“Now then, this was quite a few years ago, likely before any of you were even thoughts in your parents heads!†Lydia looked around at the small gathering of teens and children, mostly girls. It was understandable that the crowd Ester would have gathered would be the lovesick and try-hards. But Lydia kept her word. Even to the people blinded by a false faith. “Back then, everything was much simpler. I helped my father train new people in a small military branch. He was was one of them.†She could fondly remember the day they first met. “I think he was the oldest recruit there. Almost eighteen years of age. Most of the others were around my own, from about thirteen to fifteen. Much like some of you here. My father had allowed me to instruct for my fifteenth nameday’s celebration, and I fully intended to do it correctly! ‘Twas my family’s tradition.â€
She closed her eyes, envisioning the scene once again, laughing a little to herself. “He was chubby. Definitely out of shape. And he certainly did not look like he belonged there. Everything about him made it apparent he was of a tavern-holder’s family. And I certainly made my fair share of jokes and ridicules for it. He was larger, slower, and far more uncoordinated from the rest.†She took a small pause to gauge the interest. Most seemed to want to hear more.
“I was completely set on making sure he would be trained as well as any of the others. A task I think I had completed properly. There were many nights I would single him out for extra work. More malms to run. More pushups than the rest. Stricter evaluations. He was motivated, I’ll give him that.†She laughed a little. “And there was the one time I caught him sleeping when he was not supposed to. A soldier’s life was not suited for him, but he made it work. I like to think it was for me.â€
“But it worked. And a fine soldier he became. When we met again years later, I could still see traces of what I had instilled. He likely was perhaps a little too dim to realize such.†She concluded the story with a few finishing remarks about how after they had met again, he’d finally proposed. But only after he could best her in a duel. “I would not settle for anything but the best. And he worked to become that for me.†She blushed slightly. “It was rather flattering.â€
“For a short time, we fought together, before other events prompted us to settle down. If he is even half the man I remember, I still believe he is wandering about, having not given up to find his way home.†She gave a final remark to the small group. “Otherwise, I shall find him myself and he shall rue the day he left!â€
She closed her eyes, envisioning the scene once again, laughing a little to herself. “He was chubby. Definitely out of shape. And he certainly did not look like he belonged there. Everything about him made it apparent he was of a tavern-holder’s family. And I certainly made my fair share of jokes and ridicules for it. He was larger, slower, and far more uncoordinated from the rest.†She took a small pause to gauge the interest. Most seemed to want to hear more.
“I was completely set on making sure he would be trained as well as any of the others. A task I think I had completed properly. There were many nights I would single him out for extra work. More malms to run. More pushups than the rest. Stricter evaluations. He was motivated, I’ll give him that.†She laughed a little. “And there was the one time I caught him sleeping when he was not supposed to. A soldier’s life was not suited for him, but he made it work. I like to think it was for me.â€
“But it worked. And a fine soldier he became. When we met again years later, I could still see traces of what I had instilled. He likely was perhaps a little too dim to realize such.†She concluded the story with a few finishing remarks about how after they had met again, he’d finally proposed. But only after he could best her in a duel. “I would not settle for anything but the best. And he worked to become that for me.†She blushed slightly. “It was rather flattering.â€
“For a short time, we fought together, before other events prompted us to settle down. If he is even half the man I remember, I still believe he is wandering about, having not given up to find his way home.†She gave a final remark to the small group. “Otherwise, I shall find him myself and he shall rue the day he left!â€
