In the name of courage.

Claimed

I paled slightly, I had heard similar language used by my captures when I had first been brought to them before the ultimately cast lots to see whom got to do what with me.

"C-claimed." I stuttered slightly, shying back into the side of the moving carriage.

Percy opened his mouth to respond but Sir Benedict got to it first.

"He is planning on taking you in, being your mentor at arms, second after me of course."

"Oh." I still didn't understand but decided to feign it. Percy was apparently very perceptive for being such a chatter box.

"Well basically, you become my temporary shadow and eventually battle partner until you gain a second in command status in the house, like me, then you can take on any little tyke willing to have you."

"Battle partner?"

"Well yeah, what did you expect, your joining the audux knights core."

The audux, known for their expertise and ruthlessness in battle against unholy powers, the most powerful army underneath the King Sordin's rule. I suddenly recalled a misty memory of wishing desperately to be a part of it when I was younger, wanting nothing more than to vanquish the evil that so often plagued the fairy tails my mother liked to tell to me and my sister. Funny how God wrote a fate for me to have a tangible reason as an adult.

"Huh." I gave a semi-disparaging look at the turned back of Benedict, who seemed to be hunched in either anticipation or repressed laughter, judging by his slightly shuddering shoulder I was going to guess the latter. Percy gasped beside me. 

"Sir, Benedict Darwin Cyril!"

"Percival Scott?" He replied innocently.

"Did you not inform our newest constituent of the Peril he would be entering upon arrival at the house."

"Peril." Benedict Scoffed back lightly "Are you really trying to scare off all of our new recruits?"

"What use are they if they are cowards." He retorted.

"Fair point."

I watched them banter back and forth silently, amazed by the dynamic that was more akin to that of brothers or even father and son rather than a soldier and his better. 

I looked around, many of the other soldiers were engaged in some form of comradery though they seemed to be keeping their own theatrics to a minimum so that they might also observe the sudo-argument unfold.

One of them, a toe headed blonde with a nasty scar across his forehead interrupted.

"Oi, look what you got them into sticks." He said with a light playful smile.

"Shove off wild you'll only aid in scaring him off." He really hadn't, this kind of tom foolery, no matter how little was one of the many things I hadn't realized I had missed as dearly as I did. 

"I'm positively shaking in my skin." I murmured sarcastically. "Might as well jump from the cart now." I added, with a dramatic zeal that could rival Percy's. This was surprisingly met with uproarious laughter.

"Snippy tongue you've got there sticks, you'll fit right in here."