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“They change up the routine daily, though it does follow
a set pattern. They do it twice a day, though, and most of the free
time is used for endurance training as well. In the army, there
tends to be a lot of downtime, and we have found filling it with
exercise keeps the troops from killing each other.”
    “I don’t think I will take it that far,
but I think a little more exercise wouldn’t kill me,” Thad said,
his voice slightly in awe.
    “Now why don’t we get down to business?
What has brought the queen’s personal guard dog all the way down
here? I don’t think the Rane army would try to attack right before
the first snowfall.”
    “Honestly,” Thad said, looking slightly
embarrassed, “I needed a reason to get away from the capital, and
looking in on you was the only thing I could think of. I have also
brought with me a little over seventy shield rings for your troops.
They won’t protect them from everything and should only be used in
a real battle, but it should help keep some of the men
alive.”
    “I can understand wanting to get away
for a few days. I often feel the same way when my captains start in
on me about policies and procedure meetings. Don’t get me wrong—I
know that a declined army needs well-defined rules, but I had one
captain in here wanting me to mandate the proper way to use the
latrine,” the general said, shaking his head in disgust. “Now about
these rings, if they work as you say, then I will distribute them
as soon as possible. I would like to have enough for everyone, but
the soldiers in the most need will get what we have, and the rest
will have to suffer.”
    “We are working to make more, but it is
a slow process. I will have them delivered to you as they are
produced, but I doubt we will have enough by the end of winter for
every troop. There just is not enough time in the day.”
    “Time, the one thing we all need more
of but can’t get. You get what you can and leave the rest to us. We
have fought for years without magical aid, and we can continue to
do so. Those that complain will spend a week mucking out the
latrines,” the general said coldly. “How long do you plan to stay
and inspect our work?” the general asked slyly.
    “I wish I could stay a week, but sadly,
I will need to be on my way back to the capital tomorrow morning,”
Thad replied sorrowfully.
    “Duty calls. That is one thing every
man here would understand,” the general said in an understanding
voice. “While you’re here, why don’t you try to enjoy yourself?
Many of the lower ranks tend to have a fair bit of fun. They don’t
really exclude the officers, but it’s seen as bad form for them to
try to involve themselves. I think that since you’re not really a
soldier, I doubt they would mind you joining in their
amusements.”
    “I think I might just do that,
sir.”
    After leaving the general’s office,
Thad went back to the barracks and retired the bag of steel rings.
As he had been instructed, he found the building marked
Quartermaster and gave the officer inside the bag and explained
what they were and how they worked.
    After leaving the quartermaster, Thad
walked around the camp and started inspecting the walls. At
present, the walls only surrounded a third of the compound, and the
highest point was only seven feet tall. It was far from being
finished, but it was much more than Thad had expected to find. The
soldiers had to not only cut the timber and transport it but also
place it and pack it with mud. It looked as if General Bache ran a
very productive group of men.
    With little to do to keep his mind
occupied, Thad found a large group of soldiers who were working on
hauling logs and started helping. Thad’s first thought was to use
his magic to move the large timber, but remembering the pathetic
spectacle he had given early that morning, he decided to do it by
the strength of his back.
    When the sun reached its apex, the men
stopped working and started heading to a large