Enthor stood atop the battlements as the bitter wind flicked snow all around him. He pulled his cloak in tighter to preserve any heat that was left. Enthor was from a much warmer climate, where the sun shinned hot and long and the wind from the ocean was a welcomed. Not here, everything was white and grey, cold and dull, a fort in the middle of nowhere. Protecting what, he couldn't work out. His thoughts drifted back to his home, to the beautiful women with their long black hair, she olive skin and assortment of eye colours. He thought about his girlfriend, how her clothes hugged her curvaceous body, he started to grow excited, his trousers becoming tighter and at that moment a mighty gust of wind kicked up all the snow and sharply brought him out of his daydream and back to the stark and cold reality.
He heard snow crunching behind him, the slow gait of someone walking carefully. He turned to see his friend and second in command Tarnin walking towards him. A massive grin on his face and holding two mugs of something hot judging by the steaming "I thought you might want something hot to warm up." He said lifting the mugs up a little. "Been up here for ages looking all sullen!' He jested handing him a mug. It was a mug of herbal tee, made from the leaves from the trees in the area.
"Me, looking sullen? I don't know what you are talking about." He said as the wind howled again. "I'm keeping watch over the many enemies at our gate." He said moving his arm indicating towards snow on the ground, the tall trees and the vast mountain in the distance.
"Ah yes, so many enemies." He said mockingly raising an eyebrow. "What would we do without our glorious leader." This time slapping Enthor on his back.
"One more week and the relief company will be here." Enthor said looking back out over the battlements.
"Oh yes then the joyous one month journey on foot to get home." Tarnin said sarcastically. He was right, it would take them a month on foot to reach the capital. The first journey would be down the mountain, the whole time the wind and cold nipping at them. Once down the mountain it would be the main route through the forest which would take a week. It would leave them open to attacks from bandits and highwaymen, but anyone stupid enough to attack a company of soldiers would suffer the consequences. It would then be a two and a half week journey along the main road to the capital.
"I'm not looking forward to wearing our armour, more to the point walking with it." The first few days everyone had kept their armour on. They were in an unknown area, they didn't know what dangers would be waiting for them. It turned out it was just the cold and the boredom. As you can imagine the problem with wearing metal in cold climates is that the metal gets freezing cold. That then sucks the heat from your body, it's essentially wearing a sheet of ice.
"We could do with the workout. Everyone has been getting a little lazy." Enthor said prodding Tarnin's belly.
"Hey we had to keep warm somehow!" Tarnin shot back
"I cannot wait to leave this frozen hell!" Enthor said while finishing of his now lukewarm tea. He picked up his shield and slung it over his shoulder, he might not be wearing his armour but he wasn't stupid enough to stand atop the battlements without a means to defend himself, this was after all hostile environment. He chuckled to himself at that last thought.
That night he lay in his bed, thoughts again wandered to his girlfriend, he wondered what she was doing, how she was, and about what they would do when he got back. He started to get excited again but this time there was no wind to break his daydream. Instead he grabbed himself and feel asleep with a smile on his face and his girlfriend in his dreams.
Enthor was suddenly woken up by his bed moving, his hand moving for his hatchet axe as his eye shot open.
"Wake up you lazy shit!" Tarnin smirked at him.
"I was having a good dream." Enthor grunted, an ache in his trousers at how hard he was. He wondered how long it has been, about 4 months he guessed. His thoughts briefly on his girlfriend.
"The horn of the relief company sounded a short while ago." Enthor looked up seeing Tarnin had his full armour on. Enthor raised his eyebrow. "I am the second in command, first impressions you know?"
Enthor just grunted again and swung his legs out of bed. His stretched feeling the muscles across his back and shoulders pop and crunch. One of the first things he would do when he got back was get a full body massage. The constant tensing from the cold had left his body tight.
He started getting dressed. Pulling on his cold chainmail first, next was the breast plate, also very cold. He next equipped his shoulder plates. He pulled his boots on and strapped the armour plates over the front. He gave a heavy sign and then stood up. He swung his cloak over his back and then did the same with his circular shield. He sword was next on his left hip. His hatchet went on his right hip. He greeted his men as he walked through the barracks to find where Tarnin had disappeared too. He opened the door and he was greeted by a gust of bitterly cold wind. "This fucking place." He grunted to himself. He walked the fort to the front battlements and climbed the stairs which had been cleared of ice, still dangerous to walk half sleep as Enthor was. He went and stood on Tarnin's left, it wasn't long before he was tapping his foot.
"Impatient this morning, got somewhere to be?" Enthor asked, looking around mockingly.
"Yes, out of this fucking cold." His foot stopped tapping. "They could march a little quicker."
"A week and we'll be on our way back." Slowly they could see the tops of the standard-bearers flags appear. Then the first few lines of solders come into view, slowly growing into a winding snake of metal and leather. Enthor had seen it many times but it always gave his goosebumps. Two hundred men walking in perfect formation, armour shining brightly in the morning sun, polished to a high sheen. Identical but to a few side weapons. A horn was blown to announce their arrival, the first one short then second one longer, the sign of a friendly unit. When the company was three hundred meters from the gate Enthor barked over his shoulder "Open the gate!" He could hear the metal gate being raised as the horizontal bar was removed from the the wooden door and then the groan of the hinges and the door was opened.
Enthor and Tarnin walked down the stairs to greet their counterparts from the relief company.
