Last Rank

Chapter 17

- Elly -

Elly tugged at her hair, looking at herself in the reflection of a window in front of the barracks. Wearing some of Annabelle's clothing - breeches, shirt and coat - and smearing a little dirt in her face had really done a trick on her appearance. She worried her brother might not recognize her even.

Unnecessarily so, the moment he spotted her waiting, he froze with a face of pain she had not even seen on him when leaving their home for good.

"I told the Captain you are the little brother of a friend, interested in joining our ranks. There shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't talk to any of the soldiers," David explained sullenly.

Elly grinned.

"And as long as you don't smile. No boy has such an innocent smile."

"My apologies," Elly said and hurried a more serious expression on her face. Innocence was far beyond her at that point, though.

"Come."

Elly followed her brother along corridors and halls in listless grey, rooms filled with weapons for training and a spacy yard where a man shouted commands a rather large crowd of men followed.

"Training is three times a day," David said as they walked past. "The first time before breakfast. I quite dislike that one."

"You've never been an early riser," Elly giggled.

"Usually the Captain sees to it, but sometimes the General comes around in his stead."

"The General?"

"The General of the royal guard. He is mostly occupied at the castle."

"I see," Elly said, trying to remember what Nathaniel had said. But it had been a too long list to remember all the people of his interest and why they were. "Is he a good man?"

"The General?" David's eyes wandered with a distant expression. "I suppose so. Strict, but fair."

"And he likes the King?"

David rose an eyebrow at the possibly odd question. "Yes. As far as one can like a king."

"Do you like the King?"

"I have great respect for the man."

Elly gulped. That could be a problem for the group's plan. Convincing David would probably be easier if he wasn't loyal. "So you have met him before? What's he like?" she said.

David struggled to answer. "I've only seen him once from afar at a ceremony. He's old. A tall man with the grandest clothes you can imagine."

"Right, because grand clothes is what's important about a good king," Elly snorted, although she didn't actually know so well what was truly necessary to be a good king. Compassion maybe. Authority. A sense of duty to the people. And determination that bordered insanity, Elly added to her list, thinking of how Jake acted at times.

David laughed. "Very," he teased.

They left the yard and turned for the sleeping quarters. David showed Elly his chambers. It was a small room full with odd belongings. The air was stuffy and smelled of sweat. David shared the place with three other men, of which one was present to be introduced to. Elly politely nodded her head.

Then they had finished their tour before Elly had remembered to ask all the things form Nathaniel's long list, she had been supposed to find out. He would be quite mad.

The barracks and the castle left behind, David and her strolled throughout the capital's busy streets. The rush was remarkably similar to Castermere, only that people seemed even more gaudy, stores and their signs even more screaming for attention.