The Events of the 7th of Limestone, 1062Merkil was stronger now, thanks to the screw pumps. He was up to working on them for ten hours a day, another five spent on agility training at the top of the parapet. He was generally on his own, Old Major ---- DayCovering was content to sit in the yard pitching his horse shoes, but it seemed whenever he attempted to slack off the Old Veteran was there, waiting to crack him sharply on the back of the head with the handle of his hammer.
To spare himself the rod, Merkil finished out his days exercises, the monotony leaving him sore and exhausted. Wiping his face off with a towel, Merkil slowly began to make his way from the barracks, heading to the mess hall for a quick meal before bed.
A hand on his shoulder made him pause, and turning he saw the craggy features of his commander. A small bead of sweat dribbled from his forehead, bracing himself for the whack with the hammer handle.
"Come with me," Major ---- DayCovering said kindly. "We should talk."
They made their way to the top of the parapets in silence, Merkil's mind racing with what the soldier would say. As they stood at the wall, watching the setting sun blaze redder than the sand, Major ---- DayCovering removed the hammer from the thong tied at his belt.
"Do you see this, son? Litast Mansionlions made it for me in a burst of inspiration. She named it Sombith Kiron, specially crafted it for me. I've never asked a thing from Maester Kuli's smiths. Why do you think she did this?"
Merkil looked The Executioner of Holiness over. It was exquisitely designed, worked copper encircled and studded with steel. It menaced with spikes of a variety of stone, and was engraved with pictures of Dwarves in Steel and yellow diamond. An image of a small toad, done in turtle bone, was inlaid on the top.
"I don't know," he said after some time.
"They did this, because I never asked."
Merkil's brows furrowed as he thought this over. He watched the sun in silence, eventually saying, "I'm not sure I understand, sir. Why would they make you something you've never asked for?"
The old soldier replied softly, "Patience is the greatest of virtues. I'm not rash like young Sulari, always out to prove herself with axe and shield. I've never been duplicitous, like Aryn and Snake, always striving to get ahead. And I've never even been like Varen, so happy with his position, so eager to please.
"I'm a veteran of hundreds of battles. I've had every limb broken at one time or another. I'm growing old. And through it all, I've never made any attempt to hide what I am. The other soldiers have these minor incidents handled, they don't need me to steal their glory like that old bear Stravitch does. Something is happening, I can feel it in the air. And the others can feel it too. Something dark this way comes, and this "inspiration" can be nothing but divine guidance.
He turned to face his apprentice, smiling warmly. With the sun behind him, obscuring his features in shadow, he looked all the world like a younger man, like a Dwarf who could fight, who wasn't uselessly pitching his horse shoes all day, or drinking in the mess. "Your already learning important lessons. Patience is a virtue. Your training, your real training, will begin very soon."
[ June 03, 2008: Message edited by: Heavy Flak ]
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Topic: Migrursut: What Comes After The World Ends? [Epilogue] (A Community Fort) (Read 389562 times)