Thud

Thud

THUD...

I shot out of my bed heart pumping. My body relaxed,my mind catching up with my body. I could already guess as to the owner of the boot slamming into my door.

" A'ight already, hold your horses" I said while untangling myself from my heavy blankets. Brisk air met my skin as I escaped the folds of my bed. Without time to do anything proper with my hair, I tied it into a ponytail with a leather strap. Its golden length long enough to tickle my butt as I shoveled aside a heap of clothes to fetch my simple riding clothes off the shelf. Goose bumps formed on my arms as I pulled dark leather pants over my skin. A simple long-sleeved white blouse with a cropped, short-sleeve leather jacket that fit comfortably, and finished my ensemble.

Thud

Thud

A leather clad boot narrowly missed my shin as I wrenched open my door.

"Took yah long enough," Luke says.

The words slide out of the side of his smirk that seems to be the only thing keeping Luke from being fiendishly handsome. His angular features and close-cropped black hair make him a favorite of the ladies.

"Are yah com'in or not, or would the fine lady be stay'in behind to return to her beauty sleep" Luke spoke, his low-born accent slipping through his agitation.

My eye twitched before I responded, "Just give me a moment to prepare my gear"

"Fine, but I won't keep the men wait'in all morning, We've a schedule to maintain." Luke replied his voice fading as he left to return to his men.

I sifted through the equipment rack adjacent to my bed. I fumbled with the clasps, fastening my simple iron vambraces and greaves. I tightened the straps down, making sure everything fit securely. After tying my hair back into a pony-tail with a worn leather strap, I threw my breastplate in a large canvas bag, already filled with mundane supplies. With me left hand throwing my bag over my shoulder, I ran my right arm through the straps of my large, battered tower shield. I grab my longsword by it sheathe before bustling out the door, barely remembering to close it with a gentle nudge of my foot on the way out.

I made my way through the narrow streets of the Lower Ward. Appealing scents wafted on the cold air. Beating hammers thrummed out a repetitive tune over the commotion of morning shoppers. Workers rarely rested, molding ancient rennovating aged ruins into the only I ever called home. I made way for the only gate in and out of Salearn, the capital of the newly established Kingdom of Valskaar. The entire city was built fast, but with security in mind.

King Valsarn himself had led the armies that united the local unruly populace under one banner. The kingdom evolved quickly, allying with the kingdoms of the East. The population swelled as people flocked to the opportunities presented by new land and a growing economy. I had watched the city of Salearn grow as did. Getting stronger and swelling with life over the years.

I jogged the last of the way to the large pavilion just inside the wall. This pavilion was the training area and military grounds used by the three armies of Valskaar. All sorts of military buildings encompassed the pavilon, from barracks to house soldiers, to great armories of weapons, and the blacksmith forges that maintained them. A grand tower stood at each corner, manned by guards and siege weapons. These towers worked as a headquarters for each of the armies, with the fourth being the headquarters of Engineers.

And in the center of it all was a group of fifty men, mounted and ready to depart. I picked up my jog and found Luke at the front of the group.

"Ah, so the lady rises from her chambers" Luke greets me upon my arrival, all sign of his accent gone as he composed himself before the men in his command.

"Oh shut it, Luke" I reply crassly, as he hands me the reins to a spare horse. "I just need a moment to prepare my things" Luke nods and turns away already shouting orders.

"Lieutenant, have your men mounted and prepared to embark."

"Yes, my Captain!" The short brunette responds immediately from among another group of men. Rushing off with a slight tint to her cheeks, I'd say that Luke has ensnared another woman to his charms. But that was not my concern, nor did I have the time to ponder it, as I myself rushed to stow the supplies I brought to the saddlebags on the mare. I was the last to get mounted. The lieutenant's eyes sharpened with a hint of rivalry, as she rode towards Luke and I. The edges of my mouth quirked as I withheld a chuckle. She and all the other court ladies had nothing to fear. Luke and I grew up together as orphans, Wards to the Kingdom. Our relationship was more sibling-like than anything else.

Luke joined up with the Long Riders as soon as he could swing a sword. He ascended the ranks to Captain quickly. The Long Riders, as the Kingdom of Valskaar's third army, was formed mostly of veteran militia and volunteers. His skill and charisma outshined any concern, if any, of his lack of lineage.

With a wave of his arm, Luke led the procession of soldiers through the gate to the outskirts of the great walled city. The rumbling clomps of a multitude of hoofbeats followed us as I led my horse behind Luke. As one of the best fighters among the Long-Riders I received the rank of Lieutenant, however, do to my.... lack of leadership qualities, I was assigned as Luke's Shield-bearer. I was his guard in battle so he could focus on directing his men, but outside of battle, I was little more than a personal aide. Thankfully Luke and I had a history together, as we grew up alongside each other as friends. Luke was lax in upholding me to my duties, As I'm pretty sure I'd go crazy if I had to brew his tea and handle his laundry like a common maid. A fact that, no doubt, Luke is aware of.

The other Lieutenant wordlessly reigned her horse alongside Luke and I. Under closer inspection of her, I believe I was coming to understand Luke's intentions with personally supervising this routine patrol. While it was very common for Luke to personally take charge of various missions and tasks assigned to his unit, ( I'm well aware his purpose of doing so is to avoid his desk and the mundane duties involved with it). It was unusual he would insist on accompanying a simple patrol.

The Lieutenant would slyly shift her head towards Luke. The Northmen blood in my veins granted me a stature that allowed me to peer down at her over Luke's form, trouncing her attempts at subtlety. Her soft features and a very feminine "button" nose gave off a young and innocent vibe. I immediately marked her as Luke's type. My chest emptied of air, crafting a deep sigh at the foreseeable trouble that would arise on this trek.

My sigh drew Luke's attention, Chainmail chimed as he twisted to address me with his signature smirk. One eyebrow raised.

"Saora, what could possibly be the cause of such a sigh at the beginning of a pleasant adventure?"

I sighed again, "I do not see anything pleasant about accompanying you on one of your shameless escapades."

Luke smirk shifted down, in mock hurt, "Fine lady, you wound me. I feel as if you have misread my intentions." With a thoughtful pause, his smirk returned. "I only wish to verify Lieutenant Marian and her soldiers' ability."

I could only sigh yet again. "I am beyond your scheming Luke of Valskaar."

Well, at least I learned her name, avoiding asking something I should know. Lieutenant Marian's cheeks grow a subtle red. She rode on wordlessly, as the underlying meaning of our conversation dawned on her.

We rode for the Darkwood, a five-day ride from Salearn. We would make the trading town of Roderan towards the end of the second day, and make it to Senechal, a small village on the edge of the Darkwood, on the fifth day. The road was made safe from the passage of the Long Riders, as well as the Knights of the Silver Hand. It was the duty of the Long Riders, to patrol the outlying towns of Valskaar, as well as the Darkwood. On the lookout for any scouts or small war-bands of the Saren Empire that attempted to pass through the Darkwood.

The Kingdom of Valskaar had been at war with the Saren Empire by the very manner of its creation. The King Valsarn, had once been the Grand General of the Saren Empire. With his personal army of Northmen, led an uprising that liberated the Eastern Red Plains from the Saren Empire. Now all the separated The Kingdom Of Valskaar, that ruled over the Eastern Great Plains, from the Saren Empire, that ruled over the West and the land beyond, was set of three great mountain peaks known as the Demons Spine. With the impassable Frozen Wastes to the North and the Darkwood to the south, the only route an army could travel between was the Dead Mans Pass. A harsh path between the two southern peaks of the Demons Spine, It was blockaded by the Black Garrison. The Knights of the Silver Hand manned the Black Garrison and fended off the Saren armies to a standstill.

Cackling laughter broke me from my thoughts.

Holding back his own laughter Luke continued," And you should have seen his face when she showed up to the training grounds two days later as one of his new pupils."

Yet again I found myself sighing yet again with annoyance, I knew this story well, It was about me, and a long-standing source of mirth for Luke.

Lieutenant Marian turned to me, eyebrows raised in levity, " Did you really break General Valg's nose when you were thirteen?"

"He was being rude." I responded coldly.

Luke visibly shook with laughter as if he could not contain himself. "Rude? RUDE! HaHahaha, the geezer put'ah flower in yah hair and called yah a cute little lass."

Marian erupted in laughter. I chose this moment to redirect my horse towards the main unit of troops, seeking peace among the soldiers, who ironically held a far more professional demeanor than their superiors, at least when they were on duty.

I rode on in silence among the troops, few willing to try to talk over the cascade of hoofbeats. My neck creaked and my shoulders tightened as I watched their behavior in front of the troops they should be leading. We made camp off the road as the sun started to set. I made sure to set my tent a good distance from Luke's. I did not want to overhear the events that would occur within.