Vanguard after his unplanned meeting with Lady Menodora.

It was the first time Yuji had left the Bastion Fortress, he had practiced horseback riding, but somehow getting on Till’s mount felt uncomfortable and the strong, black, destrier mare felt it. Ears twitching, she glanced back at her rider petulantly.

“Sorry Sindacilla.” He gave her thick neck a comforting pat. “I’m just a little up today.”

“Why do you speak with a mindless beast, it is not as if she can understand you.” Mirk chided from his special perch in the front of the saddle.

“Just give me directions and let me at least talk to the horse how I’d like.”

The ride from the fortress to the watchtower where the meeting was intended to take place wasn’t far into the forest. Its gloomy figure cut a stark void in the trees without reaching over the canopy.

Something in him sensed there were other members of the vanguard around the watchtower. There was a strange stillness in the forest and a lack of anyone visible on the outside, save the horses. He thought after arriving that his mood would improve, but it didn’t.

Dismounting he left Sindacilla with the other horses, not assisting Mirk in his dismount as he insisted upon doing it himself. It was with a smoothly preformed jump that he landed near Yuji’s feet with an edge of superiority in his expression for having proved that his offer of aid was completely unneeded.

“You want to ride on my shoulder?”

Mirk aura pulsated, “Do I look like a stole to be worn around your neck?”

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little nervous and I thought it would make me feel better.”

“I always attend my master at these meetings, and I sit either dutifully near his feet or atop the table. I have never once sat on his shoulder like a skinned fox. They would think he lost his head.”

A bit dramatic.

“Fine, have it your way.”

Within the large circular room three men waited. They were all dressed in sleek black, much as Yuji was himself. It seemed rather out of place how different these particular uniforms were to the general Middle Age esthetic he had grown accustomed to over the past several months, the garb more indicative of Japanese ninja.

The look of these new acquaintances was not strictly welcoming. Mirk had explained that they had, much as Lord Till himself, survived the usual life expectancy of the Vanguard, each a veteran of over five years. He greeted them as a group but processed them individually. The tallest with the brown hair and tanned skin was Sir Reginalt. The one his own height, with medium build and stern features was Sir Euric. The final and shortest of the three, who had cobalt eyes and lithe appearance, was Sir Hildebald.

They were cold in their reception of him, and it was surprising how quickly they got to work discussing the chosen route they would be taking through the forest to the capital to deliver the Centauri Seren considering recent events.

It was startling to Yuji how little they appeared to care about Till’s well-being. Even though he was only casually acquainted with most of the people at his job there would have been someone who noticed he was gone, especially if he was absent for three months. There probably would have been gossip about him being fired, or questions about if he died, and when he suddenly showed up some busybody would have come to inquire. But these three didn’t seem to care in the least. Despite their having worked consistently under Lord Till for the last five years. Despite him having put them in their current positions. There wasn’t even the slightest investment in him, and likely there would have been no love lost if he hadn’t returned.

It’s like he could disappear and other than Mirk no one would shed a tear.

It was a fact Yuji already knew and yet it still upset him.

When they had finished looking over the map and information about the proposed area, they would be traveling there were talks about who would go along with Lord Dain’s elite cavalry and foot soldiers to assist the capital’s escorts to Bastion Fortress and who would assist them back to the capital city of Nocturn after their stay with the margrave was over.

It was an arduous conversation, there was no real argument, but the discussion still drew out endlessly. However, it was also through this discussion that Yuji and Mirk discovered what had happened during his confinement. It appeared that Halius had pitched for their brother Dain to be given the honor of forging the path they would take through the Gloam Forest to the capital. The margrave had agreed, and the honor had been removed from Lord Till’s shoulders without the knowledge of his successor or his ability to protest.

I suppose that is the nature of a family melodrama.

Mirk was not at all pleased, brooding through the conversation with an aura like festering ink. Yuji managed to participate, though remaining silent as often as possible. When at last they had reached their end, he was overjoyed and upon agreeing to discuss other responsibilities on a set day, prepared to depart.

“Lord Till,” it was Sir Euric who stopped him, “I know it is not my place to contradict, and I know we have all been briefed on the designated route, but I must protest against it. My conscience and obligation to my men will not allow me to leave now without doing so.”

“Oh?” Yuji paused near the door, Mirk near his feet.

“I must second Sir Euric’s protest. We have few men as it is to spare between us. And though the path from the capital to the fortress is well planned, the return route will be foolhardy and disastrous for our men who will be taking the brunt of the force.” Sir Reginalt looked up from the table his gaze dark and weighted.

Yuji took a moment to consider what to say next. “Do you also feel this way Sir Hildebald?”

“I do.”

“Then why didn’t any of you speak sooner?” He couldn’t help the edge of annoyance in his tone, which seemed to please Mirk.

They had spent hours going over the information. He was exhausted. Never in his life had he had to apply himself so completely to understanding something just to have it contradicted in the end. This whole meeting stretched thin the usually agreeable nature of his personality.

“Will you allow me to speak frankly, my lord?” Sir Euric stepped forward as their representative.

“I would expect nothing else.”

“You are doing well, Yuji.” Mirk praised sitting beside him.

“We have brought to your attention before concerns regarding our cooperations with Lord Dain’s men. There have been many close calls during military campaigns planned by Lord Dain, and we are still struggling to replace the lost lives that the Vanguard sustained and train new recruits. It seems Lord Dain does not value our work and in all his plans seeks to glorify his own position while seeing that we take the brunt of the burden and all the losses.” He went to the table jabbing the map with his index finger. “This section of wood is well known for its torturous landscape and being host to boars, wolves, bears and less savory creatures. He refused the secondary route we planned that would have provided safe even terrain and is regularly swept for rogues and beasts by the inner guards. I ask that as the head of the Bastion’s Inner Vanguard you protest this plan with the margrave.”

“Impossible,” Mirk chided, “my master would not demean himself to do such a thing. Even if he did protest before the margrave, does this fool think he would listen? Besides that, it would not be in my master’s nature to avoid a challenge presented to him by Lord Dain, no matter the cost. You must rebuff him and put him in his place as your subordinate.”

Validate and redirect. It is important they feel they were heard, or they might not be receptive to my going with the original plan. Not that it really seems that good of an idea, but what choice do I have. I’m not a militarist. I’m no Genghis Khan or Alexander the Great. I haven’t even read The Art of War. I’m playing at this. I’m just a powerless imposter.

“I hear your concerns; they are all valid and deserve additional consideration. For now, we’ll proceed as instructed and cooperate with Lord Dain’s forces to buy some time. The road from the capital to the fortress is a safe one, however difficult its terrain may be, and there will be several days to play with after the escort party arrives. I will review our options and what means we have for redirection at our disposal and get back to the three of you when I have confirmed the final route from the fortress back to the capital.”

The three of them seemed struck dumb. Their looks made Yuji doubt himself. He had done his best to channel all he had learned while working in human resources. What he just said should have validated them while giving him all the freedom to make whatever decision he wanted and at the same time displacing blame for the final results toward the margrave and away from himself. However, seeing them look at him like that made him second guess his approach.

Sir Hildebald was the one who finally broke the silence. “We will await the results of your inquiries.”

With that it ended, and they parted ways.

“You did well.” Mirk gave a gentle tilt of his head, his perch on Sindacilla’s saddle was in front of Yuji so he could observe the creature while he road. “I have to admit, I think you handled that even better than my master would have.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Do not allow yourself to grow haughty, Yuji Valentinov.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You have managed a victory today. In that you should take pride.”

But Yuji felt no pride in what he had done, shooing away valid concerns. Back in his precious life he could only exercise minor control over people’s lives. The worst thing that could really be done to someone was their being fired. But the decisions he made in the job he had assumed as Lord Till Bastion could result in real lives being lost, real people dying. His gut twisted with the thought.

“Mirk, do you really think there’s a way for me to get back?”

“If there is, the knowledge is hidden in the archives of the capital. When the purge was done of damned magic what records that were allowed to survive were spirited into the Vaults of Kings beneath the Luner Library. The answer will surely be found there.”

“But that means to find out if I can go home, I will have to travel that dangerous road to the capital. Aren’t you afraid that I might die and take your masters body with me?”

The mongoose’s aura turned a murky gray, Yuji found it funny how much better he seemed to be perceiving it recently.

“That will not happen, and even if it did this path is the one my master would wish to take without hesitation or reservations.”

Yeah… but is it the right one?