Campaign

The deafening silence was interrupted by Sir Eric.

"All men within the age range hold fast, for we will set out for Ithica at dawn. You may disperse!"

The crowd slowly dwindled as Sir Eric dismissed the villagers and followed the village head to his home.

While making his way back to the orphanage Siege trembled in equal parts excitement and fear.

'This is likely the purpose of my trial. I have to help Beowulf kill the dragon!'

This took a huge burden off Siege's chest as at now he at least has a clear goal and means to achieve it.

Right now, Siege alone is excited for this suicidal sounding campaign.

Many children were no longer in the mood to play, after all, some of their friends were being sent to a slaughterhouse.To fight a dragon and survive was the thinking of a madman.

The once empty orphanage was now full, but the atmosphere was somber and dreary. No one spoke to each other as they hung their heads and intermittently stole glances at the kids over sixteen.

The weathered chamber seemed to grow even more weary as is soaked in the solemn mood of its inhabitants.

The entrance opened and a bald man in brown priestly garbs walked in. His sorrowful blues eyes scanned all the children before he opened his mouth.

"I am sorry children. I tried to stop them, but all I could manage was to push the age up. I...I am truly sorry."

Father Gregory hung his head and strode to his room speedily, he did not want to see their eyes.

As a follower of Hebe, Gregory treasured youth more than anything. He could not bare to witness as some of them were led to their deaths.

He did not stay with them, but instead fled to the comfortable solitude of his room.

Siege really didn't care all that much. Rather, he was even happy that the priest failed, he needed to go on this campaign for his trial.

The downtrodden orphans watched Father Gregory's back disappear behind his door. 

A young man with black hair and tired brown eyes stood up from his bed slowly.

"Aldur, Siege, and I will be fine everyone. There...there is no need to fear for our deaths. We may even come back as knights, maybe even nobles!"

The young man, Edwin, tried to comfort the younger orphans with a smile that wasn't quite all there.

"When that happens, we'll take all of you out of here to live in our mansion in the capital!"

 Some of the younger kids bought what Edwin was saying and began to ask about the riches they would acquire after becoming nobles.

Watching this scene, Siege smiled slightly. Edwin was a good man. He was slightly disappointed that he was just an illusion.

Siege laid back on his thin, uncomfortable bed, and began to strategize the best way for him to rise up the ranks of Beowulf's army.

He figured that there would probably be some sort of training before they began the hunt, and that the training would;d be his time to shine. 

With the occasional chatter of children and stifled sobs, Siege unknowingly drifted to sleep.

....

Around twenty people and a singular brown horse with a large pack were gathered at the crack of dawn in the village center.

They were an assort of men. Mostly of the latter part of the age range, but there were five young men still in their teens.

Edwin, Aldur, Sigmund, Godfrey, and Siege.

However, they all had eyes trained on two men.

One of them was Sir Eric and the other was an unknown young man with scared eyes.

Sir Eric was gripping the back of the young man's neck and forcing him onto his knees. The young man strained and fought wildly but it was as if he was caught in n iron clamp. Sir Eric did not budge at all, and calmly spoke.

"Last night, this young man tried to escape. He tried to escape his destiny. And as such, he will now face the death penalty. I will personally hand down justice upon him."

The young man's struggles grew even stronger as he twisted and turned, praying for a chance to break free.

Sie Eric increased the pressure he was putting on the man with his left hand and unsheathed his sword with the right.

The rest of the men were silent, watching in a morbid terror.

Siege's heartbeat quickened, although he had some inkling that someone would run, he did not expect to see them executed in-front of him.

The atmosphere only continued to sink even further as the young man hyperventilated and screamed out.

"Please! I'm sorry! I'll go! I'll go! Save me!"

Sir Eric's eyes held no pity as he pressed his blade to the man's neck.

"This is the consequence of your treason against the king!"

Sir Eric's blade was so swift that the young man did not realize his neck had been cut until he saw his own scarlet blood streaking through the air.

He clutched his throat in abject terror and it sounded like he was trying to say something, but only warped gurgles filled with blood came out.

He collapsed on the ground and squirmed for awhile, his blood mixing with the dirt, before slowly coming to a stop.

All the men and Sir Eric watched as the light left his eyes. Siege's heart froze and a cold sweat covered his body. He was trembling a bit.

"Though it's not standard procedure. I believe this method will best help you all realize that you have no choice in the matter. Obey or die."

Sir Eric's sword cut through the air, and the blood remaining on his word flew off in a crimson arc before be place his sword back into his sheath.

"Although cowardice and failure bring death, bravery and success brings gold and glory. Upon the success of the campaign, each participate will receive ten gold penningar. Come brave men, it is a weeks ride to Ithica!"

Sir Eric saddled his horse in one motion and then set off on the path to exit the village.

The men began to walk, not daring to stray to far behind Sir Eric.

The sun was almost done cresting the horizon, painting the landscape in a vibrant red, pink, and orange light.

The green rolling hills of Elram contrasted beautifully with the warm colors the the sky, but the lazy river took on the colors of the heavens and it was as if a liquid rainbow flowed through the land.

The men admired, but could not truly enjoy the scenery as they gradually made their way out of the village.

The somber mood remained for all of them.

Siege sought comfort in the idea that all these people were just illusions, but when he saw a man die right before his eyes, it was a miserable feeling he wasn't sure exactly how to describe.

His eyes wandered to the back of Sir Eric and wondered how he could take a life so mercilessly.

Though as he walked and walked, Siege's determination only grew. 

He would survive.