"First I want to congratulate those of you that remains, which I am glad to see is all but one. I guess that those of you that considered not remaining changed your minds seeing the punishment the recruit who tried to desert during the first field exercise got. Secondly I want to also congratulating you on becoming privates in the Kingdoms army. Now as you might have realised this company is only a training company, so I will be having the sergeants and corporals informing you of what posts you have been assigned. When you have been given your new assignments you will be given a one week furlough. By the end of the one week furlough you are expected to report to your new superior officer." Major Terkand started saying.
"Some of you will be posted further away from here than others, so those that have assignments that take them further than a distance that can be traveled in four days will have their furlough extended sufficiently such that they will have a minimum period of three days of furlough. Most of you however will be posted at one of the forts or garrisons along the border to the Principality of Miran. Before I wish you good luck with your future as soldiers of the kingdom I want to congratulate you again for finishing this period of training. Good luck men!" He finished before walking of the stage and heading towards the garrison proper.
As Major Terkand started to make his way back to the garrison the corporals and sergeants started assembling their platoons around them, trying to keep some distance from each other so that it would be easier to talk with the men.
"Well, you heard the Major, congratulations on becoming privates in the Verenden Army." Sergeant Porrex started saying to the assembled men from 3rd platoon. He then indicated to one of the corporals and received a few pieces of paper from the corporal. Clearing his throat he started to read from the first sheet of paper "hem, hem… Private Leo you are to report to Sergeant Landen at Fort Olive, no additional furlough is assigned. Private…"
Sergeant Porrex continued to read from the list, going through name after name of the men that had been part of 3rd platoon. Finally, after having heard fifteen or sixteen names, Alexander heard his name. "Private Alexander you are to report to Sergeant Stonecutter at Fort Exor, no additional furlough is assigned. Private…" Sergeant Porrex continued on.
After the twentieth name Sergeant Porrex finally put down the sheets of paper and looked at the privates. "You will get dinner and breakfast here at the garrison before you have to leave. Make sure that you have everything ready before you head for breakfast tomorrow morning. When you leave the garrison here make sure to treat the rifle correctly, I do not want to hear that one of the men I have been in charge of has done something stupid in the few days between now and your new stations. Dismissed!" Sergeant Porrex said before saluting the men.
Alexander wasn't entirely sure where Fort Exor was, so he went to Corporal William. "Sir, I wanted to ask you if you could tell me how I should get to Fort Exor?" Alexander asked. "Well Private, first you are a proper member of the army now, as a corporal there is no real need to call me sir. But as to your question, the easiest would be to travel into Elghus and take the locomotive from there to Elmden. From Elmden it is just a day of walking before you get to the fort." Corporal William answered him. Thanking Corporal William for the answer, Alexander made his way to the mess to grab dinner.
When Alexander woke up the next morning and started packing he realised that he didn't have any kind of money to pay for a ticket on the locomotive. He decided that he would have to see if he could find one of the corporals or sergeants in the mess when he went to grab breakfast. Inside the mess he managed to spot Sergeant Porrex. He made his way over to the sergeant and asked "Sir, I just realised that I don't have any money and was told by Corporal William that I should take the locomotive to Elmden from here. Of course I already know that I still have about four months and a half before I start getting my pay, but I assume that taking the locomotive would cost substantially."
Sergeant Porrex looked up from his food at Alexander, he shook his head slightly and sighed before answering "Private, I am not entirely surprised given that you are from Tiramdal, but men serving in the army gets to travel with the locomotive for free. Though if you want to stay in any of the passenger carriage you would have to pay. Since you don't have any money you will just have to do what most from the army do and stay in the assigned army carriage. If you are lucky there won't be too many others travelling at the same time and you can sit on the ground, otherwise its going to be many hours of standing."
Hearing this Alexander was both relieved and somewhat disappointed. Relieved that he wouldn't have to pay, but disappointed that he would most likely have to stand for many hours. Thanking the sergeant for his answer, Alexander made his way to the food and grabbed his breakfast.
When he finished his food he tried to make his way back to the barracks as quickly as possible. He hadn't been told how often, or for that matter, what times the train would be leaving from Elghus towards Elmden. So he thought it best to just get to the train station as early as possible. Back in the barracks he seemed to be the only one trying to hurry. One of the other privates even asked why he wasn't relaxing, they had furlough now after all. Alexander just shook his head and tried to explain that he didn't have any money at all and that he wanted to get to Fort Exor sooner rather than later.
Not wanting to waste any more time talking with the other privates, he grabbed his kit and rifle and headed out of the barracks. He quickly made his way out from the garrison and started walking towards Elghus.
The first thing Alexander noted as he drew closer to Elghus was that there weren't any walls like there had been around Tiramdal. To be fair, the difference both in the area surrounding it and the style of the houses when he got into Elghus was like going from the mid/late middle ages to the 1800s. Even the style of clothing on the people in the streets were different.
Back when they had received their uniform and kit he hadn't really made a note about how the uniform seemed to be similar in style to what the armies of earth used in the 1800s. It was a bit confusing that there could be such a differences in style, and possibly even technology within the same country. However he didn't allow himself much time to think of this, lest he get lost in thought and crash into someone.
As he made his way through Elghus he had to stop and ask for directions towards the train station. Being given directions he managed to find the train station without any issue. Getting to the station he could see that it was an open style station with two train tracks, connecting with each other some way down each direction from the station. There was already a train standing still at the station, so he thought he might want to hurry and find out if that train would be heading towards Elmden.
"Excuse me sir, do you know if this locomotive is heading towards Elmden?" Alexander asked of a man dressed in what he thought was a conductors uniform. "Yes sir, this locomotive is heading towards Elmden, if you want to have a seat you need to go to the ticket booth and buy a ticket. Seeing that you are in a military uniform and carrying a rifle I assume you are with the army, in which case you can also make your way to the last carriage as it is the designated military carriage for this ride." The man answered Alexander.
Thanking him, Alexander made his way towards the end of the train and boarded the carriage. Inside he saw a few crates and quite a few other men in uniform. Looking at their uniform it was easy to see that all of them where privates given the lack of any rank insignia. Nodding at the people inside the carriage he heard the whistle of the train and someone shouting "All aboard, the locomotive is leaving the station. All aboard!" as the carriage accelerated into motion.