The Choosing (40 page)

“First I should like to thank you all for heeding the call of your Kingdom.”  The King boomed across the stone courtyard, giving his words a moment to settle upon the ears of those who listened before continuing.  “Today you shall each start a new chapter in your lives, a chapter that too will be written in the history of our Kingdom.  Think not lightly of the triumphs or failures you may experience from this day forward, for what you are and what you may become, and what deeds you may or may not accomplish will all be combined in the histories of our homeland.  We live in perilous times.  Armies gather at our borders and seek an entry into our Kingdom.  Each and every one of you has the chance to help keep our Kingdom alive and safe.  No matter if you are chosen as a cook for the soldiers, or if you are chosen to join the ranks of my personal guard, the fierce knights of Valdadore, every one of you will play an important role in the survival of our people.  If you have a particular skill you think useful be not afraid to tell my advisors and generals what that skill is.  We can help you to perfect it, to master it, to use it to the Kingdom’s advantage.  I am afraid that this Choosing ceremony will be much different than those in the past.  We face many enemies, and many challenges, the worst of which is time.  Normally you would spend no less than half a year here within the castle to train and master your skills before venturing out to perform the Kingdom’s duties, however at present, time is not a luxury we have in ample supply.  Many of you will only have weeks to train.  Some of you may have a few months.  Learn well young men and women for your lives and the lives of those you love depend upon it.  Now as I have said we are short on time, so in order to get The Choosing process started may you spread out to form a single line starting here at the tent and following the soldiers’ line around to end back here at the tent.”  The King did not wait for his command to be followed before he turned and strode back to his peers who stood within the shadow of the canopy.

The mass of young bodies exploded into chaotic action.  People moved in every direction squirming through the crowd headed towards the gleaming steel perimeter.  Seth held tightly to Sara’s hand as to not lose her in the confusion and did his best to follow his brother.  Ashton too followed Garret and the four of them broke free of the crowd and made their way to what would presumably be the middle of the line.  Turning their backs to the wall of soldiers the four stood directly across from the tent.  They watched and waited patiently as the remaining stragglers found themselves places in the large line, and as the line finally settled a small procession consisting of few more than a dozen soldiers emerged from behind the tent, with several large carts trailing on their heels.

The unarmed soldiers moved at a slow steady pace, following along the line of those who had reached adulthood and had come to heed the call of the Kingdom.  As they proceeded down the line they were in constant movement, handing out items from the carts, speaking briefly, then continuing on to the next in line.  It was several minutes before Seth or any of his companions realized what was going on.  The choosing ceremonies of the past had been just that, ceremonies, where young adults were chosen into professions to serve the Kingdom for a term of no less than five years.  However, now the Kingdom faced war, and without the luxury of time to pick and choose persons to fill key positions and train them, it appeared to Seth, that against his hopes, all were being outfitted for the army.

Seth watched as the small procession proceeded, growing steadily nearer, and he saw as the items that were handed out were donned by their new owners.  Each of the young adults attending the choosing was being outfitted in leather padded armor, ring mail, and various weapons.  Seth realized his worst fears had just become a reality, and stood dazed until the very moment the procession of soldiers reached him and his companions, un-wanting to accept this fate.

Before Seth could even acknowledge the soldiers before him, one of them was dropping a bundle of leather armor at his feet, and another dropped a ring mail tunic.  A third approached with a sword, and seeing him already armed, simply moved on down the line.  Sara and Ashton were both given swords, along with the meager armor, and before the soldiers departed they gave instructions to begin dressing in their gear. 

Then it dawned on Seth.  Even if they had all just been conscripted into the military, it was not as if they would be marching to war immediately.  The King himself had said they would have a few weeks to train.  Also as far as he was aware, Seth had never heard of females being conscripted into the armies of Valdadore, though this may have changed due to necessity.  In any case, at least for now Seth knew two things to be true.  First he was still with his brother and Sara, and secondly, if they would be remaining in the city for at least a few weeks, then he and Sara would have ample opportunity to flee, neither of them wanting to be soldiers.  He hoped he could talk Garret into fleeing the city as well, but knew it doubtful, as apparently all of Garret’s wishes had just come true.

Seth began to dress in the armor sparing only a slight smile to Sara, who herself was lost in thought with a deep look of concern on her face.  Garret on the other hand was already dressed, a grin splitting his face in two, and was currently helping Ashton strap on his sword.  When they had all finally completed the task given, they stood silently, watching the process continue down the line, for over an hour, until the last man was armored and armed.  Only once during the procession did someone, overcome with fear, try to make a run for it.  The poor soul crashed bodily into the line of soldiers surrounding the courtyard, and summarily apprehended, was dragged off beyond sight of all those remaining.

The padded leather tunic and breaches were stifling even in the early morning, and by the time everyone had been armed, everyone else in the courtyard began to move and twitch anxiously, trying in vain to find a comfortable position.  Though none of the young adults who had gathered for the ceremony knew what to expect next, none dared talk, and if anyone else had been overcome with fear, they had at least for the time being mastered it, lest they end up like the man who had tried to escape earlier.  Many long moments passed as those in the tent looked out upon the courtyard, waiting for something, as those in the courtyard stared at those in the tent in return.  Seth stood as still as he was able, as he again felt the sweat drip down his back, and reaching up, once again swiped the sweat from his brow.  He assumed he could not take just standing there any longer, when the King once again exited the tent to address all those gathered.

"Forgive me this day."  The King began.  "It is out of necessity that we make you endure such a harsh welcome into service to the Kingdom.  As I can see the concern and fear upon many of your faces, know that you have not yet been consigned to join our armies."  The King said.  He then paused to gage the crowd's reaction, and was met by sighs of relief from all sides.  "As you realize now, our Kingdom is a nation at war, and being such many of you will indeed be joining the army in one fashion or another.  Some of you will fight, as others may simply drive supply wagons.  Others might cook for the troops, and yet others may tend to the injured or even the dead.  With so little time to place you each into stations befitting your skills, we shall first have a test to see how many of you are befitting a place with the common troops of my armies, and as such should be able to appraise many of your abilities.  The rules of your test are simple.  You have been armed, and now I command you to fight.  Fight until you cannot raise your arms any longer, fight until you are the last standing, fight to show those around you that there are mighty, valiant, courageous warriors among you."  The King shouted.

With the King’s final order white robed healers stepped into the armored wall of troops surrounding the mass of young men and women who had come to the choosing.  Those soldiers making up the wall took a defensive stance, holding their swords high and their shields at the ready.  At first, for just an instant, no one moved as the courtyard took on an eerie silence.  All were in shock, just as Seth and his companions were, but the silence was soon disrupted as the masses of newly armored, would be soldiers, broke into pandemonium.

Within seconds, most of those with no desire to bear arms shed their weapons hoping to flee the dire situation they had found themselves in.  Many women or weak of heart men lay down their arms and rushed to the wall of soldiers seeking an exit, and much to their surprise, they were indeed aloud to pass through the wall of armored bodies, only to be gathered up by more soldiers who patrolled outside the melee.  Before Seth or any of his companions had even begun to react, cries of pain mingled with the sounds of clashing steel and curses sprang from all directions.

Seth, for a moment was unable to react.  He realized this was a test of sorts, to sort out those willing and able to fight with the army, and as much as he desired to throw down his weapons and flee with Sara to be herded like sheep by the soldiers, he could not abandon Garret.  It was a predicament to which he saw no escape, in this single test he could lose one or both of them depending on his actions, and without seeing any real options available, Seth drew his  long slender sword with one hand and grasped Sara’s hand in his other, then turned to face his brother.

"It's a test Garret, let’s all work together."  Seth said.  He watched as Garret, his sword already drawn, stepped to take their lead.  Seth fell in with Sara behind his bulkier brother, and Ashton too joined them taking the rear.  Just as they found their places and prepared to defend themselves against any who might attack, they were swallowed into the masses of their fellow would be warriors.

Seth watched the chaos that ensued as if seeing it all from somewhere outside his own body, and as he watched the world seemed to slow revealing everything in stark detail.  Seth followed as his brother literally carved a path through the throng of untrained fighters, cleaving man and woman alike, leaving a path of bloody maimed peers as he moved ahead.  Dozens fell by his brothers great two handed sword, but it did not take long before, immersed in the crowd they were forced to defend on all sides.  Seth could not stomach hacking at his fellow men, so chose mostly to defend and parry as he was able, until either his brother or some other rogue fighter did the deed for him.  Several times He was forced to intervene for either Sara or Ashton, who both held a similar distaste for slaughter.  Fortunately for Seth, his brother seemed quite capable of dealing the damaging blows for all of them more often than not.

What seemed like an eternity passed as the numbers of combatants in the courtyard began to dwindle, either fleeing of their own accord, or being drug to the sidelines by soldiers to be tended by the healers.  However as the number of combatant decreased, the herd being culled, those superior in ability remained, and that was when Seth realized that they were in trouble.

Until this point the so called test had basically been sheer butchery, with those less afraid or more skilled reaping pain and destruction upon their foes of lesser ability.  Blood coated the cobblestone courtyard making even the simplest maneuvers difficult, but finally reaching the center of the courtyard, Garret brought them to a halt, right in the middle of the massacre.  Somewhere along the way Sara had managed to lose her sword, and being at such a disadvantage she stood at the center of her companions, each of them defending themselves and in so doing, also defending her.

Seth watched as a large man with a boyish face lunged at him, hoping to strike a quick blow.  Seeing the blow coming Seth managed to rend the man's blade aside with his own sword, but such was the man’s momentum, that he crashed bodily into Seth who stumbling back nearly tripped over Sara behind him.  Kicking and heaving his body forward to keep his balance Seth managed to free himself of the man just as Garret turned, and with a smile Seth’s brother thrust his large blade into the man’s shoulder effectively removing the man’s arm from its socket.  With the blow Garret chuckled and turned to face his next opponent, as Seth, regaining himself turned to help Ashton with yet another attacker.  As time progressed the fight turned into some sort of macabre dance with Seth, Garret, and Ashton slowly turning like a wheel around Sara who now brandished her small crossbow.

As Seth and Ashton worked to hold off attackers, forever wheeling in a slow circle, each attacker came to face Garret who made up for lack of skill with bold determination and raw aggression.  Each of the boys had sustained several minor injuries, but so intoxicated with adrenaline, none noticed their wounds that bled freely, staining their clothing and armor.  Seth was somewhat appalled at his brother’s ease of butchery.  Not only did it seem to come naturally to his brother, but Garret seemed to enjoy it, mercilessly laying man and woman to waste before him, chuckling the whole time like a mad man. 

The fight raged on for what seemed like an eternity to Seth, who was amazed they had lasted this long, when things took a turn for the worse.  All three boys faced individual opponents as Sara rushed to redraw her crossbow.  Garret struggled with a man with far more skill, as Seth managed to cause his opponent to slip upon the slick cobbles, landing in a bone jarring heap upon the bloodied ground.  Finding himself a moment of reprieve, Seth turned just in time to watch as Ashton fell.  His blonde friend had managed to hold off his opponent for many minutes as Garret struggled to best his own foe, but having never before wielded a sword, Ashton had been bested, and crumpled to the ground clutching his stomach, blood flowing from between his fingers.  Seth, knowing Ashton lost, had no time to worry for his friend.  For as Ashton hit the ground, the man who had bested him lunged back into the fray, hoping to make an easy victory of Sara.