Morning was passed and midday was going on. Landscape from tar boulder showed me area around me. Thanks to it I could predict paths which were I was going across. I saw waterfall, big island in the river, huge tar fields, people living here and beauty of all nature which has always been around us.

I could meet people without them knowing how I was. I could see their happiness and sorrow. I could for the first time see there was no wrong or correct answer how you should live your live. There isn´t any act without good or bad. I always thought that as king you should find answer which improves lives as many as possible. Few sacrifices are necessary for greater good. I know the truth now. This is both correct and incorrect.

People are beings how are well adepted to change. They can survive in most severe circumstances but same time they want keep a hold on all things they own. King´s work should be something how takes both sides in consideration. This might be incorrect too. Most likely it is incorrect but I have choosen to take this path.

I have seen great suffering and I know this is the better side of the country. So far people in Tetrao village has suffered irregural food quality, lack of cultural origin and uneven burden among the people. These were big problems which Rowan family was fought against since the previous generation. These past wars have brought great unrest among the people. They could have stayed save by staying neutral like all these years. Thing have changed. None have left so far but one light push will cause mass migration.

We are going along the riverside. It was first river and we went down stream. I had a good day. We were preparing to arrive to the village. We will be arriving soon. I just go with nature´s call once more then this trip will be over.

After answering to nature´s call I rested lightly Then I heard sound over the bush.

“We can´t go like this no longer. Soldiers are patroling way more often. We can´t survive if this last a few more days.”

“We should take our time from now on. There is no need to take any actions if those would bring problems. We should stay quiet a while longer.”

There was group of men how seem to be mercenary. But from closer look they didn´t seem like them either. I have seen many mercenaries as guests in my home. So I know quite a lot about them. Unlike knight and soldiers mercenaries aren´t hired by country or land. They take actions to highest bidder. When they have worked by the contract, they leavve and start to work with some else.

Many mercenaries has worked with many countries. They aren´t considered as part of the any country. For this reason they have access to most places unlike the other people. This was made possible by mercenery guild.

Actually it is easy to start being mercenary. They just have to fill paper. It is easy to lie to the paper and people start to look at the information after something happens. There won´t be any punishments at all. Once there was even person how asked two papers. He then filled both of them at same time. With right hand woman´s information and with left hand man´s information. If looked afterward neither seemed suspicious. No one cares. It was just amazing how creative stories where in them.

Name

Age

height

weight

dominant arm

Why become mercenary

What are you planning to do as mercenary

Do you have any combat experience from an actual fight

What’s the structure of your family

Is it troublesome for you to answer to these questions

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Venus

15

152 cm

right

Thrown out of house

To get money fast

No

Father, brother and two elder stepsisters

Mars

22

176 cm

66 kg

left

To impress beautiful woman to be my wife

Become bodyguard to beautiful lady

Yes

None

Because of these facts, it was easy to see these people weren´t mercenaries. They didn´t have badge which could identify person as mercenary. They did have a badge but it was fake. Anyone how has seen the real deal up close could see it too. There was no mistaking it.

It is heavy crime to fake mercenary badge. For this reason William got nervous. This is bad. They can´t see me then I stepped to some sticks. They started to look at my direction. They will see me for sure.

Next thing I knew, child stood up right next to me. It was Sepro. I didn´t notice him at all coming near me. He simply stood up to cover me. I should stay quiet for now. They will think this kid doesn´t understand at all what was happening. We can survive this.

“Are you alone?”

This was dangerous question. Even if said no, it would bring doubt. They might act unexpectedly.

“I´m with my friend.” It was simple answer from Sepro. As long as I stay down we will be save. Next to come where questions like why are you here, where are you from and such. Answer to these where believable and reliable. Everything seemed okey until on of the people asked vital detail.

“Why were you hiding?”

To this question Sepro didn´t give immediate answer. He could have said he came to do a wee but that wasn´t reason to stay quiet and sit in the push.

Others noticed this slight change. They started to doubt him. Face of Sepro gave out surrendering sight. He signed and started to tall as I waited my certain doom.

“You got me. I was going with my master´s orders. I didn´t mean to deceive you. I was on a mission.” What was he talking about? What is going on? This doesn´t make any sense. People in front of me where as surprised as I was. They didn´t no what to do next. Finally one of them could ask a simple question.

“What is this mission you are talking about?”

“Simply put I was training to be a bandit.”

(What?!)

“What?!”

“Why are you so surprised? You are also bandits. Am I correct?” No one could say anything. I was surprised. At least I didn´t have to keep myself quiet. I was speechless. We stayed quiet until Sepro asked.

”Can I leave now?”

”Of course not!” Of course no one would let you go after something like this. They have to find out everything you know. As far as I can tell, he isn´t a bandit. He is just acting. At least this brought time for us to think our next move. Of course the real bandit will ask next question.

”What kind of order were you following and how gave you that order?” Those bandits much be scared of how they are up against. To them this boy knew they were fake mercenary and he was planning to do something to them if they didn´t notice him.

”This was exercise to see could I take prisoners as captive. I would have let you go afterwards since thing has gotten hectic. You could have noticed their attention to you which would have given free passage. It is too late now. You already know.”

This was good answer. They will think him and his master as allies. As long they don´t suspect his words, he will be saved. I most likely have to act as this boy´s master. This will give us save passage and knowledge what they are up to. His words could give out his plan to me. Impressive.

”Come I will lead you to him.” Sepro said so and they started to follow him. They couldn´t let him go no matter what. They also wanted allies to this situation too. But this came to light much later, when hiding was impossible to both partys.

Everything seemed alright until something did fly to the men. It was simple pine cone. It wasn´t nothing serious but it came side ways. We all looked to the direction until one of the men said.

”He disappeared!” We all looked Sepro around but none of us could see him. Fear came to their mind. They were deceived. That boy escaped and someone helped him.

”Go there and find the one how is helping him!” Leader of the group took control over the group fast. It didn´t take even a moment to they to follow his orders.

They went to find the one how is helping but soon another pine cone went between them from opposite direction. They didn´t know what they should do next. Even leader was speechless. Next cone came from same direction so they started to look from there. They all kne they were played with. It wasn´t nice feeling even a lightest.

Situation went circles until Herman Rowan came next to me. ”We are going to trap them but there more of them near us. It is saver to keep with act which Sepro came up with. Please go with our plan.”

I didn´t have no other option except nod but why trap them. They aren´t going to let this go without good intentions from our side. Herman must have noticed my doubts so he started to explain further.

Where are they? They aren´t even serious. Is there two or more or just that one kid? I don´t know anymore. I want to escape but can I. I want to go home. I didn´t participate army for this. Where everything went wrong?

This group of ´bandits´ was in fact soldiers from Saisagus army who followed Count Ben and commander Henrik to border war against Tetrao village and king of Polgon kingdom. They were part of the men how lost their way in the fog when wolves were howling. War has ended long time ago but this doesn´t mean they all escaped back to their country. Simply put they were left behind and they don´t know how to get back home.

They must pretent to be mercenaries to survive and act as bandits to get their food. Problem is if soldiers find out they are enemy soldiers then their plans to get home will be impossible. As long everyone thinks they are mercenaries or bandits then no army would try to find them. For some reason army is on the move. Of course they would be nervous. One kind found them talking and he seem to know real bandit. We must find him and get to him talk how to get back home without him finding out how we are.

Today both groups came to wrong conclusion. They both try to talk as little as possible so their identity won´t get found out. With this neither got what they wanted. Truth will come out some day in the future. Maybe tomorrow or after many years.