Leave!

Nat had rapidly become one of the most elite swordsmen in camp. He had taken to wearing a two-handed broadsword. He had been practicing all out no rules combat with the Lieutenant lately and anything was allowed. Knives, kicks, even grabbing weapons from the small circle of on lookers to use. All the weapons were practice weapons and wouldn’t kill but definitely bruised. Nat was having quite a time holding his own against the Lieutenant. The Lieutenant was making a furious all out attack at him with a spear, wielding it like a quarterstaff bringing one end forward in a stab or swing and then reversing it and slamming the other end at Nat. Nat parried several blows, rolled under another blow and struck out with his own offensive. The Lieutenant pulled back and hurled the spear at Nat who spun sideways and pushed the spear aside. Suddenly realizing the Lieutenants ploy Nat tried to twist back the other way as a knife came streaking towards him. It bounced off his right shoulder and the Lieutenant shouted “Touche!” Nat gripped his sword in his left arm and made a swift attack at the lieutenant who drew his sword and returned the attack. After taking several other hits about his person Nat caught the Lieutenant’s sword in his side and stabbed him in the stomach simultaneously. The Lieutenant laughed (after getting his breath back) and said, “My goodness you are almost too good for me, Nat!” I made you pay dearly for that though…plus in battle a hit to the side like that would probably finish you in the end…so you have to work on your swordsmanship there.”
“Well I was slightly hampered without my left arm and then you gave me that nice hit across the thigh and so I decided to take a hit to deal a hit you know…sometimes it is the only way to get your opponent.”
“You did fine, Nat,” the Lieutenant nodded. “Hey I have this for you” the Lieutenant handed Nat a slip of paper with several names inscribed on it. Nat haltingly read it aloud:

“This certifies that the soldiers Woodsbury village are hereby granted 2 months of leave having completed their basic training and regular training exercises. The bearers of this are to be at their posts no later than the 1st day of the 5th month of this year of 1845 of the Second Age.”

“I can go home! I can really go home and see my mother?” Nat exclaimed. “Yes I have been longing to go see her for ages! Wait till I show Dyl!” The Lieutenant chuckled as Nat ran off to find his friend.

Nat sprinted through camp bumping into other soldiers and ran smack into Varrelle, who was naturally indignant. Her annoyance and anger faded though when she saw how happy Nat was and heard his news. Well it appeared to fade to Nat. He rushed off leaving Varrelle in queer mood, had she been…happy or sad? He put it out of his mind though in his excitement. Nat sped over to Dyl’s tent and checked it swiftly finding him gone hunted through the whole camp finally spotting Dyl.
“Dyl! Dyl,” Nat hollered excitedly. Soldiers gave him strange glances and stepped out of the way but Nat didn’t care. “Hey Dyl look at this!” Nat waved the paper in the air and thrust it in Dyl’s face as Dyl calmly came up. Dyl often seemed to be calm whenever Nat was really excited about something. Though Nat knew he was also excited, Dyl often felt he needed to counter Nat’s enthusiasm.
“Guess what,” Dyl said calmly.
“What?”
“I have one too,” Dyl produced an identical slip and winked at Nat.
“You knew! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Nat exclaimed.
“Well I wanted to keep it a surprise and all.”

Nat and Dyl quickly went and packed their things after finding that pretty much all the men in the company from the surrounding area were also on leave for two months. That evening when Nat and Dyl were helping Varrelle with a few of her jobs Nat excitedly related his day and who all was leaving for home for the next two months and what was probably going on at the farm. Suddenly a thought occurred to him.
“Varrelle, where are you going on leave?”
Varrelle appeared caught off guard by the question but calmly replied, “I am going to go back north to my hometown.”
Nat pondered this…she had never really talked about her hometown. “Where is that?”
“Well it used to be near the border…the Siltinians sacked it though so I was going to go look for any survivors or at least do something…”
Dyl glanced at Nat, “well if your town doesn’t exist anymore there is no sense going there…” he trailed off and Nat picked up on his silence. “You could come with us…meet my mother and Dyl’s family. I am sure you would be quite welcome.”
At first Varrelle said she wouldn’t come but later that evening she asked how far our village was.
“About a two week journey if we push hard,” Dyl said.
Pondering this Varrelle finally said she would ponder it and reply in the morning. After saying this she shooed them out of the tent and as they left that peculiar old woman came walking in and cackled a hello to Nat and Dyl. Nat replied cheerfully and Dyl suspiciously. Nat and Dyl then went and crashed into their bedrolls and slept hard until morning.