Illyria
06-09-2004, 02:28 PM
It was nothing I particularly wanted, especially nothing I needed. To tell you the truth, I’m still not sure why they did it. I’m sure they had reasons, they always do, but I can’t help but question the validity of those reasons. Is it worth it? Before my recruitment, the Masters had few standing armies at all. The Masters and Mistresses would command a small contingent of knights whenever they felt the need to attack another nation, or simply menace another Master and that was that.
Now, they want more. And what the Masters want, they get. They need to have their bishops ‘prove their religious faith’ by enlisting. They spend their excess gold on mercenaries, rooks, who are dismissive and crude to all but their employers. And there’s us. The working class. We never wanted this, though the immense belief they put in the need makes me think it has to be important. Important enough to leave my farm, my family even to fight for our Master. My insecurity is balanced by the steadiness of my master. I have to trust someone, and it might as well be him, who will look out for me and let me fight for my country.
My country needs men to defend it, and I’m to be one of them. Not entirely a bright prospect, but there you have it. Everyone needs to make sacrifices for their people and this is mine. How can our country remain ours if we don’t defend it, and invaders take it over? Our Master would be overthrown and everything would be horrible. Defense is a necessity.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means a violent person, nor am I the sort to spend life willingly. My wife has born three children herself and I know the pain it takes to create life. But I also know my Master would not be seeking troops for the sake of having more troops. And I’m willing to fight for that. If I have to fight to preserve my freedom, I’ll do it. I’ll fight for my Master to the very pits of Hell.
My wife says I should find out what he wants with such an army, but I quieted her. Obviously it must be a grand battle between good and evil, if even the bishops are required to fight. The Master is seeking every able-bodied man for his army. When the time comes, I’ll be there. I might not know everything, I might not be the strongest man, but I’ll fight for the sake of good, and freedom, and for my love of my family. My family deserves that much. To know I died for them and their freedoms.
Every man tips the scale in our favour. For the titanic battle of good and evil, the world depends on our success. If my Master’s army cannot win, then there is no hope. The world is lost, and all of us with it. My pledge may make the difference. I could even be…a hero. Yes, the tale of a simple farmer, recruited by his Master to the army, saves humanity from treacherous evil. Wielding the lost magics newly found, he rampages across the world defeating evildoers.
I think I would like that. I think my wife would too. Perhaps I should ask the Master, see if I can get his permission to be the hero, or a hero, or anything at all. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. After all, I’m the champion of the people.
Unless…maybe my Master hasn’t such a dire need of us after all. Maybe he just needs a larger army to defeat the other Masters, or it’s just a small pocket of evil. That’d be disappointing. But, I’m sure it’s not such a trivial matter, the Master wouldn’t need to recruit us if it were. I must prepare, this battle will take every last muscle and wit I possess. I demand it. My Master demands it. Humanity…depends on it.
Now, they want more. And what the Masters want, they get. They need to have their bishops ‘prove their religious faith’ by enlisting. They spend their excess gold on mercenaries, rooks, who are dismissive and crude to all but their employers. And there’s us. The working class. We never wanted this, though the immense belief they put in the need makes me think it has to be important. Important enough to leave my farm, my family even to fight for our Master. My insecurity is balanced by the steadiness of my master. I have to trust someone, and it might as well be him, who will look out for me and let me fight for my country.
My country needs men to defend it, and I’m to be one of them. Not entirely a bright prospect, but there you have it. Everyone needs to make sacrifices for their people and this is mine. How can our country remain ours if we don’t defend it, and invaders take it over? Our Master would be overthrown and everything would be horrible. Defense is a necessity.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means a violent person, nor am I the sort to spend life willingly. My wife has born three children herself and I know the pain it takes to create life. But I also know my Master would not be seeking troops for the sake of having more troops. And I’m willing to fight for that. If I have to fight to preserve my freedom, I’ll do it. I’ll fight for my Master to the very pits of Hell.
My wife says I should find out what he wants with such an army, but I quieted her. Obviously it must be a grand battle between good and evil, if even the bishops are required to fight. The Master is seeking every able-bodied man for his army. When the time comes, I’ll be there. I might not know everything, I might not be the strongest man, but I’ll fight for the sake of good, and freedom, and for my love of my family. My family deserves that much. To know I died for them and their freedoms.
Every man tips the scale in our favour. For the titanic battle of good and evil, the world depends on our success. If my Master’s army cannot win, then there is no hope. The world is lost, and all of us with it. My pledge may make the difference. I could even be…a hero. Yes, the tale of a simple farmer, recruited by his Master to the army, saves humanity from treacherous evil. Wielding the lost magics newly found, he rampages across the world defeating evildoers.
I think I would like that. I think my wife would too. Perhaps I should ask the Master, see if I can get his permission to be the hero, or a hero, or anything at all. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. After all, I’m the champion of the people.
Unless…maybe my Master hasn’t such a dire need of us after all. Maybe he just needs a larger army to defeat the other Masters, or it’s just a small pocket of evil. That’d be disappointing. But, I’m sure it’s not such a trivial matter, the Master wouldn’t need to recruit us if it were. I must prepare, this battle will take every last muscle and wit I possess. I demand it. My Master demands it. Humanity…depends on it.