Post by Wargamer on Mar 5, 2005 17:11:15 GMT -5
"My name is Jacob Messen, and I am a Man of Evad.
"It was the first day of my thirteenth year. We sat at the breakfast table, eating porridge and cold chicken left from last night, when I told my father I wished to march with Sergeant Fordyce. The table fell silent at my words, and I saw a gleam of pride in my father's eyes.
"After breakfast, he took me aside, to the house armoury, and drew out an iron shortsword. It lacked the deep, blue-steel sheen of a true Evadian blade, but I had seen it before. It was the sword my elder Sister had taken when I was but eight years of age as she marched to war, and the earning of her colours.
"My father also gave me a shield. It was wooden, with iron bands to strengthen its rim. The heraldry-face was painted white. Finally, he granted me a spear, telling me that sometimes it was better to aid a stronger ally than try to find glory for myself.
"For six days I trained with sword and spear. I sparred often with my friends, or elder members of our village. Gaveth, the village Bard, enjoyed challenging me the most, although his mastery of that twirling, twin-headed blade was such that I was helpless before him, and he always left me weaponless, and stumbling to the dirt.
"At last, Fordyce came, and with him his regiment. Close to two-dozen other youths, the oldest no more than sixteen, the youngest at most twelve, marched with him. I stepped forward to answer his summons, as did my friend Samuel, and a girl named Katrina, two years my elder.
"'The road that lies before you will be hard,' Fordyce told us, 'what you will face is the true test of a man or woman. You will be surrounded by death... but death in battle is an honour greater than most in this world, so do not fear it. Many do at first, for the world is filled with the weak, and they would wish our people to share their weakness. You have been taught and tempered by your friends and families, and now I shall continue your training, such as I can give.'
"We bade farewell to our quiet little world, and were quickly drilled in how to march in formation. As I had a spear, and some skill with it, I was put in the second rank of the regiment. Samuel and Katrina were somewhere behind me. We all chatted exitedly to each other as we marched, and after a few miles, and sense of formation had all but faded. Fordyce didn't seem to mind; 'Whiteshields are ramshackle bunches, best let them do what they do,' he told me later.
"We marched across the land for close to two months, stopping often to gather new recruits, or when Fordyce wished to teach us. In truth, he taught very little of combat, save to repeat that which we knew already. However, he taught us about honour, and discipline. He taught us how to fight in groups, rather than alone as we had always done. He taught us of how to behave when we joined an army, how to set up a camp, how to guard a supply caravan, and many other things besides. Possibly his most popular lesson was how to have sex without disturbing the camp, probably given because of the activities of the Kanad recruits.
"Finally, our wanderings brought us to a quiet little mountain pass, a horizon away from Vulcania. Men had gathered there already, a small army comprised mainly of Free Military. We set up camp, but few of us could sleep; the prospect of battle was an oppertunity too good to miss. Many of the party seemed eager to share in each others company, as did I, although perhaps for different reasons. I found myself sitting in a tent with Samuel and Katrina, wrapped in our fur blankets for warmth. We talked about what the dawn would bring, and the fame and glory we would earn. We all grew closer that night, sharing our deepest secrets and feelings as if the night were our last. What exactly it was we shared I have no intention of telling; such things are kept between us."
"It was the first day of my thirteenth year. We sat at the breakfast table, eating porridge and cold chicken left from last night, when I told my father I wished to march with Sergeant Fordyce. The table fell silent at my words, and I saw a gleam of pride in my father's eyes.
"After breakfast, he took me aside, to the house armoury, and drew out an iron shortsword. It lacked the deep, blue-steel sheen of a true Evadian blade, but I had seen it before. It was the sword my elder Sister had taken when I was but eight years of age as she marched to war, and the earning of her colours.
"My father also gave me a shield. It was wooden, with iron bands to strengthen its rim. The heraldry-face was painted white. Finally, he granted me a spear, telling me that sometimes it was better to aid a stronger ally than try to find glory for myself.
"For six days I trained with sword and spear. I sparred often with my friends, or elder members of our village. Gaveth, the village Bard, enjoyed challenging me the most, although his mastery of that twirling, twin-headed blade was such that I was helpless before him, and he always left me weaponless, and stumbling to the dirt.
"At last, Fordyce came, and with him his regiment. Close to two-dozen other youths, the oldest no more than sixteen, the youngest at most twelve, marched with him. I stepped forward to answer his summons, as did my friend Samuel, and a girl named Katrina, two years my elder.
"'The road that lies before you will be hard,' Fordyce told us, 'what you will face is the true test of a man or woman. You will be surrounded by death... but death in battle is an honour greater than most in this world, so do not fear it. Many do at first, for the world is filled with the weak, and they would wish our people to share their weakness. You have been taught and tempered by your friends and families, and now I shall continue your training, such as I can give.'
"We bade farewell to our quiet little world, and were quickly drilled in how to march in formation. As I had a spear, and some skill with it, I was put in the second rank of the regiment. Samuel and Katrina were somewhere behind me. We all chatted exitedly to each other as we marched, and after a few miles, and sense of formation had all but faded. Fordyce didn't seem to mind; 'Whiteshields are ramshackle bunches, best let them do what they do,' he told me later.
"We marched across the land for close to two months, stopping often to gather new recruits, or when Fordyce wished to teach us. In truth, he taught very little of combat, save to repeat that which we knew already. However, he taught us about honour, and discipline. He taught us how to fight in groups, rather than alone as we had always done. He taught us of how to behave when we joined an army, how to set up a camp, how to guard a supply caravan, and many other things besides. Possibly his most popular lesson was how to have sex without disturbing the camp, probably given because of the activities of the Kanad recruits.
"Finally, our wanderings brought us to a quiet little mountain pass, a horizon away from Vulcania. Men had gathered there already, a small army comprised mainly of Free Military. We set up camp, but few of us could sleep; the prospect of battle was an oppertunity too good to miss. Many of the party seemed eager to share in each others company, as did I, although perhaps for different reasons. I found myself sitting in a tent with Samuel and Katrina, wrapped in our fur blankets for warmth. We talked about what the dawn would bring, and the fame and glory we would earn. We all grew closer that night, sharing our deepest secrets and feelings as if the night were our last. What exactly it was we shared I have no intention of telling; such things are kept between us."