[Closed] Mere trivialties

[Ketic]

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deGray surveyed the fresh pick of students. He could not understand what his assistant was thinking. These fifteen year old boys were scrawny and lanky, not sturdy and large like a battleschool boy should be. Sighing, he nodded to his assistant. I just hope they bulk up.. He walked back to his office, wishing he were back out on the plateau and not hidden inside a castle. The day to day life of being the Battleschool master was trivial at best. Size up some recruits then go to the office and pretend to look at paperwork. The new recruits won't arrive for another six months.. I hope I can survive this place that much longer. deGray had been serving as Battleschool master ever since Lord Alister had saved his life after he had fallen from his horse.

deGray sighed yet again. I need an apprentice before I get any older, and none of those twigs out there look like they could even take a hit. After taking a swig of water from his large mug, he walked back outside and looked at the second year recruits. They would be graduating this year, yet none of them impressed him. He wanted to see some natural talent, not forced movements and faltering concentration. deGray inhaled the outside air, loving the smell that came from the kitchen. Perhaps the problem is the kitchen... The kitchens were right next to the battleschool, and practically anyone could scale the small stone wall that surrounded the school. If the students were sneaking food, it would explain the lumbering grace that nearly every single one of the second years exhibited. Maybe a change of scenery would liven things up. deGray silently prayed for his request to be granted as he walked towards Lord Alister's tower.

[Barley]

Muradin grunted in acknowledgement and exited the camp. He walked around the camp and saw nothing. He entered camp and pulled out a peice of bread from his bag and took a hearty bite.

[Ketic]

"Enough waiting!" Rowan burst out from next to the camp fire. He rose to his feet and shook Darius awake. "Tell us what happened!"

[Barley]

Muradin grunted and rose to his feet and moved closer to hear.

[Ketic]

Darius looked a little frightened. "Well we were ambushed by a group of men. They... killed most of our tribe."

"Why?" DeGray was gripping the hilt of his blade off and on, as if he were waiting for battle.

"Because... Our Tribemaster, Kiplen.. He found-" Darius broke into a fit of coughing. Blood dribbled from his mouth when he continued. "He found battle plans."

"Battle plans? For what?" Rowan realized this could be vital information.

"Lord Hadrian is planning a massive scale attack. The Hunter was sent to.. assassinate Kiplen." Darius coughed again. "He decided to take all of us out, since Kiplen had told all of us what the battle plans were."

"Tell me the details."

[Barley]

Muradin climbed to his feet and moved closer to Darius to listen in on what he was saying.

[Ketic]

An hour later, deGray was thundering across the plains on his horse. The wind was howling and sleet fell from the clouds. Muradin was somewhere behind him, but Darius had urgent news for Lord Alister.

[Barley]

Muradin hated this part of the trip he let out a low grumble as he bounced up and down on the saddle making the ride very uncomfortable.

[Ketic]

deGray rode until his horse could ride no more. He knew Muradin must be somewhere behind him so he set to lighting a fire so that the short man could find him.

[Barley]

Muradin squinted his eyes and searched for deGray he knew he was riding in the right direction but lost deGray, he glanced back to see if he had fallen behind, when he turned back ahead the was a fire. He rode up to the fire before his horse lay down.

[Ketic]

"We should be able to reach Lord Alister's castle by the end of the day tomorrow." deGray leaned back and watched as some meat and herbs boiled in a pot of water sitting in the fire.

[Barley]

Muradin grumbled as he stood over the boiling meat and herbs and rubbed his rump. He didn't want to sit because his rump hurt too much. He just thought that a good meal with fix it. "So when is it going to be done?"

[Ketic]

"Now." deGray grabbed Muradin's bowl and scooped him a hefty helping of the stew. "There you go." The battlemaster then took his own bowl and served himself. "We will ride at dawn." deGray said when he was done eating. Then he curled up under his cloak.

[Barley]

After Muradin finished eating he gingerly laid down and fell asleep.

----------

When he awoke he prepared his horse to ride.

[Ketic]

deGray packed up camp then mounted his horse just like Muradin and began to ride towards Lord Alister's Castle in the hills.

"Lets make haste!" The battlemaster called back to Muradin. "We have urgent news to deliver!"

[Barley]

Muradin grunted and urged his horse faster into a full speed gallop.

[Ketic]

It was only moments after the two men started to ride that the rain began to fall. First just drops, then a howling tempest that sucked the breath from your lungs whenever you tried to speak. It was because of the rain that deGray only now noticed the castle. Castle Hemmguard seemed to loom out of nowhere and the battlemaster tugged on the reins of his horse. He turned to Muradin.

"Well here we are. Let's go report to Lord Alister, shall we?"

[Barley]

"Yes, lets get out of this rain." Muradin hopped down from his horse and tried to push open the gate.
"LET US IN WE'VE GOT URGENT NEWS FOR ALISTR!" Muradin shouted to the gate house and pounded on the gate.

[Ketic]

deGray and Muradin were escorted straight to Alister's chambers, where the Lord had been sleeping. deGray frowned, momentarily wondering why the lord had been sleeping at an hour like this. Then the battlemaster realized he didn't even know what time it was because of the storm.

"Lord Alister." deGray gave his informal salute and sighed in relief. "We have urgent findings to share with you." deGray looked to Muradin, hoping he would show his lord some gesture of respect.

[Barley]

Muradin stood there with half closed eyes and burped. He looked over and notice deGray was kneeling and looking at him.

"OH! Yeah sorry 'bout that." He grunted and he fell to one knee with a thud.

[Ketic]

Over the next hour, deGray informed his lord of the battle plan that Hadrian was mounting against Hemmguard Castle. It was nothing fancy, basically an all out assault really.

Alister smirked. "So that ruffian thinks he can breach my walls huh?" There was a loud burp from Alister. "When did you say he is going to attack?"

"Two days, sir."

"Ah, prepare the troops tomorrow morning. Let's all get some good rest, eh?" Alister burped again and signaled his servant. The servant had a tray of food and the lord set into it eagerly, shooing the two men out with a wave of his hand.

-

deGray sighed once they were back out in the rainy courtyard. He wanted to share his dislike of Lord Alister with Muradin but he knew to speak ill of his lord was a crime.

"Get some rest." deGray nodded to Muradin and went in search of his room.

...Continued in 'Strike'

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