Three Years Gone

Kida could not believe that it had been three years since the Romans took her brothers away, it seemed longer. Since Liam left, Mira started treating her even worse than before.

With Liam home, Mira kept her ill temperedness to a minimum, but since Liam and the others left, it was as if a rain cloud just burst. Her younger brother, Sheridan, has been even worse than his usual self.

Oh how she wished she could just leave the village. With out Liam her life had been terrible, lonely very lonely. There was no longer anyone to talk to or to race with her. The villagers kept their distance from her and Mira and Sheridan ignored her unless there was some stupid chore that needed to be done. Padu offered no help on the matter of her alienation, for he had gone completely mad after the Romans came. She now had only herself to keep her company in the harsh life she lived and she did not like being completely alone.

The past three years for Liam passed slowly with the same exact schedule that he could do his training sessions in his sleep. Each day he woke at dawn. They were allowed a meager fast before the morning lesson with a broad-blade. After sword exercises they then took up archer where they were drilled on their aims at different angles, distances, and points. Around noon time they were given a meal of cold meat, hard bread, and, if they were good, a small wedge of cheese. Next there was a bout with long weapons, the spear, lance, and the art of ax wielding. When that was accomplished they were taught how to make and maintain weaponry.

When weapon training was finished for the day, they were trained in the art of combat on horseback. They were drilled in any sort of combat situation imaginable until night came. At night they were given a weak stew and roll which was followed with a bit of ale. After the evening meal they were given the last hour of the day to themselves to spend in their dormitory. When the hour was up they went to bed.

During the first few weeks of training, Liam could hardly bear it. He hated the swordplay and weaponry practicing. The meals were not really meals and they were treated like stray dogs. As time passed by though, he grew accustom to it and counted down the days until he would at last be free of the training camp. Just two more years remained in the training camp and then he would be out at his own post.

Liam did not like how his brothers were adapting to the live. They loved it. How could anyone love a life where they would be forced to kill people? There were many mixed feelings about what the future held among the boys. Some were excited and couldn't wait to get out and kill; others, like Liam, were more hesitant in their thoughts of what they were training to become.

There was not much time to make friends, but Liam managed to get acquainted with a few of the boys. One of his most liked acquaintances was a tall boy with a deep voice. He seemed menacing but was really gentle at heart. His name was Dagonet, or Dag. Dag shared many of the same views Liam did on what they were to become. All he wanted was to fulfill the requirements so he could leave. Dag did not have much of a family to go back too, but he preferred to live on his own. Most of the boys and a few of their trainers feared the gentle giant, but not Liam. The two lads formed a sort of fellowship during the past few years.

Dag and Liam trained together and spent their free hour talking, more so Liam talked and Dag listened. If there were time for in-depth friendships, those two would have been the best of friends, but they did not get to close for they knew the life they were training for would probably separate them, but to have a companion that was not bloodthirsty was refreshing for the both of them.

A man in golden armor sat at a table surrounded by other men. "How many did we loose?" he asked the blonde man to his right.

"Thousands," was the reply.

"Thousands?" the first man echoed. "What forces do we have left?"

"Few are their numbers. Even with the upcoming Sarmatian knights in training we will not have enough to replace the men we lost. We are short handed. We need more Sarmatian knights," the blonde man said.

"More, when was the last time we collected?' the golden man asked.

"Three years sir."

"Three years. That's too soon to take more, but we need more…"

Kida sat by the river. It was such a peaceful place to be at. There was no Mira or Sheridan to order her about. Today she turned thirteen. She had become a young woman and no one noticed. Sheridan, who was a strapping lad of ten, had out grown her in height and width by just a few inches. Kida thought it a little sad that she still looked like a girl even though she was a woman.

Silently, Kida wished Liam where with her; he would remember her birthday and make her feel happy. How she missed Liam and the way he made her forget everything. At times she fancied that she had gone with Liam and was far away from Mira, but her heart fell when her fancy faded away to reveal the molten face of Sheridan. Sheridan tried his best to get her in trouble, which Kida did not need help to get in. She was always in trouble. Her mother thought her stupid and couldn't do anything right, even though most of the tasks she received were more than enough work for five women. On top of Mira's chores, Sheridan forced her into doing his as well.

As night fell, Kida imagined herself away from Mira. She imagined that she was with Liam and he was teaching her how to ride a horse. It seemed so real. She could feel the wind blow on her face and through her hair as she galloped away. The sound of the horses seemed so real it was as if she was really near some. Kida opened her eyes to look up into the eyes of a Roman soldier. She stood up and ran back to her hut. It was confusing that they came back so soon. What on earth could they possibly want? They never came back for sons so soon.

She ran into the hut where Mira sat with Sheridan clasped in her arms. "No," she cried. "They can't take another one. Not my last one."

Sheridan whimpered, "I don't want to go Ma. Don't make me." Tears streamed down his dirty cheeks.

"Hush love," Mira cooed. "I won't let them take you. I won't."

"But how?" Sheridan wailed. Kida slipped into the corner. It disgusted her that Sheridan was making such a big fuss, boys his age when last time the Romans came and they did not cry as Sheridan was.

"I don't know love. I just don't know," Mira whispered.

"There's nothing that can be done," Kida murmured to herself, or so she thought. At that remark Mira whipped around.

"You, why is it that you are the one that I have to keep and Sheridan I must loose? I wish it were you who were going. You should be to one that should die. You…"

Anxiety filled the room as the young men waited in the long hall where they had first been taken to three years ago to wait for introduction, now they waited to learn who would be taken into the commander program. Finally, after what seemed like years, the man in the golden armor came out and stopped in the center of the room. He waited for all to go silent then began, "Young knights, you all have done well these past three years. You have been watched closely for the past years for your abilities and strengths. Now is the time we will take the exceptional few into command preparation. Andre Pada, Coram Pada, Erike Sentil…" Five other names were named. Liam sighed as his brothers' names were called. They had exactly what they wanted.

Soon after the announcement the crowd dispersed and went back to their dormitories. Andre and Coram were highly excited about their new appointment and quickly packed their few possessions for they were to leave the next morning to another fort. Liam sat with Dag and watched his young, ambitious brothers prepare for their new lives. He was not jealous about his brothers' promotion as they called it, in fact he couldn't be happier for them. His brothers were made for this life not him it was only common sense that they should make a life of it.

With his brothers gone, Dag became his best friend, even boys being trained to be killers need companions in the cold world they must live in. Liam made the best of his situation and tried not to think what would happen in the next two years, for at the end of the two years he would once again be saying goodbye to a companion and left alone in the icy stillness of the Roman rule.

The Roman soldiers gathered up as many boys as they could. The village once again wept for another set of lost sons. It was said in the village that Mira Pada could not handle loosing her last son and that was why she was not present as young Sheridan mounted his horse and rode away with the Romans; fated never to return as the village boys seemed to do. They watched as the last of the boys rode away, disappearing into the horizon. The last to disappear was young Sheridan Pada for he turned his horse around to take in one last look of his home. It was odd that Mira Pada's screams were silent for when her other sons were taken her grief was expressed in long banshee like screams long into the night.

Mira watched as the Romans left. She smiled. She had beaten them. She had out-smarted them. Romans were not as smart as they were said to be.

The Roman soldiers led the boys west towards the sea. The boys were frightened for they have never left their valley before. All along their long ride to the sea, boys kept appearing out of nowhere. Soon the group contained three hundred boys, all between the ages of ten and thirteen. They rode horses, two boys to a horse except for the ones that had their own. A dark glazed boy rode his dark stallion in silence, watching the Romans as they led them through Rome. Where they were headed was a mystery and the boys feared what laid head of them when they finally reached their destination.

Note: Have you any ideas what is going on? If you do could you tell me cause I am completely lost. J/K but there are a few ways I can go from here and any ideas to what you think is happening would be good. If you feel so inclined to tell me that would be great. Thank you for reading this note.