Chapter 4 : Two weeks

Two weeks had passed since the arrival of the armed column. The trees had shed their orange leaves, and the cold air from the western Targe mountains had descended upon the Arvena highlands, signaling the approaching winter.

Despite the usual calm during this time, the town and villages near Bellandia saw an influx of armed men arriving from distant towns and cities. The majority didn't stay and continued their march eastward. Most traveled light, as supplies were plentiful and easy to come by so soon after the harvest.

The situation reached its peak when Lord Maurice of Arvena, Arte's father, arrived in Bellandia with his personal column.

Today was the second day after the Lord's arrival. Despite all the military activities and the rising prices, the Arryn's household continued their life as usual, except for the addition of a mother and daughter who were war refugees. Arryn gladly sheltered them in her house.

The guests helped with the chores and offered some coins for food. With the farm empty for winter, Arryn, Tanya, and the guests went to the wool shop. Meanwhile, the boys were busy fixing things like roofs, window covers, and fences.

Despite his training, Marc was only out at noon for a few hours. Interestingly, Marc wasn't the only one brushing up on military matters. Last week, Lansius had encountered a rather memorable scene involving himself, the troops, and the young lord.

While Lansius didn't think much of this encounter, others insisted that he had impressed the young Lord, who had asked him to join. However, Lansius felt that the young Lord was only joking, as he was neither a fighter nor a competent scribe.

As the sun was rising and today was laundry day, Marc and Lansius busily scrubbed and beat their clothes with a wooden bat before rinsing them.

Suddenly, a woman's voice rang out from outside, "Lansius. I'm looking for Lansius."

Marc and Lansius stared at each other. Lansius cleaned his hand from the white ash they used as a detergent, but Marc headed straight to the front.

"Wow, a woman, not from Bellandia, too. I never thought this could happen to you," Marc commented sarcastically.

Lansius splashed water on Marc for his stupid comment.

"Bah!" Marc reacted by trying to smack Lansius' back as he went past him, but missed. He ended up grinning and shaking his head while returning to his laundry.

The woman leaned against the short wooden fence, her hands resting lightly on the rough wood. Unlike most of the women in the village, her hair was cut short.

"I'm Lansius," he said as he approached.

"I can tell from the hair," she quipped.

Lansius unconsciously frowned. Unlike other people's brown hair, his was almost charcoal dark. He disliked it as it made him stand out.

The woman missed the subtle change. "Are you really a foreigner?"

"I think so. Even now, I'm struggling to talk." He wasn't being modest; despite two years and daily chats in the village plaza, he was only slightly better than basic.

"I understand you enough." She straightened her posture and revealed a weathered black gambeson. An exquisite-looking belt decorated her waist and a well-worn scabbard hung neatly on one side.

"I'm Stefi, a Squire. They sent me to help you on the journey ahead." She gave a little bow at the end.

Lansius blinked several times to process what he just heard.

Ehhh... a squire? Accompany me? A girl...!?

Nervously, Lansius guessed why she was here. He concluded that the young lord's offer was real. However, nobody had informed him about this arrangement.

"May I call you master Lansius?" she asked indifferently.

"Eh, no, I'm not someone important. Just Lans is enough," he clarified.

Stefi stared at him briefly. Lansius noticed that there was something about her gaze. It was so abnormally powerful and penetrating.

Not wanting to start on the wrong foot, Lansius decided to explain his stance. "Listen, before anything else, you should know that I haven't made my decision yet."

She looked surprised. An invitation from a noble was a formality. It was hardly refused, either due to its prestige and opportunity, or fear of punishment. "Are you by any chance afraid of the upcoming battle?"

"That is one concern, yes," he admitted. Life for him was already hard without sanitation and antibiotics. Adding war into the mix would be suicidal.

Stefi offered a stiff smile and explained, "Be at peace. At most, you're probably going to work as a scribe."

"But I never travel out and I can't even write that well."

Lansius' confession broke the ice and made the squire chuckle. "That's why I'm here. And Lans, put more trust in your ability. I was there, you know, when you counted the troops."

"Ah…" he muttered.

"The troops had barely assumed formation. The squires just started their counts when you finished counting. How did you do that?" Stefi asked with great interest.

"It's just multiplication," he said, but he knew that mental math was uncommon in this era.

"But you didn't even use a multiplication table. That's amazing, you know?"

The way Stefi said it made Lansius rather proud. However, he still had doubts. "I'm just a farmer turned teacher. I only want to live in peace."

"Ahh, so you're that kind of man," she said, gazing out across the landscape.

"I'm not sure I follow," Lansius replied.

"Humble. Many people get a speck of skill and become pompous and haughty."

Lansius couldn't help but smile at her kind words.

"Is that your house?" She gestured at the small hovel.

"Yup," he remarked without any intention of hiding that he lived in poverty.

"Looks cozy and well taken care of, aside from the rotted thatched roof and wood panels," Stefi observed.

"Indeed, it needs a bit of repair," Lansius admitted.

Stefi nodded sympathetically. "Must be costly..."

"Yep." Lansius knew where the conversation was headed and braced himself for her sales pitch.

"So why don't you accept the offer? Being a lord's retainer brings wealth and status. What's not to like?"

Lansius was hesitant and asked sheepishly, "Do you know about the pay?"

"For non-combatants on a campaign, it's usually half silver a day."

Half silver was six copper; it was six times his income. Lansius started to see the benefit.

"I don't know about teachers' pay, but I think it's hard to pay for a better house," Stefi teased.

Lansius unconsciously nodded in agreement.

Stefi noticed the subtle change. "I heard you guys aren't related, but... don't you want to help them out? I imagine working the land is hard on the body."

Lansius exhaled deeply. Mother Arryn's back was getting worse while blue dyes wrecked Tanya's fingers. The family had taken care of him, a complete stranger. It was only natural for him to help them back.

"How about if I return tomorrow morning for your answer?" She knew not to push too hard.

"Yeah, that's probably for the best."

"I hope you say yes, otherwise I'm stuck with half-pay," Stefi commented without sounding bitter.

"Eh, why?"

"Well, because I don't have a duty right now," she answered flatly.

"But you're a squire?"

"A masterless one. My knight master, unfortunately, died on a hunt. Maybe I'll tell you about her when we have the time."

"I'm sorry to hear that… but why won't other knights employ you?"

She giggled. "Because I'm a female and most all other knights are males. If I fuck around and become pregnant, then they'll be the one who gets the blame."

"T-that's awful…" He felt embarrassed by the frank answer.

She laughed. "It's just a lame joke. But yeah, at any rate, you would be stuck with me. But don't worry. I'm more reliable than my looks."

Lansius smiled at Stefi's self-promotion. "Is it common for women to become squires or knights?"

Stefi furrowed her brows momentarily. "Oh, I guess you didn't know since you're not from here. It's rare. Probably my master and I were the only ones, so I usually work with the servants. Why, do you wish to change for another squire?"

"No, not at all," he said, shaking his head. "I'm just curious."

Sensing a change in his mood, she asked, "So, how about it? Are you coming?"

He mulled about it. "Are you sure about no fighting?"

"Of course! We're only defending against a small incursion. We'll be mostly at the rear, far from any battle."

Lansius was getting swayed. He looked around to settle his mind and spotted Marc hanging clothes.

"He too, would get an exemption," she whispered.

Lansius' eyes widened. He looked her dead in the eye and asked, "Are you sure?"

"It's common knowledge that the Lord can only levy one from a family."

He knew that most men in the village had already answered the call. While a lord couldn't legally force the same man to answer the call multiple times, they could impose a quota on the village or settlement. As a result, many volunteered multiple times on behalf of their sons or other male relatives. Youngsters and first-timers like Marc, who had no protection from their parents or uncles, were sure to get selected.

Lansius finally found his courage. "When will we depart?"

Stefi smiled brightly. "Tomorrow after sunrise."

"So soon?" he asked while trying to steel his resolve.

"Winter is coming in a month or two, so we're running out of time," she remarked. "Don't worry, I'll prep you up and show you the basics."

Lansius remained doubtful. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being treated as an exotic pet with a talent for numbers. If that were the case, assigning him a squire would make sense - not as an assistant, but more like a handler.

Despite his pessimism, he still wanted to repay the family's kindness. Lansius wasn't trying to play a hero. For him, it was about survival chances. Obviously, a scribe in the backline was safer than footmen in the frontline. As he reached out to offer his right hand, he found himself already contemplating the words he would use to say goodbye to the family, preparing an excuse for Arryn, Marc, and especially Tanya.

Stefi took Lansius' hand, and the two clasped hands to seal the deal. "I swear to protect you from harm and injury until we reach our destination."

"I put my life in your care," Lansius said, taking a leap of faith.

Autumn of Elven Calendar 4422 was drawing to a close.