Jairo watched with shock as Theon made the most distinctly annoyed face at someone of higher rank. He wondered why he was, as far as decorum and class goes boys like this were at the bottom of the totem pole.
Theon quickly rushed over, almost stepping on Jairo and Gabriel on his way out. upon getting close to Emory, he quickly moved to the side only for an arm to intercept him, extending Just in front of the boys chest. Emory looked at him annoyedly as he spoke. "After everyone is done you will stay a while and work. The way I see it extra labor will ensure you have plenty of time to work off the anger you feel. do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir." Theon said in a bitter tone, not even looking at Emory.
Emory put his arm down and almost immediately, Theon walked out.
Jairo saw as Emory put a hand over his face. It seemed that turning a bunch of teens who most likely are in the midst of puberty into soldiers is not easy at all.
"He's a bastard who can't even think beyond the next stupid event to throw himself into. He pains me just as much." Jairo said as he stood up, looking to Emory.
"I figured that, but thank you for not leaving it to interpretation. You two need to get up as well. I hope to see your vigor in the trials ahead." Emory said as he turned around before leaving.
Jairo turned to Gabriel who had the same confused look on his face. "that was certainly a way to start the morning." Gabriel sat up and looked towards the roof of the tent in annoyance. "And it will be like this every day?"
'Glad im not the only one hesitent about all of this. Feels as though im in a whole new place.'
But sitting there was pointless now. He could hear the other boys being woken up by others and he wasn't keen on being the odd on out again.
With great difficulty, he began to get up.
Once Jairo left the tent, on top of the rays of sun that hit him and bounced beautifully and brightly off of the many trees surrounding the encampment. Looking to his sides, he could see young men dragging themselves out of their tents with great difficulty. Some were holding their backs on groaning while others were just plain tired.
all were walking back towards the front of the camp where the fire was lit. He could see many Warriors on the edges seeming prepare weapons or standing guard. Occasionally their eyes would trail over to the young boys. Perhaps they too had been in their very shoes.
That thought was a bit maddening however. Being on the battlefield for years and not knowing exactly when you might die.
He noticed Gabriel was shortly behind him and slowed his pace just a bit until they were next to one another, almost walking in tandem. "Gabriel...I meant to ask you how last night went. were you able to talk to people?"
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. "I was more of a listener who timed when I would speak." Jairo nodded. "Well did you make any friends with who you were speaking to?"
Gabriel shook his head. "something like that...but getting ones hopes up often leads to disappointment."
"That is a terrible way to think. Why do anything or hope for anything if there is a chance to lose?" Jairo said bluntly.
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders.
"If you give up internally before you even make an effort that is when the effort is truly guaranteed to fail. If you want something bad enough there is no such thing as leaving something to chance."
Jairo didn't know why he was going so hard from a logical standpoint, but upon seeing this young boy who seemed to have his light snuffed out so early...it seemed so wrong.
'What the hell happened to you?'
Near the front edge of the camp, Emory and multiple people of high rank seemed to be on a wooden stage. Jairo was standing next to Gabriel as the rest of the boys waited patiently for someone to speak.He got into one of the edges of the crowd, with Gabriel right at his side. He didn't see Theon at all however.
"Gabriel, Have you seen Theon anywhere?"
He asked. Gabriel shook his head. "My guess is he's got a wild shit to take."
"Oh." Jairo snickered a bit. "I thought the bastard had something important to do."
eventually, all the young men had been assembled. A mass of fur that was just a bunch of angsty teenagers.
Emory had already been standing directly in front of everyone. His stance serious and his gaze sharp. He stood with both hands behind his back.
He had the aura of a commander. Just as long as it took Jairo to form an opinion of him did it take his voice to bellow into the crowd. "I know that a lot of you young boys are scared or unsure of everything right now. I was once just like that was well, but all stories and songs about great warriors have a turning point. That turning point is where you boys will become men strong enough to not only stand up for yourselves, but to uplift your people as well."
He then took a moment to let the statement sit
"Get ready young men, because that turning point begins today."
With that, two other men came out from behind him. One had a mark that went from the top right to the bottom of his mouth, giving him a vicious and intimidating look. His eyes were calm and tranquil however.
The other was not as interesting, but he looked appropriate nonetheless. but eventually a few more men had come into view from further into the camp. one of them was Caspien.
Riding atop his Direwolf with a look of comfort and Arrogance that only he could give off.
Him and two other commanders assessed the boys.
He looked interesting in Jairos humble opinion. 'Is it a job description for everyone here to look cool and dangerous all the time?'
Here is where we train you. You will be put up against one another. In trials of combat, agility and more. For starters, which of you boys would like a combat based trial, and which of you would like one based more on mobility?"
Emory pointed his hands to where the boys where and another place where nobody was.
"Stay if you wish to do a combat trial. But if you wish to do a trial more based upon being more agile, mobile or sneaky…go here."
He said as he looked at the empty spot he was pointing towards.
It didn't happen the fastest, but in a small wave, the glob of boys seemed to break in half as many began moving to the other side of Captain Emory.
Jairo looked towards Gabriel. "What do you think? Personally I can fight if I wish-"
Gabriel put a hand on his shoulder. "I think we should go to mobility."
"I agree." Jairo said not giving it much thought. His tone was still quite creepy nonetheless.
He and a few more boys had begun walking over, when they heard a voice pierce through the crowd. "Hey! Get back here!"
Knowing precisely whose voice that was, One could see Jairos brows furrow in anger as he turned around to look at none other than Theon with a look of pure exhaustion.
Theon was a bit annoyed. "Come on what are you waiting for? I'll crush anybody in my way, all you have to do is pull your own weight!"
Gabriel looked as if he wanted to say something, But Jairo was already a step ahead. "Hearing your voice harms the spirit and rots the mind. We would all be better off had you not spoken at all."
Thons look of disbelief turned to anger as the quiet murmurs of the boys nearby turned into hearty laughter. Jairo personally didn't like anyone being angry at him, but Theon's anger was a bit off putting.
Very angry. This would be a pain to deal with.
It would not be optimal to keep him around at all.
Thankfully words didn't leave his mouth anymore. They didn't need to, because Emory's voice rang out. "An agility trial it is."