Chapter 52

Unlike the previous days this one was far more quiet. Not necessary peaceful but differently more quiet. When taking a break Vincent started asking the Guard about his duties under lord Cyrus.

Guard: "I am a house guard of the Cyrus family. As you should know house guard such as me are warriors who are paid to serve a noble house as its shield. When necessary we can also become the houses sword."

Vincent: "Where dose the militia come in?"

Guard: "Don't you know?"

Vincent: "My father dose not have any land to his name so we only have House Guards..."

Guard: "During peace time the militia is considerably smaller than during war. The full time militia men are in charge of maintaining law and order. Generally they arrest criminals, chase off bandits, guard city gates, and kill monster's. These full time Militia men aren't as numerous as you may initially think. However during wartime large portions of the population are conscripted as war time Militia men. Under these wartime circumstances those full time militia members will become the very same commanders in charge of the conscripted militia members."

Vincent: "But even in peace time there are militia commanders."

Guard: "That is true but they can command full time militia men thus during wartime they become higher ranking commanders."

Vincent: "I remember father told me that the kingdom has four standard forces it uses during wartime as well as the irregulars.

Guard: "Well we've already discussed the Militia and House Guards. which leaves the Knights and the Royal Guards. well as you've probably heard in the fairytales they teach kids a tad younger than you Knights are the true Elite forces available to a Noble house, however only high ranking nobles can have knights serving under them. Thus most noble houses must rely on house guards such as me. Knights are generally the 4rth or 5th sons which don't have a real chance to inherit their noble houses. They are mostly from low ranking nobles houses that do not have any knights serving under it. In more rare cases a high ranked noble with no real chance of inheriting much from their house too decide become knights for another noble house that has good relations with their house, however these higher born knights must serve under a house of equal or higher rank than their own one in order to creating avoid political friction. Nearly all knights have weapon arts with knights that use some sort of magic such as sword magic instead of having weapon arts are as rare as a phoenix feathers, although it is far more common for knights to have both sword art's and some sort of melee magic. Unfortunately their armour is far superior to anything we House Guards can get our hands on. Many knights are the descendants of commoners or even be commoners who received a noble title but no land, the latter of the two are generally sub par for knight standards and are usually low ranked knights. since with the exception of commoners who received a noble title all other knights have been trained from a young age to become knights."

Vincent: "Now that just leaves the Irregulars and the Royal Guards."

Guard: "The royal guards are the crème de la crème of what our kingdom has to offer. They are their own unique thing which shares certain aspects with both Knights and Household guards. There is a massive difference in power between the weakest and the strongest royal guards. The most loyal and elite guards are the personal guards of the royal family, a lower ranking guard may protect less important stuff such as transports caring unimportant items and/or people such as low ranking bureaucrats. A low ranking royal guard should be about as powerful as a elite house guard while a elite royal guard would put knights to shame. As for the irregulars they are usually skilled mages, wizards, mercenary's, that all do not fit in with the four main armed frameworks that exist in the kingdom."