Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 337 of 619

The woodpile would hold now. But the woodman was one more stranger inside the walls, and Ajax had a dozen sworn men and no clear ranks between them. He called the council to the hall at dinner. The bar and the baths could wait. The men who ran Black Oak needed titles, or the hired hands would not know whom to obey come thaw. Grayson took his seat first, silver chain flat against his chest. He said nothing until Ajax laid out the problem. Then he set both hands on the carved table. "We have thirteen sworn," he said. "Hired men keep asking who speaks for you when you ride. They don't know. That's a hole." Tucker leaned back, gold chains catching the hearth light. "Give them titles they can say out loud," he said. "A man works harder for a captain than for some fellow named Grayson." He grinned. "No offense." Aldric spread a fresh sheet on the table and dipped his pen. Grey showed in his hair as he bent to the page. "Then we write them down," he said. "A name in ink is a name a man can point to. I'll draw it plain." Marco sat across from him, quiet, watching the door out of habit. "Keep it small," he said. "Too many titles and every man thinks he outranks the next. That's how a house eats itself." Ajax named them one at a time. Grayson, Lieutenant of the Gate, already sworn to it. Chalam, Chief Magician. Aldric, Keeper of the Vault and the workings. Tucker, Master of Port and Trade. Marco, Keeper of the Door, who read every man before he crossed. Rowan, Chief of the Hunt. Tarron Chief of Flock and Loom. Bran, Chief Stonemason. Each man took his title in front of the others so no one could dispute it later. “The others we can decide later. None of you is above one another” Chalam spoke last, blunt as ever. "Titles don't bind anyone," he said. "The mark on their soles does that. But titles tell a hired man where to stand." "Then it's settled," Ajax said. "How soon is the thaw?" Grayson answered without pause. "Fifteen days. Maybe twenty. The stream's already loud at night." Ajax stood. "Then in fifteen days the hired men swear the Code or leave.“