Seeds of the White Tree

Chapter 35 - One for Sorrow, Two for Joy

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The sharp ringing of steel against steel echoed throughout the Training Grounds of Minas Tirith, a familiar sound in the city's second tier. Eldarion and the other officers were putting the summer's newest recruits through their paces this morning, the better to assess how next year's companies would be assigned. 

It had only been a few short weeks since Eldarion's return to the White City, having left Elfwine to his new life and throne in Edoras. Young and untried though Elfwine was, it seemed to Eldarion that Rohan's new king thus far enjoyed the full support of all his realm's most notable. All, that was, with the exception of the household of Erkenbrand, once-Marshal to King Théoden. Before Eldarion had departed for Gondor he had had to witness the aftermath of Elfwine breaking off his courtship with the Lady Ayleth. Needless to say, Elfwine was decidedly in old Erkenbrand's ill favour, and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. 

That being all said and done though, now there was Túrien's arrival for the Great Council to look forward to, as well as much to be done regarding Eldarion's duties with the City Guard. For the past year Aragorn had little by little been withdrawing his involvement with Gondor's armies. Consequently, this meant that more and more of the management of their soldiers fell to Eldarion. This was a good thing in that it meant elevated influence and authority for Eldarion amongst the ranks of the men. It was also a bad thing in that so much of Eldarion's time was demanded, some nights he even slept in a bunk in the city barracks rather than return to the Citadel. 

Again on the bright side though, this meant that Eldarion had not had far to go this morning to supervise the pre-dawn training drills. He stood to one side of the yard with Ohtar and Malbeth, a sharp eye following the movements of the new recruits. Most were newly come of age at twenty-five, their freshly minted status as men making them eligible for service. Most were also largely inexperienced with swordplay, with the exceptions of any born and raised the sons of noble households. Thus it fell to Ohtar to introduce Gondor's newest soldiers to the forms and footwork of the blade. Eldarion also taught when he could spare the time, having been practically raised sparing with his father since childhood. 

"Knee over ankle," Ohtar reminded one recruit who had a habit of fighting unbalanced. 

"Yes sir!" came the quick reply, unsubtly tinged with an unmistakable edge of nerves. 

Eldarion remembered well the uncertainty of those first few weeks in uniform. As the prince though, he had had something of an advantage in that he started out a ranking officer straight from the first. Then again, perhaps in another light one could consider that a disadvantage. Eldarion would never cease being grateful to Ohtar and the other men of the City Guard for the patience they had shown their young captain during his first year of duty. Now it was Eldarion's turn to be patient when he noticed another repeat offender. 

Leaving Ohtar and Malbeth's side, Eldarion circled the training yard toward a pair of sparring recruits. Reaching out with his wooden training sword, he tapped one soldier at the crook of one over-bent elbow. 

"Near ward position calls for the blade to be held behind and downward, not sideways, Hallas. Try not to need reminding a third time." 

The young nobleman turned away from his sparing partner, momentarily bristling in annoyance. When he realized who it was that had interrupted him though, Hallas was quick to bow. 

"Yes, Your Grace." 

Eldarion left Hallas to undoubtedly fall back into side-sweeping the ground with his sword, shaking his head. Noble-born soldiers were far less enjoyable to teach than the sons of common folk; more often than not they came with an unduly lofty impression of themselves and their skills. Being reduced back to the basics alongside their common-born counterparts rarely went over without at least one or two snits from the year's new recruits.