Choices for the Future (IseeTea and Smystar99)

Lark, or Will as everyone now called her, stood in line with eight other trainees. She was staring at the knight who`d introduced himself as Ludwig Clarke. Today was the first day or training for all of them. That being said, she was the only unknown female here. Everyone else in this line up was male. With the brown wig she`d made and the wrap that she was currently wearing around her chest got her into this situation. A month ago she was making swords with her father in their shop, much to her father`s disapproval. You see before all of this had happened around 17 years ago her father had hoped for his first child to be a boy, well that didn`t happen. Then her sister came along two years later and her mother was then hurt in an accident causing her to have no more children. So as the tomboy she was, Lark stepped up to be the sonish role as to take on the Fletcher family practice of sword making. Though to the knights and other trainees here she was instead Will Fletcher the long lost son of her father`s brother.

Almos stood next to Will. He was also intently focused on the knight who was standing before them. Almos was more or less the adopted son of Ludwig, though not by choice. Algos's people were considered an enemy to his new home nation. The land he once called home was now a place of war and religious crusades. He had been spared, and for that he was thankful, but he still did not enjoy where he was. He had even been stripped of his last name and had been given a derogatory name. Payne being a translation to Pagan.

Ludwig was pacing in front of the new recruits, lecturing them about honor and glory in combat. After a few minutes of this he turned and faced the recruits. "I will now be showing you to your quarters." He said, turning and walking off towards the barracks.


(Should we have separate rooms for the recruits, roommates, or one big one?)

Lark follow after Ludwig the guy named Almos Payne next to her. It was obvious where he was taken up from. She felt bad for the guy knowing it`d probably been rough up to this point. "What is the glory in battle if we take out innocent people." She said out loud not even bothering with how unmannerly it was to say something like that to a superior.

(One big room I would think)

Almos looked over at her, his face showing only a glimmer of the surprise he was feeling. He was just about to say something when Ludwig interrupted him. "They are not innocent. They are witches. They do not uphold the honor of the church." He said, sternly. "You can ask Almos all about that. He knows their ways." Ludwig said, turning around and continuing across the yard. Almos looked down at the ground in front of him and continued walking.

(Okay)

"Does anyone actually have proof of such things? Do half the people in this country even now what a witch is?" Lark asked out right again. It was seeming that she wasn`t going to be keeping her mouth shut much to Ludwig`s displeasure. She was one to speak her mind no matter what the consequences.

Ludwig turned around sharply. "They worship a false god and must be punished! I do not want to hear such insolence from you again!" He shouted. He pointed at the barracks. "You will all be quartered there. Curfew is in two hours. I will give you that time to familiarize yourself with your fellow trainees. Do not leave after curfew! I will be seeing you all at dawnbreak." He said, turning to leave.

Almos glanced at Will. "If you were standing up for me, I thank you, but you shouldn't say such things."

Lark looked at Ludwig straight in the eyes not even wincing. Her eyes didn`t leave his once. As he walked away she smirked in accomplishment. She heard Almos and looked at him. "I was merely saying what I thought should be said. I`ve never remained silent while others were having an injustice done to them. That was no different." She stuck out her hand. "I`m La-" she stopped herself. "I mean I`m Will Fletcher. Sorry I`ve been thinking about how my cousin`s been doing." Lark said recovering quickly.

Almost nodded and shook her hand. "My name is Almos Payne. Its nice to meet you. I wouldn't get to know me too well, though. It would be bad for you to be seen with somebody undesirable like myself. Many think I should not be here on account of my heritage."

"Well then all those people are wrong and you should ignore them. Nobody should be told that they don't have the right to live when they are being sentenced for what their heritage is. Everyone has the right to live, no matter who you are." Lark said truthfully.

Almos smiled lightly. "Thank you. But still, you shouldn't stand up to me. You may be exempted from the training program.. or worse." He said, his expression becoming serious. "Ludwig is not the kind of man to be talking back to. Trust me."

"I can handle him. I came here to become a knight and prove something. In till that's done nothing's standing in my way. You don't seem like the kind of guy to stab me in the back so I trust you." Lark said and shrugged as she looked down at her sword on her hip. It was clear this sword wasn't just one you picked up at a shop. The handle of it was art itself.

Almos followed her eyes, looking down at the blade. His eyes widened slightly. "Your blade is impressive. Who made it?" He asked. His blade was nothing special. It was a standard sword, nothing flashy, just plain.

Lark looked back up at him. "I made it actually. I used materials that I gathered from the mountain to make it." She said and drew the sword from its sheath. The blade was a dark black color while the handle was twisting lines of gold and red metal. The gold was duller then what you'd expect the color of gold to be though. The sword had taken her nearly two months to complete as a side project while she wasn't working in the shop.

Almos looked at the sword, admiring the skill that went into making it. He looked back up at her. "That's incredible. I've never seen craftsmanship like this. If we weren't here, I'd ask you to make me one."

Lark chuckled. "I'm glad you think so, it took me two months to make. The materials were hard to get and even harder to bend right. Even in the shop my uncle owns we don't sell many swords like this unless it's a special request."

Almos nodded. "I can believe it. So, you were a blacksmith's apprentice before this?" He asked her.

Lark nodded. "I actually completed my apprenticeship days before I was wrapped up into all of this. I've earned the title of a Blacksmith." She said truthfully.

Almos nodded. "Impressive. We don't have apprenticeships where I come from. We got to choose our job. I will admit though, this system does give everybody something, it seems. Or at least, everybody male. That's also something I am getting used to."

"So females got to get jobs where you lived?" Larked asked curiously. This amazed her that there was such a place.

Almos nodded. "Yeah. My mom actually met my dad through her business. Well, before it was destroyed. I'm sure you know of the crusades in Domin."

Lark nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty amazing. It makes a lot more sense then what we do here. Here only men can get jobs and even then it's hard to take care a family sometimes."

Almos nodded. "I'm sure everybody here is used to it, though. Its pretty hard to watch what's happening back home."

Lark nodded. "I`m sorry about everything we are doing to your people it`s horrible."

Almost nodded. "Thank you. I'm glad to hear that not everybody here feels the same way."

Lark nodded. "I guess we should get to bed early today. Who knows how early he`ll wake us up tomorrow morning, probably at dawn." She said and put her sword in it`s sheath.