Unwilling Warlord — Lawrence Watt-Evans

Title to Disaster

Sterren had been getting by in Ethshar of the Spices until the group of oddly dressed people confronted him. They'd kidnapped him and dragged him here to Semma, smallest of the Small Kingdoms. That didn't seem so bad, at first. They made him a noble, with the title of Hereditary Ninth Warlord of Semma.

Then he learned what his duty was. He was supposed to win the war the stupid King had stirred up by his arrogance. Three larger and stronger Kingdoms were getting set to invade Semma.

Against them, he would have incompetent generals, a few untrained and drunken troops, almost no weapons, and not one single magician to aid him.

To make things perfect, if he didn't win the war for them in his position as Ninth Warlord, it would be considered treason--penalty: instant execution.

The situation, Sterren decided, posed certain problems!