Amateur Wars

[donteatpoop]

It was raining when they rode into town; a steady soaking downpour that left them cold and numb. There were two men, both knights of the crown; and a boy who couldn’t have seen more than ten summers. They were soaked to the bone, their blue cloaks darkened to midnight shades; steam rose from the destriers bodies in ghostly tendrils.

“Run door to door and tell the good people to come out, lad;” the elder knight said. Dutifully the young man did just that, running to each of the score and five doors in the small town. Meanwhile the knights stood under the downpour; the reigns to their steeds well in hand.

“I’ll be glad when we’re done with the fool mission,” the other knight complained. He was handsome of face with piercing blue eyes, high cheekbones, and cheeks covered with dark hair. There was an underlying hardness to his face as well, and signs that his nose had been broken a few times.

“Patience, Talmod; this mission is no fool’s errand. The tribes are restless in the East and with the war on our Southern borders his grace can spare only so many knights.”

“They’re peasants, Dakken; they’re not worth the cold I’ll get from this rain.”

“Our place is not to question the orders of our sovereign king,” Dakken replied; twisting at the ends of his long white mustache. His head was balding but what hair he had was pulled back neatly in a ponytail. He was a tall man, and powerfully built. The signs of his age were apparent only in his diminishing hairline, crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, and the color of his hair.

“As you say, old man;” Sir Talmod answered keeping a scowl on his face as the villagers slowly stepped out from their homes and congregated before the knights. “Would it kill them to have a stable set up?” Talmod asked under his breath, still holding the reigns of his horse in hand.
The boy returned as the last of the villagers joined the group.

[Lovelyleo]

"Stay", Evelyn whispered to a small mutt as she left the house. The scrawny dog sat and looked at her leave, obedient as ever.

A young boy had knocked on her door seconds ago, rushing and slurring his words, telling her she should come out at once. Never one to leave the house unprepared, she had slung her arrow pouch over her head and brought her bow along. Her thick brown hair was braided back, a few loose strands framed her thin face and highlighted her bright brown eyes. She wore old riding pants, stained with saddle oil and patched in many places. Her right hand was half covered in a brown, soft leather glove. You never knew when the opportunity to shoot something would strike, and during a rough winter such as the one the village was experiencing, Evelyn was not about to waste any opportunities.

She looked back over her shoulder at her pinto horse, who looked as miserable as ever under the small wooden covering she had set up for him beside her small wooden hut.

Everyone seemed to be gathered around two men with beautiful blue cloaks. They were certainly not from anywhere close to the village. King's men...she thought as she pondered whether she should go back inside. She had heard of the king's new plan, to send out his knights and army on a recruiting spree. She walked towards them and pushed past some villagers, trying to get to the front so she could get a good look at the men.

A couple of male villagers shot her a look of disdain, as they often did. She was a twenty something year old living on her own, unwed and opinionated. She hunted for a living, and even the men who sneered at her when she walked by bought her kill. Dead parents, dead siblings, a dog and a horse for company. And she liked that just fine. She liked her simple life, being able to get up at the crack of dawn and hunt all day, no husband to tell her not to, no parents to make her wash up before dinner. She was quite unlike all the other women in the village, and because of that, she had no companions.

She stood there and examined the men. She could tell they weren't pleased with their surroundings. It was a dreary village even on a sunny day, and when it rained it turned into a swamp-like maze of muddy huts. She looked at the younger knight, taking in his features. He looked as arrogant as she pictured all the king's knights to be. The thought made her mouth twitch into a half smile.

[donteatpoop]

“Hello,” Sir Dakken began, stepping forward and clearing his throat. “I will try to make this brief so that we do not all catch cold. I am Sir Edrik Dakken, a sworn knight from House Dakken many miles to the south of here. I am far from home. I am not here because of your cursed weather.” He paused, hoping maybe for a laugh but none came.

“You said you were going to be brief;” Sir Talmod quipped from behind him quiet enough so that no one else could hear over the rain.

Edrik shot him a stern look before returning to the villagers. “I am far from home,” he said again to them. “I am here because the need of our nation is great. King Arlan’s need is great. If news has not reached your village, we are at war with Balan. Nearly all of our soldiers; knights and infantry alike, are securing our borders. Meanwhile to the East, the wild men have become bold. They have sacked four villages, much like your own; took what they needed, raped and killed and burned everything to the ground.

“This is what why we need you. Sir Talmod and I were sent to recruit here, in your village. Help us to protect your families. You will be well paid, well fed, and well respected. Distinguish yourself and there are more opportunities still.” Sir Edrik stopped a moment to let his words sink in. Thunder rumbled a low, rolling growl overhead. “We cannot return with less than three of you,” he said when the sky quieted; “Who will it be?”

The villagers looked around at one another uncertainly.

[Lovelyleo]

"You will be well paid, well fed, and well respected. Distinguish yourself and there are more opportunities still.”

Yeah right, Evelyn thought. She saw the King's army as anything but honorable and respected. But the tales they brought with them were true. She had heard of the wild men and the path of destruction they left wherever they went, and she could only imagine the horrible things that happened when they passed through little villages like her own. If the wild men came to her village, she knew only three or four people who would have a chance of escaping.

It was a poor area, filled with humble farmers and a couple of hunters. Those who owned a horse were considered to be privileged. Luckily she had been left one by her parents. She looked around at the people that had showed up. She knew one, maybe two, that would be slightly suitable for the job with a little extra training. But they were family men and simple folk. They would hardly consider joining the King's men.

"We cannot return with less than three of you."

There were nearly 60 people in the whole village, but most of them were not suited for battle. There were a lot of elders and children. Evelyn thought about what she would be leaving behind if she decided to join them. She had no family left, no relatives, and no one to answer to. All she had was her old mutt named Sam and a horse which she presumed she could take with her. And she could always leave Sam with her neighbours.

She gripped her bow and took a step forward. If she didn't leave the village she would probably go old and die there. And she had been craving a little bit of action lately.

"Take me," she said decidedly. "I'm skilled with a bow" she told them. waiting for them to begin scrutinizing her.

[donteatpoop]

Sir Talmod smirked mockingly. "This is it, then?" He asked. "A woman? Not a one of you men step forward but for a woman?!"

"We still need two more volunteers," Sir Edrik Dakken said evenly.

The villagers looked at one another uncomfortably. The rain beat down upon them all, soaking them to the bone. At last one young man stepped forward, his face holding a thin hint of promised whiskers. It was Zane, of the Dreggs farm; a boy of fifteen summers. His mother let out a sob and tried to hold him back by his tunic. He turned around briefly and hugged her, pulled away; and stepped forward again to join Evelyn's side.

"A woman and a boy," Talmod snorted. "It might be best if we don't get a third, Sir Edrik."

"We are required to bring three," Dakken responded with a look of reproach. "Volunteer or we will be forced to choose for you."

A bright flash of lightning turned the world white, followed soon after by a deafening crack of thunder. "I will come," said a sparsely toothed fat man named Gregg. He'd joined the town some ten or so years back. He was a skilled thatcher and handyman; it was said he could fix damn near anything. Aside from his trade he had no real friends in town and no family. Children were commonly warned to keep away from him and women did the same. There were more than a few in the crowd that breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped forward.

"Very well," Edrik said. "If you have a mount, bring it. If not we will provide you with one when we rejoin the army. We leave soon. So gather your belongings and say your goodbyes."

"And be quick about it," Sir Talmod said sternly; "I want out of this storm soon."

[Lovelyleo]

Evelyn watched as the others stepped forward. All in all, not as horrible as she had expected. She saw the qualities in each of the other two men, and knew that they would inevitably prove useful. As for the "woman" comment, she had been expecting it. While it had long before been ruled that women were allowed to be part of the King's men, they were still very much discriminated against. She would prove she was worthy soon enough.

She was starting to grow tired of this Sir Edrik, and she had just met him. He seemed arrogant and unwilling to say the least, and she could tell things might get confrontational. She was sure the storm and soaking wet clothes didn't help his mood.

At the mention of saying goodbyes, Evelyn turned back and headed towards her small hut. She had no goodbyes to say to anybody, and all she needed was to gather her belongings and saddle her horse. In a large leather pack she placed a few extra arrows, a pair of riding pants, and some dried food she had in the pantry. She also threw her old cloak in with a pair of nicer boots, which might come in handy if she were meeting someone of importance. She packed an extra shirt and a scarf, knowing the bitter cold would get to them soon enough. If they thought this weather was bad... well, they were in for a surprise.

She slung her bow over her shoulder prepared to leave. She patted her dog Sam on the head and walked outside, his furry paws treading the mud behind her as she walked over to her neighbor's house. An older woman opened the door and Sam obediently stepped inside. Evelyn pulled two coins from her pocket and placed them in the woman's hand. "Thank you, Mrs. Dacker. He's a good boy, won't give you trouble" she said with a half smile. She had known Mrs. Dacker, now a widow, her whole life. The old woman reached up and hugged her, a small tear running down her face. "You behave now, child. Come back in one piece" she said.

Evelyn turned on her heels, not fond of having to see her beloved Sam go, and headed to where her horse was. She patted him and began saddling him up, making sure to throw the leather pack over his back. "We're leaving this place, Firefoot" she whispered to him, pulling the reigns over his head and using a small step stool to mount him. She had put on her sturdy leather jacket and wrapped a thick scarf around her neck, which she would use as head cover if she really needed to.

She trotted over to the knights and realized she was the only one who was ready to leave. Over to a side Zane stood with his bawling mother, trying to push her away as she held on to his clothes. A small horse was by his side, and Evelyn wondered how he planned on riding a whole journey on a pony-sized animal.

[donteatpoop]

The grey skies pelted them with hard rain throughout the journey, the sound drowned out any attempt at conversation. The way was slow going and uncomfortable; a chilling, drenched affair.

After countless hours had passed the elder knight, Sir Edrick; lead them into a shallow in the side of a hill. There was already a fire going inside when they arrived and the adolescent who had attended the flames got to his feet immediately upon their arrival, taking the reins to Sir Edrick’s destrier in hand and waiting for the knight to dismount.

“Gentlemen, and lady;” the elder knight said, “We have arrived at our way-point. Tomorrow we will set out from here to join the rest of our unit; for tonight take what comfort you can in the relative warmth of the fire and protection from this unending storm.

“There’s room enough for us;” Sir Talmod Elkhart said; “but the horses will need to stay outside; I don’t want them shitting all over the floor in here.”

Once the knights had dismounted the squires took their steeds out of the cave and into the rain, returning soon after for their own mounts. The fat man from the village, Gregg; slid off the back of the first squire’s mount so that the boy could take the horse. He smiled his ugly smile at Sir Talmod. “You say I’ll be getting a horse o’ my own when we meet up with the rest of the unit?”

“Provided it can support your weight,” the young knight returned curtly, striding away from the man to get up next to the fire.

Sir Edrick stood at the entrance to the little hollow and watched as the squires and two of the new recruits from the village. The young lady seemed comfortable enough carrying the bow, perhaps she would prove useful. As for the boy, he would need training; and plenty of it if he hoped to survive the savages in the East. His stomach rumbled, he was almost hungry enough for cold rations of stale bread, hard cheese, and dried beef to seem appetizing. Almost.


[OOC: Okay, sorry for the delay. In positive news I didn't die from whatever the hell bug tried to take me out. Feel free to interact and provide dialogue and/or action for any/all characters save for Gregg, or the knights. I mean you can interact with those three, just don't give them any dialogue please.]

[Lovelyleo]

Evelyn let some men take her horse, trusting he would be properly taken care of. She fed him a small chunk of oats she pulled from her pocket, and patted him on the neck. All of this was new to her, and she didn't like having to entrust her horse to others. The fact that his appearance was different from the majority of the King's Army horse bothered her too. She hoped she wouldn't have to give him up for the sake of appearances.

She had to stifle a sigh at the sound of someone calling her lady. Would this be the way things would work out from here on? "Lady, please shoot that man. Lady, let's go to war. Please kill these traitors, lady." The thought made her want to laugh, but everyone else looked so dreary that she decided to keep her thoughts to herself.

The fatter man, Gregg, looked miserable as ever. He was probably craving lavish food and a royal welcome, and all he had gotten was a dirty cave-like overnight post and, and a small amount of dried foods. She had never been much of an eater, and so the dried goods and stale bread were welcomed and proved as delicious as any of the things she had been able to afford back home.

She walked inside and pulled her bow off her shoulder, laying it close enough beside her that she could use it if need be. It was her only source of protection, and she was not about to go without it while surrounded by a group of strangers. She sat for a little while and watched the men go about their business. When it seemed that no one was too delighted about the food, she stood up and approached Sir Talmod.

She bowed slightly, enough to show respect but not too much more. "Sir Talmod, Evelyn Steel. May I offer my hunting services?" she said politely yet firmly.

[donteatpoop]

“On a night like this?” Sir Talmod asked, gesturing at the continuous downpour outside. The rain had been steady all day and thus far through the night. It wasn’t entirely uncommon for long storms during this time of year, but this one seemed exceptionally lengthy. In a few weeks it would turn to snow.

“So hunting then?” the knight asked, giving her an appraising up and down look that appeared to have more with taking in the shape of her body than anything else. “That explains the bow. What do you hunt around here?"

[Lovelyleo]

Evelyn's ears picked up the sounds of the rain hitting the smooth rocks outside, and for the first time since the trip had started she longed for home. She thought about the many days she had spent curled up by the fire, listening to the rain his the roof. Once in a while they would get thunder, and the whole house would shake. She ran her fingers along her bow and looked back at Sir Talmod.

"There's still animals to be found in the rain, Sir. They hide, that's all" she said simply. The many small critters she was used to hunting could definitely be found around their camping place. Perhaps no deer or wild boars, but a couple of fat rabbits would do the trick.

"If you would like, I can fetch some rabbit. Squirrels too" she offered politely. She wanted him to know straight off the bat that she would be a useful addition.