Aethelgard was very much idyllic. It's homes, built from salvaged materials and painted in faded browns, huddled together like survivors clinging to each other. Yet, despite its scars, a spirit of resilience pulsed through the village. The land is parched and cracked, with only a few scraggly bushes and stunted trees clinging to life. The sun rised, as the wind threw dust devils that danced across the plains.
Aethel mountains rose up and hid the small town under the giant trees growing high up from the ground, making it almost impossible to spot from up above.
Aethelgard was in the middle of the jurisdiction of Verdeten and Greybourne, making it a grey zone. Truly no-one had complete control over this small, yet bustling settlement. It's citizens consisted mostly of Senior Citizens, and their in-laws. The grandmothers welcomed the migrant soldiers with open arms, enjoying their fleeting company. The women whispered tales of their husbands going off to wars, while the grandfathers narrated their life experiences. Children practiced swordplay with wooden sticks, their laughter mingling with the clang of metal from the training grounds. Some women patched worn armor, their weathered hands speaking of past battles and an unwavering will as they cared for the soldiers, an fulfilling duty of theirs.
Dyso heartbeat starts to normalize while overlooking the small patch of land their soldiers were allowed to train on. The air is thick, filled with only the grunting sounds of their soldiers practicing against their assigned partner. Rukai laid beside him on the earth completely out of breath feeling the comfort of the soft grass on his back.
"Since when did you get so good, Karyk?", Rukai asks him while gasping for another large breath.
"I just...uh...got lucky. That's really it.". Dyso's eye twitches as he hears his old name.
He's not the Royal Guard to the princess anymore. 'Dyso' hasn't been bestowed upon him. Atleast not yet. Karyk is only a shell of what Dyso used to be. An annoyed sigh released Karyk's lips as the pent-up frustration starts to get the better of him. He couldn't spot Hallend and a few soldiers in the crowd. Something didn't sit right with him. Why was the leader not motivating, otherwise hone their skills?
"Why isn't Hallend with us? That old man should be teaching us something.", Karyk scoffed.
"Oh, you mean the cap'n? Him and some soldiers he deemed fit for chore went out on a scouting run. Out on look-out so that the village is safe and not having Greybourne's forces creeping up on us, you know?", Rukai confided.
"But what if some-thing happens to the town, like an invasion by mercenaries who got tipped out? Or we get overrun by those Tyirs we've been hearing about all this time? What then?", Karyk howled in anger, while clenching his fists and gripping his sword to his side as strong as he physically can.
Rukai stands up, with his breath now wavering calmly. He brings his sword up, before it makes a screeching sound as it glides along his friend's weapon. Karyk smirks while tightening his posture as he rivals the sword with his own. Both of them lock in against each other with an agressive stance ready for another round of training, with the tips of their metal swords kissing.
"That's what we are here for."
-
As the sunrays get cut off from the mountains, night looms over the town.
Only to be illuminated by lamps lit by fire at wooden posts, and the moonlight brightens up the atmosphere. The soldiers march onto the makeshift tables setting their bodies down on the creaky wooden benches as they massage their sore muscles. Smelling the scent in the air, Karyk is convinced him and his mates would be eating lavishly.
"Tonight", Imini exclaimed with a higher voice and slamming down a bucket made of jute on the long benches making a loud sound. "You men are having Jekiu meat! Along with devilled Sandworm eggs, and bread! Don't worry about the rumors, they're only bad if you don't live to savor them."
The bench starts laughing and showing their enthusiasm. Karyk dejects a sigh while Rukai comforts him while slapping his back repeatedly with whole hearted laugh.
As the soldiers munch on their meals, the air hummed with conversations with the occasional loud rantings of the soldiers expressing their hate for Greybourne and reminiscing their lost ones. The mood on the benches swinged like a pendulum varying from joy to sorrow as the sounds of clattering of clay bowls filled the periodic silence. The young lonely maidens of the town served the soldiers meals, while some of them locked eyes on each other, igniting love interests.
Imini wasn't kidding. This meat was tender, and cooked just right on point. Right as Karyk was about to stand up with his empty bowl, a young maiden shouldering over him made him stop in his tracks.
"H-Here. More fuel for you..", the lass muttered while filling up his plate with another fill of food.
"Thank you. What's your name, girl?", Karyk enquired.
"Uniy. I-I'm grateful to be of help to you...!", she exclaimed while having her hands clasped in front of her.
"Over here!", Imini called out to Uniy. "2 more servings!" Uniy snapped out of her submissive stance and ran to serve diligently.
After she was done, she kept her eyes on Karyk, while they occasionally made eye contact. Karyk sported a flirtacious smile making her look away from time to time. Rukai nudged him with his elbow with a smug look every so often. When not feeling like a hole being stared onto him, Karyk's thoughts wandered off somewhere else. Hallend with his group hasn't yet returned. It's night time, they should be back by now. Did something bad happen to them? Greybourne?
Exhaling a deep sigh, Karyk is still relieved that he diverted the caravan off the ambush that he experienced in his first run.
Fastening his pace eating, he gulped down his sorrows.
"Hallend!" A joyful scream cut through the atmosphere catching everyone's attention.
Karyk immediately stands up turning around and letting the sight sink in.
