“From what I’ve seen, Valor is much better at getting women out of armor than putting it on them,” Neph replied with a smirk.
A spark of emotion flashed across Bridgette’s face but it was gone too quickly for Emily to identify it. Clearing her throat the knight nodded slightly and let out a short breath before speaking again. “I heard that he had become a raving drunk and spent more time whoring than fighting. I thought it was rumor, however. There is truth to that gossip, then?”
Neph shrugged slightly and glanced at Sovann before answering. “I think I’ve only seen him raving a couple of times. As to whoring, well I don’t think any of them were actually charging him for sex. Had they been charging, I doubt he could have afforded a gold bit for his horse or all of his pretty clothes.”
Bridgette nodded but kept all emotion from her face as she looked back toward the waiting cavalry. “Well, I suppose I will see for myself upon his return. Until then, I will accept you as the commanding officer. What orders do you have, Sir?”
“You’ve shown me the best three. Now show me the worst three.” Neph said, moving to stand beside her, his attention on the knights once more. Apparently he had decided that he wasn’t going to get a rise out of this woman and had given up pursuit of it.
Surprisingly, once Neph figured out he couldn’t get under your skin with his words he was actually fairly easy to deal with. That fact had taken Emily until very recently to figure out.
“Jesson. He is the slender man near the wagons. He is violent and has several charges against him that could never be proven. Nob. He is the rather large man also by the wagon…” Bridgette’s voice trailed off as she leaned a bit to get a better look at the man she was speaking of. “He appears to be eating a ration of horse grain,” she continued, sounding baffled. She shook her head slightly and sighed. “He isn’t violent but he is quite thick and very lazy and usually drunk. I’m amazed he is still allowed in armor but I think he has become somewhat of a mascot for the disgraced. The last would be Tessa. She is the one closest to Jesson. They are friends for a reason. Jesson is a jackal and she is a viper. They work well together.”
Neph nodded silently and motioned for her to follow as he made his way toward the wagons. Bridgette glanced toward the town before turning to follow Neph with a puzzled look on her face.
“Well, let’s not miss the fun,” Emily said softly to Sovann, and followed along quickly. She studied the knights as she passed, noting the looks of distaste that they gave to Neph as he moved through their ranks. That in itself was a bit confusing to Emily. Usually people had to get to know Neph before they had disgusted expressions on their faces at his approach. Neph was pleasant to look on and was always clean and well dressed, even if he did prefer his dark somber leathers. Most women found him handsome. Until he opened his mouth, of course. Once the first words were out of Neph’s mouth all attraction ended.
Neph stepped up on the closest wagon and moved to the highest point atop several stacked grain bags. With a hand he motioned for the knights to assemble closer. Emily quickly hopped up beside Neph as the knights began to close in and watched anxiously until Sovann secured a place on the wagon’s bench well away from the crushing mass of war horses. Bridgette had regained her own horse and watched silently from the edge of the crowd with the same puzzled expression on her face.
“Pay attention because I will only say this once,” Neph began in a loud voice, causing the area around him to fall silent aside from the shuffling of horses. “High Lady Merrodin and Lord Valor are not currently in Merro. They are on a quest and should return soon. Until that point I am in charge of Merro and therefore in charge of you all. My name is Nephondelvayon. As you all well know the Delvay think that Arovan knights are a bunch of armor clad bitches and Arovan knights typically think that the Delvay are rude assholes.”
The crowd of knights shifted again and there was a good deal of disgruntled murmurs from their ranks. “Silence while he is speaking,” Bridgette bellowed, though by her expression Emily guessed she had a few choice words she would like to say to Neph herself.
Nodding slightly in her direction Neph continued in the same loud voice. “Due to that difference in opinion I am going to assign temporary officers to your ranks until Valor returns to sort this shit out himself.” Neph paused and scanned over the crowd and then pointed toward Bridgette. “Bridgette will be the Officer in Charge until Valor decides otherwise. She is the only one of you bastards that is authorized to speak to me unless I initiate the conversation. Is that understood? Just nod. Don’t bother speaking. I don’t have time for it.”
Grudging nods issued through the crowd as Emily dropped down on the bench beside Sovann. “Whose idea was it to put Neph in charge again?” she asked quietly.
“Jail’s, I believe, or Neph’s. One of them anyway,” Sovann replied with a shake of his head. “He certainly has a way with people doesn’t he?”