Kendra opened the door, “Now come with me, I want you to meet my men.”
They walked out into the garden, down some hallways of the palace and across a large courtyard. “This is where the King’s guard lives, those who are his finest soldiers.”
Three large buildings surrounded the courtyard. Outside the one straight ahead were some men relaxing, polishing their weapons or just chatting.
“Draxos, Phela, this is my son Chelnuk.”
The men greeted Chelnuk warmly. Then Kendra took his son into the halls of residence. Each guard had a separate cubicle with a large curtain at the end to draw when they wanted privacy. In each cubicle was a bed, a chair, a cupboard, a bucket and a chest for their personal belongings. As he took his son down the length of the barracks he proudly introduced him to the rest of his men. Towards the end of the building he explained, “In these three barracks are housed the King’s best men, Captains in times of war. When there is a war, these men go throughout the towns of the King’s realm to call the rest of the army to fight in the King’s battles, normal men, farmers, nobles etc. The King could not afford to pay an army of that size in peace time.” He pushed the end door open and continued to explain as they walked back to the palace across the courtyard. “At the moment we are having problems with Asshur, this kingdom had been raiding our villages along the Northern borders.