--- Roric

Even if he had become an official member of the company like the other recruits, Roric wasn't supposed to fight on the front lines. Instead, he was assigned to captain Wals, who led a support group. Their task was helping the main infantry during the battles or holding less important positions.

During the campaign, he soon found out, the commander had been forced to redistribute his forces to complement the strengths and weaknesses of his allies, without forgetting that there were also those who weren't professional soldiers. As a consequence of this, Roric's platoon was composed by a bulk of inexperienced republican footmen sent by a baron from the South and a small amount of younger men who actually served in Lowan’s company, mostly shieldbearers in training. In total, they were only thirty.

Their officer was a close friend of the commander and knew many things about fighting. A veteran of many wars, despite not being old at all, Wals was immediately recognizable by the green plumage on the top of his helmet. Roric had heard some stories about him being slow and passive, unfit to lead a charge, but there were also rumours about his stubbornness. In the past, in fact, he had proven multiple times to be able to defend any kind of position regardless of how many men were at his disposal. For those reasons the soldiers had started calling him Turtle, a nickname he wasn't very fond of.

When he joined the ranks, the young boy was pleased to find Frauli having lunch along seven other shieldbearers. When his blond friend noticed him coming that way, he rushed forward and slapped his back so hard that Roric almost fell.

"Roric! That's my man!" he greeted, with his usual thundering voice. "Old Ugrin sent you here, too?"

"Yeah," replied the former recruit. "I thought the others would be..."

"Oh, no. They have already joined other groups. Rata works with the scouts, and Meran... He will go with the main army as an auxiliary, I was told," explained Frauli. "So, look at you. I can't wait to meet the enemy side by side with you!"

"You look rather excited, for one that stands in the front" observed Roric "Why do you want to face the men of Ekhar so badly?"

The other boy puffed his chest. "Nonsense! I have already fought them several times. Trust me, they are terrifying. But if there's something I've learned during these months is that together we are a force to be reckoned with. Stand behind my shield, and you'll have nothing to fear."

He nodded at his companions and they cheered. They were all a bit older than him, but always living together meant the shieldbearers behaved like a big family. It was an ancient tradition, that aimed to build trust between them.

Yeah, Frauli said it the other day. All the stones of a wall must work together, or it isn't going to last.

After giving them a quick wave, Roric addressed his friend once again.

"Anyway, do you know what awaits us next?"

"Well, if I have to say it... The orders have been coming at the very last moment, lately. Don't ask me why, tho. My buddies say that Ekhar has eyes and ears everywhere. Spies."

The two spent the rest of the day talking. Frauli took all the time it needed to explain the many tactics he and his companions used. Their role was fundamental in keeping the group together, even more so because their numbers were small. Losing even a single shieldbearer was a huge deal, because it weakened the formation and it meant that an enemy could use his own shield as a ramp to get across the defensive line. A few countermeasures existed, and the blond mercenary was more than happy to enlighten Roric about all of them, even if the younger boy couldn't keep up with his improvised lesson.

Still, it feels nice. I'm a part of this company now.

On the following morning Frauli offered to train a couple of hours together, to see how much his friend had improved, so they crossed their blades for the first time after more than a year. His physique, completely developed and accustomed to the fight, turned out to be an impossible challenge for the newcomer. Roric could still rely on his incredible reflexes to avoid damage, but even trying to deflect his opponent's sword required an exaggerated amount of strength and made his hands numb, preventing any offense from him.

"Stop, stop," begged the boy. "My arms hurt like crazy, I can't go on. It feels like they could rip off at any moment."

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?" laughed Frauli, spinning his blade around skillfully. "We are just practicing, you know. I could hit you much harder than this."

It was evident that there wasn’t any murderous intent behind any of Frauli’s swings, yet the younger mercenary couldn’t believe that he was taking it easy.

He has matured so much since Ugrin let him free. He is even more confident now, more...

"Frauli," he suddenly asked. "Have you killed a man before? Is it hard?"

The shieldbearer sheathed his weapon, in thought.

"I remember my first enemy. I think I'll remember till the day I die. All there is to say is that I couldn't possibly do it in cold blood. Everyone has to find his own reasons to kill, I believe. Mine is to protect my buddies."

Protect.

Roric's hand instinctively went to his necklace, and a shiver ran up his spine.

"So, if you have a very good reason..."

"I was there when you asked the commander to let you in," Frauli went on. "It didn't impress me much at first, but after listening to your story I understood why you were doing it. You wanted to protect others, just like me now. I think it's enough of a reason to accept that you'll have to cut a head or two on the way, isn't it?"

Their looks met, and Roric nodded.

"I know you are afraid. But getting your hands dirty is necessary. Ironically, if you plan on following your path to the end you are bound to shed blood sometimes. There's no way to help a victim without hurting the culprit, more often than not."

The younger boy sighed. It was a sad thought, but from the bottom of his heart he knew it was true.

My hope for now is that my abilities will be enough.

***

Eight days later, at dawn, the army was suddenly ordered to move out.

The defenders headed towards the main crossing point of the Rien, located in a few miles East of the Vehra, a hill surrounded by deep woodlands. Because of the rush, everyone thought that the enemy was already advancing but just as they reached ten miles of distance from Sinen the commander gave word to slow the march.

When the soldiers finally stopped in the evening, campfires were set up quickly and Roric’s group was rallied by captain Wals.

"Gentlemen," he started. "We just got word from the scouts that the clans are entrenched on the southern side of the river. They lie in wait for us, it seems."

The men murmured excitedly. Roric kept listening from a spot to the side, while their leader took out a map of the surrounding area.

"The forests here are thick and impassable for a large army. The deeper you go, the harder it becomes to get through," continued the man. "Yet, there are many hidden routes that go around the hill and can allow us to reach many vantage points."

A republican soldier stepped up. "So, we will basically act as sentries? Isn't that a job for the scouts?"

"They will keep watch on the western fords, because they are on horseback. Someone else needs to guard this flank, even if it's already defended by the Vehra."

Wals kept talking, pointing his finger at the map and giving directions.

"Our job is simple. We will get inside the woods following this ancient road. It was made during the days of the Old Crown but never completed, so it only leads to the base of the hill. Once there, we'll divide in groups of two and reach all the places I've marked, without getting too far from each other so we can use signals. We won't fight, just keep an eye on the battle from the sides of the Vehra and check if the enemy tries to go around it"

"Around?" asked Frauli. "What do you mean? Is there another way?"

"Yes. On the other end of the forest there is another point where the water is shallow. Ekhar isn't new to these pincer attacks. They might send another force across while our army is busy. If that happens, we'll light a fire on the top of the hill, make a lot of smoke and the commander will know."

The blond shieldbearer complained, "So, basically we spend the entire day watching? I wanted to fight."

"What if we find enemies?" stepped in Roric. "Where we are headed, I mean."

Everyone turned to look at him. The boy lowered his head.

"This road," explained Wals, moving closer to let him see. "Is the only good access point to the forests around the Vehra. If you tried to come from the North, the trees would be so thick that even moving side by side might become difficult. Plus the Rien flows under a ten meter cliff that goes all the way along that side. We can use this landscape to our advantage, while Ekhar's route is stopped by a natural obstacle. Convenient, isn't it?"

That was true. Sinen’s forests, drawn on the rough map of the region, seemed a formidable defense. Roric thanked the captain and the meeting went on. While Wals was speaking, the boy glanced at his companions and once again realized why that group wasn't going to join the battle. They had all seen combat a few times at most, and except for the shieldbearers they were all lightly armed.

Too lightly to face Ekhar. Speaking of which... I still don't have a weapon.

The mercenaries usually bought their equipment with their money, but he hadn’t received a single coin yet. Therefore, he patiently waited for the speech to end and asked Wals for a solution to his problem.

"I understand," nodded the man, who was proving to be a very nice guy. "Up to this point, you have always used training weapons. No big deal, just go to the quartermaster and tell him I sent you. He'll know what to do."

Roric thanked him once again and went on his way, heading to the other side of the camp. As he walked he noticed many pale soldiers, mainly republicans, unable to find any rest because of the impending battle.

War isn’t for everyone. I will find myself in their same situation too, soon.

The man in charge of the equipment was essentially a looter. Friend or foe, a dead man was an excellent source for spare weapons and armor, so it wasn’t rare to see his cart wandering around the field at the end of battles. Roric couldn’t say he knew him but his visage was really hard to miss, from his scarred face to the stump of the right arm, and his grumpy attitude didn’t make him a great talking partner. Luckily, a few words were enough and the former warrior brought him a couple of things.

A leather jerkin worn out by time, a battered shield made of a few old boards nailed together and a small wood axe. To be honest, the boy felt a bit disappointed. It was his first job as a real mercenary, and he was going to carry that garbage? Yet, he didn’t dare to complain.

After being done with the quartermaster, he went back on the same route as before, but this time a voice addressing him.

"Hey, little girl!"

Meran appeared from behind a tent, armed with a short sword and a shield that looked many years younger of everything Roric had. He was also wielding his usual annoying smirk, the sharpest of his weapons.

"Look who it is," said the younger boy. "Even before a battle you can't find anything better to do."

"I heard they put you under Wals the Turtle," went on Meran, apparently ignoring him. "A role that's more than fit for a weakling like you. A shame I won't be able to see you shitting yourself while hiding behind the others."

"I'm not in the mood for this. We are on the same ground now, like it or not."

He went on, pushing Meran out of the way with his shoulder. He would have never found the courage for a similar action a couple of weeks before.

"Stupid kid! I hope they gut you like the pig you are! So I won't be forced to see your whiny face again! Do you hear me?"

Roric let him yell without even turning around, while many other soldiers came out of their tents to check what was that about. His voice seemed somehow different from usual, exaggeratedly loud and rough. It was probably a way to deal with his own fear. The boy sighed, walking in the direction of his group.

Now that I think about it, since our last fight he hasn't been hitting me... What if he is actually capable of showing... Respect?

Still, as much as he wanted to unravel that mystery, he had bigger problems than Meran.

***

After a few hours of sleep the men woke up and gathered outside, ready to leave.

The weather was damp and the top of the Vehra invisible behind thick fog. Despite this, the captain still ordered to move out. Circling the perimeter of the forest, they walked South-East for an hour or so, in the dim light of the dawn, until they reached a point where the trees thinned out. An ancient stone road came from Sinen and went deep into the thick of the woods, quickly becoming infested by weeds. Flanked by a ditch that gathered muddy water, the mercenaries proceeded in a row along that ruined way.

Wals led the group towards the base of the hill. The forest was quiet, with the exception of some noise made by all kinds of small animals that Roric had learned to recognize while hunting with Rata. They had almost reached the point where they were supposed to split when the fog thickened, blocking their view outside of a ten meter range. The boy began to feel a bit tense, and realized he wasn’t the only one.

Several republican soldiers were already trembling, and one of the younger mercenaries was nervously looking around. The entire troop gradually slowed the pace.

There's something off about this place... Let’s hope at least to get rid of this damn fog once we go higher-

Suddenly, somewhere ahead, a horn sounded. A second one answered from a couple of miles North. The men stopped where they were.

"What... What was that?" babbled one of the republicans.

"Our scouts?" guessed another, who looked terrified. "We should be the only ones in this forest, shouldn't we?"

"Wait," ordered the captain. "Let me listen to it."

Endless seconds passed. Roric adjusted his grip on the handle of the axe, and checked if his jerkin was properly fastened for the umpteenth time. The sounds echoed once again, and they were closer. The captain grabbed his own horn and blew it without hesitation.

We are about to fight. Here!

The boy couldn't believe it was actually happening. The men of Ekhar were coming for them.

"Men, we aren't that deep in the forest. I remember a couple of riders on the southern entrance. They might hear our alarm and inform the commander... But meanwhile, we will have to resist."

"Well this is a surprise," murmured Frauli, who was standing right next to Roric. "Good thing we have Wals the Turtle on our side."

"Form ranks!" thundered Wals, drawing his blade "Prepare for battle!"