Wielder's Awakening by T.B. Christensen Page A

and shady characters.  People who are looking for excuses to pillage and kill are flocking to the army.  I can’t believe that this army can be anything but trouble if it’s made up of a bunch of rascals.  They haven’t done anything yet, but the people of Beking are getting pretty nervous.  They’re demanding that the Empress of Balthus send her army north to disperse the group, but the empress hasn’t done anything yet.  In my opinion, I think she doesn’t really care about the people in Beking.  She’ll probably just keep most of her army to protect her palace in Rankdra.  I don’t think she really cares about anyone but herself.”
    “John, don’t go criticizing rulers that you don’t know anything about.  You’re acting like you’re an expert on all of this, but all you’ve heard are rumors that have passed through so many different people that they probably don’t have any truth in them at all.”
    “You can say whatever you want, but you can’t deny that the High King, may he live long and prosper, has issued a call throughout Kalia for new recruits for the army.  He is bulking up the army for some reason.”
    “Are they really strengthening the army?” Traven asked.
    He could not believe it.  The army of Kalia was only strengthened when the High King was worried of being attacked or if there were any uprisings in the land.  Traven couldn’t remember there ever being a need to strengthen the army in his lifetime.  His grandfather had once mentioned something about a war when he himself was young but that there had never been any really big problems since then.  Fifty years ago there had been a war with Cydus over the port city of Argont.  That was the last time the army had been bulked up.  It was the first time in fifty years the army was being strengthened to deal with a problem, and he was heading straight for Calyn.  Maybe he would get some adventure yet.  It sure would be interesting to see a grand army.
    “John’s not making that part up.  Our neighbor actually brought a notice from Kavar inviting people to join the army.  The wages of soldiers have been raised, and I’m sure that young, empty headed men from all over Kalia are hurrying to answer the invitation with false hopes of adventure.”
    “What’s wrong with being loyal to the High King, may he live long and prosper?  Do you think that those who support the High King are stupid?” Traven answered defensively.
    “That’s not what I meant.  It’s just that these kids don’t know what they’re getting themselves involved in.  War brings nothing but death and sadness.  It’s not as glorious as all the tales make it sound.  Our father fought in the High King’s army when he was young to calm a rebellion in Argont about thirty years ago.  He came back without one of his hands.  I don’t suppose you young kids think about that in your fantasies.”
    Traven suddenly felt bad for what he had said.  He hadn’t meant to accuse Hank of not being loyal to the High King.  He apologized, but Hank said it did not bother him at all; he knew that Traven was just young and had a lot of fire in his belly.  Hank then rode a little ahead of him and John.
    “Don’t worry about it Traven.  Hank’s just too serious about everything.  It wasn’t you that upset him.  He’s upset because his boy wanted to run off and join the army.  It has been a touchy subject for the past week.”
    Traven glanced ahead at Hank’s back and decided to drop it.  He continued to talk about the rumors of the army in Balthus with John.  He got so lost in the discussion that he was happily surprised when he realized that the sun was beginning to set.  Hank rejoined them and said that it was almost time to stop but of course he wanted to cover just a little more ground first.
    By the time they finally pulled off the road, it was almost completely dark.  They set up camp off to the right of the road.  John gathered several of the