The Iron Skeleton

Chapter 33

The man grimaced. "I'll try to make it work. But it won't be easy." 

"We must accommodate to the best of our ability, so as not to leave a bad impression." 

"Agreed." he said with a nod. "Well, follow me, and I'll show you our progress. I guess we can also discuss those arrangements." 

"Good idea. Lead the way." 

With that, Chariya followed the man inside, and the throng followed her for a while. However, she eventually dismissed them, so they fractured off and went their own separate ways. 

******************** 

Two hours later, Ace and Brant stood side by side in a line with the 25 recruits. They stood at attention, with perfectly straight posture, heads held high, and hands clasped behind their backs. 

When Princess Chariya entered the room, the men bowed, immediately returning to their attention stances upon rising. She strolled down the line with half a dozen uniforms draped over each of her arms, as did the assistant trailing behind her. 

"I am blessed to see such an increase in our ranks." Chariya said, "We normally get a solitary man here and there, perhaps a pair, and seldom a trio. But surely, an influx of 27 able-bodied men, all willing and able to fight for the liberty and happiness of the Kemarian people, is to be celebrated." 

A duo of unruly brothers gave forth a raucous cry of agreement. Chariya gave them a sharp glance before continuing. 

"So we shall commemorate our good fortune while also officializing your status as members of the Kemarian Insurgence, with the first donning of your uniforms." 

She stepped back down the line, passing out the garments as she passed each man. Once her arms had been emptied, her assistant continued down, until his hands were likewise empty. 

Chariya scanned her eyes over the men. "You may now put them on." 

"Excuse me!" called the taller of the unruly brothers, "Where're the dressing rooms?" 

The princess frowned. "We are a rebel base, not a clothing store. You are perfectly able to dress right here." 

"Not with you looking! You don't need to be seein' what I got!" 

Chariya rolled her eyes. "Fine. Merely for your peace of mind, I will face the other wall. But such things should not concern you at this time." 

The man muttered something to his brother and yanked his shirt off. Ace eyed him with a furrowed brow before sharing a disappointed glance with Brant. They shook their heads on him before they also undressed. 

After he finished putting the articles on, Ace glanced at the mirror fixed to the wall. Somehow, the outfit hardly seemed like a military uniform, if only for its simplicity. Comprised of a long-sleeved henley shirt, slim-fitted jeans, and combat boots, all in black, it hardly seemed to encourage a militaristic attitude. The Commercian Insurgence had its faults, but at least they actually put some thought into our clothing. 

With a sigh, Ace spun back around and cleared his throat. "Hey, Chariya, is there any insignia we're supposed to have with this?" 

Chariya also turned to face the men. She shook her head. "Kemaria's colors are taken by a military that does not actually serve its people. So in honor of our people, we shall not devise our own colors, but instead stick to simplicity until our authority is legitimatized. Then, Kemaria's colors shall be a source of pride again." 

Ace nodded. "Cool." 

The princess opened her mouth to say something more, but a messy-haired man raced into the room and slid to a halt before her. "Your highness, I can't hold it back anymore!"