[VanimaEdhel]

**********Rhûn**********

Lovek looked around thinking. He still had not dismissed his men, so he knew they would still be practicing. He looked out towards the city, and spied a stable boy going past the door. Lovek grabbed the stable boy roughly.

"You, boy. Do you know the way to the training grounds?"

"I-I...yes, sir," the boy said, looking down, frightened.

"Go there...here, have this," Lovek gave the boy the necklace he carried in a pouch, "Give them this so that they will know that it is me. Tell them I told them they are dismissed until tomorrow. Then, take this to Grivek. Tell him to keep it until my return, and that he should take control of my men until then. Can you handle that?"

"Y-yes," the boy stuttered. Lovek pushed the boy away and the boy ran in the direction of the training grounds. Lovek turned back to the others.

"As for you..."

"Yes, Lord?" Khuleln said.

"Well, it seems that we are nearly packed. I know not what Great Captain Mislavini desires us to do next..."

Lovek paused and thought a bit.

"Well, as we seem to have time, at ease, men. Ulwyte, will you speak with me a second?"

Khuleln watched Lovek and Ulwyte disappear into a side room. Lovek closed the door behind him and turned to Ulwyte.

"You are young," he said accusingly, "I am not used to such young people in my company."

"Yes?" Ulwyte asked, fairly respectfully.

Lovek came in close to Ulwyte and spoke gruffly.

"Well, I just want you to know that, even though you are young, you will receive no special treatment on this mission. More will be expected of you. I know about you young men these days. You have no discipline. You think that you may use your army status for women and drink. I would like you to know that, because you are young, I may call on you to do more. Although I am still fit, youth is still better in things of stealth. So, I will have no shirking from you, or you will be left behind. And, if you continue to pursue and delay us, I will have no concerns with killing you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Ulwyte said, backing away. Lovek took another step closer.

"I have seen more than you can ever imagine, boy. Do not tangle with me. It is bad enough that we must go have dealings with the Westlands now. I will not tolerate laziness. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Ulwyte said, looking right into Lovek's eyes. Lovek was surprised, for none had dared to look into his eyes in a long time. Lovek took the step back, this time, startled.

"Well," he said, his voice nearly faltering at his surprise at the boy's courage, "You may leave now."

He mustered up his dignity again and opened the door, indicating that Ulwyte should leave. Ulwyte complied and left, going back to the stables with Kheleln. Lovek remained in the room and shut the door behind him.

"That Ulwyte will need some watching," Lovek said, speaking out loud, "Kheleln has experience. He will know what to do. But Ulwyte is young. I will keep my eye on him."

Lovek looked around the room, thinking about the many things he had seen in his life and the many insolent young boys he had broken. He hoped Ulwyte would not be as these boys were, constantly disobeying him.

Lovek took a breath in, then opened the door and went back out into the stables to see what the other men were doing.

[ September 26, 2002: Message edited by: VanimaEdhel ]