ibSaora:

It wasn't long after I arranged my new temporary home to an acceptable level of comfort, and lit a small fire to warm my rations when a fledgling long rider walked into my vicinity with an uncertain stride. She waved awkwardly at me, obviously uncomfortable to be under my attention. I tried to ignore her, I had just started to relax, and the dark clouds on the horizon foretold a cold and wet night.

"The Ca-captain ne-needs." I interrupted her stammering,

"Luke doesn't 'NEED' anything, What does the Captain desire of me."

Her cheeks flushed momentarily before she composed herself. "The Captain desires your presence, Ma'am."

I stared at her.... and she stared back meekly, impatient I gave her a hint "For?"

a few more seconds passed as my small fire begun to really take life, the wood popping and crackling.

"Oh, uh-umm the Captain spoke of, um.... op-operating procedures... and engagement something, and um Ah-"

I cut her off again. "Stay here, keep my fire going, I'll return shortly."

I pulled my jacket tighter and fastened it closed, The scent of warm food and the sound of men laughing and eating drew my ire, worsening my mood as the evening grew darker, and the wind colder.

I met Darington at the door, he paused halfway in the door, and in his own odd form of a gentleman, stepped out, bowed slightly and held open the door with his disfigured hand. With a smooth gesture, he waved me through the door but startled me with his contorted voice. I instinctively flinched a half-step away, before I mentally translated his speech as "Ladies first," or possibly "After you," kinda of a toss-up between the two. I weaved my way through the tightwad of bodies I half-recognized as the ten other squad leaders in the Second Contingent, With Sgt Darington being the eleventh, in charge of the supply squad.

I made my way around the ramshackle table, noticing the standard map of the area and an unusually large stack of papers, that would consist of intelligence and reports passed on from the First Contingent. I raised my head and made eye contact with Luke, who acknowledged me with a nod of the head and followed with a hand gesture I read as "take a seat on my cot and relax" I gave him a belligerent scowl with a flash of teeth, as I passed a serious-faced Marion. I preceded to do my best fly-on-the-wall interpretation as I slouched into a back corner.

Luke and Marion exchanged nods before look began with "Well, as we'll all present now, It's time to get into things."

"There have been some unsettling reports of heavy troll activity within the woods. I think it wise to deploy patrol groups by squad, rather than the usual breakdown by team. as well as bumping up the guard to two full squads, with another two on standby to be a quick response force in the event of any unforeseen trouble. Thus leaving half the men to focus on the priorities of work, and rest accordingly. There be and daily breakdown of......."

And that's when my attention left. My mind wandered through several things, occasionally catching phrases from Luke, standard military jargon, things like ".... blah blah engagement criteria.... blah blah primary signal methods..... blah blah."

Every now and then his discipline would slip and a little of his accent would make itself known, Growing more and more common until His brief devolved in the group of men grunting and laughing and the singular concept of "walloping trolls."

Marion's sharp elbow in Lukes side brought things back on track for a while, but I had stopped paying attention all together at that point. My harsh mood that was beginning to brighten when the pitter patter of rain made itself known on the thatch roof of the building. Followed by my stomach sharing it's rather negative opinion of skipping dinner. Which all-in-all set me pondering the life choices that led me into a leaky wooden hut, in the middle of a fort of sticks, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by un-bathed men... and the rare un-kempt woman. As I was damned myself among the unkempt women, I swore by the Fel that I would weasel out where they were squandering that wash basin. Hygiene aside, I directed the blame of my situation on Luke, ever since we were kids it all came down to Luke.

"Let's sneak int'ah tha' courtyard an' watch the soldiers..."

"Let's go play-in tha' rain..."

"Let's go spook that sleepin guard..."

"I dare yah to go tickle tha fat bread mer'chant."

"Let's go-on-in an hav-ah looksie..." That lead to an unfathomable foray into the sewers.

Well, the point I'm getting to here is It was Luke's idea yet again that found me here. "Join the Army," He said "Go on adventures... See the World.... Fight monsters.... Find treasure... so on, so forth." I've slowly come to realize over the years that no one ever needs soldiers in nice scenic places, and unless you have a thing for collecting crude stone weapons, there's no treasure or glory to be had combating the occasional troll. Any bandit smart enough to actually come upon his misbegotten wealth usually has a solid plan to make off into the sunset with said wealth. The rare chance we catch one of the bugger's any wealth is confined to evidence and used as reparations.

Unfortunately one doesn't just simply quit being a soldier, especially as an officer, However, I liked to dream of retiring in Salearn, maybe becoming a librarian, reading of history and adventures past. My thoughts devolved into daydreams of books and warm fireplaces until my imagination brought upon me the awkwardness of Darinton walking into my cozy library. The awkwardness quickly turned to irritation as he kept poking and prodding me, rambling all the while. I did my best to ignore him, as his pokes grew in force and frequency. I finally turned to give him his just reward, when I found myself staring up at a very real Darington standing over my slouched form. His seemed unconcerned with my raised fist and pointed one of his remaining fingers at my chin. I quickly brought my hand down to my chin, my cheeks flaring as I found a wetness there. I wiped at the drool with my sleeve and it seemed Luke was bringing his whole spiel to a close, wrapping things up with a few generic motivational lines. I took quick advantage of my new wakefulness and made myself first out the door before anyone got the idea to talk some more, or even dreadfully, talk to me.

The camp seemed near empty, as all sought shelter from the rain as it ran its course, now returning to nothing more than a light drizzle that would hopefully come to an end soon.

My stomach was met with a sense of guilt as my eyes met with the sight of a small shivering figure hovering over my sputtering fire. I sighed before I approached, her figure turning to me as I neared. She stood as I spoke.

"Your Name?" I said tersely with a straight face, hoping to cover the fact I was struggling to remember if she had already told me.

"Pa-Private Neary, Ma'am." This time I was unsure if her stutter was caused my meekness or cold.

"I commend your determination, Private Neary, But would you think me so crude as to have you suffer in the rain over my...." I paused glancing at the state of my missed dinner. "Water-logged rations?"

"Uh-um uh-" I caught her off as her hesitation jostled the guilt in my gut.

"Go, get warm and eat if you haven't." she made it two steps away before my voice stopped and turned her around. "Private Neary, In the future, you would do well to remember that a soldier that shows Initiative and acts without orders under sound reasoning if worth for more than one who follows orders blindly." She made to move away before I stopped her again.

"Understood, Neary?"

Her chin raised as she replied. "Yes, Ma'am"

I turned from her as she scampered off. After another brief glance of my soggy dinner, I kicked it over, putting out the last pitiful embers of the fire. I half crawled, half fell into my tent as I prayed for sleep to take me.

I Stirred.

Satisfied with the power I had gathered for now.

As my strength returned, so had the corruption within.

But it was a weak thing now, My rest had been to it, a drought upon a barren field.

I sent my own probe forth, but rather than a week lance of power, I over-whelmed all the free mana in my immediate vicinity with my own, granting me an awareness outside my darkness.

I was saddened as I felt none of my caretakers among new domain.

I would have no allies in my darkness.

But the corruption found it's own.

My new domain housed many of it's like.

I withdrew my mana, surging to build up more, to return to my strength.

For it was near time.

As Patience is the first,

Vengeance is the second lesson in Sorrow