The Marcher Lord (Over Guard) by Glenn Wilson Read Free Book Online Page B

however, to implement it even in stable times, which are certainly not what Orinoco is currently experiencing. Do you believe it wise to attempt it immediately?”
    Ian hesitated, feeling a distinctive urgency for carefulness.
    “Perhaps not,” he said, “I’d have to have more information, but I would move for it as soon as possible. It might be good to move in additional troops to ensure stability, but I think a change in administration needs to happen. After all, you can’t polish mold.”
    All this reminded him very much about old Peter’s long discourses on the tasks of holding Narcapoli. It had been a favorite topic of his family’s old friend, and a difficult one that Ian was suddenly very glad to have discussed so many times, eager as he had often been to talk about battles and wars or anything else more kinetic.
    “No,” Corporal Wesshire said. “However, much more change than what has already occurred seems unlikely as those that the Bevish government sent to assess the situation have quickly fallen into Carciti’s cares. Those in power here are deeply rooted, and to disturb them too greatly could risk an uprising. So for the present, at least, it seems the Bevish are approaching change slowly.”
    “It’s too bad that it’s so difficult to get here, that even communication is so hard to maintain,” Ian said, feeling rebutted. “Hopefully in the future that will improve so that things can be managed more efficiently. That would speed up change.”
    “Perhaps,” Corporal Wesshire allowed.
    It was probably a kind allowance on the other’s part, but it felt like Ian had been talking too much. He realized that it was because his ideas felt childish in light of Corporal Wesshire’s appraisal. Ian did indeed have a sizeable gap in his ignorance of the politics surrounding Orinoco. But even if it would be exceedingly difficult to dramatically change things without causing the wrong sort of accompanying drama, that didn’t mean it was impossible.
    “Our destination ,” Corporal Wesshire said as they turned onto a street dominated by meal vendors.
    It was much louder here , even more than some of the other streets that had multiple music entertainers. Lined along both sides of the street, and some even in the middle, were dozens of small vendors interspersed by a handful of much larger ones. They were mostly Dervish, and shouted out to the thick inflow of people, argued with them, laughed and cursed at them in Dervish.
    While Ian was able to comprehend the concept of food being purchased here, he could make very little sense of the actual process through all of the confusion. So he was glad that the corporal didn’t hesitate, but strode straight for a particular knot of vendors off to the right.
    “The shanpaii stews are excellent,” Corporal Wesshire said, and Ian assumed that was his way of announcing what they were going to have.
    “Sounds good,” Ian answered, looking at some of the other selections as they moved through the people. Some of it did look interesting, but he was too hungry to offer up much resistance.
    The corporal raised his hand and made a slight gesture as they neared the vendors. This immediately caught the attention of four vendors who were in the ongoing midst of preparing what evidently were the shanpaii stews. A couple of other nearby vendors of different commodities also tried to hail Corporal Wesshire, but he ignored them.
    “Seven,” the corporal called out toward the men. “Two at seven each.”
    This shook the interest of two of the vendors, who began to call out to other customers, though one kept half an eye on Corporal Wesshire. Both Ian and Wesshire had been drawing attention in general, though most of it was guarded and often quickly pulled away, and they had been given a relatively easy way through even more crowded areas like this. So it was difficult for Ian to discern just what sort of prospects they looked like to these vendors. It grew increasingly