After the Sorgan Army had been processed, Marshal Patoga arranged for the rest of the Sorgan Clan to recite their Vows. The last to be processed were the slaves and Lord Marak of Watula Valley declared each a free man after he recited his Vows of Service. The very last presented to Lord Marak was the slave called Yenga.
“I thought you were dead,” stated Lord Marak. “Why is it that you are a slave and not the Marshal of the Sorgan Clan?”
“I broke my Vows of Service to Lord Quavry,” admitted Yenga. “I refused a direct order.”
“How, then, can I trust you will not do the same for the Vows you have just sworn to me?” posed Marak.
“I will do no different, My Lord,” conceded Yenga. “If you utter the same order as Lord Quavry did, my answer will be the same.”
“What was this order that was so grievous that you were willing to forfeit your freedom?” asked Lord Marak.
“Lord Quavry ordered me to command my men to attack your innocents as they worked a barren field, Lord Marak,” Yenga replied stiffly. “I have been a soldier all of my life and I have never disobeyed an order, but I was not trained to kill innocents. A soldier fights other soldiers, not women and children.”
“Then you should be a soldier again,” smiled Lord Marak. “You are a free man and I would be pleased to have you in my Army. I have long heard tales of your strategic brilliance even in Lituk Valley. You have a reputation for outmaneuvering, outthinking and outguessing much larger forces than your own. I would be honored to have you serve as my Lord Marshal.”
“Stories of Squad Leader Marak have reached my ears, as well,” complimented Yenga. “You show leadership qualities and personal skills which rival the best soldiers in the land, but you have declared me a free man and that is how I wish to remain. I should think you have been in the Army long enough to realize that you can not have a Lord Marshal. You may have an opening for a Marshal in Fardale, but a Lord Marshal is the head of a Clan Army. That position in the Situ Clan is already held by Lord Marshal Grefon and even if it was open, the authority to fill it resides with Lord Ridak, not you.”
“You are correct in your analysis,” smiled Lord Marak. “Still, that does not explain your refusal to serve in the Army. You have devoted your life to soldiering and you are the best. You can not expect me to believe that you are going to become a farmer. Why do you refuse to serve in my Army? Do you disapprove of my reforms or is it me, personally, that you wish to avoid serving?”
“Quite the contrary,” grinned Yenga. “Your moves here in Watula Valley will be the food of songsters for generations to come and the reforms you have started in Fardale will shock the entire nation. No, I heartily welcome your reforms and they almost tempt me to join with you, but I have tasted life as a slave. It was not a long period of enslavement, but I have felt the despair that is part and parcel of a slave’s life. I will never return to that station in life and serving in the Army is an open trench waiting for my body.”
“You fear death?” Marak asked unbelievingly.
“Not death,” corrected Yenga, “slavery. If I serve again, I will once again refuse an order and I do not wish to be returned to slavery. As a free man, I will never be forced into making such a refusal.”
“But I would never ask such a thing of you,” protested Lord Marak. “I like to think that I am a man of reason. If you find an order so objectionable that you would offer your freedom to refuse it, do you not think that I will listen to your arguments?”
“I do not think you would ever suggest an order which I would refuse,” declared Yenga, “but there are others above you who would. Lord Ridak is no different than Lord Quavry and I can not serve him as part of the Army.”
“You underestimate me,” clarified Lord Marak. “I can guarantee you that, as my Marshal, you will never be subject to orders from Lord Ridak or Lord Marshal Grefon. You will owe no allegiance to them. I have been given absolute control over Fardale. You would take orders from no one but myself.”
“Is this true of all the people at Fardale and Watula Valley?” questioned Yenga.
“Every last one,” grinned Lord Marak. “Lord Ridak can only attempt to control me, not my people. Will you serve as my Marshal?”
“With pleasure,” beamed Yenga. “In fact, you may find that I have some suggestions for taking your reforms further. You may regret this day, Lord Marak. My reforms will certainly incense Lituk Valley.”
“Let them scream,” chuckled Lord Marak as he reached out and clasped Yenga’s forearms. “Let them scream so loud that the whole nation sits up and takes notice.”
A soldier ran forward and interrupted the discussion. “Lord Marak,” he panted, “scouts report that the emissary from the Lords Council is only hours away. He will be here before nightfall.”
Chapter 14
Burdine
The messenger’s report regarding the impending arrival of the mediator from the Lords Council broke up the conversation between Lord Marak and Yenga, the new Marshal of Fardale. “Yenga, get dressed in your old uniform,” ordered Lord Marak. “I have a mission for you.”
Marak left a confused Yenga standing in the courtyard and strode off to find Marshal Patoga. He found the Marshal of Watula Valley organizing a festival to honor their new Lord.
“Marshal Patoga,” addressed Lord Marak, “I need to talk with you.”
Patoga quickly snapped off a series of orders to his men and joined Lord Marak in an area free of listeners. “Yes, Lord Marak, how may I serve you?” greeted Marshal Patoga.
“I have taken the liberty of making Yenga the Marshal of Fardale,” began Lord Marak. “I have ordered him to don his old uniform for now and I wish you to assign him a Squad of Watula Valley soldiers. I know this is unusual, but it is necessary. I do want to confirm my intention to retain you as Marshal of Watula Valley.”
“Lord Marak,” Marshal Patoga replied, “I have served under Marshal Yenga for many years. While I feel that I am qualified for the position of Marshal of Watula Valley and am grateful for the chance to prove my abilities, I would have no objection to serving under Marshal Yenga again. He is truly my superior in all respects and it is an honor to serve under his command.”
Marak nodded as he smiled. “You have already proven that you have the abilities of a good Marshal, Patoga, and I have need of a Marshal in Fardale. In a sense, you will get both of your wishes. As Marshal of Watula Valley, you will treat Marshal Yenga of Fardale as a Lord Marshal.”
“But the Situ already have a Lord Marshal,” objected Patoga, “Lord Marshal Grefon.”
“Watula Valley does not belong to the Situ Clan,” grinned Marak. “It belongs to me. The Sorgan Clan shall continue as a separate entity, but its people owe their allegiance to me.”
Marshal Patoga’s face creased with confusion. “A Clan without a Lord?” he queried. “A Clan who owes their allegiance to a Situ Lord, but who are not Situ? I do not understand.”
“Maybe I should clarify my intentions,” agreed Lord Marak. “I am the Lord of the Situ estate of Fardale. The people of Fardale owe allegiance directly to me and not to Lord Ridak of Lituk Valley. This arrangement, although not common, is legal and acceptable. According to the pronouncement given to me by Lord Ridak, my people are only subject to Lord Ridak’s orders through me. If his orders are not carried out, he has no legal complaint against my people. It is my intention to allow the Sorgan Clan to remain intact with a Lord to rule them, however, they will owe allegiance to me and only to me. If the Lord of Watula Valley does not obey me, I will replace him with another or order you to have him replaced.”
“But if Lord Ridak rules you and you rule the Lord of Watula Valley,” postulated Marshal Patoga, “then are not the people of Watula Valley subject to Lord Ridak of the Situ?”
“No,” declared Lord Marak. “If I chose to defy Lord Ridak, the people of my Clans will defy him alongside me.”