The Boy From The Forest

“Forward Harch.”

“Psst. Norman, what did Sergeant Hardcastle just say?”

“It means march forward.”

“Why can’t he talk like a normal person?”

“Military tradition. Now shut up before you get us both in trouble.”

The young woodland men were marching in a large cleared area. It was a new idea for them, everybody going together like this. But not for Norman, he grew up hearing all sorts of military tradition. He was a Corporal now. Light Corporal to be sure, but he had hopes of moving further up the command chain.

“Halt!” Everybody now knew that meant stop.

“Alright, you stupid turnip pickers, you are going to learn to be a shield wall. Each of you, overlap your shield with your brothers.”

“What? My brother did not want to come!! He is in love with some stupid girl.”

“You silly boy. Your brothers are the men in line with you. You will overlap shields like this, and you will make a living impenetrable wall. Your enemies will not be able to break it down.”

“Sergeant, this is just stupid. A man of the Forest goes into battle with his sword raised high and screaming like a berserk water buffalo.” Barry just had to say something.

“Hey, if you want to go off on your own and scream like a berserk water buffalo, just go right ahead. We will not stop you. You will run in amongst your enemies. They will surround you and eventually take you down. There is just one of you; I hope you know that.

“But for those who stick together and everybody forms a shield wall, you can come out of this war alive. Most people want that. So which way do you think is best?”

Nobody said anything. Nobody left either. They continued to learn to march and follow Sergeant Hardcastle’s shouted orders.

The King rode beside High Marshal Maurice deConquerer. He was lost in thought. What had happened in Perrytown, that had to be Woodlanders. Probably one of the northern tribes, if he was any judge of it. And they were going to join with an army of Woodlanders to fight these invaders from the sky. He hoped everyone could remember who the real enemy was.