Chapter 1-conscription
It was a warm afternoon the sun was beaming down over the golden fields of wheat and a gentle breeze flowed through the valley.
"Duke have you taken the miltank out to pasture," came a deep voice from outside the dark dingy barn.
The doors burst open and a teenage boy walked out of the barn long ginger hair messily growing on his head a bucket of slops in his hand "yes pa' ive just gotta feed the pigs and then all of my chores for today are finished." Replied duke walking towards a fenced off area full of piglets and one giant mother pig.
"Okay lad, got any plans for later?" Asked the older man adjusting his grey farmer's cap.
"I think I may go on a picnic with astrid, if thats okay with you," said duke upturning his bucket over the trough releasing its grey lumpy contents with a plop "meal time you little piggies," and with his call an army of pink ran over to the trough.
"Astrid? The smithyys girl, 'course you can," chuckled the old man taking the bucket from the boys hand.
"Okay you go freshen up, I'll finish up here for ya you've worked harder than any of your younger brothers and sisters,"
"Thanks pa ill be back around 8 'kay," replied the boy heading towards a small cottage with smoke rising from a small chimney on its grey shingled roof that had moss growing between the stones and a nest of pidgey on top demanding more regurgitated caterpie from their tired pidgeot mother.
Duke opened the door and was greeted by his mother who chucked him a clean red tunic "im guessing you're going to see astrid again," sighed his mother as duke took his old tunic off and tossed in the washing basket and putting his new tunic on tightening it around his waist with a piece of small rope. "yup ima go take her on a picnic in the clearing by the lake," said duke as he scooped up some water from the bucket on the table and rubbed it over his face. "oh i remember when your farther used to be a hopeless romantic,"
"Pa'? romantic? what happened," asked duke confused
"we had you lot now get out of here before i find something else for you to do," chuckled his mother handing the redheaded boy a picnic basket full of he had prepared himself earlier.
Duke walked through the town the wind blowing through his ginger hair a goofy smile on his face as he walked down a dirt path with market stalls either side of him selling a range of wares from tauros leathers and lairon plates to apples and pears he picked up a single red rose from a stall and handed the small girl on the stall a copper piece saying thankyou while he did so he sniffed the rose while he walked past the old buildings and market stalls the smell of waste both human and pokemon being masked by the rose. He carried on walking until he reached a building at the end of the street with a huge fire pit outside accompanied by an equally large water bath and a very large burly man hammering away at a sword on an anvil sweat dripping down his brow as he worked on a fine blade that had a golden tinge to it. "Astrid's in the shop boy, have her back by 10 and don't try anything with her or i'll be forced to test my wares on you," came a rough voice between blows of the metal hammer on the sword blade. "yes, sir i will keep her safe as always," squeaked duke feeling slightly intimidated by the man's aggressive tone as he walked through the door to the blacksmith's shop.
On the wall's there was a variety of finely crafted weapons and armor pieces such as swords, shields, maces and many others and to the right of him there was a counter that had a list of prices for the weapons and a book to register all of the orders made during the day. but duke was not paying attention to any of them behind the counter was the most beautiful girl duke had ever seen (well at least in dukes opinion). she had long flowing gold hair as bright as the sun and silky to the touch. her skin was pale with rosy red cheeks and marked with freckles around her nose and over her forehead. she was a tall girl who was very muscular like her father and she was adorned in a red dress that was hidden under a brown leather apron she had deep brown eyes and a large crooked smile but duke only saw only the most perfect smile in the world. "hey astrid i saw this rose and thought of you," said duke handing astrid the flower causing her to blush slightly "come ere ya big ponce gis a hug," said astrid her strong accent showing through as she put the rose in a vase of flowers that was on the counter and picked duke up in a crushing hug "you ready to get going then, astrid" asked duke trying to breath through his crushed lungs
"yeah, just let me close up here," said astrid heading back behind the counter and locking up various chests and containers while duke snook outside.
5 minutes later astrid walked out of the door closing it behind her, no longer wearing her big brown apron revealing a big jasmine brooch fastened on her chest. It was the last thing she had to remember her mother by since she was taken by small pox when she was 5. Duke would often catch astrid staring at the brooch and crying then he would just hold her until she stopped. "okay its 4 now so i reckon that gives us 4 hours and i know somewhere that we can go," exclaimed duke starting to walk off purposefully. "but that's only 8 i don't have to be home until 10," moaned astrid childishly as she followed after duke. "i know but ive got something i gotta do," sighed duke taking astrid's hand.
The pair carried on walking and chatting like that for about half an hour when they reached a clearing in the trees with a beautiful river running through the middle the sun sparkling over the surface a lone goldeen sticking it head out of the water gasping for air and a family of oddish hiding in the brush revealing nothing but the top of their blue heads and there green leaves rustling in the wind. "right here we are i found this beautiful spot yesterday," said duke opening the picnic basket and putting down a checkered picnic blanket "are you sure this spot is safe I still don't feel comfortable around pokemon no matter how much you insist they won't hurt me," questioned astrid sitting down on the blanket and tucking a wisp of loose hair behind her ear. " Trust me they won't come within 5 metres of us I made sure to check the area the most dangerous thing is a family of squirtle and they aren't old enough to be dangerous," exclaimed duke comfortingly pulling out some sandwiches and a large cake covered in sugar. "Thats a lot of expensive food duke how did you afford it all," asked astrid picking up a pork sandwich and taking a large bite. "I did a few jobs for the butchers and the bakers and they payed me in these so I could make today as special as possible for the girl I love." Replied duke blushing a little when he made the last comment, causing astrid's cheeks to glow red too."I love you too duke," said astrid placing a kiss on dukes lips .
The two sat there for two hours eating, talking, having a joke and generally enjoying each others company. And the oddish filled the air with a sweet aroma the scent being carried by the breeze that was carving its way through the clearing and the sky was turned a range of the most beautiful colours from orange to purple by the setting sun. A perfect evening in the summer of dukes dreams. All of a sudden duke got up to one knee this was the perfect moment he had been waiting for he felt the butterflies in his stomach 5 times worse than he ever had before but he ignored them. "Astrid in this world we never know when we're going to die there's constant wars, famine and illness but despite all of that the world has given me the most beautiful girlfriend in the world and no matter how much longer I have left in this world be it 1 day or 100 years I want to spend them with you. Astrid will you marry me?" Exclaimed duke pulling out a ring from his pocket with a small emerald on top. "Of course ill marry ya, ya big ponce!" Replied astrid allowing duke to slide the ring onto her finger and then laying a massive kiss on his lips. "But does my father know?" asked astrid when she finally stopped kissing duke so she could take a breath." Yeah, I asked for his blessing while you were getting ready to go out," replied duke.."i'm so happy right now duke I don't think anything could ruin my mood right now," stated astrid her head on duke's shoulder and his arm around hers. "Miiiiilllltaaaaank!" Came a voice from behind them and a large pink cow walked out of the bushes. "Daisy what are you doing here I thought you were meant to be in the barn well I had better take you back," said duke rising from his perch next to the tree and uprooting astrid firm her place of comfort. "I'm coming too," moaned astrid getting up from the ground.
The walk back to town took duke, astrid and daisy 30 minutes and when they arrived there were a lot of wagons with the sigil of lord drakebane the man who managed to kill the charizard that was terrorizing dukes village before he was born.
"Whats going on here," asked astrid looking at the carts and seeing mainly boys around duke's age all in the carts looking sad, scared or angry. "It look's like another conscription into the king's army quickly back into the woods before they notice me," whispered duke in a panicked tone. "You there stop in the name of lord drakebane!" Came a voice from behind duke causing him to stop and turn towards the owner of the voice and he saw a large man twice as large as any he had ever seen before covered head to toe in heavy plate mail with a greatsword in one hand and a giant steel maul in the other behind him ran a smaller man covered in leather armor with a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to his back the second had sharp angular almost fox like features compared to the first who looked like the last remaining member of the neanderthals, both men were eyeing the miltank between them and the boy both of their white cloaks flowing in the wind making the black charizard emblazoned onto them look like they were taking flight.
"Today's your lucky day boy, you have the honour of joining lord drakebane's illustrious army now be a good little boy and call of your friend here," spat the fox faced man still being cautious of daisy. "You don't like pokemon huh, let me go and she won't even make a move towards you," replied duke putting a hand on daisy's back to calm the bovine. "Sorry, our orders were to take everyone we saw and we've seen you now so come with me lad before you do something you'll regret," said the bigger of the two men in a surprisingly quiet voice. "Im not going with you! Daisy rollout!" Shouted duke causing the big cow to start rolling on the spot a layer of dirt gathering all over her body until she looked like a boulder then all of a sudden she shot forwards towards the two men causing the fox faced man to roll out of the way as the large hulk of man braced for impact. The huge boulder crashed into the man causing him to grunt with exertion as his armor dented and a shower of sparks filled the air from where the boulder was grinding against the metal. The larger man let out a large grunt as he lifted the spinning boulder off of the ground and chucked it against a nearby tree causing chunks of earth and splinters of wood to be sent flying leaving an unconscious cow and duke frozen with fear. "Kill that fucking cow now before it gets back up!" Boomed the larger man breathing heavily holding himself up with his hammer and handing his greatsword to the fox faced man who had to carry it in two hands. The fox faced man started walking over towards daisy who was slowly recovering from her collision with the tree.
Duke watched in horror as fox face made his way towards the pokemon he had hatched from an egg, he had raised her from a calf into the pokemon she was now, and it could all be over he had to stop them. "Stop, dont hurt her ill join the army," sighed duke looking at astrid who was silent a look of terror on her face, tears rolling down her cheeks "duke you can't, what if I never see you again?" Croaked astrid barely audible.
"I have to astrid I can't let them hurt daisy," replied duke grabbing astrid around the waist and pulling her close" go home astrid, go home and do me one favour tell my family what happened and tell them I love them and remember I will always love you," cried duke trying but failing to hold back the tears.
"There was that so difficult now into the back that cart over there and your cow is free to go," chuckled the fox faced man gesturing towards a cart with a mysterious robed figure who wasn't even paying attention to the scene that was occurring behind them. Duke started towards the cart not looking back towards his lover blocking out her screams of "no!" And "don't leave," lest he change his mind.
"Im not letting that cow get away with injuring me if you won't kill it I will," boomed the goliath of a man grabbing the sword out of fox faces hand and raising it above his head . Duke broke out of his silent stupor running between daisy and the goliath "move, kid!" Yelled the giant man the moon's light glinted off of the sharp blade of the greatsword and duke realised he couldn't even slow the man down if he got angry enough but yet he didn't move and he was going to defend daisy. "Fine I'll move you then," boomed the goliath before punching duke in the side of his head. Duke landed on his side finding himself unable to move, daisy was in his view and he felt himself slipping out of consciousness the blade rose as his vision started to fade it fell and a spray of blood filled the air he felt some warm splashes on his face as his vision faded more and daisies head rolled right in front of his head and the last thing he saw was her cold dead eyes before he finally lost consciousness and was greeted by blackness.