Post by Radek Wilkes on Jun 2, 2018 11:09:58 GMT
Many questions have been asked about where the Guardsmen went; many familiar faces became memories and some, the foundations for grave stones. Many lives lost, many stories never told and many bodies left behind.
It was a reasonably normal Wednesday afternoon. The 'clippity-clop' of the horse grew louder and louder until it stopped in front of Radek in Stonekeep. A royal messenger. Radek thought this was unusual, he couldn't remember the last time the King had gone to such lengths to deliver a message. The messenger announced himself, delivered the message and swiftly rode away. Radek thought that the quick get away might be to prevent objection, having read the letter, it almost certainly was:
"Due to your recent successes in Minoc and the war for Jhelom the King immediately requests you and your Sergeants presence at Britain Harbour this evening. You will be setting sail to join the War in the East. The Guardsmen Militia of Yew will be sent officers to keep order in Yew and make up for your departure. Together you will be issued the task of leading an attack force. More information will be provided upon your arrival."
"He must've thought I was Dart.." Radek mused.
He read over the letter a second time letting it sink in. He knew that they'd have to go, he knew that everything they had tried to build in Yew would be in jeopardy. Nervously, Radek handed the letter to Dart.
"Been reading my mail again Wilkes?" Dart was quick to put Wilkes on the back-foot with a glint of glee in his eyes but his demeanour soon changed, his eyes darted down the page and his lips silently echoed the words he read. He eventually looked up at Wilkes from the letter and uttered some incomprehensible words.
"Fuck..", The first word that Wilkes understood and he echoed the sentiment.
"There's no way out of this, sir. We knew it was a possibility." Wilkes stuttered his words. Unusually under confident and fearful, Wilkes did not know what to expect. Dart had seen it all before, this did not make him anymore prepared for this than Wilkes however. Both men would now have to return home and tell their families that they would be leaving for an unknown amount of time with the underlying message being that they may never return.
Radek's mind switched to Dart. How would his family be taking the news? His children, his wife, all that depend on him? He was suddenly glad to be in the position he was in, he did not envy the conversation that Dart would be having right now. Quickly he put himself to work sharpening his weapons, his wife helped him pack, prepared him food for the journey and polished his armour. She was loyal to the last but he knew it would not be fair to make her wait. He signed over his house to her including all his possessions, this would make it easier for her to leave if she wished.
"If you're gone longer than a year I am not promising I will be here when you get back! I can't wait forever." Radek had expected this response, their marriage had not been brilliant since it was rushed by the Church. She would wait a year and declare Radek missing or dead taking everything that he had left behind. Radek could do nothing but agree, he did not know what was in store for him and did not want his bride wasting her life waiting for him if the worst should happen.
Tearfully they said their goodbyes. Radek clung onto her, inhaled the smell of her hair for the last time, hauled his pack onto his horse and set off to meet Dart. The two men greeted each other with a nod of the head; each knowing the difficult conversations they had just been through and would certainly not be discussing with each other. They headed for Britain; it was a good few miles into the ride before they started idle chit-chat about the life they were leaving behind.
"Do you remember winning the Olympic Bagball Gold?" Wilkes laughed as the Capital City began to materialise on the horizon.
"Better than any war, that. Lets hope we're back to defend our title?" Dart looked across at Wilkes as he uttered the last comment, both men knowing that this was unlikely. Radek could only offer his friend a single nod as he swallowed back a more emotional reply.
The two had arrived in Britain, not long to go.
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It was a reasonably normal Wednesday afternoon. The 'clippity-clop' of the horse grew louder and louder until it stopped in front of Radek in Stonekeep. A royal messenger. Radek thought this was unusual, he couldn't remember the last time the King had gone to such lengths to deliver a message. The messenger announced himself, delivered the message and swiftly rode away. Radek thought that the quick get away might be to prevent objection, having read the letter, it almost certainly was:
"Due to your recent successes in Minoc and the war for Jhelom the King immediately requests you and your Sergeants presence at Britain Harbour this evening. You will be setting sail to join the War in the East. The Guardsmen Militia of Yew will be sent officers to keep order in Yew and make up for your departure. Together you will be issued the task of leading an attack force. More information will be provided upon your arrival."
"He must've thought I was Dart.." Radek mused.
He read over the letter a second time letting it sink in. He knew that they'd have to go, he knew that everything they had tried to build in Yew would be in jeopardy. Nervously, Radek handed the letter to Dart.
"Been reading my mail again Wilkes?" Dart was quick to put Wilkes on the back-foot with a glint of glee in his eyes but his demeanour soon changed, his eyes darted down the page and his lips silently echoed the words he read. He eventually looked up at Wilkes from the letter and uttered some incomprehensible words.
"Fuck..", The first word that Wilkes understood and he echoed the sentiment.
"There's no way out of this, sir. We knew it was a possibility." Wilkes stuttered his words. Unusually under confident and fearful, Wilkes did not know what to expect. Dart had seen it all before, this did not make him anymore prepared for this than Wilkes however. Both men would now have to return home and tell their families that they would be leaving for an unknown amount of time with the underlying message being that they may never return.
---------------------------------------
Radek's mind switched to Dart. How would his family be taking the news? His children, his wife, all that depend on him? He was suddenly glad to be in the position he was in, he did not envy the conversation that Dart would be having right now. Quickly he put himself to work sharpening his weapons, his wife helped him pack, prepared him food for the journey and polished his armour. She was loyal to the last but he knew it would not be fair to make her wait. He signed over his house to her including all his possessions, this would make it easier for her to leave if she wished.
"If you're gone longer than a year I am not promising I will be here when you get back! I can't wait forever." Radek had expected this response, their marriage had not been brilliant since it was rushed by the Church. She would wait a year and declare Radek missing or dead taking everything that he had left behind. Radek could do nothing but agree, he did not know what was in store for him and did not want his bride wasting her life waiting for him if the worst should happen.
Tearfully they said their goodbyes. Radek clung onto her, inhaled the smell of her hair for the last time, hauled his pack onto his horse and set off to meet Dart. The two men greeted each other with a nod of the head; each knowing the difficult conversations they had just been through and would certainly not be discussing with each other. They headed for Britain; it was a good few miles into the ride before they started idle chit-chat about the life they were leaving behind.
"Do you remember winning the Olympic Bagball Gold?" Wilkes laughed as the Capital City began to materialise on the horizon.
"Better than any war, that. Lets hope we're back to defend our title?" Dart looked across at Wilkes as he uttered the last comment, both men knowing that this was unlikely. Radek could only offer his friend a single nod as he swallowed back a more emotional reply.
The two had arrived in Britain, not long to go.