A Drink Before Battle [MxM] ✅

10: It's Tragic, Really

The setup of camp was complete, and all the troops had arrived and settled in. It was time to get everyone on a daily training schedule. Readiness was imperative, and time might be short.

In an arming tent on the training grounds, Yanek buckled Sevei into one of the new maille tunics. It was made of special materials that could block the worst effects of the ethereal energy those Alchemists produced. They had purchased enough for all of the vanguard soldiers as well as all officers, and would be running drills in them today to get used to them. Sevei shrugged his shoulders to settle the maille around his frame.

"It's heavier than the regular maille," he noted.

"A bit," Yanek agreed, "but none of them are ninety-pound weaklings, and if they are, they won't be for long in one of these."

"General Sevei?" called a light voice at the tent door. The flap was pushed aside and Nal entered, carrying an armful of scrolls.

"Speaking of ninety-pound weaklings!" Yanek laughed, handing Sevei his sword belt. "What is this kid still doing here?"

Nal gave him a comic pout.

"Sergeant Kahan said she'd take me somewhere, but honestly, I think they like having me around," Nal said with the bravado of a little con-artist. "I'm very useful."

"What do you have for me?" Sevei asked, nodding at the scrolls Nal carried. The boy pulled one out of the bundle and handed it over.

"Training schedules," Nal answered, trying to make his tone as official-sounding as possible. "General Urskatha said to send your archers over with his today."

"I thought Sergeant Kahan was coordinating with me?" Sevei queried. "Where is she?"

Nal suddenly got a bit shifty, giving Sevei a sympathetic but avoidant glance.

"I think he doesn't want her to talk to you," he confessed, "probably because of what everyone's been saying.."

"And what has everyone been saying?" Sevei asked darkly.

"That General Urskatha doesn't like you because you're after his woman."

"Did I tell you!?" Yanek exclaimed as Sevei just burst out in laughter.

"Boy, nothing in what you just said is true," Sevei informed him. "And don't go around repeating gossip. It's a bad habit."

"I wasn't!" Nal insisted. "I was just telling you what I heard! Do you really like Sergeant Kahan? They said you were dreaming about her."

Yanek put a hand over his brow, pretending to hold his head in disapproval, but really hiding an uncontrollable grin.

"It's tragic, really, Nal," he said into his palm. "Don't rub salt into his wounds."

Sevei picked up his sheathed sword and brandished it toward them both to chase them outside before buckling it onto his belt.

"Get on with your errands, and stop listening to all these degenerates. Especially this one-" Sevei kicked Yanek's foot as he passed. "He's the worst of the lot."

Outside the arming tent, they went their separate ways, Nal off to deliver the schedules to other officers while Sevei and Yanek walked over to the lists. On the training field, a combined force of front-line soldiers from both units were drilling combat moves under their troop captains. General Urskatha immediately caught Sevei's eye, his black-clad figure standing out sharply against the green of the field and the bright blue sky. He and Sergeant Kahan stood behind the boundary fence, observing the training. Sevei led Yanek some distance away from them, and they likewise watched the troops at their drills for a moment.