Getting the Boot

The figure facing the wall did not move. With his armored boot, Ethyn nudged the man on the pallet.

He jolted and turned with wide eyes. "Sir Ethyn? What are you doing here?" Borit asked groggily.

Ethyn doubted with every fiber of his being that the Commander had been asleep, but the act was convincing enough that he would not have blamed the king for believing it. So he would play things carefully for now.

"It is I, Commander. Your false imprisonment did not last long." Ethyn's pointed gaze brought a frown from the Commander as he rolled onto his back. The blanket fell from his body, revealing a bandaged arm and torso.

"I am sorry for that. It seems you were not on Lakyle's side after all." The Commander's apology seemed sincere, which was a worse blow than if he had continued to accuse him.

The statement would easily make anything Ethyn said now look like he was being vindictive. Aiden and Conall shot him wary glances. They seemed to be thinking the same.

"While I appreciate your words, that does not excuse you from His Majesty's questions, or Her Highness's." The knight trusted Rose to bring the Commander to task for his actions.

The princess asked the most obvious question, at least to her. "What are you doing in here?"

Borit raised both eyebrows, showing he thought the answer was obvious in and of itself.

"When the door of the king's secret passage shut, I defended it with my life. I was struck down but not destroyed. Someone must have carried me here. I only recall ordering the nurse to be put in some place secluded to keep the men from worrying about me." The Commander rubbed his head as if struggling to remember. 

Rhodri furrowed his brow. "Do you know anything about this?" he asked the doctor. 

"I know nothing about the Commander's presence. I only sent the others into my room. Do you know what the nurse looked like who you commanded to do such a thing?" The doctor chewed his lip.

"I do not know," Borit answered with a whimper. 

The doctor did not take his patient's cue, continuing his own story for the king. "I only realized the Commander was here because I tripped over the officer's boots placed outside, and then you said you were looking for him. I can check the records to see if anyone logged the movement, but with the way things are, I doubt it is there." 

There was no way to confirm or deny what Borit had said, but Ethyn was forming his own theory about what had happened. Either by bad luck or design, the Commander had found out that Rabert was actually still alive and had come to finish the job. 

But he had not anticipated Rabert waking up during the attack and crying out. The nurse's imminent return forced the Commander to abandon his plan and lie on the spare pallet to avoid detection. If not for the doctor's keen attention to detail, he might have been able to bide his time and leave later when the king and princess were gone. 

"Every soldier has been looking for you," Rhodri informed the Commander. "I wish we had gotten the report as to your health sooner." 

The king's tone was neutral, leaving the whole room to wonder what he was thinking. 

"I have no defense, Your Majesty. I was here." Borit sighed. "I am most tired, could we perhaps continue this later?"

The request seemed innocent, but Rose could feel that the Commander was close to slipping away. 

Rhodri must have sensed it too. "I am sorry to make you so tired, Borit, but I must insist we proceed. I need your most honest, candid answers and the longer we wait the more you will forget." 

'And the more you will be able to make up to suit your own purpose.' Ethyn added. 

"Am I being accused of something?" the Commander furrowed his brow. The guards had yet to put away their swords, unwilling to let Borit make any sudden movements. 

"Possibly," was all the king was willing to admit. 

Borit propped himself up on one elbow. "I know I was tricked into letting the soldiers of Lakyle into the palace. They led me to believe Silver was the leader of their rebellion when it is clear now that this was not the case. I had faulty intelligence, but that does not mean that I am guilty of any intentional misdeed. Your Majesty is surely intelligent enough to see..."

Rhodri held up his hand. He did not like being pushed into how he should think. Whether Borit was innocent or not, the king would not allow the Commander to selfishly drive the discussion. 

"Since you are feeling well enough to speak so passionately, I think we should take this inquiry to a more official venue. That is if the doctor will grant you are well enough to leave the infirmary." Rhodri motioned to the physician.

The doctor pushed up his sleeves and strode forward. Moving to one side, Ethyn and the two men with him watched carefully to make sure Borit did not take the opportunity to attack anyone in the room. They were all too familiar with how cunning the Commander could be.

If he truly thought he was caged, he might lash out in unexpected ways. 

But Borit subjected himself to the examination of the doctor. He groaned at the pokes and prods but remained still under the strict scrutiny. 

The doctor moved away at last, "In my opinion, he is fit to travel. But if the Commander does not feel able to walk, I would be willing to find a cot for him to travel on."

A momentary flash of frustration was gone almost instantly as Borit smiled. "If you think I am well, I will do my best not to trouble anyone." 

"Allow the guards to help you," Ethyn offered. 

Conall and Aiden sheathed their swords and hoisted the commander to his feet. 

"Thank you," Borit said through gritted teeth. If he recognized the mayor and the soldier he disgraced long ago, the Commander didn't show it. Aiden draped Borit's good arm over his shoulder to support him. 

The Commander did not look heavily injured. Aside from his arm and the limp he already possessed, he seemed to be unharmed. 

After seeing the ferocity of the fighting, especially near the throne, Ethyn wondered how the Commander had been so unscathed. Although no one had confirmed it, he was pretty sure that Borit had tried to escape with the king through the secret exit and had been denied entrance by Conall and Aiden. 

Had Borit really been that valiant of a fighter, or had he used trickery to remain mostly safe? Ethyn decided he would investigate this later if necessary. He hoped the other evidence would be enough to convict him. 

Heading out of the room, Ethyn picked up the Commander's boots. 

"Give them here!" Borit snapped. Then he added more gently, "Forgive me. My pain is intense. You were just going to help me put them on, weren't you? I can do it myself."

"No, No. Allow me." Ethyn opened the boot and stuck his hand inside to spread apart the side and make room for Borit's foot…

As he suspected, his hand brushed up against something most interesting in the toe.