The room was spacious for someone of Hutch's size. The floor was covered in a grass mat, with a stone slab at the entry way, where boots were to be removed and placed. The room had a single window, covered in a thin drape, held back by an Iron hook. To the left was the bed, near four feet above the floor, it was a mattress surrounded by wooden railings, with two stacks of two drawers and a lockable closet beneath. To a Sajomei the bed would have been a single wide, but to Hutch it was more like a double. On the opposite wall, was a short desk, with a legless chair, and in the corner, a naked manakin made of wood awaited its armor, and beside it, next to the door, was an empty weapons rack and above it a single shelf, with an oil lantern. A second lantern sat on the top of the desk, and a third hung from the ceiling, and could be lowered down using the hook and chain by the door, for easier lighting given the standard ten-foot ceiling height.
"I'm hoping that you find this to your liking?" Cascel asked as Hutch looked about the room.
"It's incredible. I still can't believe this is happening," he replied, dropping his rucksack on the floor.
"Unfortunately, you don't have the time, at least not right now, to get used to the idea. Grab your keys, because we still have a lot to get through."
"I understand that, but…"
"But nothing. Take a deep breath and shake yourself out. Then keys in hand, and basket on shelf."
Hutch did as he was told, and took in a deep, cleansing breath. All he really needed was a moment for his brain to catch up, and that breath was the perfect magic.
"Thank you, Sir. I needed that," Hutch said, as he took the keys from his basket, and then placed it on the shelf. "I am ready to continue."
"Good," Cascel replied, dropping his hand onto his shoulder, "that's what I like to hear."
Turning about, Cascel lead Hutch out of his room, and gave him a moment to lock his door, before he continued with the tour. "Eight stall washroom is along the back wall, so learn to share. It's the responsibility of everyone in the first division, who lives here, to keep our spaces clean and tidy. There is a general cleaning crew that comes through once a week for the shared spaces though. As the newest member of the division, however, expect for a few extra chores to be dropped on you. Consider it our way of helping you obtain your merits faster."
"Merits?" Hutch questioned, as he followed Cascel back down the hall and into the large room in the center of the living quarters.
"It's how you earn your place. As childish as it may seem for warriors of our caliber, there is a purpose to it. The silliness helps relieve the stress, but more importantly, it builds the team morale, and keeps our divisions in healthy competition with each other. It makes us better," Cascel explained as they entered the central room. "We are all adults here, and you are by far the youngest, and while this position is something to take seriously, the King feels it unwise for us to find no joy in life. Once you are in the King's Guard, your training never ends. You may move from the dorm, once you're qualified to do so, but you will still spend most of your time here."
There were three other exits, one across from where they entered, and another two at the front of the room across from each other. The wooden floors were well worn, and the space was divided into two sections. Where they were standing at the back of the room, had been designed for comfort, with a horseshoe shaped, brown leather, sofa, and large, oval shaped, stone coffee table in the center. A bookshelf lined the back wall, and where there weren't books, there were stacks of games. Plants seemed to be quite prevalent in the area also, as planters hung from the corners of the room, and a potted plant with an orange and blue flower, was kept in the center of the coffee table. There were also several pillows and blankets scattered about.
At the front of the room, was a very different atmosphere. Tables extended the width of the room, and chairs faced the desk at the front. Behind the desk was a green chalk board. There was a door to the right, with a banner attached to its face displaying the names of everyone in the first division, and beside them were silver tacks. And to the left was a second bookcase, filled with what seemed like textbooks and manuals.
"And this is our divisions meeting room," Cascel stated, walking him through it. "You will gather here every morning, and at the end of every day. You will live here and work here for the next six months. At that point, it will be determined if you will remain in the King's Guard, working with me, or if you will be returned to the general army."
"Six months is a long time. Can I write to my village and let them know I'm going to be here longer than expected?"
"You can write to them whenever you like. Your letters will be reviewed but that's only to ensure that no classified information about what we do here gets out. Mail can be dropped at the dorm desk, and it's picked up once a week. I know this is a much larger commitment than perhaps you were expecting to make, but having met you, I know the general army isn't a good place for you to be. I half expected you to wash out after the first week. Seeing your willingness to push yourself, week after week, I know you are up to this challenge, and I know you will succeed. Now, how would you like to meet the rest of Division one?"
"To be perfectly honest with you, I'm looking forward to the challenge. My concern is with how my tribe is going to react to finding out that I've joined the King's Guard. Not much of a choice with a conscription order, they understand why I had to go, but this is different."
"Then perhaps it's better if you explain to them that this is on a trial basis. You are still a conscript, that hasn't changed, and when your mandatory year of service is over, you will be allowed to leave. I give you my word on that. The only difference between where you started and where you are, is the required amount of training, and where that training takes place. This is a better situation, and I believe your tribe will understand that. At the very least, they should understand that by being in the King's Guard, your chance of survival had greatly improved."
"Yeah, I suppose I can't argue with that," Hutch replied, with a bob of his head. "Alright, so where is this mythical division one I'm supposed to be a part of?"
"I'm glad you asked," Cascel said as he turned and began to walk away. "This time of day, they are going to be out in the fields running drills."
Hutch followed behind Cascel as he led him back down the stairs and instead of turning right to head back out the front of the building, he took him down the left hallway and out behind the Academy dorm. Here, the eranth stables stood in rows on either side of a main road, and secondary roads that were lined by storage barns filled with wagons, hay, and feed to the west, and to the east, leatherworkers, blacksmiths, and the armory. Arrows marked the flow of traffic, with the outer roads heading towards the dorm, and the central one heading away, and every other lane way between the stables moving in opposite directions.
Taking to the central road, Hutch followed Cascel as he explained the way the system worked, and pointed out which stable barns were associated to which division, exchanging greetings or waves with every worker and stable hand they came across. When they had walked past the last of the barns, they continued over the crossroad and through a large, iron, double gate in the stone wall that encircled the military grounds, and into the fields behind the palace. Cascel pointed out the features and told him of the things he couldn't see from where they were standing. Like how the pastures, which were contained by stacked stone walls, and wooden swing fences, and the four training arenas, lined the back wall of the palace, doubled as festival and tournament grounds. And how there was also access to the forested area down the hill, and within it they had built different types of trails, and a wide river with a swift current just beyond worked as a natural barrier of protection for Qor'ropi.
The landscape of Qor'ropi was that of softly rolling hills, and when they came to the crest of the one behind the palace, Hutch got his first good view of the training grounds below, and the impressive riding skills of the first division, that was practicing in the flatter field along the edge of the woods.
Setting his fingers against his lips, Cascel let out a short series of whistles, garnering the attention of everyone in the valley. Turning their eranth about, they formed up into two lines, and came running towards them, stopping within a few feet of where Cascel and Hutch stood.
"Dismount!" Barhalis ordered, the first division, who promptly dismounted from their eranth in unison. "Scatter your mounts and gather round."
Clicks could be heard from every member of the division, and the eranth, as if having been spooked, bolted out, scattering in every direction across the field, and the members of the division, jogged forward and formed a circle with Cascel and Hutch.
"Today, we welcome our newest recruit. Cascel, will give introductions," Barhalis stated, once everyone had settled into their position.
"This is Cadet one five one, Jules Edwin Hutchinson of the Moahaba tribe. He prefers to be called Hutch. But he has not yet earned that right," Cascel spoke, pushing Hutch slightly forward, "has he?"
"No, sir! No, he has not!" The division shouted out in unison.
"How will he earn back his name?"
"Hard work! Good work! Teamwork!" They replied together once again.
"Each member of our division has earned the right to have their name remembered, it's time for you to learn them," Cascel said, and on que, Barhalis was the first to step forward, and Hutch immediately turned to face him.
"Barhalis, general of this division. Welcome, Moahaba," he said, and stepped back into the circle, as the next in line stepped forward and stated their name, starting with the only other member with a title, Captain Zarethi.
Shajil, Nebhan, Zangeth, Cedej, Tekhadis, Bernaht, Xig, and their bannerman, and the only woman in their division, Aseda, was last.
"Unfortunately, there is one amongst us that is not with us today, Xadac," Cascel said, causing everyone to lower their heads and pound their fists once against their chests. "During our last mission, he was severally injured, and will be retiring into a teaching position. That is why you are here. I'm the strategist, and second bannerman, Cascel, and on behalf of the first division of the King's Guard, we welcome you to our ranks, Moahaba."