“All of ya, get ya bums over here and get in line!” The big booming voice came from a man that was most definitely in uniform. What was strange, was that his voice made him stand out extremely well, even better then the uniform that he was wearing!

I guessed that this person was Lieutenant Black, and I was surprised to see that he also had a pot belly and a beard, confusing me greatly.

Many others in uniform here, looked like they could run for ages, whereas…

I really wondered if my life being in his hands was going to cause me any troubles…I didn’t want troubles.

I had just casted all my other past troubles away!

Sighing, I see the Lieutenant was smiling mischievously, while looking at all of us lining up and I just couldn’t hold back my worrisome thoughts…

He was going to cause me trouble! I just had this feeling!

 

We had been waiting around for half an hour, watching others say goodbye to their families and stragglers come up in the last minute, running as fast as they could to get to the meeting area.

I hadn’t met very many people outside of Billings residence, so nearly everyone here was new. There were two strange occurrences, like someone being carried by two men, but they were quickly all on their bums, when Lieutenant Black got to them…

The other strange occurrence was someone travelling on a horse and the horse didn’t stop and went straight past us. I say it’s a strange occurrence because that same person came back all dirty but not riding his horse, it ended up walking beside him instead.

Both times laughter filled the area and a booming voice stating something about ‘incoming failures’.

Lieutenant Black was obviously the one in charge at the moment but there were also a few sergeants under him who were around stating that it was time for the families to go.

Compared to the Lieutenant, the sergeants felt like less trouble for me…

 

It looked like we had been late, upon first arrival, as they had been waiting for people to arrive for four hours already. But after the two strange occurrences, our tardiness was never brought up.

Still, I wasn’t one to be late. When I was late, I got a beating…

My father…Did he talk to me too much before we left to get here?

I was pulled by Neil then, making me turn towards him, he gave me a paper from the family, stating that I was the family son to be sent, while Neil had one stating he was a steward from Billings residence.

There were three lines, that were quite long, and a few sergeants went down them to get all the papers. There were a few other officers to the side and the sergeants gave them the papers and they started to flip through them.

“Castle residence go into the barracks.”

I looked around and found three people leaving the line and going ahead into something in front of us. It didn’t really look like anything spectacular…But apparently, it was a barracks…

“It’s where they will train us.”

I looked at Neil and nodded, a little surprised that he knew what I was thinking…

 

“Jude residence, go to the barracks.”

“Duncan residence, go to the barracks.”

“Billings residence, go to the barracks.”

Neil took my arm once again and did what the others did when they got called out.

We walked past the wall and it showed a number of buildings and spaces, in the large walled off area. I was told that I will most likely have to try out different things, to see if I have any kind of talent with anything. My father also told me that since I’m so young, that if I didn’t show any talent for anything, that I will most likely become an assistant, so I was not to worry.

We saw the people up ahead, standing in front of officers on a raised platform and a group of them already heading off to a location, making me wonder if we were going to start training straight away.

When we got there, an officer was talking to a few other people already there, “One handed, all of you?”

“Yes sir.”

Looking up at us, the officer asked, “Any of you one-handers?”

I shook my head, then heard the steward next to us say, “Is axe under that? I have chopped trees before.”

The officer put out a hand and waved it, “You can try both one handed and two handed. Ok you, and you three, come with me.”

Then they walked off, leaving one more officer and another group coming towards us from outside.

“Those of you who weren’t here before, the archery has already left, they are in that direction. The one-handed weapons is in that direction.”

One person followed a direction to what the officer had pointed into, and the rest stayed put.

“Just wait for a few of the sergeants to get here.”

 

As we waited for more people to gather and a few sergeants, a few more people were shown where the archery training and the one-handed training was, but Neil and I continued to stay there.

Some of the new recruits did speak to us, but I had said nothing in return, making them think at first that I was ignorant…Neil had told them, seeing them grumble, that ‘he’ was mute.

Actually, it was probably a good idea that I didn’t speak, as I wasn’t a man.

I hadn’t heard my voice in years now and I wondered if it was feminine or not…

Thinking about this though, I didn’t want to waste my time on it. I still wasn’t ready to talk, and I wasn’t sure when I would be.

If and when I do want to talk, I’ll find out then, what my voice sounded like.

Suddenly, shouting was heard outside, but no one on the inside cared, the men were chatting away, bragging about something they could do well and even two of them wanted to fight right now.

I backed a bit further away from them, not wanting to get in their way. Neil seemed to do the same, not leaving my side at all…Making me wonder how long it would last…

Since we had time, I leisurely started to slowly walk around, finding Neil accompanying me and found it fun.

Well…It was fun, until a fight really did break out, and I watched as the men punched each other, seeing it for the first time.

I found out that it was actually quite interesting, if you weren’t the one getting hit…

They held their hands in a way, so I tried to do the same with my tiny hands. Neil then put my elbow in, and I nodded at him.

Looking at how one of the men attempted to punch the other man, I put out my hand, imitating what I had seen.

I heard a chuckle and looked up innocently, wondering what was funny.

Neil stopped and then let out a cough, looking away.

Putting my hands down, I then just watched, feeling like it would be weird if I continued to imitate.

 

 

“Heyya nuggets! This one here is Lieutenant Black, say ‘yes sir’!”

A chorus of ‘yes sir’s entered the area and the men gave the Lieutenant their attention. I found it strange that the fight had completely stopped…That was it…There were no scolding’s or grumbles…

“Aye, what a sad bunch of nuggets! You’re here now to get toughened up so that when we are in real battle…Killing our enemies…”

I don’t know why he stopped but it seemed that the others did know, because they cheered.

Then he continued, “We win!”

I raised my eyebrows…I thought that there would be a lot more of an explanation, but that was it…

Cheers flooded the area with whomever was left.

“Ya didn’t take your lot, Plank?”

The officer that had been here all this time, scratched his head, “I was tellin em all where to go!”

“Take em now, before I kick your butt into the middle of the battlefield!”

Again, I raised my eyebrows at the speech of the Lieutenant. It was indeed true, men really were different to females!

“Yes sir! Those for two handed weapons, follow me!”

I watched as a number of people followed the officer and went into a third direction away from me.

Now, there was about sixteen or so of us left.

“Little squirts, you’re with me! Sergeants take the rest!”

I felt a strange feeling go through me…

Little squirts?

Looking up at the big Lieutenant Black leaving, I think the feeling I had was because of that man!

“Get over here, little squirts, quick quick, don’t make me wait!”

Neil pulled me along, and with a few others, we followed after the Lieutenant…

I have no idea what happened to the rest of them…

 

I had seen that the archery had bows and arrows and a long distance of area.

The one-handed training grounds had a large square area, with shields and dummies. There were swords, axes and even spears. There were some other things too, but I had no idea of how they were used or what their names were, as I had never ever seen them before in my life…So, I looked around more as we continued to follow the Lieutenant.

The two-handed area looked the same as the one-handed place, but no shields. The swords and axes were bigger though and then there were more other things that I didn’t know the names of either.

In both places, the people had their one handed or two-handed metal weapons or wooden weapons and were already being taught how to use what they had, or were already striking at a dummy…

The Lieutenant stopped into a side area, that was behind a building and the wall surrounding the barracks was on the other side. I had no idea on what he wanted to do with us, as there was no training ground.

I heard laughter then, big bellowing laughter, then the Lieutenant said, “Aye, look ya all. Such sweet, innocent looks, now run like your butts depend on it! Because they do! Run around the whole area near the wall! Now go, go!”

He put out a hand to point in a direction and then slapped someone on the butt, “I mean it lads, run before I catch you!”

I was gone…I didn’t want to get slapped on the behind like that!

Neil stayed close to me and that was what we did for what felt like days!

 

 

The Lieutenant didn’t end up following us at all, instead, he walked around the area and I heard his loud, deep, manly voice everywhere it went!

If he saw one of us struggling, he would run up to them and slap them on the butt and it seemed to be enough for the rest of us to keep going…

This was when I realised that even though he had a pot belly and a beard, the Lieutenant was full of extreme vigour! He didn’t let go of his target at all!

The problem was…I started to get tired after a certain period of time, so I had to slow down! It was that or stop completely, but there was no way I was willing to stop, and luckily, I still had some energy left to go at a slower pace!

Neil asked if I was alright, so I gave him a small nod.

I had been working for two years now, nonstop. The only reason I hoped that I was getting tired was because I was still not very well. I was still probably under weight and had bruises that had not disappeared yet…But, I pushed myself and pushed myself!

All because I didn’t want to get slapped on the behind!

“Aye, for a small one you do pretty good!”

I suddenly looked to the side and stopped to the surprise of the Lieutenant being there.

“Haha!”

Then he slapped me on the behind!

I put my hands to my butt and Neil pulled me along so that I wouldn’t get slapped again…

This…That man!

I knew he was going to be trouble! I knew it!

My mind went blank to the sudden extra experience and I didn’t know how to feel about it!

 

 

After five people had stopped running and got slapped on the butt several times, the Lieutenant told them to prepare for the rest of us some food and water, then told the rest of us that we could take a break.

It was now lunch time and we were the last ones from the different training grounds to get into the eating area.

Breathing heavily, Neil sat down at one of the tables and pulled me down to sit next to him.

The five people who had to prepare our meal, brought out some water first, then left again for food, but they looked really exhausted. They weren’t allowed to get their own food and water until we were given ours, and since they were not only thirsty, but starving, they were in a hurry!

Seeing others serving me, I wasn’t too sure if I should get up and help them, I was after all a slave for two years…

“Just sit and wait.”

I looked up at Neil and wondered if he knew what I was thinking once again…It was starting to get weird…

Nodding at him, I take the water offered to me and took a small sip.

Seeing the few other men around gobble down the water and splash a bit on themselves, I looked down at the water and wondered if I should do the same…

Putting a small amount of water in my hand, I then put it onto my neck, not wanting to wet my face.

“Dam boy, you might know how to run, but you look and act like a girl!”

I looked up at a big, brawny looking man and saw him laugh at me. I had been so busy and worried about being slapped on the butt that I had not put too much effort into seeing the others running along with me. But now that I was seeing this big man in front of me…

Being reminded of the bullies at the Billings residence, I frowned…Perhaps I was just someone who would get bullied anywhere I went…

“What, no comment!? You agree then!? Haha!”

I was a girl, you big buffoon!

“You wanna pick on someone, pick on me!”

I turned to Neil, who had stood up…Suddenly, he looked really tall to me!

 

“You little runt, since you’re so good at running, you think you can beat me up!? What a joke!”

I turned back to the big, brawny man and frowned again. It was going to take me a while to get used to men…

Pulling on Neil, to get him to sit down again, he looked at me and said, “What’s wrong?”

I pulled harder and he sat down, then I turned to the brawny man and sighed.

Two men…Ever since coming here just this very morning, I already wanted to beat up two men…This man in front of me and the Lieutenant!

I will get stronger so that I can do it!

Seeing that I might get bullied, I had a sudden idea on what the candy was for!

Was father protecting me from bullies with candy then?

I smiled at the brawny man and he looked like he was stunned. I put out one candy, in hope he’ll leave us alone, and gave him the idea to take it by bringing my hand over half of the table and stretching even further.

As I waited impatiently for him to take the precious candy, I was silently cursing a losing battle to him one day, losing a battle to me that was…

“I’m Dilan, you are?” He finally took the candy from me and put it straight into his mouth, after unwrapping it.

Neil let out a huff and then said, “He’s Lorrie, I’m Neil.”

“Did I ask you, little runt!?” The big, brawny man angrily asked Neil.

“No, but he’s mute, so I answered you for him.”

“Mute?”

The brawny man, apparently named Dilan, looked back at me, which I smiled quickly again, and he smiled back, showing his candy to the side of his mouth, “Ah, what was your name again?”

“Lorrie!”

“Lorrie…”

I looked at Neil and then back at Dilan…What was going on!? Was this guy going to be just as much trouble as the Lieutenant!?

I really didn’t like the idea of losing all my candy to this big man, but I really don’t think I could fight him yet!

Please let the candy work!

Please let the candy work!