After their first day of training, Lucas was already considering quitting, however, after much deliberation on the matter, he decided that he could pull through, and, besides, he dragged Arthur all the way out here with him, so he had to do it.
Just as Lucas was climbing into bed, a loud, shrill noise echoed around him, 'huh, that sounds like a horn', Lucas thought to himself. Arthur came running into the tent, clearly panicking. "Lucas! Lucas! Get up! We're under attack!" Arthur shouted out, it being barely understandable. "What?! Attacked! By who?" Lucas asked, tired from the rigorous training yet still alert. "The Lords of Northumbria formed a coalition, there calling themselves the 'Lords treaty'. Hurry up, get ready! They want us on the eastern flank." Arthur explained, trying to be as quick as possible. Lucas, stumbling out of his bed, quickly got ready, grabbing his sword on the way out of the tent.
-----
Lucas drove his sword into the heart of the Northumbrian soldier, horrified as he watched the light in the man's eyes seemingly extinguish, "this is horrible," Lucas murmured under his breath, looking back to see how Arthur was fairing with his opponent.
Just as he turned around, he was mortified. He saw the sword go into Arthur's side. He saw it be pulled out. He saw them line up another strike, this time fatal. Before he knew what was happening, his body was moving, acting of its own volition, "Arthur!" Lucas cried out, terrified of losing his best and only friend. Just as the sword came down, Lucas reached up and blocked with his sword, face to face with his enemy. "Damn peasant scum," the soldier spat out, showing an expression of pure disgust.
"Who is worse, the poor, or the people who take from them, sometimes so much they can't afford food?" Lucas retorted, clearly worried for his friend. Whilst speaking, they were both trying to gain the upper hand in their struggle, this only ended when Lucas threw out his leg and kicked the soldier in the shin, making him stagger, after getting the leverage he needed, he slashed down, not displaying the slightest bit of remorse anymore.
After the man had died, Lucas ran to check on Arthur, who had fallen and was on the verge of collapse due to blood loss. "Arthur! Arthur!" Lucas screamed, on the verge of tears. "Come on Arthur, let's go get help," he tried to coerce him into staying awake, however, it did not work. Just as his breath was slowing, Arthur muttered out, "Win this war, help our people." His breathing stopped, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest ceased, and Lucas knew he was dead.
Lucas, now fully sobbing, could not contain himself, he screamed and screamed until the reinforcement squad arrived, seeing the situation, they all just bowed their heads and stood in silence. After a moment of respectful peace, the soldiers tried to convince Lucas to let go of Arthur's body so that they could bury him with the rest, Lucas however, refused. Quite some time lapsed until, finally, the soldiers were forced to move Lucas with force, and take away Arthur's body.
Lucas could do nothing but watch as his best friend was carried away, struggling against the soldiers restraining him. Several moments passed, but Lucas did eventually calm down enough for them to let him go, he immediately ran to his tent and began to sob uncontrollably once again. 'Arthur, I'm sorry.'
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After several weeks of unbearable training, several minor battles and even a few glimpses of the King himself, Lucas was finally a proper soldier. Despite how proud he was of himself, he was still devastated that Arthur would never be able to fight alongside him, and that they could now not return to the village together. In regards to Arthur's family, he had gotten one of the more educated soldiers to write a letter to them for him, explaining Arthur's untimely death. This letter was sent, along with Arthur's belongings, with a courier that would have already reached their village in Mercia.
Right now, Arthur's parents were probably grieving and mourning the loss of their son, and condemning Lucas to eternal damnation for bringing him here. If Lucas was being honest, then he blamed himself for Arthur's death, and would understand if Arthur's parents did too.
Lucas carried on his walk to the lunch line while continuing to contemplate his friends demise, accepting that he was never going to come back.