Lieutenant is the second-in-command position of the Black Company, answering only to the captain. Military companies are usually between 100 - 300 soldiers, but the term is used regardless of the size of Black Company.
The lieutenant is normally appointed by the captain, unlike the captaincy which is an elected position. One exception, however, was Candy, who was voted, not appointed, to be lieutenant. Often the lieutenant is elected captain or simply assumes the captaincy after the current captain is killed or resigns.
The office of lieutenant is not always filled. When the Company is reduced to a small number of brothers there are not enough soldiers to justify the lieutenant position. Examples include the time following the Battle of the Barrowland and the Kiaulune Wars.
In the Black Company series, five different characters have held the position of lieutenant of the Black Company.
- The Lieutenant: Appointed sometime before or during the Company's service to the Syndic of Beryl. He would be elected captain after the Battle of Juniper, while the senior members were at sea en route to Meadenvil. However, he continued to be addressed as "the Lieutenant".
- Candy: Voted to become second-in-command of the Company at the same time when the Lieutenant was voted to become captain. The vote took place during the Company leadership's time at sea, en route to Meadenvil. He disappears from the annals after this, and seems to have been relatively quickly replaced as lieutenant by Elmo.
- Elmo: Apparently appointed by the Lieutenant to replace Candy, shortly after Candy's election to the position. This would have been sometime after Elmo returned with 70 missing Company brothers, and rendezvoused with the rest of the Company in Chimney 19 days after their arrival there. He appeared to be second-in-command during subsequent events ("Shaggy Dog Bridge: A Black Company Story" and The White Rose).
- Lady: Appointed at the beginning of the Company's service to Taglios. Assumed captainship after the presumed death of Croaker and the isolation of other officers during the Siege of Dejagore. Later resigned the position when Croaker returned and was again appointed lieutenant.
- Suvrin: Appointed by Sleepy following the Battle for the Grove of Doom. When Sleepy was killed in combat during the Battle of Taglios, he assumed the captaincy.