"Lem's awake. Looks like he's about to give a speech."
The words weren't even addressed to him, but they roused Cedric from his sleep all the same. He dressed hastily, leaving his armor and weapons by his bedding and sliding between the gathering crowd to get a clear look. His spirits rose for a moment; Lem was dressed for war, his armor gleaming in the warm morning sun, which was a welcome sight. The colors, the surcoat, the sword...everything pointed towards a serious announcement. Cedric was on the verge of rushing back to pick up his own armor when he saw Lem's face. It was almost as though the weather from the previous night had returned. Something absolutely dreadful had happened, and he had a feeling that it hadn't a thing to do with war.
"I have some grave news for us all. As some of you may have already heard, our captain is dead. He went last night, quietly, in his sleep."
Cedric winced. He trusted Lem with his life, but he hated being lied to. The sounds that came from the captain's tent had not escaped his razor-sharp hearing. The crackling of fire and snoring of older men were unsuccessful in drowning out the mindless ranting and liquid-fueled gasps that had invaded his dreams and robbed him of a good night's rest. Lem had ceased from talking, but his face continued to tell a story so grim that Cedric had to look away, instead observing the other men. Most looked surprised. Some looked angry. A few of the older soldiers bowed their heads and muttered a prayer, and somewhere in the mass of hard, grizzled veterans, someone was quietly sobbing.
The speech continued, switching now to tasks and jobs. One in particular caught his ear.
Foraging parties, you know your task, there shouldn't be a scrap of food left outside these walls when Godfrey the usurper gets here.
The young archer hurried away to avoid the throng of men as they went about their duties. Berislav would likely be joining him to map out a route for the day, though his nature and talent made him hard to keep up with once they were on the move. Cedric kept both eye and ear out for him as he dressed, strapping and buckling on everything from helmet to greaves. He couldn't resist a grin as he slid his bow from the bag it had been stored in. It was a fine day for shooting and, having honed every arrow to a fine point and filled his quiver to the limit, he looked forward to the hunt. He closed his eyes and plucked the string, listening to the shrill "chirp" that resonated from it. To his ears, it was a finer sound than any musician could produce on any other string. Giving his belt a tug to confirm it was tight and grabbing a bit of food for the trail, he jogged off, weaving his way through the crowd and heading for the stables.