To be a Commander

Jealousy

Jealousy is a fickle friend, Crowley thought. 

He was out in the woods at his shooting range. 

Thunk. An arrow slammed into the middle of a target. Crowley swung around and aimed at a target set high in a tree, hidden behind the leaves. He nocked, drew, and released in the time of two seconds.

Thwip. The arrow sank into the bullseye.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Crowley felt his frustrations melting away as he shot and shot and shot. He rolled and brought his bow up in a flawless motion, sending an arrow into a target 50 meters away. Wasn't exactly a bullseye, but it was good enough. He stood up, then paused for a second.

Halt. Just the person he wanted to see. Yay.

Crowley pressed his lips together, then went to collect his arrows, resolutely ignoring his friend. Halt might have been like a brother to him, but right now Crowley would rather be left alone.

"Sorry about that meeting." Halt said, stepping out of the bushes behind him. Crowley nodded in acknowledgement.

That day, Crowley and Halt had been called in to meet with some noble from Highcliff fief. The noble had stared at Halt for a few moments, then went on to acknowledge the other military commanders, ignoring Crowley completely.

At the meeting, the offending noble had pretended Crowley wasn't there. When Crowley pointed out a flaw in the noble's argument, he'd simply stared at Crowley, then turned to King Duncan.

"Your majesty," he'd asked in a reedy voice, "who is this? I don't recognize him."

"He's Corps Commandant Crowley, Feller." Duncan had said calmly. "He refounded the Rangers."

"And Halt, don't forget." Crowley said jokingly.

Feller had studied Crowley for a long moment, then said,

"He refounded the Rangers? No, no no no. It was Ranger Halt, not this...Commandant."

Crowley had shrugged and directed the conversation back to Feller's argument, determinedly suppressing the jealousy that rose in his chest. Halt had always been the hero, always been the 'famous Ranger Halt'. And then there was Crowley, just a minor character. Nope, nothing to worry about.

"He's wrong, Crowley." Halt said from behind him. Crowley simply plucked another arrow and replaced it in his quiver, then moved on to the target 50 meters away. Halt simply waited for Crowley to finish collecting his arrows, then stood up and walked over to the Commandant.

"You are a hero Crowley, and don't forget it." Halt said firmly. "You'll always be a hero. Doesn't matter what idiot Feller says."

Crowley couldn't help but laugh at Halt's nickname for Feller. "Don't let him catch you saying that." he joked, pushing aside his frustration. Halt smiled slightly, the kind of smile only Crowley could glean from him.

"Wouldn't matter." Halt said. "I'm, after all, as wide as two bears and just as strong." He imitated the baron's high, reedy voice. "Why, the ranger Halt is tall as two men, he is! Wide as two bears, yes, and just as strong!"

Crowley snorted at that. "You're tall as half a man and wide as 1/4 of a bear, you are." he quipped. Halt elbowed him.

With a rising sense of sadness, Crowley realized that, although he was joking with Halt right now about heroes and idiot nobles, there were others who weren't recognized for their role in the war. Like Gilan, or King Oswald, or Jurgen.

Never again. he promised himself. In a war like this, everyone was a hero.

Everyone deserves recognition and everyone craves it. Honour those heroes, those who died for our freedom.