Once they were assigned quarters, they worked out that the camp was arranged just like every other Imperial camp. Only under trees and without battlements.

“That means the mess tent is this way!” decided Zipper.

Delta sighed. “It’s a little early for dinner.”

“We can get good seats”, said Zipper. “And we have more time for seconds.”

Delta sighed again and got up. “Coming?” she asked Gwen. Gwen waved her off.

“Oh, no”, said Zipper, marching straight over to Gwen. “You are definitely coming.” She started poking her in the ribs. Gwen made a face, but gave in.

They headed over there, Zipper in the lead. They still had their tabards on. After talking about it, they decided that they were known to enough now, that it just made sense to wear them all the time. Delta said that the brigade would pick up the costs of cleaning them properly and get a second one made for each member. Heads did turn as they walked past, as much for their heraldry as for there being a goblin astride a wolf.

“Grab a table”, said Zipper. “I’ll get grub.”

Delta and Gwen complied. “We could be here a while”, said Delta, and they eased Gwen off Johnston and onto the bench. Gwen looked around with curiosity, and after a while, she pushed back her hood and continued to look around.

“They look Johnston. They look me. Same”, said Gwen.

Delta pointed to a squad of Orcs that just arrived and boisterously joined the food queue. “Lots orcs. Maybe see same.”

Gwen shrugged. “Some speak goblin. No goblins here. Mystery.”

Delta looked around some more. She did see people from all over the extent of the old Empire. Mostly humans and orcs. But she had seen the odd Dwarf, and maybe an elf or two. And Zipper had said the cook was from Gnollistan. She looked up to check, but Zipper was arriving triumphantly from that direction.

“Ta dah!” trumpeted Zipper, placing large trays on the table from which she started unloading food. “That’s for you, that’s for you, and all this is for me.” She had a whole pitcher of water. “We’ll need this.”

Cautiously, Delta took a spoonful. It was some sort of fragrant stew over starchy pellets. She wasn’t used to the flavors, but it was warm and solid. She looked up, surprised to note that Zipper was not ploughing into it like a starved outcast. Instead she was watching Gwen with a big grin on her face.

Gwen had sniffed at the food with some reluctance. She poked at it for a bit with her spoon, then picked up a mouthful and ate it. The moment she put it into her mouth her face transformed. Her eyes lit up with delight and she gave the first real smile Delta had ever seen on her.

“Good, eh?” said Zipper. “You like it spicy, right?”

Gwen shook a clawed finger at her. “Not dust! You eat dust!”

Zipper laughed and poured some tankards of water. “Oh, I like spicy too. Maybe not as much as I think you do.” Both of them pursued their food with gusto.

Delta smiled, shaking her head. “I’ll stick to dust.”

The cook came out to watch. He was enormously tall, very shaggy, and of a race that none of them had seen before. Zipper’s eyes were watering, and she was guzzling water, but she smiled weakly at him. Gwen grinned broadly and gave him a thumbs up. He let out a barking laugh and returned to the kitchen.

“It takes a lot to impress cook”, said a voice. Delta turned and there was a tall woman standing behind her. She had grey eyes and her hair was streaked with silver. She stood and looked directly at her, unwavering. “It takes a lot to impress me too.”

“Sir?” said Delta, starting to stand up.

“Sit”, she said. “Captain Delta of Wight’s Brigade.” She smiled thinly. “You aren’t under my command at present. But at least we’re on the same side this time.”

Recognition hit her and her eyes widened. “Banbury Tower. You commanded that unit.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Major Kanni”, she said. “Major Kanni Monttice.” Her eyes watched Delta closely, judging her reaction. “Third daughter of Count Monttice. I sighed on with a commission when my father went over.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance”, said Delta. The woman was intimidating and was well aware of it. Delta knew she was being judged and felt for the right thing to say. “Your troops did well at Banbury. Well played.”

Her smile broadened. “Not as well played as you.”

“We do our best to fulfil our contracts to the best of our ability”, said Delta.

“I’m glad to hear that”, said Major Kanni. “Especially since you are working for us for now.”

“Training and guard duty”, said Delta.

“I heard as much in the officer’s tent”, she said. “I had to come over and look you in the eye.” She held out her hand. Delta took it and shook. Her grip was like iron. “I’ll leave you to your dinner now.”

“Sir?” said Zipper, as she was turning to go. She looked back; eyebrow arched. “How did you find us? We had half a day’s head start on you.”

The side of her mouth quirked up. “You have your tricks. We have ours.” And then she went.

“That was a seriously scary lady”, said Zipper, in an undertone when she was sure she was out of earshot.

Delta took a long drink of water. “Yes”, she said simply. “I guess that’s the downside of building a reputation. And wearing these tabards.”

That little interview had not gone unnoticed. A number of the other troops were looking at them and talking among themselves about them. The tent had filled up, and latecomers were being filled in on things so far. A group came by looking for space. One of them did a double take and cried out.

“Hey! It’s the porcupine!” He nodded at his friends to come and sit there.

“Raginald?” said Delta, taking a moment to recognize him.

“Since birth”, he said. He introduced the others quickly. Delta returned the favor.

“How’s the hip?” asked Zipper.

“Missing your spear point”, he said. “It cries out every morning for it. Fine otherwise.”

“Well”, she said. “We’ll be giving ‘how to get stuck with a spear’ lessons in the morning. You should drop by.”

The rest of them groaned. “We’re already scheduled to. I had no idea it would be you two.” He looked over at Gwen. “Three?”

“She’s cavalry”, said Delta.

He gave a mock impressed look and raised his tankard. “Moving up. Congratulations!”

There was a general murmur and commotion. Cook came through with two sizzling plates and he dropped them challengingly in front of Zipper and Gwen. He then stood with two enormous fists on his hips, watching them.

Zipper swallowed heavily and took a large drink of water. She then rubbed her hands together and picked up her spoon. With a sly look she said, in goblin, “Me fast. You fast?”

Gwen struck the table with her fist. “Me fast. You not fast!”

The cook howled with laughter as the two set at it. Troops crowded around and began chanting their names. Delta was pretty sure bets were being made, given the surreptitious looks some people were giving trying to spot any officers that might be around.

Zipper was behind right from the start. She cried out at the first bite and had to stop to guzzle water every few spoonfulls. Her cadre of supports cheered her on anyway and kept her tankard full. One even procured one of their magical canteens and she offered him her first child in thanks for the ice-cold water.

Gwen stopped halfway through, being far ahead, and tried to converse with the cook. He didn’t speak goblin, but between the common words they had in the Imperial language, and some other language they both knew a little of, she conveyed her shame to him, that she was eating such excellent food so quickly. She lapsed fully into goblin and was, clearly, waxing poetic about the quality, and how everything else she’d had to eat was terrible, with great theater, pretending not to notice that Zipper was using this to try to catch up to her.

She eventually wound down and got back to the food. Zipper had pulled ahead by this time but found the going difficult, tears streaming down her face. Gwen just plowed through it and when she finished, amongst the cheers of her supporters, finished off the few bites left on Zipper’s plate.

Once zipper was able to wipe the tears from her eyes, she offered her hand to Gwen. They shook soundly and cheered “Wight’s Brigade!” The rest echoed the cheer, led by the chef. Everyone dispersed laughing.

There was certainly high spirits and good comradery here, mused Delta. She could like these people. If only their goals weren’t so fantastical. She didn’t understand the allure.

“Hey Raginald”, asked Delta. “What’s Major Kanni’s story? She said she was a Monttice noble. Why did she get mixed up in this?”

“Minor noble”, corrected Raginald. “Your prospects aren’t great being the third child. Especially if you’re smart. And she’s as sharp as a knife. Not one to marry off to someone who isn’t her better.”

“I guess I can see that”, said Delta.

“The Count sent her about. North to Bright, East to Jokamachi, to get to know their neighbors. I’ve seen her speak orcish and whatever it is they speak in Jokamachi. She probably did a grand tour in Romitu as well.” He shrugged. “I think she had met The General there. He impressed her. So, when he marched over her border, she persuaded her Dad to welcome him with open arms, then signed up herself. Probably a better future than she might have had.”

Delta nodded, still a bit skeptical. “What unit does she command?”

Raginald waved his hand about. “Oh, they change all the time. That’s one of their policies. Plus, things are very fluid. We’ve got new people coming in all the time.” He nodded at another table full of boisterous women, with copper colored skin and dark horizontal bars painted across their eyes.

“I heard some Amazon mercenaries joined”, said Delta.

“They got promised a prime position in our next battle”, said Raginald. “I’m more than happy to cede the spot.”

“When is the next battle?” asked Delta.

Raginald grinned. “I am not at liberty to say”, he said, very formally.

Delta shrugged. “I’m just curious. We’ve only signed up for training and guard duty.”

“Mmm. Hmmm”, said Raginald. “We’ll see how that goes.”