Soldier at the Door(157)

By the redness of Zenos’s ears, Perrin knew he had seen the girls’ efforts to attract his attention.

“Let’s go over to the tower to make the announcement,” the major said to him.

Zenos clucked his horse to match the major’s gait. The men made their way to the twenty foot perimeter of low rocks ringing each tower to remind the children—and their curious fathers—that they weren’t allowed any closer.

“I understand your concerns, Corporal,” Major Shin said leaning over and patting him kindly on the back. Now that they were out of earshot, he could gauge the corporal’s readiness in relative privacy. “Not feeling up to it? No problem. Just concede defeat now. You did look a little tired on the sofa the other night.”

Zenos narrowed his eyes and gave him a stern look. “I was tired, sir, because you and Mrs. Shin didn’t get home from inspecting the Moorland fort until well after midnight. I was sleeping.”

The major glared at him. “Sleeping on my favorite pillow!” he whispered.

Zenos matched his glare. “The one your wife gave me, when she warned me the two of you would probably be late. She said you had two more. And,” he added smugly, “it was quite comfy, sir. I enjoyed drooling on it.”

The major fought a tug at the side of his mouth. “So that’s why you stayed there all night?”

“You could have woken me up, sent me on my way,” Zenos said, his face starting to twitch.

“No I couldn’t. I tried! Your sergeant was right. You are impossible to wake unless you smell breakfast cooking. Besides,” his face became as soft and mushy as he could make it, “Mahrree thought you looked so sweet sleeping there.”

When Perrin said ‘sweet’ he knew he was starting to lose. The smile he meant to provoke on Zenos was sneaking around his mouth instead.

Zenos saw it, and likely thought he could seal his victory. “Just how ‘sweet’ did I look, sir?” But it was too much. He snorted.

Perrin pointed at him and grinned. “You did that to yourself! No noise, remember? Ha! That’s not the first thing you’ll lose today, Zenos.”

Shem laughed. “It was ‘sweet’ that did it. I saw you starting to lose too!”

“Doesn’t matter who starts losing, it’s who actually loses. That was your rule, remember?”

Over the past several weeks this competition had become almost an obsession with the two men. The day after the major interrogated the corporal in his office, a timid Shem came over in the evening. During dinner—and with Mahrree’s prodding—Perrin and Shem talked over the ridiculousness of their confrontation the day before. Soon they were re-enacting the incident for Mahrree, this time with laughter and teasing about who should have broken down first.

Somehow over the next few days a competition evolved to see who could stay sober the longest, no matter what the other said. They were becoming adept at watching each other’s eyes and faces for clues that one of them was about to break into a genuine smile or a laugh. At first Shem lost quickly, but in the past two weeks his ability to match the major’s glare had improved. It was that skill that allowed him to remain sober while challenging the major to the race. But he still struggled with stifling his laughter that always insisted on coming out as a snort.

“Well, Major Shin, we’ll see who loses next!” His corporal tried his glare again. “Go make your announcement.”

Perrin nodded, got off his horse, and climbed the tower until he was about fifteen feet off the ground.

Everyone gathered at the green quieted when they saw him.

“Citizens of Edge,” the major called to them, “I appreciate your coming out, but I’m not sure why you’re here. The race will include each of the towers and, from what Captain Karna has revealed to me, even some of your homes. Apparently certain ‘disasters’ will be visiting you. Besides the corporal and me, that is,” he added.

The crowd began to laugh.

The major shook his head. “But if you’re all here, who’s going to be ‘in danger’ and give Corporal Zenos or me our notes proving we reached you?”

The villagers looked at each other and nodded in understanding.

“So I ask that each of you return to your homes. Zenos and I will be starting the race in less than an hour, beginning at the fort. In order for us to accurately determine the effectiveness of this new system, I ask that none of you impede our progress—”

He glanced down at Shem.

“—even if Corporal Zenos agrees to try your cookies. Once he starts, he just doesn’t stop.”

Insulted, Zenos exclaimed, “It was only two cookies, sir! And they were different kinds! And I was far ahead in that race anyway!”