Chapter 6: Setting out

  Julien

  The next morning dawned overcast with dark clouds obscuring the sky Julien sighed as he resigned himself to having to march in wet mud he walked down the steps of the front entrance into the cool morning air. He was supposed to meet the others out here so they could all go to the armorer together but it looked as if they had gone on with out him. Only Altaya was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs her uniform as crisp and clean as ever and a pack on her back.

  He couldn’t help the grin that broke out on his face.

  “What’s got you so happy?”

  “Like you aren’t just as excited as me to be going out of the city for the first time in our lives,” he snorted. The words seemed to snap her out of whatever facade she had attempted to put up and smile broke out on her face her eyes playful.

  Julien knew the feeling he had lived with it for his whole life. He had always craved excitement, craved adventure, even danger it had gotten him into a lot of trouble when he was younger. His mother used to tell him stories of fantastical place and wondering heroes. He thought he had long ago abandoned such silly feelings in himself but once they had learned they were leaving the city on patrol he had felt his own yearning for adventure rise up within him.

  A sudden smack to the back of the head pulled him from his memories. “Come on get out of your head! The others are waiting for us at the infirmary. I for one want to get this mission underway before the Commander changes his mind.” He groaned but struck out with his foot in retaliation. Atraya danced back crooking her finger at him mockingly.

  “Not happening. You haven’t ever gotten me back and you never will.” With that she turned and began to jog away from him heading for the armory building by the gatehouse.

  The armorer, professor Hegseth was impatiently pacing back and forth when they arrived a scowl deep in his lined face. He was a heavier set man shorter than most but wider than a carriage. He had long silver hair that went down the base of his neck and an unkempt beards.

  He had always been the recluse of all the staff from what Julien had picked up from the groundskeepers as not many wanted to learn blacksmithing in the academy. Many saw it as a peasants art. He scowled when he spotted Julien and Atraya jogging toward him he pulled his large leather gloves from his black apron and slipped them on. Then without saying a word he ducked into the squat little building that served as the armory for the academy.

  “Why are you always late?” Carlouse complained as he and Atraya joined the rest of them standing in a line at parade rest. Atraya stuck her tongue out at him but Julien didn’t answer Carlouse instead he looked at the giant form of Aramin that was shifting from one foot to the other in excited anticipation.

  “Wow Aramin! That excited to get a real weapon?” The big guy turned and just seemed to notice Julien had arrived. His lips split in a toothy grin.

  Of course I am! Though you’re one to talk you are practically glowing,” He shot back.

  I’m not that obvious,” Julien scoffed but Katrina cleared her throat glancing shyly up at him.

  “Actually yes you are,” she said pointing to his hands which he had been idly wringing. He dropped them to his sides feeling the heat creep up his cheeks he glared that the small woman but a snicker nearby had him looking up to see Carlouse hiding a smile behind his hand.

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  A rustling from the building caught their attention and they went quiet seconds later the burly man exited the building a stack of weapons being pulled on a cart behind him. He came to a stop just in front of them and looked over their uniforms. He paced the line stopping in front of Julien and roughly fixing his collar. He continued fixing up their uniforms until it seemed they were satisfactory to him then be nodded sharply and turned back to the cart.

  “You have all been trained in the maintaining and upkeep of weapons so I won’t give you a speech but hear me when I tell you if I even find a spot of rust on these weapons I’ll personally make sure you are scrubbing every weapon in the armory for the next week! Am I understood?!” He then pulled out five wrapped bundles and about three feel long and handed one to each of them.

  Julien looked down at the weapon in his hands and with trembling hands he reached down and unwrapped the weapon. It was a simple hand and a half broadsword of leaf shape with a practical and unadorned hilt and blade. The handle was simple wrapped black leather and the pommel only had a simple three crossed sword design etched into it. The black leather scabbard and belt were similar unadorned but fit with their uniforms well. It was a completely different tool than his training blade he’d been carrying around for three years.

  Hegseth spent the next ten minutes watching as they strapped on the weapons to their hips, he gave them one last lecture of maintaining the weapons before sending them off toward the front gate. They each carried the heavy packs filled what they might need during the trip. Some bandages a rolled cloak, utensils, fire starter and some basic food. They each knew that patrols to the countryside could last a couple days at most if they never knew what they could need. In addition to the the swords at their sides now they also each had a belt knife strapped to the back attached to the belt.

  There was nothing else Julien could perceive them needing. They assumed the guards would have everything else.

  What Julien hadn’t been expecting was the almost two dozen guards in padded gambesons and tabards emblazoned with the three swords pointed down Sunil of the kingdom. Their tabards were black With gold trim with the digits etched in white. Each wielded a leaf bladed spear and a basic arming sword at their side.

  A normal patrol consisted of about ten guards and this was more than double that amount over forty of the men stood in a straight-backed formation just inside the gate a young man with a wispy mustache stood at the head of the formation his metal helm tucked under one arm. He bowed when he spotted Julien. A chill struck Julien as several facts popped into place upon seeing the guards. He stopped in his tracks unable to believe his line of thought. But what was even worse in his mind was that he was even more sure that he was right.

  The others walked up and got into line facing the troops. As Julien got into line all forty troops bowed at the waste to him. The awkward coughs from the other members of his team did manage to bring a brief smile to his face but the conflict in his mind had him clenching his teeth. He stepped forward and returned the bow as his mother had always taught him. He did his best to hide his feelings behind a smile as he straightened and prepared to addressed the captain.

  Then he stopped and just nodded politely.

  “If you will follow us when we exit the city we will provide details on our route and what to expect. We hope for a safe patrol!” Julien just nodded again not trusting himself to say anything. His emotions were in boiling inside him as the formation turned and began the steady march out of the fortress. They followed but Julien wasn’t paying attention really. He knew they weren’t going to have a peaceful trip. He was nearly certain. The reason was quite obvious now that he had time to think about it. He couldn’t believe his father was using him as bait.