The sun had barely started rising, a few rays making it through the window as I finished exhausting my stamina and mana. I crawled out of bed wanting to continue to practice my walking. I had no problem walking for a few weeks now but still had the bad habit of tripping when I picked up the speed even a little and I tried to turn. I would love to practice outside but apparently I wasn’t old enough to spend time alone outside.

I noticed something strange as I tripped for the 3rd time that day when I caught sight of something being placed on the other side of the wardrobe, I found it odd as the wardrobe was making a small triangle with the corner of the room and it made no sense for something to be in that triangle as it would be hard to reach, but not a great place to hide something as anyone searching for it would find it.

A bit of stretching and crawling later I pulled out a potted plant with a small faded “X” scratched on the pot. I take my time examining it, after all common knowledge says that X marks the spot, and why would anyone put a plant somewhere where there was no light, especially one as green and as vibrant as this one, surely there must be something special about it.

30 minutes later and I was no closer to figuring out what was so special about this plant when my mother came in to wake me up, it was a bit earlier than usual but today we were sending my brother off to become a guard.

“Morning Ajax, How are you this morni- hey when did you bring in a pot from the garden? I know they aren’t that rare but those medicinal plants still sell quite well in this region as they are hard to grow without a lot of care.”

Taking up the pot in one hand and me in the other she takes me into the kitchen and sets me down at the table with the flower pot by side. My dad and brother were both going through his pack making sure he had everything he needed as my sister was setting the table. She looked especially pleased with herself for helping mother prepare breakfast today. And to be honest she was starting to get the hang of it. I hadn't found any shells in my eggs the last 2 times.

“Silvia, I thought we agreed we weren’t bringing any more plants in the house, I know it's a bit cold for some of the species but you can’t me that looks like a plant that needs specific care.” My dad complained, but an analysis of my memories tells me that what really bothered him was the plants she had tried to get him to keep in the forge as it was usually a lot hotter there. They had that argument when mom pretty much started an indoor garden and a compromise was reached.

“I didn’t bring this one Ajax did, he was playing with it in his room this morning” she said indignantly, clearly a little upset about the accusation. I couldn’t really fault them for arguing, both worry really stressed with Tom leaving to be a guard so they were both a little on edge.

“I’ll take it back, I was supposed to watch him anyway” my brother quickly said, taking the plant outside and returning a few seconds later.

The rest of the morning continued with both parents fussing over every little thing, evidently in this world being 10 years of age is the equivalent of college, the children usually take their first step out of basic education on their chosen career path, some of them still live at home others move to live with their teachers in the shop where they’ll learn but for the most part they stayed in the same place where they lived before a few minutes away from their parents. My brother was doing the equivalent of a full time study abroad program by leaving to become a guard in the city.

“All right, now dad please listen, I know you didn’t accept Jonny as an apprentice hoping I’ll change my mind, and you’ll most likely accept him now so I want to make sure that this practice sword you made for me 3 years ago is for Ajax, with how much energy he has he will probably start using it as soon as his hands can grip the handle. It served well as my first sword. It would be great for him too.” he said, taking one final swing with it before sheathing it, giving it to my dad and attaching his new one to the belt. I will need to pay close attention to where dad puts that blade, because I saw a sword skill in my future.

I was almost mid-day by the time the merchant caravan was ready to depart, with my mother trying her hardest to embarrass my brother by being as reluctant to let him out of a hug as the squirrel from Ice age to let go of the nut I finally saw him get up on the cart and look back with what I think was a bit of uneasiness and trepidation, before that changed back to his usual self assured grin mixed with excitement.

I was honestly more upset than I thought I would be, but I guess I was underestimating how much I have come to care for my brother, not to mention that with all the fuss this morning was the first time I learned why they were so reluctant to let him leave to become a guard.

Apparently guard is a very special position as you are employed by the kingdom, it doesn’t work as usual apprenticeships do. Here you negotiate up front for the whole position, since they always have something to do even for the most useless guards, you negotiate your salary and employment for the next 10 years, at least as an entry level position. You basically have no option to quit and desertion is not looked well upon, with punishments for doing so ranging from a heavy fine with 1 year of service left to execution at anything over 4 years still left.

The upside, on the job training from high skilled people, every day for the first year and as often as you want to attend after that from high skilled people lets you put as much work in your skills as you want as long as you do your assignments. A full wage starting while in training, something unheard of from any other type of apprentice, even if it starts to fall behind what crafters can do when they have 9 or 10 years of experience. It also comes with free meals and shelter in the barracks as well as a full set of equipment every 4 years, the last of which you can keep even if you choose to leave.

Once you complete your first 10 years you can negotiate for further employment, your new contract being highly dependent on your performance for the last 10 years.

Tom P.O.V

I took one last swing with my sword before I sheathed it, hearing that satisfying “shnick” and then gave it to my father, before I tied my gift to my belt, knowing this sword was probably much better than anything they would give us as part of the standard set as a guard.

Not to mention that with me having a sword I can choose an axe or a hammer or a spear besides the shield meaning I can get the instructors to teach me how to use a shield and sword as well as a shield and something else and dual wield offensive weapons, after all there were always a few instructors at each barracks surely I could find one that I can get along with and that would train me.

Dad assures me that he will not sell my old blade and will keep it for my brother by putting it back in the house. As he is doing that I see Ajax’s eyes follow the sword, he has that same look in his eyes as he does every time before I lose track of him and spend the next 10 minutes looking for him. But I let it go and together we head for the caravan.

After a long goodbye I climb in the caravan full of smirking faces, knowing that for at least the next few days I will be the entertainment thanks to my mother, but I can’t hold it against her.

I take one last look out towards the village and wonder if I made the right choice, before going back to this strange feeling I had all morning, well that’s not right, not all morning it started right after I took the flower pot back into the garden. I still wonder how Ajax managed to sneak past me after all I don’t remember losing track of him once outside the house, not to mention he picked the one plant 3 times the size of any of the rest of them.

That's when it hit me, I knew that plant, I knew it because about 2 years ago I hid it behind the wardrobe in Ajax’s room in an attempt to keep my sister occupied when Ajax was being born, I hid things all around the house and must have forgotten about that one in all the excitement with him being brought home, that “X” I put on the pot had been staring me right in the face.

But how did that plant manage to survive? I know those plants are tough being able to survive 2 cycles without water or sunlight, but they still need a lot of nutrients to grow while doing so, and I had placed that there years ago growing that big with nobody taking care of it made no sense. Not only that but it looked a lot more vibrant than any of the plants mom had sold in the previous years… .