Priests

"Maybe. As I said before he was only ever Father to me." I looked over my shoulder at the other men of my unit. They had been shifting, it wasn't enough for most people to notice but added to my extra sense it screamed of their tension. "Calm yourselves, I expect two to four priests will be returning."

The other three men moved so that they were away from the door. They were standing behind the trainer. He seemed like a safer person then me right now I am sure. The greying priest came back with a younger priest they seemed to be arguing even as they walked. They stopped when they got within range of the door.

The older man walked in first, it was his room after all. "Sorry to keep you waiting, son. My fellow here knows the answer to the question you asked." The man turned to the younger priest, "Please tell him what our records show for the terms of his next fight."

"It is to be another four on four." The trainer frowned but that was the only sign he gave that he didn't know that. "The wilder if available and three boys." So she was willing to waste untested children to get rid of me. Odds were good they wouldn't be as trusting of me as my unit was and it was the only way to get rid of the chance that my madness had spread to the other men. "They will be fighting the house of Frea who have pledged to field four vets." The trainer and the men of my unit let out a collective hiss but it didn't mean anything to me. "Arena 7. Priesthood receives standard care for the time. Loser 5, Winner 5 remained divided by law, unless 8 or more die then Frea gets 15 and Strava will get 15 and Estro will get 15."

I sighed so she is doing what I thought, the rest of my unit seemed to be trying to figure out what was going on. "Is Arena 7 and arena 6 the same size or is it bigger? I know 5 is smaller then six and 4 is smaller then 5. 9 was the biggest one I have seen so far."

The trainer was looking at me like I had lost my mind. The rest of my unit still seemed to be trying to figure out what was going on. "Yes the arenas get bigger as they circle out, there are 13 in this city but it is rare to use any of the ones labeled over 10 the cost is prohibitive."

The older priest asked the question that the trainer hadn't found the words for yet, "How did you learn that?"

"They are clearly labeled."

The priest turned white but managed not to glance at his desk, "You can read."

"I am not sure I want to confirm or deny such an accusation at the moment."

The trainer looked over at me. "What?" he was clearly dismayed, and the other men in my unit didn't seem sure if they should be or not.

"The septon of the city left something on his desk that shouldn't be there. Of course you know I haven't moved from this chair but he is probably considering what I might be able to see from here. I would hate a septon to have reason to believe that I am anything but a loyal commandant of our lord."

This time the man did move to the desk and flip over the papers that he had left out. "Then you know I spoke the truth when I told you I would see about your request."

"I would never imply otherwise. I would ask the priesthood to grant me the time of three of their brothers to talk to the other three to fight tomorrow. I would request that they shepherd the young men of Estro whose mother is walking a dangerous path and then let their brothers give them the instructions that might save my house."

"The priesthood is well equipped to shepherd those in need. I am saddened that it took the voice of a loyal servant to find such a problem."

"I don't think it is truly a problem, mother might not know what she does. I am afraid I am not the easiest of sons."

"We will not be able to overlook this, if this goes as it seems it will."

"I am sure. Just as long as the altar doesn't suffer while we expiances the first small restruckser."

The old man narrowed his eyes at me. Then he looked at the trainer, "How many guards has your mother asked you to provide for this match?"

"She won't tell me that until tomorrow."

"Unforchanite, how many do you think she thinks she can provide?"

"We normally only bother two of our brothers, I would guess 5 if she asked, but I wouldn't think she would make that mistake."

"Could you offer her more?"

"For guard duty? If it was anyone else fighting I would say no but to watch Mir fight, I would say 15 to 17 would be willing."

I raised an eyebrow at the man, "I didn't realize my brothers were so curious about me."

"I am surprised the whole city doesn't regularly come to see your matches. Some of the women who don't even have a stake in your matches have started coming to watch already."

I shrugged, that wasn't good to my overall plan though it was moving faster then I wanted. Mother might have to trade me after this match, or tie me to the stone. "So 8 plus five times 3 might be the total fighters."

"23 fighters" I said while the old man seemed to be counting. The younger man nodded.

"23, so brother, add to the terms by order of the priesthood, that if more then 13 men die in this fight we will claim the war price and confiscate all the collection and let the victor or victors decide what shall be done with the total minus the priesthood fees."

The man blinked a couple times. That was a large collection that the septon seemed to be saying might be possible. "How likely do you think that is?"

"Likely enough that I want you to be sure we have enough brothers for it. I want the order written as soon as can be arranged but fail to inform any of the houses named about the new condition. They will have the same access to it that they seem to have deemed adequate for their sons."

The younger man bowed, "As you say."

I turned and nodded to the Septon which was a title I shouldn't know. "May your sacrifices feed our lord and your soul find peace in the next life." I stood keeping myself bowed.

For a moment I thought the man wasn't going to reply and then he said, "May our lord be sated and your sacrifices be few."

I smiled and headed to the door, my unit started to follow but the priest called to them to wait. The trainer followed me out the door. We made it down the hall before he asked, "So what was on his desk?" the trainer took a breath then shook his head, "No don't tell me."

I glanced at the trainer, "I am not going to. When mother asks how many guards you can get, tell her seven, if you tell her the truth I might lose more brothers."

"I saw you signal them before we left, what did you tell them?"

"What they needed to know to tell the boys who will be stuck in the ring with me tomorrow. So that they might survive."

"You really think you are that good?"

"For the first fight, maybe. For the second fight, I intend to stack the deck as much as I can."

"Your logic puzzles me quite often. I cannot wait to see what you do next." We walked the rest of the way back in silence which suited me fine.