Prelude to War.

         Reese awoke to the sound of the rooster. Its shrill cry piercing the morning haze and sending Reese's dream forever into oblivion. He yawned and and looked around him for clues as to where he was. The room was still dark, the sun still a little ways off from rising, but he could tell it was a barn of some kind. He had slipped in the night before and climbed up into the hayloft. Silently he thanked the rooster for the early warning of dawn so he could leave before anyone noticed his trespass.

         Traveling for months now, Reese had become quite adept at pilfering food and a little money here and there. He also had quite a knack for finding the barns that their owners didn't frequent, at least the nights he borrowed the use of them. In his pouch he carried with him at his hip, he had this past weeks earnings. The coins jingled softly as he crept to the door, peeked out, and then made a stealthy escape to the woods close by. He had slept in the open-aired woods many times before, but far preferred the comfort of a nice pile of hay over the unrelenting ground that had become harder as fall was passing by. In less then a month warmer clothes would have to be obtained or else it will be a very harsh winter indeed.

         The chill morning air was moist and refreshing. Reese headed at a brisk pace in the direction of a town he had heard of while passing through the last one. Town after town with the occasional city, they all seemed to blend together now he tried to think back.

"Stay right where you are."

A cold unemotional voice echoed out to him which stopped Reese mid step. It only took an instant for him to realize the authority of the voice meant trouble, so he pivoted to the direction opposite of the voice and made to run. Crossing paths with a town constable had happened before but so far Reese had escaped from being caught each time. Mostly due to the constables just wanting the youth away from their town as one less person they have to deal with. A chase wasn't worth the effort involved so mostly they didn't happen.

         Reese was banking on this as he passed a few trees, zig-zagging in between close ones to hopefully be out of sight as soon as possible. He smiled while rounding his fifth tree, confident that the pursuit had been called off as he didn't hear anything but his own steps against the light underbrush. Slowing only a little Reese continued to run, not risking a constable who changed his mind about his odds. Catching something out of the corner of his eye he turned his head to look only to see a man running parallel to him twenty yards off.

"Its a nice pace you set."

He called out to the bewildered Reese who instinctively turned away and picked up speed. The man smiled and changed his course as well. Within seconds the man was on top of Reese, catching his wrist and pulling it slightly, forcing a reluctant Reese to a quick stop. He then twisted the wrist and pushed it down to the ground. Firmly attached to his own arm, Reese had no choice but to fly to the ground following his wrist. As sharp pain cracked through his body, Reese let out a cry as tears came to his eyes quickly and his arm throbbed.

         The man was not perturbed at all and calmly waited a moment before chiding his captive. "You brought it on yourself." Reese was at a loss for words, the pain, like the mans grip, showed little signs of relenting. The man pulled out a length of rope and bound his catch of the day. It took a few minutes for him to be done, but it was quiet as neither of them spoke, Reese consigned to his fate having been beaten, and the man who set about tyeing Reese's arms behind his back like he was binding an animal to drag home.

"Now." The man said, sitting Reese down by a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ghezra, a bounty hunter. And you," He gave a dramatic pause. "Have been up to a lot recently." He pulled out a tan parchment from one of his many pockets and read out a list of the towns, and people of which Reese had stolen from over the last half-year. To Reese's surprise, it was actually quite accurate missing almost nothing, including the elderly man he had pick pocketed the morning before. "..And so punishment set forth by King Breneth, this is where it gets good," Again he allowed a dramatic pause. Reese was thunderstruck, getting punished for a robbery was one thing, but with everything that was read off, he would be surprised if he didn't get a one way ticket to the gallows. He didn't know how his morning could have changed so suddenly and completely, or his life for that matter. "..is to be hung by the neck until dead or otherwise." He finished with a wide smile, his eyes on Reese. Reese didn't even notice the look as his stomach rolled and he felt sick.

         Having the reaction he wanted, the man rolled up the paper and kicked the side of Reese's leg. "No no, just kidding. Actually you get a fate much better then that. Due to the current political situation, the kingdom at war and all, all minors that violate multiple crimes go straight to the front lines to fight. Isn't that wonderful? Not being hung?" The words were like oil on a flame. Images of being run through with a sword or spear pushed him over the edge and he choked and coughed loudly as he vomited in the grass beside him. Ghezra set his jaw firm in a grim smirk. "Its good that you understand war. Will make things easier." After what little was left was splayed on the grass, Reese lifted his head and sat up, looking to Ghezra for answers. "To let you understand my situation. As I'm sure you have no doubt begun to question. I don't know what kingdom you hail from, but here in Farran the military pays very well for new recruits. And although they pay well, they pay by the quality of the recruit. So people like me, fetchers as they call us, round up a potential recruit, either a delinquent youth such as yourself, or select from the prisons. We train them," He gave a fierce wild gaze into Reese's eyes. "And believe me, there will be training. And then we sell them as combatant slaves for a decent penny earned for our time."

         Ghezra took a step forward and crouched down in front of Reese. "You maybe needed a change in life anyways boy. But ready or not, we go to war."