Free Sheepfarmers Daughter by Elizabeth Moon Page A

the confidence of a senior veteran, sure of his own fighting ability.
    "But you can remember nothing?" prompted the mayor.
    Stephi shook his head. "No, sir, I don't. But I don't expect you to believe that. You'll want to test me, I'm sure."
    "You
must
remember," yelled Korryn suddenly. "You must- I told you yesterday — " He paled as they all looked at him, and he realized what he had said.
    "You told him, eh?" said Kolya softly. "You told him
what?
"
    Korryn drove a vicious elbow into the midriff of the guard on his left, and as the man slumped forward he snatched at his sword. The other guard drew his own weapon and darted forward, but Korryn was free with sword in hand, dancing sideways and looking for a way out.
    "Take him!" roared the captain, drawing his own sword. Stammel charged, unarmed as he was, with Bosk and Devlin behind him. Korryn swung at Stammel, cursing; Stammel barely evaded the blow. Korryn backed, edging toward the unarmed witnesses as guards converged from around the courtyard. Suddenly Kolya slipped behind him and wrapped a powerful arm around his neck. Korryn fell backwards, gasping. She held him until the guards had jerked the sword out of his hands and grabbed his arms.
    "If it were my decision, he'd be in chains," she said calmly, dusting her hand on her robe.
    "At once," said Sejek. The guards grinned as they dragged Korryn away. "Now, Stammel — "
    "Sir," said Stammel, "I'd like permission to dismiss the formation now. They've seen as much as they can learn from."
    "I think you're right. Go ahead, but I'll want you for the rest of this."
    "Yes, sir." Stammel turned away. The captain, frowning, spoke to the witnesses.
    "Mayor Fontaine, Councilor Ministiera, I appreciate your efforts. You will want to take more testimony from both Paksenarrion and Stephi, I presume."
    "Indeed yes," said the mayor. "You have quite a complicated problem here, Captain."
    "You'll remand Stephi to the Duke's Court, I assume," said Kolya.
    "Yes. I must. Corporal Stephi — " he gestured to the corporal.
    "Yes, sir."
    "This must be investigated further. You must consider yourself under arrest from this time. I'll have to see whether Stammel will trust your parole; he's within his rights to refuse it until Captain Valichi returns."
    "I understand, sir. I wish I did know what happened."
    While they were talking, Stammel had spoken to the other recruit sergeants and the formation had dispersed. He had told his own corporals to take the unit outside to drill. "And keep 'em busy," he said, "until I come out and relieve you. We have a lot to work off. I'll be there as soon as I find out how Paks is, and what the captain is going to do."
    So it was in a nearly empty courtyard that the captain turned to Stammel and said, "Well, Sergeant, you were right. I wouldn't have thought it, but — "
    "Sir, I was sure Paksenarrion was not to blame - but I'm not sure your corporal is. If Korryn gave him something, a drug or something like that — "
    "I hadn't thought of that. Something strange has happened — "
    "I agree," said Kolya. "And I think this should be discussed in somewhat more privacy."
    The mayor nodded. "I'd suggest the Duke's Court, Captain Sejek."
    "A good idea. Stephi, get dressed and come with us. Guard, you'd best come too." The captain turned away and headed for the Duke's Gate. Stammel and the witnesses followed him; Stephi pulled on his tunic and came after them, trailed by the guard.

Chapter Five
    In the Duke's Court, the little group clustered near the fountain. The witnesses sat on its stone rim; the others stood.
    "Tell us first, Stephi, everything that happened yesterday after you left me in Duke's East," said the captain.
    "Yes, sir. Well, I came directly here with the men; we didn't stop at all in Duke's East. When we arrived, I asked a recruit to call the quartermaster for me - I don't know what his name was, a stocky brown-haired boy - and had the men put up their horses and turn in their swords. Then I