Spring. The Lands Farque.
Now that's it spring, their basic army training has come to an end.
The first group are joined in the bordertown of Halmard by the three other groups of teenage recruits they spent most of the winter, living and training alongside of, in the forest town of Gildin Dale.
Before they too came out to the coast of the lands Farque to complete their training at the end of winter.
The second, third and fourth groups, along with the rest of their instructors from Gildin Dale are now in Halmard.
After coming up from the coastal towns and villages they spent the last weeks of winter, living and training in.
All four groups from across the northwest of the lands Farque were always going to gather again when their basic training was completed.
Though originally not here in the bordertown of Halmard.
They've only got together here in the bordertown when word spread of the attack upon the first group of teenage recruits on the northern border, about twenty or so miles inland from Halmard.
By raiders from the unruled lands just to the north of the lands Farque.
Where the first group of teenage recruits went out on patrol with two of their instructors. For their last training exercise of the winter.
Now that they've got a bit of free time before they're given their assignments.
Most, if not all of the teenage army recruits spend their days on the beach here in Halmard.
They know they'll be given their assignments, or placements fairly soon.
As the avenger sir Morcin has returned to Halmard with a patrol from the bordertown's garrison.
Who went out over the border to the unruled lands to the north. Along with the undead wardog Axe, and two of the instructors, who helped train the teenage army recruits. The ork general, Dorc da Orc. And the foreign knight, sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
It's no secret what they were all doing up in the unruled lands.
Taking care of the remainder of the raiders who are just to the north of the border.
Those who abandoned and fled their downed airship. And the others who didn't come south in pursuit of the first group of teenage army recruits.
After having another morning swim, the unofficial leader of the first group. Hamblin the teenage army recruit, sits down upon the white sands of the curving beach.
He looks behind to the garrison, on the west side of Halmard. And in the shade of one of the garrison buildings.
He spots the ork general, Dorc da Orc. Who has just made his way outside, sitting down in the shade.
No doubt the large ork is scowling in disgust. As the day, even though it's early spring. Is warm and sunny. As it often is along this part of the coast of the lands Farque at this time of the year.
Hamblin spots the ork warleader's bitter rival, sir Percavellé Lé Dic walk out of the same building.
Even from where he's sitting on the beach, the teenage army recruit from the farming village of Polsten. Which lies about forty five miles to the southeast of the forest town of Gildin Dale.
Can see the scowl upon the face of the former paladin, as he walks by the ork warleader.
Then the nobleborn knight grins, and pats his hip. Where he has the magical sword of knockdown.
Hamblin sees the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic chuckling as he walks away.
Ignoring whatever it is that his bitter rival, the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world says to him.
The son of farmers from the village of Polsten, who in a couple of weeks time. At the end of the first month of spring, will turn fourteen.
Looks forward, and to his right when he hears a loud splash in the water.
The unofficial leader of the first group of teenage army recruits from across the northwest of the lands Farque.
Who spent most of the winter, living and training in the forest town of Gildin Dale.
Before coming out here to the coast, and the bordertown of Halmard at the end of winter, to complete their training.
Sees the undead wardog Axe paddling alongside the dock.
A long stone breakwater, that sticks out into the ocean for at least a hundred yards.
Those teenage army recruits near the dock where Axe is. Give the undead wardog as much room as possible.
Though the massive canine, doesn't really allow them.
As he swims quickly up to them, creating a wake, and swamping them. Before he paddles away.
Hamblin grins, as he and the rest of the recruits in the first group.
Have learnt to keep out of the ocean entirely when Axe is in it.
The massive animal takes great pleasure in splashing and swamping anyone in the water with him.
The three other groups of teenage army recruits haven't learnt that yet, only arriving in Halmard yesterday morning.
Halmard looks to his left, and spots his fellow recruit in the first group, Maselle walking up the beach to where he's sitting by himself.
When she gets to where he's sitting, Maselle the teenage army recruit sits beside him, and quietly asks "Thought about what placement you might get?".
"Of course" says Hamblin the teenage army recruit, who suspects every single one of them in the four groups of young army recruits from across northwestern Farque are thinking about the same thing at the moment.
"Well?" asks Maselle after her fellow recruit falls silent, and doesn't elaborate about what placement he may or may not get.
With a shrug of his shoulders, the teenager from the farming village of Polsten, says "No idea really".
"The scouts and rangers division" dryly says the teenage girl.
"Well of course" says Hamblin in a similar tone of voice, who continues on with "All of us in our group will".
He pauses for a moment or two, before he adds "Except for Golmard".
Maselle nods in agreement, as it's obvious the largest of the recruits in not just their group, but all four groups from across northwestern Farque.
Who in all likelihood, will be a swordmaster or blademaster one day.
Will be a foot soldier one day. In an infantry unit in one of the armies of Farque.
"I think a few of the others might have further specialised training" quietly says Hamblin, who pauses for a moment or two, before continuing with "Jinsa definitely will".
"Ranger training?" asks Maselle, her fellow recruit replies with a nod of his head.
As their group member Jinsa, a daughter of a master archer. Who is the best in their group with a bow.
Is destined to be a full ranger one day.
The two of them are silent for a bit, as they watch those still out in the water, on what's a warm and sunny spring morning, here in the coastal bordertown of Halmard.
Then Maselle breaks the silence between the two of them, and says "And us?".
"Not too sure" answers Hamblin honestly, the teenage army recruit from the farming village of Polsten, follows that with "But like you said, definitely one of the scouts and rangers divisions".
Maselle nods in agreement, and after a sideways look at her fellow recruit, who like her, is just wearing briefs.
She turns her head and looks back into town, at the garrison on this side of Hamblin.
And wonders when those who hold their futures in their hands. Will give them their orders. Giving them their placements, now that their basic recruit training has come to an end.
Then she looks back out on the water, and spots Axe heading to shore.
The undead wardog is making a beeline for the two of them.
Both Hamblin and Maselle slightly wince, as they know what the massive canine tends to do when he gets out of the water, and he's close to someone.
The two teenagers know it's too late. Besides they could never avoid it if they wanted to.
So they just sit there, side by side, on the white sandy beach, as Axe runs through the water, up onto the shore, towards them.
"A good day to you Axe" says Hamblin as the undead wardog stops, and softly barks and growls at the two of them.
The unofficial leader of the first group of teenage army recruits. Figures the massive animal is greeting him and Maselle.
And his response was adequate, as the Farqian wardog's tail suddenly starts wagging from side to side.
Axe then softly barks a few more times, then wanders away towards the town.
Much to the relief of both of the young army recruits. Who were certain the undead wardog was going to shake while next to them.
Which he always does, to anyone on the beach whenever he gets out of the water.
Both Hamblin and Maselle look back towards town, and watch Axe. They both realise where, or to be exact, to who. The undead wardog is making his way towards.
The teenager from the farming village of Polsten grins. While next to him, his fellow recruit in the first group, refrains from laughing, which she almost does.
As they watch Axe head towards the garrison building, that the ork general, Dorc da Orc is sitting in the shade of.
The large ork can probably smell and hear the undead wardog approaching.
But the ork warleader is too busy looking the other way. The direction his bitter rival, the foreign knight, sir Percavellé Lé Dic went.
The scowling ork weaponsmith finally notices Axe when the massive animal stops right next to him.
And before Dorc da Orc, or Dorkindle which is his given name, realises what's happening
The undead wardog shakes, spraying droplets of water everywhere from his short haired coat.
Predominantly over the the ork general sitting in the shade of one of the garrison buildings.
Both Hamblin and Maselle can't help it. And quietly chuckle as they watch the warleader of the ork race. Getting hit by the water shaken off Axe.
As the son of the previous matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks. Splutters, and swears as Axs keep shaking his body right next to the large ork who is a general in the armies of Farque.
Hamblin as he watches the annoyed looking ork weaponsmith on this warm and sunny spring day, here on the coast, in the bordertown of Halmard.
Wonders again about what placement he will be given now that training is over. And where else the rest of the first group of teenage army recruits will be placed throughout the armies of their homeland.
Hamblin finds out soon enough, as a messenger from the garrison, comes out. And informs the teenage army recruits on the beach.
That they're to be on the marshalling yard infront of the garrison just after the midday meal today.
It's early afternoon, and the four groups of ten teenage army recruits have made their way out of the refractory.
And are lined up on the marshalling yard infront of the barracks here on the west side of town.
Out of the main garrison building walks their instructors. With the exception of general Dorc. Who is dozing in the shade to the side of the main building.
With a piece of parchment in hand, field commander Tamric Drubine steps forward and says "First group forward".
The first group of teenage army recruits step forward. In a line, with their unofficial leader Hamblin to the left.
And the teenage army recruit Claradene at the other end of the line.
Looking at the ten young army recruits of the first group, field commander Drubine "These are your placements".
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin looks down at the parchment he's holding, and begins.
"Recruit Claradene" says the senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Claradene takes a step forward, and the young field commander says "Second army, scouts and rangers division".
The young recruit from northwestern Farque nods, then steps back into line.
"Recruit Furnid" says Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
The next army recruit inline steps forward, and the young field commander tells him "Second army, scouts and rangers division".
Furnid nods, then steps back into line. Then the teenage army recruit Markell steps forward when commander Drubine calls out his name.
"First army, scouts and rangers division" says the senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Markell steps back, then Marshay who is next inline, steps forward when Tamric Drubine calls out her name.
She too has a placement in the scouts and rangers division of the first army of their lord.
"Recruit Jinsa" says the son of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle found in the forested north of the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
"The Krean Protectorate, ranger training" says the young field commander to the teenage army recruit, who nods, then steps back into line. As expected, she will have advanced training.
The young recruit, Dammis steps forward next when his name is called out.
"The first army, scouts and rangers division" says field commander Drubine to Dammis, who nods and steps back into line.
"Recruit Lamis" says the nobleborn teenager who is only a handful of years older than the young recruits from here in the northwest of the lands Farque.
"The Summer Palace, apprentice to a blademaster" says field commander Drubine.
Lamis nods and steps back into line. Surprised at that unexpected placement.
His fellow recruits in the first group, are just as surprised as he is.
Next inline is the teenage recruit Golmard, the largest of the young teens in the first group.
He steps forward when his name is called out, and the senior officer in command of their training over the winter tells him "The Winter Palace, heavy foot division, apprentice to a swordmaster".
That's not unexpected, and Golmard nods and steps back into line with his fellow recruits of the first group.
"Recruit Maselle" says Tamric Drubine the field commander.
The young teenage girl steps forward, and the senior officer in the armies of Farque tells her "First army, scouts and rangers division, scout training".
Maselle nods and steps back into line. Knowing that while the others placed in the scouts and rangers divisions will start off as runners. She will be given advanced scout training.
"Recruit Hamblin" says field commander Drubine to the last recruit inline.
The unofficial leader of the first group of teenage army recruits steps forward to hear his placement.
"The Citadel" says Tamric Drubine to the young teenage army recruit from the farming village of Polsten.
Hamblin stands there and blinks in surprise. While his fellow recruits, not just in the first group. But in all four groups, look at him.
Hamblin remembers to nod, then step back into line with the rest of the recruits of the first group.
As the other groups step forward to receive their placements from field commander Drubine.
Hamblin the teenage army recruit stands there stunned at the turn of events.
Out of the forty teenagers of the four groups. He's the only one given the placement of The Citadel, the capital of the lands Farque.
The Citadel, where senior officer training takes place for those deemed worthy enough to undertake it . . . . . .
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