Chapter 7

"What do you mean there is a war going on?" asked Aric shocked. "I've never hear of it!"

"Most of the cities citizens haven't, we nobles keep it from them. It's been a border dispute in the West really. If you had been in the army you would know about it. They don't want to panic the citizens, so the crown doesn't tell them," said Daven.

"But that means people are getting killed and no one knows." said Aric.

"Yes they are getting killed," said Daven. "But that often happens in wars."

"But what are you going to do?" asked Aric.

Daven and Aric were speaking in Daven's new office.

On his eighteenth birthday last month, Daven was given the office and some new responsibilities. Aric had turned eighteen two months prior to Daven.

Now they wouldn't be able to run around the city as much as they used to.

But that was ok because Aric was having fun training with the men, working with the kitchen staff, and just sitting and talking with the wine steward.

Over the last season, Aaron had taken to showing him something new he called tactics, the best way to use them, and how to use it to observe people and your surroundings to make quick decisions.

Aaron always said the best tactic was to always pay attention and to be aware of your surroundings.

Aric learned this quickly and easily.

"Well I'm going to go take a look at the field of battle for my father. He sent my brothers Nathan and Tomas, but they didn't give him the answers he wanted to hear," said Daven.

Aric didn't have much use for Daven's younger brothers Nathan or Tomas. They both had a different woman every time he saw them. And they were always older women.

While he considered what they did their business, it always irritated him that they both always called him their brother's pet closet slave to his face.

And once in front of their women they asked Aric if he gave blowjobs to their brother as well as some of his other whores did?

All four of them giggled as they walked away.

Aric always had fantasies of putting his hand through both of their throats a lot of the times.

He never liked them.

While Daven at least worked out for his physique, the two of them looked like their father, sloppy, fat, and probably drunk most of the time. They were fifteen and sixteen, and they already looked like a couple of old fat men.

"What did they tell your father that he didn't want to hear?" asked Aric.

"We aren't doing well on the field of battle," said Daven simply.

"That Field Marshal Titus said that we may lose some land at the western border. The problem with that is that there are villages not too far from that border. If we lose that land we'll also lose the people and the taxes they bring. My father isn't interested in giving that up just yet," said Daven.

"So when are you leaving?" asked Aric.

"I'll be going early next week," said Daven leaning back in his chair.

"Ok, well thanks for telling me, but will it be ok if I hang around the castle till you get back?" asked Aric

"Oh, no. You're not getting off that easy. You're coming with me," said Daven smiling.

"Say WHAT!" said Aric. "I'm not a soldier. I have no battle experience!"

"Hasn't Aaron been teaching you tactics?" asked Daven

"Sure, but what's that got to do with anything?" asked Aric

"Aaron holds the field rank of Colonel, and you've been his best pupil I've been told," said Daven smiling bigger.

"WHAT!" said Aric, "He's in the army too?"

Now he was staring hard at Daven.

"And as of today you are as well. You'll hold the field Rank of Captain, but only while in the field. Normally you would be a field second Lieutenant, but I pulled some strings since you already have limited combat experience. I'm aware that you can fight four men at once with a sword, are undefeated among the men in unarmed combat, and now have studied tactics under Aaron," smiled Daven.

"But that was just theory. I have no idea what to do for real," said a shocked Aric.

Daven came around his desk, stood in front of his friend, and leaned back against the desk.

"Aric I really need your help. I don't want to go into an unknown situation without someone to watch my back. If this gets ugly, and I'm not paying attention, people who are depending on me could really die, and I don't just mean the soldiers. Please say you'll help me," said Daven while he put his hand on Aric's shoulder.

Aric sighed.

He couldn't resist helping a friend, and he knew that Daven was counting on that.

"Ok, ok, but I need to talk to Andrea first. If I don't get her to understand, I won't go. She is my world and I can't walk away from that," said Aric.

"I'm sure you can convince her," said Daven.

"I'll make our arrangements. We'll probably need some good heavy plate armor and get better swords and..."started Daven.

"Daven, I'm an unarmed fighter primarily, heavy armor will weight me down and prevent me from protecting you if I must. I'll just wear a heavy double weave chain shirt and my good Bastard sword Aaron gave me. I'll secure it to my back," said Aric.

"You don't know what we're walking into, and neither do I," said Daven.

"You're right, but if I walk into it all weighted down, the only thing I know is both of us are going to be watching it happen to us together as it happens," said Aric with a smile.

As Aric left Daven's office and started across the grounds he saw Quinlan with an arm load of stuff.

"Morning Quinlan, what are you doing?" asked Aric.

He gave Quinlan back the primer late last season. It was a shame that he couldn't do magic. In principle he fully understood it and grasped the concepts. But he could never get his magic to respond.

"I'm on my way to do a command performance for the King. It drives me crazy. I have to explain to him, yet once again, why I can't turn his soldiers or the people he seems to dig up into Mages," said Quinlan. "He just doesn't understand the limits to magic."

"He won't let me go fight because he thinks the castle may be over run and only I can save the city, oh and him too by the way. But that doesn't stop him from making me prove countless times why just anyone can't learn magic each and every time he gets this crazy idea," said Quinlan frustrated.

As he was talking he dropped a few items, including the glowing globe on the field.

As he was picking up the items, Aric reached down and picked up the globe as it rolled his way and handed it back to Quinlan, while saying "Well I wish you the best. I understand the attempt of trying to tell someone something they don't want to hear. I'm on my way to do that now. I hope you have better luck than I think I might," said Aric.

As he handed back the globe and started off, he didn't notice that Quinlan was staring at it the whole time.

While Aric was handling it, it was turning and swirling in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Quinlan looked at Aric's retreating back and thought "No way! I tested him last season and he had no ability. None. But that pattern just now was for an extremely powerful Archmage. It must have been a trick of the sunlight because he's just a soldier. No way he could use magic and wear armor."

Quinlan started off to see the King again, but he kept looking back at Aric as he walked away wondering if he had been wrong earlier.

"NO! NO! NO! I won't let you!" screamed Andrea stamping her foot.

Aric had decided to take her to dinner on the waterfront and break the news to her. They were stopped in a deserted area when he told her he was going with Daven and why.

"What if you were to die? It would kill me as well. I would commit suicide," said Andrea with tears in her eyes.

"Andy if I don't go, Daven may die. And there are the villagers that need our help. What about all those women and children. And we've both heard stories of advancing armies raping and pillaging. What about that?" Aric asked.