[Siège Principal de Le Protectorat du Paix] - Meeting the Cavalry

[Raphael D'Aubert]

Time Stamp: Fifth Candlemark of the Fourth Brightening of Kalendryas

The Protectorat


Walking briskly into the stone hallway of the magnificent Le Protectorat du Paix, the stronghold of the Jaedaxian Guard, Guardsman Raphael D'Aubert could not help but feel a slight sense of accomplishment at having successfully passed his two month Basic Training Course for the Jaedaxian Guard, a rigorous physical and emotional experience which effectively transformed the once soft-skinned aristocrat's son into a confident member of the Jaedaxian military. In those two months, Raphael's slender frame had toughened considerably through an intense regime of calisthenics and combat drill and was now impressively toned to a fighting condition; a far cry from the weak state he had been in when he first entered Jaedaxia as a vagrant.

"Bon......."

The memories of the two-month ordeal briefly flooded through his mind like a torrent of water crashing through floodgates, reminding the young man of the intense amount of hardships he had faced on his journey to "a higher purpose" within his newly adopted city: Jaedaxia. From the intitial bullying of his person by a multitude of jealous recruits undoubtedly unhappy with a "foppish aristocrat" attempting to join the guard, to eventually winning the respect of the cadre and Corps of Guards through his dogged determination, the young Jaedaxian had triumphed successfully despite the odds... earning the right to be called a Guardsman of Jaedaxia.

True, there was still "Mr. Anderson"... a violent figure who had miraculously gained an intense hatred of D'Aubert and become his main adversary in the Guard... but such thoughts of the man were dwarfed by the excitement of receiving his first assignment as a member of this prestigious military organization..

It had been decided two months ago by the Captain, during Raphael's enlistment process, that the young man of twenty eras would be a cavalryman attached to the "horse patrols" of the Jaedaxian Guard... either scouting out the countryside outside Jaedaxia for potential troublemakers or overseeing the protection of Jaedaxia's business district..

In any case, the young man was eager to get work...

Within moments, after checking in with Leiutenant Dwarf at the main desk, D'Aubert found himself face-to-face with the thick wooden door of Captain Alsaille's office... a spartan-looking piece which had no traces of decoration or embellishment other than a simple brass plaque which denoted the Captain's rank and duties within the Guard.

Knocking twice, the young Guardsman waited briefly for several seconds before entering the room... snapping into an immediate salute upon finding the Captain seated calmly before him..



"Serale, Captain Alsaille..." greeted D'Aubert, still in a position of attention, "Private D'Aubert, fresh out of basic.... Reporting for duty on the fifth candlemark of this brightening..."

Asides from being the day he would receive his first "real" orders as a guardsman, this particular day in Kalendryas held great sentimental value to the young man...

It was his birthday...

[Crimson]

There was "Come in" before Raphael was greeted by the simple but elegant office space offered to the Captains of the Protectorate. There, Marcus Alsaille easily sat behind his oak desk looking over some documents with his free hand while his other palm rested on the desk's solid surface. "Ah, Raphael" he said with the same handsome smile "at ease. Now, here are your patrol duties." He handed a pair of parchment paper toward the young man and then added "you will be with Sergeant Linterswan. He's down the hall, second door on your left. His squad should be meeting there ... in about five minutes." The Captain looked toward a thick candle stick which was marked with dashes every inch or so to indicate the candlemark of each brightening.

After the pleasantries, 'Serales' and 'Good lucks' Raphael easily found himself walking down the cold halls of Headquarters. The door Captain Alsaille mentioned was not difficult to find. And when Raphael arrived he found it fully opened with several blue-gold clad guardsmen already waiting inside. Fortunately, none of them had been his bullies during basic training. Instead, he was greeted with formal nods and waves. Raphael also noticed that all of them carried sabers or rapiers along with the standard long knife or dagger along their belts.

"Bonjour" one of the guardsmen greeted. He was a dark haired boy with sharp features and light skin. "You here for Linterswan's squad?" He waited for Raphael to reply then grinned. "Ah, another hand picked memeber." He nodded and the rest of the youngsters agreed in turn.

"You know why he picked you right?" another guardsman asked, this one was an older looking youth with blazing emerald eyes and hay colored hair. " 'Cuase of that." He chuckled then pointed at Raphael's weaopn, his saber. He was about to add something when everyone suddenly scattered into a makeshift line, stood erect, their hands forming a salute.

As Raphael dashed into the line, he turned just in time to see a long-nosed man with sharp, almost jagged features appear from the doorway. He was tall, thin, and looked almost breakable. But his demeanor showed eras of experience and precision with his skill. Along his belt was a sheathed sabre, its hilt a polished silver with a red gemstone imbedded on its tip. He walked alone the line, adjusting each recruit as he did so -- some stood not straight up, others were too stiff. When he came upon Raphael, he passed easily and then adjusted the youth next to him. Coming to the end of the line, he spun expertly on his heel then said "At ease" and the guardsmen were free to place their hands behind their back, feet apart.

"We patrol Freeport this brightening" he continued at an almost bored pace "then we return to HQ for first rosyun. Following that we have a mounted patrol in the countryside. We return in time for your first break. Then, if you are still alive, we will have a second briefing here. Any questions?"

[Crimson]

Closed due to PC retirement.