“ | Collem West! A commoner, who had been scorned, and bullied, and patronised his entire life. How could it possibly have happened? Not through merit, certainly. Not through any action or inaction on his part. Through pure chance. A chance friendship with a man who, in many ways, he did not particularly like, and had certainly never expected to do him any favours. A man who, in a stroke of fortune that could only be described as a miracle, had now ascended to the throne of the Union. | ” |
The Habit Of Command is the twentieth chapter in Last Argument of Kings.
Chapter Summary[]
Colonel West sits in the Lord Marshal’s tent with Generals Kroy and Poulder, gathered to hear the news of who the Closed Council has named the new Lord Marshal. A Knights Herald bursts into the tent. As Kroy and Poulder jockey to read the missive, he hands it to West. The Colonel boggles as he reads that Jezal dan Luthar is new King of the Union. And, can hardly stop from giggling that he himself is the new Lord Marshal. As Kroy and Poulder sputter, the Knight Herald salutes West and departs.
An hour later, West is alone in Burr’s tent. It's not so funny now, he must quickly put Kroy and Poulder in their place. First, General Kroy is ushered in. When Kroy fawningly suggests that West will need the advice of an experienced General, West agrees, Poulder is the quintessential soldier. Poulder want Kroy dismissed, but he will give him one last chance. He orders Kroy to clear the road to Carleon, and the reeling General does as commanded. To Poulder, West repeats much the same, calling Kroy the finest example of a Union man. He orders Poulder to accompany him north to relieve the Northmen.
Afterwards, Pike remark that West seems to be warming to the work. He studies the map to The Dogman’s position, his hands clasped behind his back, in just the way that Marshal Burr would have done. But will they get there in time?
Characters[]
Introduced | Appeared | Mentioned |
---|---|---|
Collem West | Jezal dan Luthar | |
General Kroy | Lord Marshal Burr | |
General Poulder | The Dogman | |
Pike |
Locations and Terms[]
The North | First Northern War | Closed Council | Knights Herald | High King of the Union |
The Union | Union Army | Carleon |
References[]