Preparing for a long journey

[Eyvind Redbeard]

2nd Brightening of the Second Cycle in the Month of Ponutis in the season of Spring; Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum.

Eyvind was sitting outside the Taskmaster's Office with his arms crossed. The Vagaran had a journey in front of him, the day of the departure was getting closer and closer. He had to worry about many things, getting supplies to him and to those who were coming along with him. Certainly not all of his companions would take enough food nor enough clothes for the mountain's cold. Then he had to find a way of carrying everything to avoid having a tired group, a packmule would be the best solution but would Commander De'Bali allow him to take one? Would he allow the Senior Legionnaire and his two Legionnaire companions leave Aelyria Prime during a cycle or probably more to an expedition to a place Eyvind couldn't name?

"Senior Legionnaire Eyvind Redbeard." a voice called "You can enter."

Eyvind stood up and entered the Office of the Taskmaster. It was unchanged since he had been there for the last time.

"You may take a sit." the Officer said "What brings you here this Brightening?"

The Vagaran saluted and took a sit.

"Serale, Sir. I come here to make you a strange request." Eyvind paused

"Go ahead Senior Legionnaire."

"I need an authorization to leave Aelyria Prime from 26th Ponutis onward and I need to take Cyrus, Tarfuss and Silenoz with me. We will be out for perhaps more than a cycle."

De'Bali frown.

"Where are you intending on going and why are you taking these men with you?"

"Sir..." Eyvind hesitated "I won't hide it from you, I hope you understand."

De'Bali nodded.

"During the Selhaim Festival..." Eyvind continued "...I have came across my father's ghost. If you never knew him, he was once a Legionnaire too. He came to me and gave me a message from a God."

"A God? You better not be making fun of me lad!"

"Yes...Sir...a God. A message from Aslan. The Lion God wants me to head to the mountains to find a Temple of the Thorns of Jorel. There I must gather all the information I can and retrieve a certain pair of items."

"You are really speaking the truth aren't you?"

Eyvind nodded.

"That is why I want to take some men with me, I don't want this mission to go wrong. If for any reason I happen to fail I know these men will complete it."

Commander De'Bali paused a moment to thing and then continued.

"I would send a thousand men with you."

"And I wouldn't accept such offer, Sir. Our group must look simple that is why I am taking civilians with me."

"Civilians? To a Temple of Jorel? When you are carrying out a mission to Aslan? Are you out of your mind?!"

"No, Sir. The civilians will help disguising the Legionnaires and I think no one in the Temple will harm them. It is the Temple of an Oracle."

De'Bali nodded as he started getting what Eyvind was planning.

"I start seeing what you want Senior Legionnaire. You can go but make sure you bring everyone back in one piece. Is there anything else you need?"

Eyvind nodded.

"Actually there is, Sir. Can I take a packmule and some winter clothes from the stables and the warehouse? And also some tents. The journey will be long and the cold may catch us before anything else does."

"Certainly, take combat rations too and bandages from the infirmary. Actually I will have them sent to you when you depart. 26th Ponutis you said?"

"Yes, Sir. Outside the gates."

"I will have some Legionnaires taking everything there at dawn, less chances of being seen."

"Thank you very much, Sir."

"You don't have to thank Senior Legionnaire, just complete your mission and bring everyone back. You are dismissed."

"Sir, yes, Sir!"

Eyvind stood up and saluted. When he was walking to the door Commander De'Bali said.

"Go to the stables and chose a good packmule then check what kind of combat rations you want. From the last report I have there is chicken, pork and beef. Go take a look."

The Taskmaster winked, Eyvind smiled and then left the building.

[Eyvind Redbeard]

Upon leaving the Taskmaster's Office Eyvind headed to the stables. The complex was made out of four stone buildings all looking magnificent and to the Vagaran each stone seemed to whisper words of good hope. As he reached the main building he found who he was looking for, Daekin Calvin. The half-elf seemed to be leaning against a post resting, as Eyvind approached he completely up and faced the red haired human.

"Serale." Eyvind greeted

"Serale yourself, what brings you here?" Calvin evaluated Eyvind "You are certainly too large to have been assigned to the Cavalry..."

"I come here to request a packmule. I am heading for the mountains and I need a strong animal to carry the heaviest equipment."

"To the mountains you say? Heh! And why do you think I would sinmply give you such an animal?"

"The Taskmaster sent me here to chose a packmule for my expedition, he will soon send the papers and take care of the bureaucracy. I am here to chose the animal only."

The half-elf nodded and made sign for the human to follow him.

"The mountains are cold and harsh and a simple packmule wouldn't survive in there, I suggest you take this one here. It is a half Carmelyan breed. Just like yourself Vagaran it does know how to face the cold."

Calvin pointed to a mule that was slowly eating some chaff from the ground. The animal had hair covering its neck and almost covering its face completely. Its dark brown color and its lighter brown hair gave the animal a common look but when one looked closely could see the muscles in the legs and the remaining body. The animal wasn't young, it was a hardened mule, probably had been serving the Legion for some Eras now.

"You can take this one. Its name is Consisa. Treat it with respect and it will obey you with stubborn resolve, disrespect it and you will probably have to return to the city to recover your precious equipment as it will return here in search for proper care." he paused "This animal has seen blood being shed so it won't be frightened of battle, it even knows how to defend itself but always keep an eye on it. Fail in bringing it back and I will have your head as a feast to the dogs." the Daekin's face became tense for a moment, then he relaxed.

"Alright. Have it prepared by 26th Ponutis, I will come here to get it and follow to the city gates."

The half-elf nodded and turned his back leaving, only raising his hand as if saying serale.

With everything done in the stable Eyvind followed to his next task. The infirmary.

As he entered the building he saw a Dorin Shield Daekin speaking with a healer.

"You must avoid using real weapons in a simple training session, Dogg." the healer said

"No way! I want this scum to know what expect them in battle, not to become lazy and get killed while seeing how beautiful is the shinny enemy sword!" the Shield Daekin replied

Eyvind saw the healer shaking his head before being pushed aside by another healer who was running in the direction of a screaming recruit. The lad seemed to be severely injured with a deep wound in his shoulder. In the middle of wounded recruits and busy healers Eyvind walked until he found the Office of the responsible for the Infirmary. Knocking at the door the Vagaran entered.

"Serale, Sir." he greeted as usual

"Serale...Senior Legionnaire." the man replied after checking Eyvind's pin "What brings you here?"

"I have been sent here by Commander De'Bali in order to have some bandages and healing equipment ready for an expedition I will be leading to the mountains."

"Expedition you say? Where to?"

"To the mountains, Sir."

"Right...so some creams against cold burn and bandages and maybe some potions...what do you think?"

"I am not an expert in healing so I suggest you selecting a variety of healing material, all of simple application, so I can be prepared for the journey."

"Certainly, and when will you depart?"

"By 26th Ponutis, Sir. If it isn't asking too much." Eyvind remembered how busy all the healers were "Try having everything ready by then. Commander De'Bali said he would send someone to pick everything up."

"Alright Senior Legionnaire, I will have everything prepared for your...journey. Serale, you are dismissed."

Saluting Eyvind left the Office and dived into the busy infirmary. More wounded and bloodied recruits had entered in it, it seemed the training exercise had been terribly real.

What was there left to do? Get the combat rations and winter clothes from the Supply House.

The Supply House was a place Eyvind had always wanted to visit but never had the chance. It was a place where everything could be found, from mysterious weapons to a parrot. Or at least that looked like a parrot. Eyvind looked to a window of the building and to the bird leaving it. Shaking his head to be sure he was seeing things that weren't there the Vagaran ended up laughing. The Supply House had parrots!

"Serale." he saluted the first man he found behind the counter upon entering "Commander De'Bali has sent me here to see some combat rations and to chose some tents and winter clothes for a journey. Commander De'Bali will have the papers ready soon and will have someone sent here to get the said equipment by 26th Ponutis."

The man nodded.

"So what combat rations do you want? We have them with chicken, pork and beef, aside of the common bread loaf and cheese. Ah! And how many?"

"I need combat ration for a Manus to eat during a cycle. So that would be a hundred rations. Since that is probably too much have ninety rations ready, thirty of each."

"Now about the tents, I suppose you don't want to carry too many of them."

"Maybe six two-men tents, five for my companions and one for the supplies."

The man nodded once more.

"Certainly. What about the clothes?"

"Get nine suits ready. One for me." Eyvind pointed himself "So I suppose it is the largest one available. Three for females and four for males."

"Hmm hmm...anything else?" the man took note in his list

"Add a rope, a hatchet and a flint and that is all. Have everything ready by 26th Ponutis."

"Certainly, Sir." the man said and disappeared in the middle of a corridor of the shelves maze the Supply House was with his list on his hand.