Training

Training

Aeryn watched her squad as they drilled in the yard. They were getting better with their weapons but still needed intensive training before she thought they'd be ready for the field.

“What do you think?” asked a deep voice behind her.

“I don’t trust them,” she responded without looking back. The young lieutenant recognized her father’s presence. “Yet,” she amended.

“Excellent,” replied Mikhail Qillion, commander of the guard in Brookhaven. He stood next to her, evaluating the new recruits with an experienced eye. "See that one?" he asked his daughter, pointing to a half-elf who kept dropping his off-shoulder and taking shots to the ribs again and again.

“Aye,” said Aeryn. “He won’t last his first skirmish if he doesn’t learn better.” She chuckled, “I bet his ribs look the rainbow.”

“Indeed,” said Mikhail. “Make sure the armsmaster is aware, it doesn’t look like he’s been watching.”

Aeryn looked over at Beiron, working with one of the advanced recruits. Giving a sharp whistle, her arms master looked up, and she beckoned him over.

“Armsmaster,” she said in a low voice, “your advanced students need to be helping the ones struggling now, not getting extra lessons. There will be time for that after drills are completed for the day.”

The big man stiffened slightly, grumbled a low, “Aye,” gave a salute, and trotted toward the new soldiers. Trouble, that one.

Sighing, Aeryn grabbed a training weapon and approached the half-elf, Ethrin Cauldi, to begin retraining him so he wouldn’t get himself killed.