The Battle

Our outpost was on the west side of Castela. Vani was not pleased with this at all, as Kreg was attacking the east side. Honestly, I was very relieved that I would not have to fight so soon. Vani and the Tado brothers have had military exercise classes since they could hold a sword, but I only had two disastrous years of combat class!

When we finally arrived it was already night, the first thing I noticed when leaving the carriage was the smell. Vegetable and lamb soup made on the fire. I hadn't eaten since morning and that smell was killing me. We were taken to what looked like a small town made of red and white huts.

Men were running everywhere, forges were lit and armors were being polished. It seemed that all men had something to do. We were taken to a kind of improvised courtyard with benches made of logs and dirt. Finally, served with a bowl each of concentrated soup and a piece of meat on top. We had to use our hands(we were forced to wash them) to eat because the spoon hadn't arrived yet, but that did not affect the taste of the food.

After satisfied and refreshed from the trip, we waited in the courtyard for the last recruits to arrive. I was quietly taking a nap on a tree trunk when our general (He seems much nicer and younger than the old general) got up and climbed on a rock and started to speak:

— Attention! — Everyone stood up in position, naturally, I didn't react so quickly and went from the trunk straight to the ground. As soon as everyone was silent and positioned he continued:

— All cadets respond when their name when called, but before the call, I would like to make a short speech. The war has already started, Kreg has already conquered half the neutral zone. — Murmurs started to spread.

— Did you know? — Tado II on my right whispered to Vani on my left.

— No, but I had a hunch, my father seemed to have aged years before we went here. Now I know the cause.

— Doesn't it sounds that we're at a great disadvantage? — Asked Tabo I to Tabo II, Tabo I was quiet. Until now, I hadn't seen him lose his composure. I may not understand militarism, but I know that things are not good for us.

— Silence!— The general's order came through the camp.

— Yes, as everyone has noticed, we are losing this battle, but the war has just started. According to strategists, Kreg is already moving towards a second onslaught on the east side. We'll stay here … Only this week. —

—Oye!— Soldiers roared. Oh no! I thought.

— I cannot give more details, but you already know, Castela is a kingdom of respectable Warriors! Kreg's soldiers are lazy and disorganized, fighting for their lives and not to protect their families. A warrior is twice as strong when he has something to protect. Be afraid and use it to take prudent actions, but don't let yourself be dominated. I assure you. The next battle will be ours! —The second round of cheers came from the soldiers. I was quiet and terrified. I am sorry general, it is too late for me. Fear has already taken over.

After the call, we received our numbers andwent straight to bed. It was a pile of straw covered with a sheet. What nostalgia! If I close my eyes I bet I can imagine myself in the neutral zone again. The Tabo brothers seemed extremely uncomfortable with this. At least in one thing I am better than them!

Vani didn't bother, she was tired, and as soon as she finished changing she lay down and didn't move anymore.

This is very strange.

In the neutral zone, never would a girl sleep in the same hut as three grown boys. The brothers, Tabo acted normally as if they had not even noticed that Vani was a girl, felling asleep shortly after. I couldn't sleep.

Not because of Vani, of course. I was in a war zone. In my luggage, there was a chain mail. Besides all beds there was a sword was lying.

I was at war, and I was horrified.

To my satisfaction, I didn't have much time to think about it, or about Vani.

The soup started to weight in my tummy and exhaustion took over again.

We were woken up at four-thirty in the morning to have breakfast. Then we received our armor and spears. As soon as we finished packing our things in the tents, we were assigned different tasks. Hunting, chopping wood, eradicating pests, polishing and sharpening weapons, and thousands more. At eleven in the morning, I had the “warm-up” that was just one of my complete training sessions when I was at the castle. Run, pull iron bars, and fight. At least I had Tabo and Vani to take it easy with me. Then we had lunch and went back to our tasks. At two in the afternoon, there was a conference with everyone from the camp on the situation on the east and center.

At half-past three we had trained, marched, and learned the basic commands. At that time the difference between the cadets and the veteran soldiers was obvious. They reacted instantly to any order from the general as if they were one person. We kept going to the wrong direction and clumsy bumping in each other. The rest of the day passed peacefully. Those who had already finished their tasks could choose what they want to do for the rest of the day. Most of us chose to train in combat. It relieved our spirit to get sometime to prepare to the real battle . It also made me feel much calmer about my strength. Maybe I'll catch up with the little prince the next time we meet! 

At nightfall, Tabo I was not finished with his tasks. In combat, he could be the best, but in washing clothes, sewing, cooking, and cleaning he was completely inexperienced! Tabo II, Vani, and I stood beside him talking and motivating him to finish his tasks soon so that we could do something together. That night he failed. We ended up going to sleep first because it was getting late.

We had many more opportunities to catch up. The next day we repeat the routine. Things on the east side looked worse and worse. Other than that, the hard workouts left my body sore all day. Will I be able to fight to the death in that state? According to our general, even his grandmother can beat a man from Kreg when it comes to a fight to the death. Death, that word haunts me more and more. It wasn't just Tabo I who learned new things. I also learned many useful things like carpentry, tanning leather, and shaping armor. Perfumery (some smells from the camp were unbearable), how to take care of cattle, fix wagons, and many other random tasks were not given every day. Tabo finished them a little earlier every day. In our spare time I could practice my fencing, Vani was surprisingly a great teacher! When we were exhausted, we played games and told each other stories, to tell the truth, it felt more like I was in intensive training than on a battlefield. At least until the end of the first week.

At two o'clock on Sunday afternoon it was not news from the east that we received, but the King himself. Castela had decided what to do. Instead of recovering the lost territory, the strategists opted for a surprise offensive.

It was time to attack.

His mounted armor figure was terrifying. He was much taller than any of the veterans. His body looked like it was carved out of a rock. His voice was firm but his eyes showed compassion. He looked like a totally different person from the kind gentleman with whom I shared my meals in the castle. He had the same look as when he gave me the recruitment letter. The look of a man who is aware of the weight on his back, of the lives of those who follow him.

He did not do any speech, nor did he rest from his journey. He simply told us to organize into small groups of 50 men who would trust each other with their lives. Then he told everyone to appoint a captain. In

my group all agreed to nominate Tabo I as our captain, as he was the strongest and most experienced of us all. All except Tado I himself! He insisted that when one depended on a person to choose the actions to take on the battlefield, they should not choose the strongest, but the most experienced with these categories of the situation and the one who can best keep calm in situations where life itself is at risk. That's why he proposed to name Vanilla. He told that she had memorized all of his father's strategy books and tended to leave her emotional side behind when she was at risk for her life! I didn't understand the rest of his speech but I agree with him. Half of our team didn't understand either. Those who already knew or heard about Vani agreed. There was some story that I was out of.

In the end, Vani was named our Captain. I looked at her for an answer. She smiled at me, as her hand on my shoulder.

— When all this is over, I promise to tell you this story. — She said in a playful tone.

— What if we don't survive? — I said with all my sincerity, it was a possibility, wasn't it? —One more reason not to die. —She replied before turning away and going in the direction of the general to report our choice.

Everything after that is blurred. I remember riding for hours, killing my first soldier. I remember throwing up and having nightmares. From Vani's gentle hand on my shoulder. Hunger and thirst overwhelm me, the despair that each battle brought to my soul. From the calm figure of the king leading us, giving us hope. From the tortured face of Kreg's soldiers who fought against their will. Of the feeling of my blade slicing through its flesh. The smell of blood. Everything was too much for me. I just wanted to get away, go back to my dad. Every time I look at the king I remember that he also had a Prince waiting for him. Prince probably never considered the possibility of the King not coming home. Because the King does not consider it. Vani and the others as well, continue to fight to protect their families from Kreg.

I couldn't do that. When we found the battle camp empty, I only felt relief because I didn't have to even kill more. The others were afraid. We found fire weapons. Dozens of them were not loaded. Then I heard the first shots. My legs didn't move, it's different from facing a man face to face seeing that he's also afraid. It was the death that came in person without mercy. Vani called my name. I didn't answer. Then I fall. It didn't hurt, but I couldn't breathe. My body was cold, the soldiers just passed by me, without looking back. I couldn't move. I hear Vani's voice, she keeps calling me, but the voice is getting lower and lower.