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"Charity?" It was that sa

"Is this your custoed "It’s fairly well protected from the wind, and if it starts to rain, I can take shelter under that archway You see you?"

Veltan sat down on the curbstone beside the beggar "I thought this city was the center of power here in the Trogite Empire, but I can’t seem to find anybody here who has any kind of authority I’ve been trying to find somebody here who’ll rentto even discuss it"

"Did you speak with the soldiers themselves?"

"I didn’t think that was perh soht that the arar laughed "That hasn’t been true for centuries, stranger The iive the soldiers full pay in peacetiars such as e soldier It was at that point that the soldiers went into business for the out all the time--usually between the various noblemen who rule the provinces--so the assorted armies can find steady work Why do you need an army?"

"There’s trouble in the wind at home," Veltan replied evasively "It’s a little co to need professional soldiers to help us deal with it"

A young Trogite in tight black leather clothing ca aspear in one hand "I need to talk with you, Coar

"What is it now, Keselo?" the beggar demanded, "and don’t call me ‘Commander’ I threw that away on the day when I brokeapart on us, sir," the young man reported "Won’t you please reconsider your decision? Nobody knohat to do anymore"

"Give them some time, Keselo They’ll learn"

"We don’t have time, sir," the youthful Keselo said "The seventh cohort’s coone outside the city and they’ve been raiding h road We sent orders to thenored us"

"Go kill theasped "We can’t do that! They’re our coht to kill one’s co outside the rules, Keselo, so they’re not your comrades anymore They’ve broken off from the army, and that’s a violation of the oath they shen they joined us If you don’t punish the, and the arrate You knohat has to be done, Keselo Go do it, and stop bringing these silly proble rew desperate "Won’t you please reconsider and co of ‘no,’ don’t you, Keselo? And you should knoell enough by now to know that I hed "Yes, sir," he said Then he turned and left

"He’s a good boy," the beggar told Veltan, "and if he lives, he o far"

"It appears that you’re not what you seem to be,I’e just because I used to be so else Narasan the arar"