As the two soldiers walked away without even glancing back, Leif wasted no time. He turned and quickly began walking in the opposite direction. I can't stay here... I need to go back! But before he could make it far, the door creaked open behind him, and a soldier stepped outside.
"Hey, you! Where do you think you're going? Get back here right now!"
Leif kept walking, heart pounding, trying to block out the soldier's voice.
Just keep walking... He's not talking to you... He forced himself to believe it, though his legs trembled with fear.
He had only taken a few more steps when a heavy boot connected with the back of his legs, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
"Do you want me to kill you right now? Are you deaf?!" The soldier's voice dripped with rage as he pinned Leif to the cold ground with his foot.
"P-please... I didn't know you were talking to me!" Leif gasped, his breath knocked out of him.
"Bullshit!" The soldier's response was brutal, punctuated by kicks to Leif's side. Each blow sent waves of pain through his body.
"Ahh... Please stop! I'm sorry!" Leif's voice cracked as he pleaded, but the kicks kept coming for a few more seconds before the soldier grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back toward the building.
Inside, the scene was grim. A dozen other men stood huddled in fear. They were all peasants, like Leif, each bearing fresh bruises and wearing ragged, worn-out clothes. Soldiers stood around, eyeing them with cold indifference.
"Hmph, another one?" One of the soldiers, clearly the leader, glanced at Leif with disdain. "Alright, as I was saying..."
The leader resumed his speech. "After your training, you'll be positioned in different sectors to support the soldiers defending the city. We're in desperate need of hands for tasks the soldiers don't have time for."
He paced slowly, casting a harsh gaze over the beaten men. "You're all here either willingly or unwillingly. It makes no difference to me. What matters now is that you will not go back to your old lives. You're soldiers now."
Leif, still shaken from the beating, tried to stand, clutching his side. This can't be happening... The commander's voice drowned out his despair.
"You will follow our orders. If we tell you to jump from the wall, you'll jump. If we find out anyone's trying to escape, you'll wish you hadn't." The commander's smile grew wider as the fear took root in the faces around him. The weight of his words crushed any hope they had of running.
"But," he added, softening slightly, "it's not all bad news. Do your job, follow orders, and when this war ends, you will be rewarded for your service."
Leif's mind raced. How did I end up here? God... please... why is this happening? He could feel the weight of his hopelessness pressing down harder with each word from the commander. There would be no escape. No way back to his family. I can't even help them now...
After a few more warnings and threats, the peasants were led outside into the biting cold to begin their training.
For now, at least, they wouldn't be thrust into combat. Instead, they were assigned tasks to support the soldiers. "Your job is to keep our soldiers well-fed, clothed, and ready for battle," one of the soldiers explained. "Some of you will help prepare and distribute food, others will assist with making sure everyone has warm clothes. You'll make sure the real fighters can stay alive to defend the city."
One of the peasants raised a trembling hand. "Where... where will we sleep? At night, I mean?"
The commander's frown deepened. "In the room you just came from," he said curtly. "You two," he gestured to the nearest men, "get inside and prepare everyone's beds. You four, go help with the food."
As the commander issued orders, the sharp winter wind reminded them all of the harsh conditions they'd face, inside or outside the city walls. Even though they were behind the defenses, the cold gnawed at them. And the enemy—camped outside the city—suffered just as much.
Rumors had spread that the enemy's morale was crumbling. Their tents barely held back the cold, and their numbers had thinned after troops were sent south. But none of that mattered to the men shivering in the cold. They were just as trapped, just as desperate.
Around a small fire on the outskirts of the enemy camp, a group of soldiers gathered, roasting a chicken.
"Finally, some good fucking food!" one of them exclaimed, staring hungrily at the meat cooking over the flames.
"Yeah, but why the hell did you only grab one chicken? This isn't nearly enough!" another grumbled.
"It was the last one in the house, alright? The place was picked clean," the first soldier explained, glancing around to see other groups roasting similar catches.
"Fine, at least it's something. If only there were cows around here..." another soldier muttered, his breath visible in the freezing air.
"Don't forget the warm houses too," another added with a humorless chuckle.
"Yeah, meat, a warm house, a real bed, and a hot woman... That's all I need." They all nodded in agreement, half-joking, half-dreaming of an escape from their miserable situation.
"Why don't we just storm the city already? One more week of this cold and I'm going to lose my mind."
"You know we don't have enough men. We couldn't even fully encircle the city," another soldier replied grimly. "Before, maybe we had the numbers, but now..."
"Yeah, why did the commander send so many men south? It's insane!"
"Shut it," a third soldier warned. "We can't question the commander, and there's no point in complaining. He must have a reason."
Meanwhile, inside a large tent at the heart of the enemy camp, the commander sat with his officers, discussing the growing unrest.
"They're all dissatisfied with this siege," one of the officers reported. "Morale's dropping, sir. The cold, the lack of supplies... it's wearing them down."
The commander leaned back in his chair, frustration evident on his face. "I know, but there's nothing we can do about it. We don't have enough soldiers to take the city."
"Then why did the king give us this order?" one officer asked angrily. "The south doesn't have any major threats! We need the troops here, now!"
The commander sighed. "Something must have happened. Maybe the intelligence we got was wrong, but there's no turning back now."
Before the officers could continue, a soldier entered the tent and saluted. "Sir, our scouts have reported small groups leaving the city walls to gather food. They're not bringing in much, but it's still something."
The commander nodded slowly, deep in thought. "We can't let that continue. Send out a group of archers. Have them hide and strike from a distance. Make sure none of them come back with anything."
The next morning, Leif awoke to the noise of the others stirring. His body ached from the previous day's work. Distributing food, cleaning weapons, mending clothes—it felt endless. He hadn't slept well and was still exhausted.
How is my family? They must be starving... If only I could sneak away... No one would notice if I took some food to them. I just need to be quick...
But before he could form a plan, the leader of the group burst into the room. "Everyone up? Good. I need a few of you for a separate task today. You four," he pointed randomly, "come with me."
Leif cursed under his breath as he realized he was one of the chosen. Great... What now?
Outside, the cold hit him immediately as he and the others gathered before the leader.
"Your job today is simple: go out and gather food from outside the city. You'll work in small groups to collect whatever you can—grains, animals, anything."
One of the men hesitated before asking, "Will there be soldiers with us? Or are we just being sent out to gather food on our own?"
"There will be soldiers protecting each group," the leader replied, "but that doesn't mean you're safe. Stay alert. Any other questions can wait until you meet your group. Now, head to the eastern gate and present yourselves to the guards there."
As they trudged toward the gate, Leif's heart sank further. He's sending us outside... What chance do we have out there? But like the others, he had no choice. There was no turning back now.