Gregory was assigned a bunk closest to the door, it was first come first serve and he was nearly last to arrive thanks to his delivery errand, it was at least a ground bunk though.

Kristoff had shown him the bunkhouse, the toilets, the bathhouse and the ‘chow hall’ and gotten him a uniform from some shelves by the door.

Silence had fallen in the previously loud and rowdy room as soon as the paladin had stepped in and his rough voice explaining the rules was loud in the large room.

The rules were fairly simple. Stay on this side of the path after dinner hours, absolutely no intergender mixing in either bunkhouse, breakfast was early and dinner was served late.

Hopefuls were expected to rise early and ready in uniform, keep their bunks clean and get along with one another.

It was all pretty straight forward and almost universally the punishment for any major infraction was immediate expulsion from the compound.

Day or night.

After Kristoff had left the silence had hung in the air for a heartbeat or two and then suddenly everyone was loudly asking questions.

‘Who are you? What’d you do for the Order? Why’d a Paladin show you the rules and bunks? We all got lousy guardsmen to do that.’

The room was in an uproar and the boys crowded around Gregory, all pestering him for answers.

It was overwhelming.

His panic must have shown on his face because a large boy, one he vaguely recognized, shouted loudly.

“Alright alright! Back up ya turnips!” He said as he got in front of him and waved his arms. Shooing the crowd back. The large boy had short brown hair and was densely muscled for his age.

Gregory racked his brain trying to place where he knew the boy from but he came up blank. The boy turned to Gregory after the crowd had grudgingly dispersed and held out his hand. Gregory grasped his meaty forearm and remembered in a rush that the boy was the blacksmith’s son, which explained his size as well as his firm grip.

They had met several times when Gregory and his father had commissioned new tools to be made.

Tomlinson is their last name but I can’t remember his first.

“Quill right?” Tomlinson asked and Gregory nodded.

“Gregory Quill. Your Tomlinson, of Tomlinson’s smithing?” Gregory asked.

The large boy nodded and smiled widely. His brown eyes twinkled and his front two teeth had large gaps around them but he didn't seem bothered by it.

“Aye that's right! Name’s Illinis but everyone calls me Lin. Surprised you ‘member me.” They released each other's arms and Gregory tiredly flopped down onto his bunk.

“We buy tools from you often enough. Best in town, my mother says.” He rummaged through his bag.

“She likes your steel the best, says it keeps it keeps an edge the longest.”

Lin beamed and sat on a vacant bed across from. “Well I’m glad to hear that.”

Gregory put his pack down.

“So, what’re we supposed to do?” He asked.

Lin shrugged. “Nothin for now, all the tests start before first light tomorrow. There’s food in the chowhall and baths. Some of these turnips have taken to fighting and wrestling but really we’re just waiting until tomorrow.”

Gregory nodded along. It fit with what he had heard of the trials.

They sat and talked a little more and Gregory found he liked the boy and they got along well. At some point they went and had dinner and Kellendry had sat with them. She had obviously found the baths and had changed into the uniform and the change was striking. Gregory had to resist the urge to stare and had to tear his eyes away from her several times.

Kellendry ate ravenously, filling her plate three times. The food was good, if a little bland but it was served in bulk and was of decent quality.

The three of them attracted their fair share of stares, word obviously had spread about how they had been dropped off by Kearin personally and while most simply stared there were a few that looked at them in contempt.

The first night was difficult, some of the boys wept silently in their bunks and Gregory himself fought tears but eventually he drifted off. They awoke to a guardsmen shouting from the door and banging a pan with a stout stick.

“Get up! Up! The trials start now you runts!” And so they all scrambled to get dressed in the provided uniforms and lined up outside.

That day was easily the most difficult and more than half the room was empty that night. The long runs, obstacle courses and exercises weeded out large swathes of the recruits. Interestingly it didn’t seem to be a requirement to finish the different tasks, only that you didn’t quit. Those that quit were sent to the bunkhouse to wait for the trials to end or for their parents to pick them up. Gregory had thought it was hard but it was also easier than he thought it would be.

Lin and Kellendry made it past the first day as well and they ate dinner together and laughed about their day. Gregory went to bed exhausted and smiling that night, dreaming of being a paladin.

The next day was spent with wooden practice swords, learning basic forms and then sparing. First with instructors and other guardsmen recruits then with each other. That night saw all the boys battered and bruised but most were smiling.

Gregory snapped awake and stared at the bunk above him. For a moment he was confused and didn’t know where he was but the memories of earlier that day came slowly back along with sore muscles and aching bruises.

Right, I’m in the trials. What woke me up though? He lay still, willing himself to go back to sleep but some muttered whispering reached his ears.

He strained to hear what the boys were talking about but they were far away. One boy laughed and the others shushed him quickly. Something in the quality of the hushed voices put Gregory on edge. The laugh, before it was cut off, was cruel and had a wicked edge to it and it made him try harder to hear what they were talking about. There was a shuffling of feet and in the stillness of the bunkhouse he could abruptly hear the whispered words. Like someone who had been standing in the way had moved and the sound could now reach his straining ears.

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What he heard made his blood run cold.

“I say we sneak to the women’s bunkhouse and snatch her now. Why wait? Everyone’s asleep.” One boy whispered angrily.

“Yeah! ‘Sides aint like anyone gonna say anything. She’s just some street trash. I Seen her in the streets ‘fore this. Begging and the like.” Said another before continuing on. “Lets go o’er there, snatch her, have our fun behind the bunkhouse and leave. Quick as that.”

Gregory’s cold dread switched to rage. There was only one girl they could be talking about.

Kellendry.

What’s worse was the murmur of agreement that came from the other boys.

I could run and try to find a Guardsmen or a Paladin. But that would take too long and the other bunkhouse isn’t that far away, they’ll be there in minutes. I don’t even know if there’s a night watch or anything so there’s no guarantee that I’d even find someone at all. I think it’s up to me. Lin will back me though, surely he will.

His heart began to race.

The group had apparently decided to leave while his mind was racing and they approached the door by his bed with quiet steps. Realizing that if he wanted Lin’s support he’d have to confront them before they stepped outside he rallied his bravery and stood abruptly. Putting himself between them and the door.

“Ay! Scared the piss from me. Outta the way Quill.” The little toady boy in the front said in surprise. The boy behind him whispered loudly.

“Yeah, go back to bed. We were just heading to the toilet.”

Gregory’s heart was racing and he doubted himself for a second. Thinking maybe he had misheard them plotting to harm his friend. That his sleepy brain was tricking him and maybe he had dreamt it.

No. I know what I heard. He straightened his back.

“You’re not headed to the toilet, first of all you’re out the wrong door and second. I heard what you were saying. Go back to your beds.” He said, doing his best impression of his father telling him what to do. The boys were speechless for a moment and then the little one from earlier sneered.

“Fancy her do ya? Seems fitting. The rock hauling mongrel and the street trash beggar. Well there’s four of us and one of you. Whatcha gonna do Quill? Fight us all?” The second boy, the one that had told him they were going to the toilets looked uneasily from Gregory to the small boy. The other two seemed to get agitated though, like they wanted a fight.

“I will if I have to. You do this though and you’ll all be dropped from the trials. Fighting will get you expelled. Remember?” He tried to reason with them.

Other boys were waking up now and watching with wide eyes. The muted light from the fireplace cast the room in an eerie glow and his heart beat faster.

He didn’t want to fight, he’d never been in a real fight. Scuffles with his friends and the neighborhood boys sure but that was different.

Toady looked around at the staring eyes and seemed to deflate.

Maybe he’ll realize how stupid he looks and now with all the witnesses he won’t get away with it.

Toady sneered at Gregory after a moment and said loudly.

“Quill! Quit blocking my way to the toilets. I gotto go!” He complained as he hopped from foot to foot. His two followers chuckled.

Toady tried to push past Gregory so he stepped in the way and blocked the door.

“Aye! Quill don’t shove!” He cried as he dropped himself on his rear.

Gregory stared down at the boy in disbelief.

Then a fist connected to his jaw and all he saw was a flash of light. He stumbled back and immediately put his hands by his head, something he had learned to do earlier that day.

His hand came up just in time to deflect another punch aimed at the other side of his head and the fist impacted his forearm instead. He ducked and backed up, trying to get some distance between them.

He blinked hard and fast, trying to regain his vision.

Toady was up and standing behind the two larger boys who were advancing on his position. He kept his arms up and dropped into a lower stance. Goon number one got to him first and immediately threw a wide punch that probably everyone in the bunk saw coming.

Gregory ducked it and threw a hard jab at the open midsection of the overstretched boy. The boy huffed loudly and stumbled back from the hard jab, holding his stomach. His gut had been soft, the muscles loose rather than being flexed and Gregory’s quick jab had hundreds of hours swinging a hammer behind it.

Goon number two was quickly coming into range though. He swung both fists with wild abandon, looking more animal-like than human.

Gregory dodged as best he could but inevitably more than a few landed, some across the top of his head and a few on his ears. One lucky shot got him right in the eye and Gregory saw stars and fell. Goon number one had recovered his breath and jumped on the downed boy and began pummeling his face.

Blow after blow rained down and Gregory covered his head with his hands, trying to block as many as he could.

After what felt like hours but was only a few moments the larger boy grew tired and his blows had less and less power behind them as his breath came in ragged gasps.

Gregory had tried to buck him off by raising his hips but the larger boy was too heavy. Then suddenly the weight was gone in a flash and there was a meaty thwack followed by a grunt.

He wiped his eyes and rolled over, blood dripped freely from his nose onto the floor. He stood up unsteadily and saw that Lin had indeed joined the fight.

Goon one was laying on the floor unmoving and Lin and goon two were squaring off. The timid boy that had looked uneasy was nowhere to be found and toady was backing away looking decidedly unsure of the situation.

All the other boys were mostly still in their beds, watching with rapt attention. Some had climbed out but they seemed unsure of what to do.

Lin and the other boy exchanged blows but Lin had grown up in a smithy, hauling iron, charcoal and wood and his endurance easily outmatched the other boy’s. It ended with Lin grappling the boy into a headlock and holding him until he tapped frantically at the arm around his neck.

“Lin, let im go. He’s done.” Gregory slurred through a split lip.

Lin squeezed harder for a heartbeat and then let go of the red face boy. He fell forward gasping for breath.

Lin looked at Gregory. “Fucking hell Quill, your face is a wreck. What the fuck happened? I woke up and saw you getting your face beat and jumped in.”

Gregory grimaced. The pain was almost blinding but he forced the words out, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“This lot was planning to snatch Kellendry from the woman’s bunk and do who knows what to her! I heard them.”

There were several small gasps and Lin’s face darkened. Gregory looked around but couldn’t spot the timid boy in the crowd so he looked for toady. He had backed to the fireplace and had grabbed the iron poker from its peg on the wall.

“Thass a right lie! I was going to the toilet and he blocked my way! Said somethin about a fee or a tax.” The little boy said, brandishing the poker like it was sword and pointing it at Gregory threateningly.

Gregory’s anger rose at toady’s words.

“I heard you! You said you’d snatch her, have your fun with her and leave!” He yelled at the smaller boy.

Toady was now stalking toward Gregory, his face red with anger and the iron rod held low in front of him.

“I aint never said such things!” Goon number two was sitting up now, one hand gently probed at his neck and the other held his nose shut.

“Tell him Allen! We were just going to the toilet!” Allen, or goon two, just shook his head and scooted back. Looking for all the world like he wanted no part of this anymore.

“Bah!” Toady yelled. “Like I’d want that disgusting gutter trash anyway!” He said as he threw the poker back to the fireplace where it clattered onto the ground and stomped back to his bunk.

Gregory seethed at the disrespect and he couldn’t help himself.

“Don’t you still need the toilet? Eh toady?” The boy’s head snapped back and he glared at Gregory. His eyes glanced down at his two friends laying on the ground and then back up at Lin and Gregory.

“I think I’ll just piss on your bed Quill.” He said with as much venom as the small boy could muster.

Gregory was about to retort when the door burst open and several guardsmen rushed in yelling.