The Tales of Calth: Isilorbor and Lendes #2

Isilorbor ducked another punch aiming at his face, grabbing the recruits wrist and twisting it hard. Zelderan only took a heartbeat to slam his knee into the recruits stomach that Isilorbor was holding, lowering himself so Isilorbor could lash a chop at another recruits neck that was about to throw his elbow on Zelderan’s back. The two friends were veteran sergeants. They have both seen their share of war, and had the scars to prove it over their bodies. They were in Calth, the north side training the new recruits to fill out the new Sections. Months of hard fighting east of the Calthenarin River had achieved the Fourth Company much honour and glory, but also losses. They started a mass recruitment drive and in charge of testing the recruits, were Isilorbor and Zelderan. Zelderan grinned and moved from side to side, keeping the blood pumping thought his body, Isilorbor slowly walking from side to side, looking at the recruits. Thirty recruits had chosen to join Fourth Company, thinking the two sergeants were an easy test, charged them without thinking of working together. They were easy meat for Isilorbor and Zelderan. Isilorbor brushed his right shoulder, an unspoken signal to Zelderan, who nodded and looped from foot to foot towards the right flank of the recruits, Isilorbor did the same to the left. The recruits saw the two sergeants coming towards them and held their fists ready, since it was a fist and foot match. Without word being spoken, Isilorbor and Zelderan broken into a lightening fast sprint, not at where they indented to go. They changed attacking flanks, Isilorbor headed right, while Zelderan ran towards the left. The recruits paused, and that was all the sergeants needed to finish them. The two sergeants moved straight into the middle of the two groups of fifth-teen men, lashing out with food, fist, leg and arm, every strike landing a blow on a body part. They were fighting topless, sweat pouring down their battle scarred chests in great drops. Some of the quicker recruits fought back, only to have the sergeants loop behind them and break up any form of team work, they danced, almost, thought the mob of recruits, getting back to back with one another and spinning about each other, dropping recruits on their backs or landing punches that knocked them flat. They were in a stone court yard in Calth training barracks. The sound of the fight echoing all over the yard as people gathered on the viewing decks of the recruitment office. The face of the buildings slip from a single great wooden door, to a flight of stairs that lead onto a balcony, over looking the yard. Many people came to watch the training fights, or to wish who ever was joining good luck. Among the crowd was Lendes. She had her arms folded across herself, her hands holding her sides as she watched Isilorbor and Zelderan fight. The sun was at the top of the sky and sending great heat beams down on the court yard, making it almost wave in the heat. She watched the fight, and her eyes were transfixed on Isilorbor and Zelderan, and she would never admit it, it was arousing her greatly. This was the first time she had seen Isilorbor bare chest, and she was not disappointed. He had a perfect chest, wide shoulders, strong muscles, a few battle scars here and there, and each bead of sweet seem to follow his contours, has if teasing Lendes. And having Zelderan who was the same, if not, wider and stronger then Isilorbor. She cursed herself and she was having a hard time keeping her hands at her side, she did not trust herself to place them on the iron railing. Lendes also noticed that there seem to be more women then men in the crowd. All the women seem to be focused on Isilorbor and Zelderan, and she could not help but feel slighted by them. Isilorbor could have any woman from this crowd, and Lendes was sworn to marry someone soon. And the fact she had to remain a virgin until her wedding night stung the most. She had told Isilorbor she would marry someone else, but he never told her that he had any feelings for her or another woman. She preyed that he was not holding onto some foolish hope that the wedding would be cancelled. It would crush Lendes if he was saving himself for her. Her thoughts were yanked from her head as she heard a roar and Zelderan throw a man over his back, landing hard on the ground and placing his foot on the mans neck, followed by Isilorbor grabbing the arm of another man going to punch Zelderan, twisting it behind his back and grabbing the back of the recruits neck and forcing him onto the ground face first. Lendes let out a loud breath and gasped heavily, she had no idea she was holding her breath, swallowing to correct herself and offered a few small claps for the two friends. Her eyes wild as he looked at Isilorbor, the wanting for him was almost unbearable. Well, she thought, maybe a little fun is in order. Isilorbor and Zelderan breathed heavily, looking at the pile of recruits on the floor. Zelderan placing his hands on his knees and took in deep breaths, while Isilorbor slowed down his breathing and tried to right himself again. Both of them shared and look and then looked at the recruits. Both had made up their minds about who should make it into the Fourth, Isilorbor nodded to Zelderan, it was his turn to pick the recruits. Zelderan sniffed loudly, the noise was enough to get all thirty recruits to look up at the sergeant. He pointed to four men and addressed them quickly. “You, you, you and you. Spend a few years in the City Guard or Watchers and then come back. The rest of you have made it.” The four men Zelderan pointed to sighed deeply and picked themselves up, limping away towards their families and smiled at them and slowly left. The remaining twenty-six chuckled at each other and clasped arms, happy they made it, until Zelderan cleared his throat, placing his fists on his waist. “Erm…Did we win the bloody war already?! I said you twenty-six made it, as you’re the only ones we have left to join the Fourth! And for that, I’m not impressed in the slightest!” The recruits got to their feet gingerly, looking up at the sergeant with dread and exhaustion in their faces. Zelderan roared. “DID I TELL YOU TO STAND UP?!” The recruits dropped back onto the floor in a instant. He walked around them, looking at them with a mix of confusion and anger at them. “If you think you’ve got what it takes to join the Fourth Company, then get on your feet and head towards Captain Learchus at once!” The recruits slowly got onto their feet and limped towards the main barracks area, until Zelderan shouted. “Faster! I want to see elbows and arses!” The recruits ran as fast as their bodies would take them into the building. Zelderan stood for a moment and beamed a smile at Isilorbor, who simply nodded. “Not bad…Could have made them stand, though.” Zelderan nodded slightly. “Yeah, I was thinking about doing that…But…Heh, I think we’ve both need a rest, eh?” Isilorbor smiled and stood up, pressing one hand on his knee and pushing himself up. “I need a drink.” He groaned to himself. Zelderan heard him and pointed over towards a smaller yard hidden from the crowd, a small well lay in the middle with two wooden beaches either side of it. Isilorbor and Zelderan waved to the crowd as they walked over to the well, at once both of them sighed as the shadows swallowed them in a cool air and walked over to the bench. They sat down and Isilorbor pulled a bucket already filled with water and held it out of the well, taking two iron ladles and dipping them into the bucket. Zelderan was already lying down on one beach and was holding his side while Isilorbor drew one ladle back and poured water over his hair. Letting the water flow down his chest and cool him at once, sighing to himself. Zelderan grunted and held his side, his teeth clenched “You big girl, what is the matter with you? He chuckled. “Argh….I thing I’ve pulled a mussel.” Zelderan said thought clenched teeth. “Let me see.” Isilorbor said, moving towards his friend. He placed one of his hand on Zelderan’s shoulder while the other one touched his side and he looked at Zelderan’s chest, trying to see if there was anything else wrong with him. To an outsider, this sight might have considered very strange indeed… That outsider was Lendes. She just wanted to do some flirting with Isilorbor or Zelderan when she found a site she had been lusting over all day. The two of them alone, in a secret place, one touching the others chest. Isilorbor moved his hands over Zelderan’s chest and he winced. “Isil! Be gentle!” “Shut up! If anyone saw us….” Isilorbor never got to finish his words; they both heard a gasp as Lendes as she slowly fell backwards and fainted. Lendes’s eyes slowly flickered open. She was in a rough bed, in some strange room with Isilorbor’s and Zelderan’s faces over her, both looked very concerted. “Where am I?” She whispered. “You’re in Fourth Company barracks.” Zelderan answered. “Are you well, Lendes?” Isilorbor asked. Lendes grinned and looked around the barracks, all alone with two sergeants in their barracks. “Couldn’t be better!” She winked at Isilorbor and he looked at Zelderan and whispered to him. “I will keep a eye out on her, you go and check on the recruits.” Zelderan grinned widely. “Give her one for me!” He whispered and stood up slowly, biting Isilorbor. He fell for it, hock, line and sinker, and said rather loudly. “What am I going to do, Zelderan? Write your name on it and stick it into her?” Zelderan cackled loudly as he walked out, grabbing hold of the walls to keep his balance, Isilorbor’s face bright crimson as Lendes giggled, still on the bed. “I am going to kill him, one day.” Isilorbor growled to himself. Lendes stopped giggling and looked at Isilorbor, she had been laughing so much that the bed was in a mess, and looked like they have had sex. She grinned in mischief. “My my, sergeant…What would happen if your captain walked in to find us like this…?” She squirmed on the bed slowly, flexing her legs and arms, rolling her neck and letting her dress move around her body. Isilorbor watched her move and cleared his throat and looked out the window, trying to put on a official voice, despite his growing wanting for Lendes. “Women are not aloud in the barracks, miss Belegorn…If you are recovered, may I escort you out?” Lendes waved a finger and slowly beckoned Isilorbor forwards. “What happens if I refuse…?” She said slowly and teasingly, licking her lower lip at Isilorbor. Isilorbor took another deep breath and swallowed, mustering his courage and his will power. “Then I shall have to carry you out, miss Belegorn, but I would like to evade that outcome if at all possible.” Lendes slowly moved her foot across Isilorbor’s chest, she was surprised to see her sandals were removed, but slowly let her toes trace over his mussels and smiled lastingly at him. “I’m afraid, sergeant, that I’m never weak legged right now…You may have to carry me out…” She blow a kiss at Isilorbor and leaned back in the bed and slowly wrapped her hands around the bed posts. Isilorbor sighed and fell for her trap, trying anything to make sure she leaves. “Damnation, woman…If you do not get up now, I will have to put you over my lap and teach you a lesson!” Lendes’s eyes sparkled at his words and she grinned. “Is that a promise?” Isilorbor gently moved Lendes’s foot from his chest and looked at her softy. “Lendes…?” Someone in Isilorbor’s eyes made her crack, she slowly moved her foot back and sat up, hugging her legs together and smiled apologising. “I’m sorry, Isilorbor…I’m…Not normally like this.” She whispered, hugging her legs tighter. Isilorbor looked around to make sure they were alone and sat down next to her. “What is it?” He asked gently. He slowly placed an arm around Lendes, he was excepted to have it shrugged away, but Lendes leaned closer to him and rested her head on his bare shoulder. “I have to tell you something.” She said gently. “What?” Isilorbor replied. “I told you I have to marry a man soon…But, I have to remain a virgin until my wedding night…My family said it would bring great honour to my soon to be husbands family.” Isilorbor bite down his anger and nodded slowly. “Lendes…I will be there for you as a friend, should you need me.” He said after a lengthy silence. Lendes looked up with hope in her eyes. “Really?” Isilorbor gave her a reassuring squeezes and smiled gently. “Truly.” They spent some time sitting together, Isilorbor was angry that such a prize was under a fathers command. He was not sure if he proved of such methods, but he could see the bond would forge a great alliance between families. They slowly stood up and walked out of the barracks, Isilorbor gently hugged Lendes and kissed her on the cheek and whispered into her ear. “If you need my help, please come to me, I will not turn you away.” All Lendes could do was nod, she did not want to let Isilorbor go, but she had to. Slowly pulling herself away from his embrace, she walked towards the nearest stables and took a horse, risking one last look at Isilorbor and gentled waved to him as he spurred her horse away from him, feeling her heart ache already. Isilorbor watched until the last dust from Lendes’s horse was gone and turned back towards Zelderan and the recruits. Once again, he left an emptiness without Lendes. Almost has if she filled in something in his heart that no other could, he sighed deeply to himself and turned back. He knew this was love, but he dared not show it to Lendes. She was to marry someone else, and have a happy life and Isilorbor was meant to fight until he died. Besides, how bad could this man Lendes is to marry be, he thought to himself as he saw Zelderan and helped train the new recruits of the Fourth Company.