Redeemed

Ch. 41

Hurt by the loss and Devin's harsh words, made even more pungent by the truth in them, I wandered to the edge of the camp, sinking down on a tree stump.

What was wrong with me? Only yesterday I had pledged to give up my past self and start a new life, yet I was not even willing to share what I had gone through with my own brother.

He would have just scolded you, anyway, a small voice said. Do you really need someone else reminding you of how much you messed up? You do a good enough job of that on your own.

It was true that Devin could be quite harsh with his words. When we were little, he would be the first to point out if I was doing something wrong or to tell me off for making mistakes. Mom said that was because he cared about me, but surely there was a better way to show that.

Well, maybe I could at least watch and observe the others at the camp to see what they did and what my place would be. It had been some time since I had followed a routine and had a general idea of what each day would bring. Surely having a specific job would help me to earn my place here.

I watched as the soldiers, all various heights and builds, some male, some female, went about their day. A group of people, what I supposed was a platoon, rode out on horses carrying bows. A hunting party, perhaps. That would be an easy enough job, and my hunting skills had improved greatly. Another platoon was training on the field, some people going through the basic fighting stances and others shooting at the range. I recognized all of the fighting techniques, and even though my archery skills were not as good as my sword skills, I would not stick out as inadequate compared to the ones shooting now. One group was helping to clean up after lunch and mucking out the horses' pen. Though unflattering, I was used to hard labor. It seemed I would be able to find my place fairly well here. Once I had proven myself, maybe then I could tell the rest of my story without fear of judgement. Yes, that was a solid plan. There was no need to rush into things.

Everyone seemed to know what they were supposed to be doing and where they were supposed to be. Similar to the Keep, except there was something different, too. It wasn't what the soldiers were doing or their sense of purpose. Marduk's soldiers fought with purpose, too. Maybe it was the type of purpose that was different? I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I noticed a person walking toward me, her red hair wrapped up in a tight bun. She appeared to be about my age, though she carried herself with great poise and confidence.

"You are Thea, correct?" she asked, stopping about an arm's length away. I nodded. "My name is Merium. I will be your platoon leader. Welcome to the Sanctification Squad. Sanctos for short." She held out her hand, and I grasped her forearm in greeting. Platoon leader? She seemed young to hold a leadership position in the Prince's own company. Perhaps people were able to rise in the ranks quickly here, or this woman was of superior skill.

"I was instructed to test your skills and knowledge in order to better understand where you are currently at. The Prince informed me you committed yourself to our cause only yesterday. Is that correct?"

I nodded. "Yes, though I have been trained to use the sword for many years, and my bow skills have greatly improved in the last months." I decided not to mention where those skills had been honed.

"There is more to being part of this army than merely fighting. However, that seems as good a place to start as any. Come, let us see what you can do." More to being in the army than fighting? What else was an army for? The Prince's words about being more than conquerors crossed through my mind.

Starting at the archery range, Merium handed me a bow, instructing me to shoot from various distances at the target. I managed to hit the innermost circle on every shot except the farthest, and even then I was inside of the next closest circle. Grinning at my success, I looked at Merium to see her nodding her head. That could only mean something good, and I was just getting warmed up.