Sean E.
The Joke-Spewing Storyteller
Andrin Deterius (Firth, Helies)
Andrin slowly walked down the cobblestone road, his sword's sheath hung from his belt to rest on his hip. The chill of the fading winter caused Andrin to wrap his cloak more firmly around himself, his breath coming out in a whoosh of condensation. The overcast in the dark sky casted a depressing blanket over the town, a feeling Andrin couldn't help but notice. His boots made a soft clumping sound, but it was inaudible compared to the clack of horseshoes on the stone. He glanced around, taking in the sight of the townsfolk carrying on their normal lives. If only things could be like that, he thought sadly to himself. Andrin finally made his way to the door of a large building. It was tall and wide, almost built like a complex. Imprinted upon the woodwork was an emblem of a shield, a sign reading "King's Guard Recruitment" hanging above the door on a metal plaque. He paused outside the door, took a deep breath, then opened it quickly and stepped inside.
Torches lined the walls of the room, their orange flames burning brightly. A silk carpet covered the floor muffling the sounds of his boots. A pair of guards relaxing in chairs by the door glanced at Andrin as they stood up. "Can we help you?" They asked, hands resting on the swords at their waist.
Andrin nodded, gesturing to the building. "I wish to join the King's Guard. Is this where I'm supposed to be?"
The two men looked to each other, brows raising in question. "We didn't hear anything about a new recruit today. Who recommended you?" They asked pointedly.
Andrin shook his head. "No one. I come of my own accord." He tugged on his gloves, pulling them up higher.
"If that's the case, you need to speak to Officer Keldar. I'll show you where he is." One guard said as he turned and began walking down a hallway. The second guard grumbled and went back to his post, watching the door. Andrin followed the first guard until they reached a door in the hallway. "He's just inside." The guard stated before turning and heading back to the entrance. Andrin cautiously opened the door. A gruff voice called out, demanding him to enter, and Andrin did so as he closed the door behind him.
The room was small, furnished much like a study. A desk sat in the back corner, papers and books sprawled across it haphazardly. Shelves lined the walls covered in stacks of paper as well. Two chair sat in front of the desk with another one behind, where a large man sat scratching his quill onto a piece of parchment. Andrin stood at the door, unsure what to do.
"Well, are ye gonna sit down or what?" The man behind the desk asked, pointing to one of the empty chairs. The man had a thick grey beard and pale blue eyes that seemed to measure up everything about you. Andrin nodded and took the seat, his hands resting on his knees. "So what bring ye to my front door?" The man asked.
"I was told to talk to Officer Keldar about recruitment. I'm assuming you are him?" Andrin answered, his voice composed and level. His icy blue eyes met the man's for a moment, and a feeling of mutual respect seemed to pass between the two.
"Aye. Do you have a letter of recommendation then?" Keldar asked. He returned to his work, his quill scratching equations on the paper.
"I'm afraid not, sir." Andrin replied. The quill stopped moving again as Keldar returned his gaze to Andrin.
"A background application then?" Keldar asked, giving Andrin a questionable look. Andrin shook his head in response. "Then I can't accept ye. You need a background check or something to prove we aren't being handed a useless bag of flesh."
"Trust me, I am not useless." Andrin declared. He stood up for effect, placing his hands on the edge of the desk.
"What's yer full name lad?"
"Andrin. Andrin Deterius." Andrin replied, a bit of both honor and depression creeping into his voice. The last word caused Keldar to stop everything as he studied the young man in front of him.
"Deterius you say? Are you the son of Jermaine Deterius?" Keldar asked. Complete seriousness was etched in his eyes as he sat back. Andrin nodded again, taking his seat. Keldar tapped the end of his quill against his chin for a moment before standing up and pacing. "I knew your father. Was a strong officer 'till about a year ago when the demon drink got to him." He sighed before turning back to Andrin. "He saved my life once, a few years ago. Never repaid 'im since." Keldar strode back to his desk and sat in his chair. He grabbed a fresh piece of paper from a crate next to his chair, dipped fresh ink onto his quill, and began writing on the paper. He was silent as he did so, the only sound in the room the scratch of the tip. Finally he rolled the paper up and stamped it, handing it to Andrin. "Don't let me down, lad. I consider my debt to yer father repaid." He said before returning to his work. Andrin nodded and took the paper, putting it in his shirt. "You can find the recruits down the hall. Speak to the commander." Keldar said as Andrin departed.
He found his way to the armory, where the recruit commander was busy examining the equipment. Blades, shields, and and sets of armor were arrayed in an orderly fashion in various containers and shelves, each polished and sharpened for maximum efficiency. Andrin approached the commander, presenting the paper to him. Taking the paper, the commander smiled at Andrin. "Another recruit, hmm? Perfect." The commander read through the letter before finishing it and giving it back to Andrin. "Deterius? You're father was a good man. It is a shame he was lost. The blacksmith's resting right now, so talk to him first thing in the morning to get your gear. Get some rest, you're going to need it." The commander said threateningly. He flung a small pouch of gold to Andrin, who caught it easily. "This is for food. You're bed is the fifth one in the 5th dorm." Andrin nodded and headed down the corridor the commander pointed to him until he came to the barracks. A line of straw pads were arrayed on the floor, most containing a sleeping recruit. Andrin quietly crept into the room and laid upon his, careful not to awaken any of the recruits. He lied there for a few moments, staring into the ceiling before his eyes fell shut with exhaustion.
Andrin slowly walked down the cobblestone road, his sword's sheath hung from his belt to rest on his hip. The chill of the fading winter caused Andrin to wrap his cloak more firmly around himself, his breath coming out in a whoosh of condensation. The overcast in the dark sky casted a depressing blanket over the town, a feeling Andrin couldn't help but notice. His boots made a soft clumping sound, but it was inaudible compared to the clack of horseshoes on the stone. He glanced around, taking in the sight of the townsfolk carrying on their normal lives. If only things could be like that, he thought sadly to himself. Andrin finally made his way to the door of a large building. It was tall and wide, almost built like a complex. Imprinted upon the woodwork was an emblem of a shield, a sign reading "King's Guard Recruitment" hanging above the door on a metal plaque. He paused outside the door, took a deep breath, then opened it quickly and stepped inside.
Torches lined the walls of the room, their orange flames burning brightly. A silk carpet covered the floor muffling the sounds of his boots. A pair of guards relaxing in chairs by the door glanced at Andrin as they stood up. "Can we help you?" They asked, hands resting on the swords at their waist.
Andrin nodded, gesturing to the building. "I wish to join the King's Guard. Is this where I'm supposed to be?"
The two men looked to each other, brows raising in question. "We didn't hear anything about a new recruit today. Who recommended you?" They asked pointedly.
Andrin shook his head. "No one. I come of my own accord." He tugged on his gloves, pulling them up higher.
"If that's the case, you need to speak to Officer Keldar. I'll show you where he is." One guard said as he turned and began walking down a hallway. The second guard grumbled and went back to his post, watching the door. Andrin followed the first guard until they reached a door in the hallway. "He's just inside." The guard stated before turning and heading back to the entrance. Andrin cautiously opened the door. A gruff voice called out, demanding him to enter, and Andrin did so as he closed the door behind him.
The room was small, furnished much like a study. A desk sat in the back corner, papers and books sprawled across it haphazardly. Shelves lined the walls covered in stacks of paper as well. Two chair sat in front of the desk with another one behind, where a large man sat scratching his quill onto a piece of parchment. Andrin stood at the door, unsure what to do.
"Well, are ye gonna sit down or what?" The man behind the desk asked, pointing to one of the empty chairs. The man had a thick grey beard and pale blue eyes that seemed to measure up everything about you. Andrin nodded and took the seat, his hands resting on his knees. "So what bring ye to my front door?" The man asked.
"I was told to talk to Officer Keldar about recruitment. I'm assuming you are him?" Andrin answered, his voice composed and level. His icy blue eyes met the man's for a moment, and a feeling of mutual respect seemed to pass between the two.
"Aye. Do you have a letter of recommendation then?" Keldar asked. He returned to his work, his quill scratching equations on the paper.
"I'm afraid not, sir." Andrin replied. The quill stopped moving again as Keldar returned his gaze to Andrin.
"A background application then?" Keldar asked, giving Andrin a questionable look. Andrin shook his head in response. "Then I can't accept ye. You need a background check or something to prove we aren't being handed a useless bag of flesh."
"Trust me, I am not useless." Andrin declared. He stood up for effect, placing his hands on the edge of the desk.
"What's yer full name lad?"
"Andrin. Andrin Deterius." Andrin replied, a bit of both honor and depression creeping into his voice. The last word caused Keldar to stop everything as he studied the young man in front of him.
"Deterius you say? Are you the son of Jermaine Deterius?" Keldar asked. Complete seriousness was etched in his eyes as he sat back. Andrin nodded again, taking his seat. Keldar tapped the end of his quill against his chin for a moment before standing up and pacing. "I knew your father. Was a strong officer 'till about a year ago when the demon drink got to him." He sighed before turning back to Andrin. "He saved my life once, a few years ago. Never repaid 'im since." Keldar strode back to his desk and sat in his chair. He grabbed a fresh piece of paper from a crate next to his chair, dipped fresh ink onto his quill, and began writing on the paper. He was silent as he did so, the only sound in the room the scratch of the tip. Finally he rolled the paper up and stamped it, handing it to Andrin. "Don't let me down, lad. I consider my debt to yer father repaid." He said before returning to his work. Andrin nodded and took the paper, putting it in his shirt. "You can find the recruits down the hall. Speak to the commander." Keldar said as Andrin departed.
He found his way to the armory, where the recruit commander was busy examining the equipment. Blades, shields, and and sets of armor were arrayed in an orderly fashion in various containers and shelves, each polished and sharpened for maximum efficiency. Andrin approached the commander, presenting the paper to him. Taking the paper, the commander smiled at Andrin. "Another recruit, hmm? Perfect." The commander read through the letter before finishing it and giving it back to Andrin. "Deterius? You're father was a good man. It is a shame he was lost. The blacksmith's resting right now, so talk to him first thing in the morning to get your gear. Get some rest, you're going to need it." The commander said threateningly. He flung a small pouch of gold to Andrin, who caught it easily. "This is for food. You're bed is the fifth one in the 5th dorm." Andrin nodded and headed down the corridor the commander pointed to him until he came to the barracks. A line of straw pads were arrayed on the floor, most containing a sleeping recruit. Andrin quietly crept into the room and laid upon his, careful not to awaken any of the recruits. He lied there for a few moments, staring into the ceiling before his eyes fell shut with exhaustion.
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