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Back out in the fresh air of the open countryside, Walter took a moment to close his eyes and feel the heat of the sun beat against him. The slow push of the warm breeze reminded him that he was still very much alive and that he had a dream. A dream to become the very best at something. But more importantly, he dreamt of one day finding his missing friend.
A young boy named Harken, he had been gifted in every single way that he was not, and Walter had been jealous of him. He had been jealous of the way the world had given him everything that he had ever wanted, good looks, charm, and a presence that made people want to follow him anywhere. But it was only after he had found Harken out alone in the woods that he realized how similar to each other they were. Each carrying the weight of responsibility in their own way, they had each struggled with certain expectations. Which is why everything that happened next made no sense to him. Beginning with his sudden disappearance, the indifference his parents had shown, and the fact whenever he asked about Harken they all acted as though he did not exist. Walter had found it a strange and bewildering sort of punishment. Even his friend Penny refused to speak to him about it. Which made it all the more frustrating. Not only did he not know why Harken had vanished, but also why everyone was acting so odd.
Deep in his own thoughts as he wandered the dry dusty road, he didn't see Colter until he was right on top of him. A short portly man that had set up shop in the marketplace, he was a traveling merchant that was always guarded by two big beefy thugs in stained red tunics.
With one of them leering down at him with a toothy grin, Walter could feel his hot breath against him, when Colter brushed him back. “Enough of that, Boulder, can’t you see the poor lad is troubled. You wouldn’t scare him would you? Perhaps he is here seeking a remedy or an elixir to rejuvenate his poor soul. I can sell all that and more, just tell me what you need.”
And without thought he replied, “do you know Harken?”
Half expecting the same reply he usually got which was who was that? Walter felt a jolt of surprise when Colter grinned at him, “why of course, the handsome young man that is always moping about, I must say it is a shame what happened to him.”
Mouth flapping open and closed in shock at his answer, Walter couldn’t believe it, after all this time hearing nothing about him, here was someone that finally remembered him.
Unable to hide the desperation from his voice, he demanded, “tell me! Tell me what happened to him?! And why is it everyone can’t remember him?!”
His teeth broadening into an even wider smile, Colter replied, “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. That my boy is privileged information you see and will cost you a pretty penny. You wouldn’t happen to have any coin would you?”
Head shaking from side to side, the merchant held up his arms in bitter disappointment. “Then I'm afraid it shall remain a mystery to you. Although if you are truly interested in helping your friend out, you might want to try your luck up at the castle. Seems there’s a pretty hefty bounty posted on the noticeboard. Bandits by my reckoning, and camping out in Blackwing Forest.”
Not exactly sure what he was supposed to do against a group of armed brigands on his own, Walter nodded his head despondently, and started away, when he overheard one of the thugs mutter aloud, “Twenty guls says the boy will be dead before even steps foot in the Forest.”
To which the other thug replied, “thirty says he won’t even make it out of the village alive.”
Biting his tongue as he tried hard not to lose his temper, Walter had to admit that there was a good chance that would be true. After all, he had no idea how to fight, he had never been in a brawl, and at the sight of blood he would grow faint. Not exactly the ideal candidate for an adventurer seeking to go off alone into the woods.
Feeling more and more gloomy the more he thought about it, he clenched his fists, and was about to strike a tree out of frustration, when Penny popped up beside him. The small rapscallion who loved to make trouble for him and was quite possibly his only friend in the village, piping up, “Why do you want to hit that tree? He's never done anything to you.”
Half shooing her away, Walter replied, “go away, Penny, I have no time for your silly games.” To which the mousy little girl of no more than twelve summers pouted her lips, and put her hands on her hips. “But you’re not doing anything.”
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Startled as he realized that she was right, he found himself at the center of the village with everyone staring at him. Made up of mostly mud brick and thatch houses to either side of him, a stone well to draw water from, and the Mayor’s house on a hill in front of him. It was a pretty tight knit community with everyone knowing each other's business. Not to mention a lot of town gossips that liked to stir the pot.
Staring up at the rocky trail that rose up behind the Mayor’s house, he saw the great Fortress of Vergun. Built by some warlocks that had once occupied the place, it was now the home of Lord Huxelberry and his family as well as their beautiful daughter Irlena.
Decorated with white pennants on its crenellations and the flag of Tarvos, Walter could see uniformed guards patrolling its walls, and a part of the inner courtyard where warriors trained for battle. And whether it is destiny or fate that he had found himself here, Walter knew then what he had to do and began walking again with renewed determination.
Feeling more and more sure of his decision as he headed up in the direction of the old fortress, he felt Penny’s presence at his side again as she asked, “Come on, Walt, let’s go play mage in the tower. I’ll even let you be the magehunter this time, I swear.”
Shaking his arm to be rid of her, Walter replied, “just go home, Penny, I’m busy.”
Her face scrunched up in a dark scowl, she spat, “No, not until you tell me where you’re going?”
Whirling round to face the young girl, Walter snapped, “I don’t want to be your friend! You're a small weak little girl! Now go home!”
Already regretting his words as tears fell from her green eyes, Penny spun away as she ran back down the slope.
Watching her flee, Walter felt a pang of shame at chasing her off like that, but it was probably for the best. If he was going to join the army and learn how to fight, he couldn’t have a little girl hanging around him all the time. Still, he hadn’t needed to be so harsh.
Continuing the gentle climb upward, he spotted Guillard and Tommen standing watch at the portcullis. Quite familiar with them since they visited his father more than a few times, he thought they were old friends of his. Although each time they spoke to each other, his father would always chase him out of the house.
Grizzled and hard with dark brown eyes, they had short beards neatly trimmed, clean black and brown uniforms like Ludwig, and patches on the left sides of their chest as well as golden sashes.
Carrying rifles on their shoulders, they gazed down at Walter with curiosity as he strode up to meet them, when the oldest Tommen barked, “You have no business being up here, lad. Best ye turn that head of yours around and go back down.”
Planting his feet firmly in the ground however, Walter declared in a loud voice, “I am here to join Lord Huxelberry’s guard.”
But if he had expected a warm reception all he got was laughter as Guillard replied, “you a guard?! You’d have better luck becoming the lord’s huntsman. Best you head off, before we tell your Pa that you were here.”
“I’m not a child anymore, Guillard, I’m a fully grown man, and I wish to become a guard.”
“Lad, you don’t know what you’re asking for. You’d best listen to your Pa and stay away. He has his reasons and their good ones.”
“Why? What reasons does he have? All he tells me is that life as a guard is bad.”
Exchanging worried looks with each other, Guillard eventually shrugged his shoulders, “That’s not for me to say, your Pa should be the one to tell you.”
Not liking the roundabout way things were going, Walter clenched his fists, ready to rush past, when a third voice spoke. “You do realize, soldiers, that Lord Huxelberry has standing orders to take any man willing to enlist, especially in these dark times. If the lad says he wants to join, let him pass, and we’ll put him to the test.”
Grumbling underneath their breath, the men split apart revealing a behemoth of a man with a broad belly, two big brawny arms, and a shaggy beard that hung down to his waist. His massive hand held out as he engulfed Walter’s arm, the half bear, half man stated, “I am Sergeant Durgan, Commander of this here fort. Now step inside, lad, and let me take a good look at you.”
Hesitantly walking over to join him in the courtyard, Walter felt the man’s two piercing eyes studying him as he moved. Then speaking in a gravelly voice, he asked, “Have you ever wielded a weapon before?”
Head shaking from side to side, Walter replied, “no.”
“It’s no, sir!” he snapped back, before he continued, “What skills do you have?”
Shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably, Walter muttered, “I can cook.”
“Speak up, lad, what did you say?”
“I said I can cook, sir.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, the big man shook his head in disappointment, “I suppose that will have to do. Come along, and follow me.”
Striding away at a pace that was hard to follow, Walter trailed after him following him deeper into the open courtyard. There he could see more men sparring with each other, cleaning their rifles, and off to the right side of him, a stable where a beautiful young woman tended to a horse. Barely looking up at him as he passed her by, Walter couldn’t help but turn to stare back at her? Dressed in a fine purple silk dress, she wore pearls around her neck, had her golden hair coiffed into a bun, and sparkling blue eyes that seemed focused on her horse. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Half tripping on a flagstone as he grew distracted, he bumped into the sergeant from behind. Turning to look back at him, Durgan saw the direction of his gaze, and scowled. “I’m warning you now, boy, do not even think of approaching Lord Huxelberry’s daughter. You are nothing but dirt to her as far as you are concerned, so keep a civil tongue, and stay away from her otherwise it won’t be words you’ll find next but the chopping block.”