One of the squires let out a heavy sigh, eyeing the rest of the group who could barely choke down the slop. "Better than jack squat. Chow down. Skip it, and tomorrow's march kicks your ass."
Elias strolled over and ruffled Midge's hair with a quick pat. The kid's head snapped up, eyes locking on him, and he bolted to his feet like he'd been zapped. "M'lord," he mumbled around a mouthful of mush.
Elias flicked a glance at the bowl's grim contents, face blank as a fresh slate. "Ditch that and roll with me." He turned on his heel and booked it.
Midge froze for a beat, staring at the bucket's sad scraps, but no way he'd buck the order. Bowl-set, tail-hustle after.
Elias steered him to a hush nook behind a knee-high soldier drill-wall. Shy-kid catch-up, Elias tunic-dive, magician-pull oil-paper wrap. Wall-top plop. "Unwrap," nod-casual.
Sus-mug, Midge string-tug. Inside? White rice bed, braise-pork rib crown, scent-punch savory.
"Bagged for you," Elias. "Dig in."
Journey-grind eye-opener: squire-scraps kitchen-trash mash. No shock.
Midge gawked, big brights saucer-wide stun. Man-think food-haul? Head-shake. "M'lord, stash for midnight munch. Me? No peck."
Elias snort. No-hunger? Post-grain gorge? Kid starve-free moon. Ache-heart still. "Just chow," grumble. "Cut the crap, or you tick me off."
Sharp-edge jolt Midge, quick-fold. Pork-piece nab. Tender-sweet tongue-hit, nose-sting burn.
Kindness-last? Year-drought. Duo fat-tears cheek-roll.
SMACK!
Elias rear-tap light.
Midge full-body flinch-freeze. Rib-mouth hang, tear-pool peep shock-wide.
"Cry-what? Girl-vibe. Chow-hurry," Elias gruff.
Midge sleeve-wipe quick, head-bow stuff-munch.
Elias wall-lean, real-Arthur drift-wonder arm-mend. Midge steal-peep dusk-deep.
Grub-gone, Elias point-cut. "Our road-lug," low-pipe. "Eye-lock it. Capisce?"
Meal-true why. Twenty-grain Willem-own, but Midge lug-duty dog.
Midge finger-suck grease, eager-nod.
"Peel, then," Elias wave. "Crash. Road-strength need. Lug-guard too."
Kid nod-duo, turn-bail. Back-trail, Elias Q: "Crash-spot?" Night-lug-check need-pin.
Midge long-veranda point. "Spot-mine."
Elias halt. "Eave-squat? Wind-whip no-block. Sleep-how?"
"Fine," Midge court-straw pile-jab. "Straw-bed hand-out."
Elias crease. "Squire-all this?"
Midge tent-row point. "Some crash there."
"Then you out? Bully-push?"
"No, m'lord, zip," Midge earnest. "Sarge round-up point-flick. Here-there random."
"Click." Elias chin-rub, idea-bud. "Cool. Sarge-show."
"M'lord, real fine!" Midge protest. "Tent-straw floor too!"
Elias cold-side glance.
Enough. Kid head-dip lead-way.
Fire-circle soldier-pack spot. Midge beard-bulk sarge-jab, tent-hide duck.
Elias fire-strut bold. Soldier up-peep, hopeful mid-stun. Elias beck-beard. Dude comrade-confuse swap, rise-tail, cyn-smirk face.
"Lend an ear, Lord Hopeful?" False-bow drip.
Elias no-fluff. Arm-sling shoulder, tent-back steer Midge-duck. Sarge shrug-itch, Elias palm-pop eye-front, three-silver fire-gleam.
Sarge hostil-melt, greedy-grin swap. "Gift-mine, m'lord?"
Elias Midge-jab. "Squire-mine. Frail-bit. Out-sleep chill-fear. Cap-road sick? Snag. Favor-ask: watch-eye."
"Ah, squire-gig!" Sarge silver-snatch slick. "Cake-walk. Word-mine, m'lord. Kid draft-free cap-haul."
Elias push-lever. "Coach-turns too. Strength-low others. Rest-extra hook?"
Sarge silver-pocket. "Passenger-fave? Riot-brew," whis. "Lug-rigs... Perm-spot lock. Vibe?"
"Prag-king," Elias back-clap. Midge-nod. "Kid wiped. Crash-need."
"Done-deal!" Sarge boom, windfall-glee.
Tick-few, tent-slot nab. Midge fresh-straw spread-bed, Elias near-lug pile-jab. "Mem. Bag-vig." Gig-core this.
"Yes, m'lord," Midge vigor-nod.
"Crash," Elias rise-block see-out. Tent-squire glance, walk-dip. My squire vibe now, inner-grumb.
What-do? Willem hour-man, social-drag endless. Squire-fret time-no.
Bribe-coin? Sting-zilch. Not-mine anyway. Willem shame-sure no-pay-later. Other-dude dough loyalty-buy? Bargain bliss.
Tent-slit, Midge trail-watch, fire-glow eye-shine. Master kind-ish, no-lengths this.
Banquet-table pack... Warm-haul meal... Fresh-feel.
Warm-fragrant. Smile-shut-eye, drift-peace snooze, ache-exhaust other-squire plague-free.
Dawn-next, Elias Midge-re-spot. Lug-safe confirm, oil-paper pass. "Private-chow spot," instruct. "Peep-see? All-want swarm. Rule-lock, no-more."
"Yes, m'lord," Midge nod-get, routine-new lock.