Cara was still trying to wrap her head around the fact the guy in front of her was a magician, he looked pretty much like the exact opposite from what she had expected. Instead of a long robe and runes stitched into his clothing the guy in front of her was wearing very well woven linen shirt, a hunter’s hat and way too tight trousers made from something resembling leather. All in all he looked ridiculous, yet it was hard not to take him serious after he had pretty much appeared out of nowhere next to her like a ghost.

“Are you listening hon?” his voice was sweet and calming like a lullaby, yet somehow it had her ready to draw her pair of scissors and cut his throat.

“Now now, it was a question nothing more, stop with the throat cutting looks already… If you really want to harm me you should smile more and get close so you really hit once ready.” there it was again, the slight flicker of cruelty in the man’s eyes. Cara scolded herself to be careful, whatever he was aiming for would be dangerous.

“Now what do you want with me?” she asked, her hand gripping her pair of scissors tightly in her pocket.

The man’s eyes lit up, “I’m here to recruit you. Back there at the gates you were the first one to notice the traitors not everyone could have done that.” ‘sweet as honey’, the guys voice must have been magically changed.

“Let’s be honest hon, you are not much for a blunt instrument like your yellow eyed friend. Yes, he is scary to look at and not to be underestimated but the true war here lies within the walls of enemies. In the places soldiers cannot operate in, the dining halls of nobility and the bedrooms of kings. What we do saves hundreds of lives and will ultimately decide over the fate of this conflict.” All playfulness drained from his voice and face as he stood straight and looked into her eyes.

“We might not get the triumphant returns of war heroes, some even call us cravens but it does not matter. We fight this war in a way that is lost to most and I believe you have the potential to join us.” he extended his hand and continued “We are the order of shadow, we serve this kingdom by averting bloodshed in the first place, we topple kings and their subject without a drop of blood spilled, WE are the ones that are needed so this war can finally be won.” the determination in his voice was intoxicating and Cara was about to say yes when she remembered her friends.

“What will happen to my friends? Can they join as well or would i need to leave them behind for this?” her voice was small, frail like a little girl and she hated herself for it.

“No, your friends are not fit for this task. But staying behind will not change the fact that you will be torn apart. Erik won’t be joining the regular army after the display earlier, he will need to join the shock troops if he wants to stay.” his voice was soft as to console her, “Your other friend and lover will most likely be subscribed to be a general in the army fighting the logistics of war. Instead of a blade he will be holding a pencil.” He took a step towards her and settled his hand on her shoulder “Join us, do your part in this war and when it is all over you can join your friends again, who knows you might even be able to marry the skinny guy you were holding hands with.” at the last words he smiled at her, Cara felt blood shoot into her cheeks as she blushed. She stepped back and his hand fell off her shoulder “You don’t know anything about the three of us, Al and Erik are friends, my only friends and nothing else.”

She took another step back and to her surprise the other did not follow, he just looked at her.

“Friends… yes friends are important, but you can’t think they are more important than this war. We are fighting for the freedom of our people here, with every year the taxes grow more and more ridiculous, so far Blackriver has managed to cover most of them but soon the taxes will even hit the small village like yours!” his face changed, anger burned deep beneath the usually so calm mask he was wearing.

“Your village cannot afford to send the tribute it would need to send without Blackriver. This year alone the duke of this city has sent fifty bags or grain in your stead, now tell me can your village spare this kind of food before the winter?” Cara’s mind was racing, they were supposed to pay tribute? So far she had never heard of this. Fifty bags of grain was more than enough to supply and entire family through the winter and nothing they could have spared not even in the best of times.

“Erik will be gone by this time tomorrow, Alaric will leave soon after that to get his apprenticeship started, the only question is, will you stay behind and wait for their return or will you do your part? Will you waste your life in the front lines or will you do the part you were meant to do when you came here?” Something in her broke, the slight hope she could stay with her friends the two that had become more of a family than she cared to admit.

“Then I will do my part and meet them again after the war.” her voice was calm void of any emotion, just like she felt, dead inside.

He smiled “ Then follow me, my name is Bartholomew, pleasure to meet you hon.”

Cara looked back to the door she had came through, on the other side were her friends the people she would miss most in the world. Then she turned to Bartholomew and followed him outside.