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Meresin

Corporal
45 Badges
May 20, 2008
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This is not my first AAR, i've tried to make some in EUII and CK, but never been able to pass from Second Chapter. This one, is not so much of an AAR, but a begginer's novel, inserted in the time and space of EU:R.

Oh, this time i've already passed from 2nd chapter, but i have some lines to fix before I post them.

I've really enjoyed starting to write this novel, and i hope to get some helpful criticism to improve my writing.

Chapters:
Prologue - Assault on Solimar (Arthur)
Chapter 1 - Little Life in Solimar (Meresin)
Chapter 2 - Life in Solimar (Arthur)
Chapter 3 - Solimar Council (Tempús)
Chapter 4 - The day after the council (Meresin)
Chapter 5 - Scout Hunting (Jonas)

Every comment is wanted :)
 
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Prologue – Solimar Assault (Arthur)

Titanus: Wake up.
Arthur (half asleep): Hmm, what…?
Titanus (seemingly excited): They’re coming.
Arthur stands up sharply, and looks over the palisade.
Arthur (after a while searching): Where?
Titanus (caressing the pommel of his sword): You mean you can’t see them?
Arthur: No, I’m asking ‘where’ just to see if you still remember where they are…

Titanus laughed with that strong laugh of his. The kind of laugh only a 2 meter tall large man could make. The kind of laugh everyone in the village would wake up to the sound of. The kind of laugh the enemies would hear if they were on their far away village, so if they were in the woods, right in front of them, they’d hear for sure.

Arthur (with his eyes wide open, whispering): Shhh! You nuts? If they’re there they’ll hear that.
Titanus: Relax; if they hear me laughing, you think they’d feel like they were seen…? I don’t think so. And it’s your fault anyway, you made me laugh.
Arthur: Sure, blame me, you big fat bastard.
Titanus (looking to the tree line): So, you seen them already?
Arthur: There’s nothing there. You’re fooling me around, I’m going back to sleep.
Titanus: Wait, I’m serious. I won’t point, ‘cause that would be stupid, but look in the direction I’m looking. There in the north, you see him? There are some more on the tree line in the east.
Arthur (trying to position his head in the direction Titanus was looking): Can’t see anything.
Titanus: Are you trying with your eyes closed or something?? He’s actually moving!
Arthur: That’s a bush!
Titanus: A bush with legs??
Arthur: Where do you see legs?? Wait… It’s four legged, that’s a coyote or a dog…
Titanus: Art… Olimar, who is blind, can see better than you…

Titanus picks a bow and an arrow, places the arrow on the bow, aims…

Titanus: He’s a smart coyote, look: he got on his feet and is running two-legged; he seems to know I’m going to shoot him. (Titanus lets go of the arrow, at the end of its journey, it gets a sound, and not a sound a coyote would make, definitely not)

Arthur (screaming): ENEMY SIGHTED! GET TO YOUR POSITIONS!

War drums echoed. “TO, TOO-TOOO”.

A small group of shadows emerged from the night, running from the tree line in the East, in their direction…

Arthur (screaming): Coming from East!

“TO-TO-TO, TOO-TOOO”

Titanus: Too few. Search for the main group…

Arrows came flying from inside the forest in their direction.

Arthur (throws himself to the ground): Get down!
Titanus (immobile, still looking for more men): Still too few. They surely don’t expect to storm the walls with these nine or ten men…
Arthur (on the ground): No way! It was double that only in arrows…
Titanus: You saw the accuracy of them? Either it was twenty blind men shooting those, or five man shooting 3 arrows at a time.

The shadowy figures that were running stopped behind a hut. Soon after four arrows came flying from there.


Arthur (tackling Titanus to the ground): DOWN!
Titanus: They’re definitely up for something; they’re luring us here, waiting for our reinforcements to get to this side of the palisade. COME!

Titanus got on his feet and jumped from the sentinel floor to the ground (from a man that big, it seemed like he was jumping down only a small step; if you don’t count the trembling it caused when his weight got in full contact with the grass). Then he started running along the wall in direction of the West side of the palisade.

Solimar was bigger than it seemed at distance, it was built on top of a large hill, and the way it was growing lately, it would soon occupy other hills nearby. Every month the palisade had to be extended to give more space to construction inside city walls. The only tall construction was the sentinel tower, built right in the center of the hill. Now it was just the drum tower, since it could barely see any enemies approaching at the distance it had from the palisade.

Titanus ran exceptionally fast for a man that big, it wasn’t for no reason his nickname was “The Bull”. Arthur had to leave his shield behind to try to get to the speed of his friend. It was utter meaningless, The Bull seemed to run even faster.

After a good while running as fast as they could, they got to the West side of the palisade. Titanus climbed the ladder to the sentinel floor and started running South along the palisade. When Arthur climbed the ladder to the scout floor, his friend Titanus was kneeled near a sentinel body.

Arthur: They came through here?
Titanus: I told you.

Titanus took the sentinel sword and got up. A strange hand appeared from outside the palisade. An intruder was silently trying to climb the palisade; unfortunately for him he was doing it right in front of that huge man. When he stopped fighting to get his balance and looked up to meet the eye line of Titanus, his face got full with panic, and froze there. Titanus just pulled his face away, making him fall on top of his comrades. Arthur peeked outside, they were 10 to 15 man, coming from the South along the West palisade, and were now aware they’ve been seen. Suddenly they started running back south. They were screaming something, but it was probably code for someone.

Arthur: MAIN ATTACK FROM WEST!

He got no reply from the drums. He repeated his warning, with still no response. Then it came…

“TO-TO-TO, TOO-TOOO”

Arthur: What the hell? I said west!
Titanus: The ones who already passed got control of the tower. And from what I can understand, they’ve got control of West Entrance too, and will enter from there.

They jumped down the sentinel floor and started running to the West Entrance. When they got there, the entrance was not open yet, but from their original four sentinels, only two still stood up guarding the gates with all the strength they had, one trying to hold the gate, the other was between him and three foes trying to fight them off. Six men could be counted lying on the floor, four were enemies.

Arthur (while they were still 50 meter away from their enemies): Titanus give me space.

Titanus pushed his back against the palisade. Arthur aimed with his sword and sent it flying spinning until it reached the chest of an enemy still standing, the other two started shouting something to the others outside and charged the sentinel in front of them. He used the shield to block the attack from the left enemy, rotated to the right side of his enemy in order to elbow him in the back of his neck and make him fall. The other attacker went straight to the one guarding the gate. He was parried three or four times and noticed he would be trapped if he didn’t retreat soon, so he did. Titanus arrived and got in between his enemy and the two sentinels, who were both now trying to hold the gates. His foe was just dancing, going forth and back keeping Titanus moving.

Arthur: Titanus, up!

Titanus looked over his shoulder and watched enemies climbing over the palisade and gathering on the sentinel floor. Six were already standing there, and more were climbing.

Titanus: Bloody hell! You two, forget about that door, and grab a sword, they’ve found another way.

He charged the foe in front of him and got him on his third enraged strike. Arthur picked a sword and a shield, then, him, Titanus and the two sentinels made a straight line facing their adversaries. They were about twelve, now.

Arthur: You two, go warn the sentinels on the East wall.

The sentinels looked at each other, and then obeyed.

Titanus: I take those ten on the left. You think you can take the other two?
Arthur (laughed): What if we BOTH try to take one or two at each time? It would get them a few time until they realize they would have to stick together to get us.
Titanus: That’s the worst plan I have ever heard.
Arthur: You seem to have a better one.
Titanus: Not really.

Their enemies were twenty meter away and approaching. A man in the middle, who seemed to be leading, told one of his men on each corner of his line to go after the two who had ran East.

Titanus: What about that, he’s making our life easier.
Arthur: Yes, we ONLY have to kill ten now.
Titanus: We kill seven or eight including the leader and the others will scram.

Their enemies were making a circle around them.

Arthur: Seven’s the magic number, seven seems easy. NOW!

They charged what used to be the center of their line and got one man. The other two around him managed to parry and block the attacks; one of them was the leader and had fallen to the ground. He was quickly helped up by one of his men and seemed angry now. Arthur and Titanus were with their backs to the gate now.

Arthur: Six, now.
Titanus: I just don’t think your plan will work again.

They were being pushed back to the gate.

Arthur: This is not good.
Titanus: I’ll hold them up. Open the gates.

Titanus launched a series of attacks to keep their enemies at distance, while Arthur opened the gates. One of them tripped when he was stepping behind and fell; Titanus seized the opportunity, and backed out again. The Gates were already open.

Titanus (breathing heavily): Five!

The Western Gates were large; they were built large enough to let ships being transported to the sea, or cargo from the ships to town. Large enough for three passing men to have enough space to move if they were attacked, but not really if four were trying to pass at the same time, with four more behind pushing them, eager to slain the numerically inferior adversaries in front of them. Arthur and Titanus noticed that and at the same exact time charged their enemies with shield and sword and foot and fists. They slain first four as the four behind had to retreat back inside as they had no visibility to attack.

Titanus (grinning): Ha! Too easy!
Arthur: One left, and they’ll scram, right?
Titanus: I was lying; I don’t think they’ll run away...

They both entered the village again and stood back to back as their enemies surrounded them. Their enemies attacked and pushed back, this time much more carefully, they were using their number and position to get both tired. Sometimes Arthur and Titanus would charge one of them, but they were ready for it and it brought no results, they’d get surrounded again in no time.

Arthur: Wait (he blocked another blow from his foe and then screamed), WAIT MEANS STOP!

His aggressor did so, as did everyone around.

Titanus (breathing heavily): What, mate?
Arthur: Listen…

The sound of a horse riding was growing louder. A horseman passed in the main road, coming from South Gate in direction of the hill, fast as the wind.

Arthur: That was Jonas, something’s wrong. Training’s over. Titanus, we better get to Tempús house and find out.


Next Chapter: Little life in Solimar (Meresin)

(Crap, any way i can pass from Word to the forum and don't lose bold tags and paragraphs? Or should I use another program to make the transition simpler?)
 
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It's not crap.
It is a good beginning, I think. :)
Enough action, enough planning, quite easy to udnerstand.
A good beginning. ;)

Now could you explain what nation this is, or whether you are not playing any nation? Just a novel?

And names are funny. :p

(Woot, I was here before comagoosie! :rofl: )
 
Interesting start! I'm assuming the country you're playing is Rome. Good job so far.
 
Hi! thanks for the replies, i got kinda depressed i didnt got any yesterday (jkg :p)

About the nation im playing, lets make it a game, the one who can guess will win :D

Prize to be named later

(I'll post "Chapter 1 – Little life in Solimar (Meresin)" later tonight)

(Nobody has a advice about the program to use to write and being easy to transport to the foruns?)
 
Enewald said:
It's not crap.
It is a good beginning, I think. :)
Enough action, enough planning, quite easy to udnerstand.
A good beginning. ;)

Now could you explain what nation this is, or whether you are not playing any nation? Just a novel?

And names are funny. :p

(Woot, I was here before comagoosie! :rofl: )
starts to stomp around in a circle, cursing homework :mad:

what a weird start. So everything was training, or was that a figure of speech to what is to come. Whatever it is, I like it :D
 
Chapter 1 – Little life in Solimar (Meresin)


Joanna: Wake up!
Meresin (embroiled in his blankets): Don’t want to…
Joanna (placing clothes on a basket): Young man, you get your head off that bed and start walking outside, NOW! You’re late.
Meresin: That’s why I shouldn’t even go now, Sir Gallo will just yell…
Joanna (interrupting him): GET OUT! And you better go to school today or I’ll tell your father.

Meresin got up from his bed, ranting, and left the house.

Joanna (coming outside with the basket full of clothes):
Be home at midday or you’ll be sorry.
Meresin (from far): DON’T CARE!

Solimar was stupid. What sort of city would build the school on top of a hill, and the houses downhill? Kids would just give up and go do something else instead of walking all the way up there. Not talking about skip classes and returning home from school a lot desirable too.
When Meresin got to his destination Sir Gallo had already started the math class.

Gallo (interrupting his class):
“Sir” Meresin, how good to have you here. Got lost on the way here? Three days we’ve been expecting you.

Meresin grabbed a math tablet from a pile and sit near Marco.

Gallo (curious):
No smart answer today, “Sir” Meresin?
Meresin (quick and in a respectful tone): No, sir, I was sick but I’m good now. I’m sorry about missing your classes; I have so much to catch up.

Gallo stopped, and measured Meresin with his eyes, trying to discover if he was mocking him or talking serious. Meresin was mocking him, but he didn’t understand, or at least pretended he didn’t.

Gallo (turning away and going to the front of the class again):
You seem to have gotten some sense; however, I’ve told Sir Cogan you will not assist his classes until you covered the classes you missed with me.
Meresin (couldn’t believe what he was hearing): Oh, come on…!
Gallo (didn’t even look back): “Come on…”, what? Anything to add?
Meresin (controlled): No, sir… This tablet is broken… Please go on.
Gallo: Grab another one, and be quiet, you already made me lose time. Time is precious, Meresin, “precious as a flower in the Winter”…

Meresin trade his math tablet and sat near Marco again.

Marco (whispering):
What happened to you? My mom didn’t let me go to your home. She is pissed at my dad again, and is yelling at me and forbidding me to do everything again…

Meresin signaled with a head nod in the direction of Sir Gallo.

Marco (checked that Sir Gallo wasn’t paying attention to them and added):
You’re not talking to me?
Meresin: No, but maybe Jalla will.
Marco (incredulous): You still pissed over that? It was a kiss.
Meresin: You knew I liked her. Now suffer.
Marco: Right… I’ll suffer...

They listened to Sir Gallo.

Sir Gallo was boring, a tall, skinny and arrogant, boring man. He was however a famous poet, he had been in far Numaneia, and even much farther Orium to recite his poems to important leaders. The problem was that he recited his poems even in Math classes, showing off and trying to make anyone there wanting to be like him some day later. He hadn’t had much luck so far though… You see, Solimar was a warrior village; it was the choice of refugees from the East because of that. The recent increase of attacks from barbarians made people choose Solimar instead of Numaneia (which was a much larger and powerful city), because it praised the warrior, the man who trains with a steel sword since the moment he is able to grab it and swing it. However, the part that bugged Meresin, was that “when a man reaches a certain age, he must be educated in the much more difficult art of literature and math… And love”. So now he had to learn to write and to count, but it was so, so boring, and he already knew the basics, anyway... When you are taught to spend all your energy in combat wielding a sword so long ago you just believe you came with it from the belly of your mother, that it it’s the continuation of your arm, you find sitting down and listening to a boring man, very, very tortuous, especially if you’re trying to ignore your best friend, especially if the boring man is really, really boring. Meresin now noticed Sir Gallo was trying to fake a vacant stare into the horizon, as he always did when he stopped the lesson to recite his poetry and wanted to make it look deep and genius. When Sir Gallo got back to the lesson again, Meresin gave up.

Meresin (whispering):
If you wanted to kiss her, you could have told me. She’s stupid anyway. I just liked her hair.
Marco: Exactly, you told me you didn’t want anything with her, so when she tried to kiss me, I didn’t stop her, what’s wrong with that?
Meresin: It was treacherous. When I have a family and one day I get mad at them, will you kiss my wife and steal my kids?
Marco: You’re being stupid. That’s the most idiotic comparison I’ve ever heard. You are just mad she wanted to kiss me and not you.
Meresin (after a brief pause): You are wooing her now?
Marco: No way, it was just a kiss… She kissed well though.
Meresin (shocked): What?? Sure, you know that from all your kisses, you kissed how many times? Once all your life? Counting with Jalla of course. You can’t compare if you have nothing to compare with.
Marco: Oh, wise one, oh great romantic and handsome god, please tell me all your wisdom based on a girlfriend all your life. Anyway, I don’t need to compare anything. If a kiss is good, you just know it.
Meresin: Girls are stupid, and I might have only had one girlfriend but I had lots of kisses. So, thank you and come back later when you pass the barrier of one.

Meresin then got up and went to place his math tablet on top of the others.

Marco (surprised):
Where you going?

All other kids were getting up too.

Meresin:
Class is over. You should really pay attention…

Marco got up and placed his tablet on top of the others, and ran to catch up with Meresin.

Marco:
Where are you going in such a hurry?
Meresin: Well, I can’t go to Combat class, so I’ll find something to do while you’re at it.
Marco: Oh, right! See you later then.

And he left. Meresin sat for a long while looking at girls his age practicing sword combat. In Solimar boys were taught to fight since they are little kids, and when they reached a certain age, they had to learn about literature and math. It was like that because men have a physical advantage over women. Girls were taught to read and count since they were little, when they reached a certain age they had to learn how to use a sword. It was like this because women had a mental advantage over men. They had to learn a little about what the other sex was specialized, to ensure a respect and balance about each other’s tasks in society. When they are grown men and women, though, the men drink, build, hunt and defend; women cook, treat, clean and love.

Meresin:
You have to grab a little more up.
Girl (noticing his presence): What?
Meresin: You’re grabbing the sword handle too close to the pommel. You should grab it a little more up.
Girl: Alright, I’ll try that next time. The class is over, I have to go now.
Meresin (nervous): Ri-Rihanne, wait… So, everything’s good with you?
Rihanne: Yes, and you? Look, I’m sorry, I really have to go.
Meresin (trying to look calm): Sure...

He stopped there, watching her leave.

Marco:
Yes, you never think about her.
Meresin (got spooked because he didn’t notice his friend approach): You… Don’t you have an ugly stupid girl to kiss?
Marco: Nice, avoid the question, and don’t talk about something that is important to you.
Meresin (starting to walk): You think you kissing ugly stupid girls doesn’t affect me? I talk to you a lot, what will people think? I like that kind of girls too?
Marco (walking with him): I give up… You want to know what I discovered in combat class?
Meresin: You don’t know how to use a sword?
Marco (ignoring Meresin’s remark): My father’s team beat your father’s team last night on training assault.
Meresin: What? My father’s team is unbeatable, they have The Bull.
Marco: Well, it seems wits beat brute force.
Meresin: You really believe that?
Marco: Now I do.
Meresin: Who defeated Titanus?
Marco: I have no idea.
Meresin: So, someone beat The Bull and that man’s name isn’t chanted in the streets? Isn’t being told along with that crappy story? Right…
Marco: Anyway, I suppose you miss being defeated by me, in a sword fight?
Meresin: Oh, you still remember that one time, you have great memory.
Marco (laughing): Maybe last time I hit you with my shield in the head made you lose memory, I beat you every day. Except last three days, you’ve been hiding at your home.
Meresin (uncomfortable): I wasn’t hidden; I was helping Sir Malko training the kids, doing something useful, you know, you should try sometimes.
Marco: Yarr, sure. Want to go sword fighting or not?
Meresin: Not in the mood. And today I have to be home by midday, or my mother will chop my head off.
Marco (flapping his arms, imitating a chicken): Boc, boc, boc, boc, boc, boc, boc, boc...

Meresin stood there watching his friend doing the chicken imitation, when he finished, Meresin looked on him pitifully.

Marco:
So, you changed your mind?
Meresin: You’re ridiculous, and your girlfriend Jalla was watching that… Look behind.

Marco blushed and looked behind: no one was there. When he turned back to Meresin, he was already walking away. Marco walked faster to meet him.

Marco: It’s not midday yet, I can kick your butt two or three times before midday.
Meresin: Not in the mood, really, maybe later, I've got to go do something else now.
Marco (stopped walking with Meresin): You’re going to watch Rihanne again? That’s just sad… Leave her be… Forget about her.
Meresin (kept walking without looking back): I’m not going to see no stupid Rihanne. Bye!

Meresin left the school gardens, headed down the hill, along the main road, towards the South Gate of the village, someone called his name but he just ignored it and started to walk fast, he passed the gates, and when there was no more stone road, but grass, he started running, then faster, and faster, and faster. When he was far enough from everyone, tears started pouring from his eyes, but he just kept running faster. He ran into the forest south of the village, jumping roots, evading branches, deep, deep into the forest, until he turned West and walked out of the forest to a green and white field, stopped running and let himself fall with his back to the ground. He closed his eyes, sun beating on his face, and just stood there hearing the loud sound of his heart beating. There were lots of flowers there, they were large, white, with a yellow center and were always turned to the sun. People called them Sunflowers. They somehow gave him peace. After resting a while he got up and walked up to the end of the large piece of land that hold that green and white field. It was a big precipice, at the bottom of it; he could see sand, and the endless sea ahead.


Next Chapter: Life in Solimar (Arthur)
 
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Intriguing start.
 
@comagoosie: My ev0l plan was to make the reader feel exactly like you did.
I'm glad I managed to trick at least one person into it. :D

@Morsky: I have some knowledge of Word, but I didn't get what your idea was, if you could explain as you would to a dummie, please... :p

@stnylan: Thanks, I hope I can keep it up :)


By the way, as you can see, i've changed some things in this "world" of mine, from city names, to city customs, which i'll try to explain there or the next chapters.


And... Also i'm kinda slow on descriptions...The thing is... I hate them, I like actions/dialogue/intrigue/surprise and not descriptions, in my opinion the reader should have the freedom to idealize the whole space, but some say you have to describe a little, it's part of the characterization of the space and characters as well. The way I found it to be less painful is to introduce descriptions really slowly, along the chapters... Let’s see how it works out... :)

Also, thanks to everyone who've had patience to read until here. Please keep doing it :)
 
Arakiel said:
@Morsky: I have some knowledge of Word, but I didn't get what your idea was, if you could explain as you would to a dummie, please... :p

What I meant was that you could manually type out the ["b"]["/b"] tags (NOTE: without the quotes, I had to use those so they show in the text) in your Word document around the bits you want bolded, and then copy-paste the text here, so it will end up looking like this. :) Basically, you don't hit the big B button in Word (which makes text in Word appear bolded).
 
Another good update.
And I really have no idea about the nation...
it's barbaric...
has some really odd names around the world...
and the name 'Sir'...
and school classes...
mathematics and barbarian lifestyle don't usually work well together... and as there are those flowers, this can't be really north.

Is it Dacia or Illyria? Rhoxolani, Bosporian Kingdom?
 
@comagoosie: Couldn't agree more, mate :)

@morsky: Darn, unfortunately that is probably the best way...

@enewald: That is cheating! Only one try per Chapter!! I admit it, with a few changes i made, and since the narrative is still sticked to a village, it might be a little difficult, but sooner or later it will become obvious. So first try: Dacia, wrong :p

Oh, and don't call them barbarians! They're not fully educated, sure, they don't use paper or any similar sort of technologie, but not barbarians! They're humble, and dignified men and women :p

The "Sir" is a sign of respect for the older, effect of the "globalization" if you will :p

About the naming, it'll be explained later.


Luckily (or unluckily), a insomnia is pushing me into posting an update tonight.
 
Chapter 2 – Life in Solimar (Arthur)


Joanna: Wake up, its midday.
Arthur (trying to open his eyes): Already? Couldn’t fall asleep for hours…
Joanna (at the entrance of the room, interrupting him): Xavier is following Meresin’s footsteps… He’s answering me rudely, doesn’t care about school, only swordfights… It’s a matter of time until Lucas is the same thing, if you let them keep doing this…
Arthur: I just woke up woman. Leave me be.
Joanna: It’s midday. And food is ready.
Arthur: They all got home yet?
Joanna: All but Meresin…
Arthur: He’s still missing classes to go help Sir Malko?
Joanna: I told him to go to school, but he probably didn’t care. You’re supposed to teach him obedience and discipline, remember?
Arthur (getting up): What’s up with you today? God…
Joanna (leaving the room): Just come to table. I’m not going to eat cold chicken because your rude son is teaching four year-old kids how to use a sword.

Arthur entered the dinner room. His house was simple: a door to enter, a large dinner room, and two small bedrooms and a small weapons room. As he passed by, he kissed his sons Lucas and Xavier on their hair and sat on his place on the table.

Arthur:
Lucas, you saw your brother at the training today?
Lucas (chewing bread): No.
Arthur: Alright. What about you Xavier, you’re answering rudely to your mother?
Xavier: She…
Arthur (continuing): I don’t want know what happened, don’t do it again, understand?

Xavier gets up the table and leaves the house.

Joanna:
Xavier! Get back here, now! Respect your father.
Arthur: Leave him be. When he’s hungry he’ll be back.
Joanna: That’s your idea of discipline? You’re never here, and when you are he turns his back on you and leaves your house without telling you where he’s going.
Arthur: I’m letting him grow up: he’ll think, he’ll get hungry and he’ll come back. He’ll learn to respect us because he understands, or because he needs, either way is better than screaming at him. Didn’t you want to eat the chicken before it got cold?

Joanna angrily served herself and Lucas. Arthur served after and started eating. Meresin then entered the house, he smelled of sea, and was all wet. He sat on his place at the table. There was no plate for him.

Meresin:
I’m sorry I’m late.

Arthur looked at his wife; she pretended she didn’t notice her son’s arrival and kept eating. Arthur sighed and gave his plate to his son.

Arthur:
Eat. What happened to your clothes?
Meresin (before starting to eat): I… A woman threw me with water…
Arthur: Something you did?
Meresin: It was an accident… (he started eating then, and changed subject) Is it true your team lost against Saffiron’s last night?
Arthur: Last night training didn’t finish, by the way, next week there’s a tourney in Numaneia. I’ll need to go a little sooner to reunite with some people.

Joanna looked him in the eyes, visibly annoyed, and left the table to her room.

Arthur:
Don’t worry kids; she’s just angry with me. Meresin, you’ll go with me.
Meresin (excited): Really? To Numaneia?
Arthur: Yes, as soon as I know when I have to go, I’ll talk to Sir Gallo and Sir Cogan and explain them why you’ll miss their classes.
Meresin (uncomfortable): I can tell them if you’re too busy.
Arthur: You think they’ll believe you?
Meresin: Probably not…
Arthur: Probably…
Meresin (quickly changing subject): Where’s Xavier?
Arthur: Where would you be?
Meresin: What? I don’t understand.
Arthur: I need you to think where he can be, because I want you to find him and bring him home, before nightfall. I just remembered these are dangerous times to be walking around outside town alone. He’ll have to find another time to rebel.
Meresin: Alright.

Meresin finished eating, changed his clothes and went outside on his mission. Arthur played a little with Lucas and then told him to get back to his training. After, he entered his bedroom, where Joanna was laying down on the bed looking at her right wrist, where a fine piece of white silk was attached to it.

Arthur:
You’re resented from accepting it?

Silence…

Arthur
: I remember the day like it was yesterday… Your whole family watching, your father’s face full of fear you’d accept to marry a man born a bastard… And you did… It was the most amazing and at the same time most funny moment of my life…

Joanna couldn’t help but to laugh a bit. She went back to serious almost instantly next.

Arthur:
I’m… Sorry…

He got no answer.

Arthur:
I know I’ve been distant… The attacks from barbarians are reaching our city; we have to be prepared, that means training, heavy training…

Still no response…

Arthur (lay down on side of her):
Fine, don’t talk about us. Tell me more about Lucas and Xavier. How are they doing?
Joanna (after a while): Lucas is a great hunter; Sir Malko says he is one of the best his age. He works the bow like a grown man.
Arthur: Your father was a great hunter too, wasn’t he? (he smiled, trying to connect with her)
Joanna (giggled): Yes. He looks like him too, don’t you think? His nose, his red hair… It makes me think maybe we didn’t fail so much…
Arthur: Oh, please… Don’t say those things…
Joanna (looking at him now): Am I lying?
Arthur: You’re being faithless… Meresin just needs guidance, and with all the time I spend at trainings, I don’t have time to give it to him, and I don’t know anyone in this village who could tutor him the way I want… He’ll be fine, believe me. He’ll be great.
Joanna: And Xavier?
Arthur: About Xavier… That one actually concerns me, he’s impressionable and he’s on a difficult age… I’ll have to give him a talk, maybe when I get back. You think you can try not to yell at him and make things worse?
Joanna (nodded in agreement): And Michaelis… He’s far when he should be near.
Arthur (sighs): Do we really have to talk about this? I did…
Joanna: (finishing his sentence) … What you had to do… I know… Just, maybe you didn’t have to…
Arthur: Joanna… Please…
Joanna: I blame myself too, don’t worry. I consented.
Arthur (sighs again): Look, about Meresin… I’ve decided something…

The day was sunny, unlike most days had been until then. It was ironic. With so many bad news, the day was so sunny. Arthur had left home and was now outside the city gates, in the training camps. Men fought armed, unarmed, and practiced their aim with bow and arrow. Training weapons were not sharpened, they couldn’t cut through hot butter, they bruised a lot, they sometimes could break an arm, a leg, fingers or teeth, but they didn’t cut flesh. This was good because men trained with weapons with the real weight and form they would use in real combat. Those could later be the sharpened and used in real combat as well.

After a while observing them training…

Arthur (announcing):
My brothers, give me your attention: all leaders of families and teams should go to Tempús House after sunset. Pass the word to the ones who are not here. I also need everyone who doesn’t have a battle weapon to deliver your training swords to the blacksmiths so they can be sharpened. That applies to arrows and shields, if they need to. I need voluntaries to help create more arrows, more bows, I need men to go help the lumberjacks with the wood, and some other to come with me to dig…


Next Chapter: Solimar Council (Tempús)
 
@comagoosie: next chapter will reveal what's going on. My IRL is a bit busy this weekend, but tomorrow (sunday) i'll give the final review on the chapter and post it

@enewald: thanks, and... big lol, going alphabetically now? not Aedui either


As said above, chapter incoming tomorrow. Dunno if it will come in decent hours though :p

Thanks for your patience
 
Chapter 3 – Solimar Council (Tempús)

The pain was agonizing; it took all of his self-control not to grab his chest, to squeeze the pain, or just pound on it, do something… The pain was blinding him. For a second it stopped… For that second he could look around. The room was full of men; they were all talking to each other, making the word noise seem to be such a lowly definition of the ambience there.

In front of him, Arthur was talking to a younger man, a kid almost.

Arthur:
You really impressed me last night, Nicolas, the way you fought against those three men… When the two of them charged, very instinctive your moves…
Nicolas (nervously): Th-Thanks Sir. I really need to improve my skill without shield, but I think I’ve reached a great skill with sword and shield.
Arthur: Don’t lose your shield in battle then (and he laughed).
Nicolas (nervously laughing too): Will try not to…
Arthur: I was like you, you know, I got too used to have the shield on my left arm, but I learned some tricks to make the transition easier. Meet me some day in trainings and I’ll give you some advice.
Nicolas: Wi-Will do sir.
Saffiron (from the opposite side of the house): Hey Arthur! You managed to run from the end of the training last night with a nice move, hun?

Arthur met Saffiron’s eye line and they seem to be dueling with their stare for some moments, everyone was silenced, looking at them. Then Arthur broke the silence.

Arthur: From what I remember 12 of your men against 2 of mine, evolved into 4 against 2… But maybe I’m not gathering my thoughts with precision… Jindo, how did it happen?

Jindo was the men who seemed to be leading the attack on the West Gate the night before. Jindo was a tall, dark man; his eyes were a big black hole, face full with bruises, and with a blank stare. He never talked, unless in combat. He seemed to be a man who only pleasure in life was to fight; it was the only thing interesting for him. Jindo didn’t move or answer.


Arthur: Who’d guess that… It seems he agrees.

Most people on Arthur’s side laughed. Saffiron was still disgusted and continued.

Saffiron:
Yes, you and your friendly beast are so brave… I heard about your heroic moves… If that was a real combat, my men would have used bow and arrow, or wouldn’t ago after you when you opened the Gate. They should’ve closed you outside and you would miss the rest of the battle. You’re lucky those idiots just wanted the fame of defeating Titanus.
Arthur: Maybe someday you’ll need that friendly beast to guard your back…
Tempús (standing from his chair, shouting, face fully red of anger and pain): ENOUGH! You seem to be little children arguing who has a bigger dick! Those trainings are to improve team work and thinking while in a combat situation. Not to create petty fights… (stopped for a moment, to catch his breath)
Nicolas (stepping in direction of Tempús): Sir, you alright?
Tempús (abrupt): I’m fine young man. I’m finer than you will ever be. I just… (another pause to catch his breath) I’m tired of these petty fights… TIRED! We’re all from the same tree…

Then Tempús grabbed all the strength he had and he didn’t had to push himself back straight, rise his chin, with the proud posture of a leader. The proud posture was there, however that man was too weak now, everyone knew it, but if someone walked inside in that moment and saw that somewhat tall man, standing straight with his chin well risen, he would never believe he was in the brink of death.

Tempús:
Yesterday, grave, dire news have reached our village. Jonas, our scout in charge of patrolling our eastern borders, told me that a regiment of around four thousand men from the eastern tribes is gathering in our margin of the Purple River. We all know they usually try to pass the river and pillage nearby villages, but the gathering of four thousand men can only mean a more ambitious looting… They’ll come for Solimar...

Men started looking to each other, whispering, a sudden noise began.

Tempús (closing his eyes): SILENCE! I’m not done yet.

His voice was still loud, it still made them shut up and listen, he was proud he still had that.

Tempús:
Yesterday, as Arthur and Titanus were the first to hear these news, I talked to them about some of the things who had to be done immediately: our scouts on the East must be ready to burn everything those barbarians can use to feed themselves, and prepare ambushes along their way here, to slow them down, the most we can. They are on feet, so they’ll take about two weeks to get here, from the time they start marching towards us. With some luck, we might slow them down to three weeks, but it’s time we can’t take for sure. We must be prepared in two, maximum two and a half weeks. I… (his faced shrugged with pain) I’ve… Sent Titanus and some men to get all people we can from eastern villages, and to get all fighting men from villages nearby to join us here. Arthur offered himself to go to Numaneia and get some soldiers from them to aid us. However anyone who has family there should go with him and bring fighting capable men. We need every sword we can get.

A man in the middle of the crowd: We should take our women to Numaneia, or somewhere safe.

Tempús:
Bad idea! We must stand together. All help is needed.

Same man in the middle of the crowd: We can’t withstand against four thousand…

Tempús:
We can! And we will! Arthur will bring men from Numaneia, just to make it easier. I don’t want to hear such nonsense again.

The challenging man was going to answer back but he saw in Tempús eyes it was better to shut up, or maybe he just felt he couldn’t upset that old, weak man any more.

Tempús:
Continuing… Arthur already set the wheels moving to prepare our defense. Saffiron will keep it going; any man with ideas should go to him and talk it… out…

Everything was slowly moving now, he was saying words, but they seemed to get out of his mouth too slow. His lips were moving too slow, then he started to hear the rest of the environment less and less, and less, until he didn’t hear anything. He didn’t feel pain, but he was sweating like a pig, he was feeling it on his palms, then he got really scared, because it was in that moment he lost the feeling on his hands, he could move them but he didn’t feel anything if they touched one another. He lost the balance on his feet and fell behind, hitting with his head somewhere hard as a reached the ground. His eyes were still wide open, but he still saw everything moving really slowly. He saw Arthur’s head appearing in front of him. Then slowly lots of other faces.

Arthur:
Give… space… someone… Cornelius!

Even though he was seeing too slow, and was hearing again now, he noticed he was losing chunks of time, chunks of sound.

Tempús (grabbing Arthur’s arm and pulling his head up):
… am fine, no need call Cornelius…

Arthur placed his hand on Tempús forehead, then on his chest. Gave Tempús a nod in disagreement and shouted again something to the others around.

Tempús (dropping to the ground, fighting to talk again):
Art…

Arthur shouted some more to the men around.

Tempús:
Arthur…
Arthur (approaching his hear to Tempús mouth): What, Sir?
Tempús: You must get… Numaneia… You can’t fail, if… don’t get men… Please… Arthur. Listen.
Arthur: Save your strength, old man. I won’t fail.

Then everything started circling around and Tempús lost his conscience.


Next Chapter:
The day after the Council (Meresin)
 
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