27456 and it gets sillier. eek

The instructor said. “Devlin was one of my three, the Sara here is from Willimburg and Jack is from Devinsire. They both run raids in mountains areas more than the straight fighting the other units train for. Sara is a med student and Jack is a battle mage, but has no blade skills.”

Gale nodded. “Sara go join Beth and Devlin, Jack you will be better off with Steve I don’t have a dedicate mage team and he does, but he is in the field so for now you will be with me. Mitch this lad is a mage, so you want to get him started, Walt will take him when they get in. I will take the guy in the red there as well, if he stays after the first run. Him I will break, he needs it. Then he can to Rex, but right now it would do no good.”

Devlin looked at Beth and smiled a bit, still find it odd that she had moved him in, yet was his commander.  Just what do I say? Beth smiled at him. “Come on, now first time I just want to see how fast you can get over the course then we will go from there. The only one that has a title is Cap, the rest just use our names, even with the other units around. We don’t hold to the formality. Just know that when here or in the field I’m your boss so if I say jump you jump.”

Devlin nodded. “I think I can handle that. I was a bit worried about the title thing. The course doesn’t look to bad, but it has been years since I was scrambling in the woods so I am going to be slower than I would like. Running around a track has done nothing to keep me in shape for this.” He moved up to the line and looked at her, waiting to be told to start. Nodding at Sara who joined him

She smiled and nodded a bit. “Now this isn’t a race, we just need to know where you are at to know how to get you to where you need to be. You are both ahead by having fit clothes for the course. Now go.” They took off and were soon scrambling up the first wall.

Once they were done Beth said. “Not bad, but you both are going to have a rough few weeks as you get built up. Be here at six in the morning, you will be joining us on the morning runs, then back here at seven each night.”

Beth said. “Now then I know it is odd for all of but for the length that you are train with us you are a part of the Unit. For all you never thought to loin it. So it is just right that you join us and get to know everyone. Go get your showers then join us at the dragon for supper if you want, it will be pizza tonight, but there is always something. When you get there someone will see that you can find our common room. When you don’t feel like cooking or just want to hide you will find something there.”

Devlin said. “Vale told me that he would be at my room by six thirty to drag me over, as it was past time I had some real pizza. So I will be there, but I had best run or he might not let me get dressed. For all I am a bit worried by what he has in mind.”

Gale laughed. “He isn’t Robin, he will just throw clothes at you and tell you to get in them, and stand there watching. There will be a lot of strange toppings, but I have managed to get in two with chesses only. Just don’t expect to get by without trying the others. He told me it was time you started trying the local foods, that you had been manly staying with things you could recognize. Therefore yes you are going to find a number of strange things.”

Devlin said. “I think likely he will be telling me to hurry as well. See you in a bit, you coming Sara? If we jog back it will help the strain. Do you have willow tea?”

Sara nodded. “I made sure I had some and some relaxing bath oils. Pizza does sound good, I am not much of a cook. If you are sure? That is, well I wasn’t looking to join anything, just want to be able to help at home.”

Gale said. “I know that you didn’t, but knowing how to be a part of one is going to help you reach your goal as much as the train will. See you in a bit.”

Devlin and Sara started off as Gale watched them, they looked good together and a fling would do her brother no harm. Sara’s people accepted them just as his did. She turned and looked at the other two. They were going to wash out soon, neither of them were fit for this even if the one did claim to be a battle mage. “You two are welcome to come over as well, if you would like. If not I will see you in the morning, if you are not here it will be laps as well as the course you will be running. Saying it is uncivilized won’t change the requirements. Skip more than three and you are washed from the program, or you can walk now and try again next year, with no marks. That is where you stand, think it over and don’t try healing it will just make it worse tomorrow if you do.”

Jack said. “Six! You have to be joking. I don’t do mornings! Never! It is completely unreasonable. You can’t do this. It was train, not enrollment!”

The other one said. “I don’t know who you think you are but this is not going to happen. Absolutely ridicules. Who ever heard of such.”

Gale said. “Taking military classes on this campus requires that you are training for a unit. No one gets out of it. If you are taking the classes then you will learn how to function as a part of a unit. It is not a game. Going into the field put your life and life of those with you on the line. I am not going to approve of a transfer to a different unit when you cannot follow simple orders. You have three choices. Do as you are told, refuse and wash out, or drop the classes. It is up to you. Just know that if you wash it will be harder on you should you try again. Think it over.” She turned and left, ignoring the yelling that continued. They were far from the only ones complaining as they found out just what it meant to be training for the service. Most would be gone by the second week. She did need to talk to Garven about Jack. He couldn’t go around call himself a battle mage. Not when he had no idea what that meant. He wasn’t even solid enough to work as court mage. With that in mind she changed directions, think it best to get there ahead of the calls he would be getting from angry parents soon.

Devlin smiled a bit as he left the shower and saw Vale waiting in his bedroom, with clothes. “Really? Just what is the rush? I didn’t think I was in there that long.”

Vale shrugged. “Hank was just sure that you were having second thoughts about coming and Capt really wants you there. So Hank sent me to be sure you will show, he wants to meet you, but she won’t let him come here. She is a bit more worried about you meeting everyone than she has let you know.”

Devlin smiled. “I can see that, it is the way she was with. Others she cared about. If it was just a fling then she was open about the boys, but when she fell, then she tried to hide it. It would be more so as it is permanent. We might accept that it is possible to love more than one, but she is nervous that I am going to find her family to strange. Never mind that we both had classes about riders and the way that the bonds develop for them. With the extended life spans and duties it is just normal that she is going to have a lot of ties.” He took his underwear that Vale was holding, shaking his head a bit. It was too much, Vale usually didn’t slip into this roll with him. Just what was going on?  He put them on, deciding it was best to just go with it. “I know that it is a bonded unit and just what that means, it doesn’t matter. However she is not going to believe it until she sees it. She grew up loving the idea of the bonded units in grandfather’s stories, even said she was going to join one a few times. Until father head her and gave her a lengthy talk on how that was fit for a lady to say. That if the tie came to her it was one thing, but she shouldn’t go seeking it. Never mind that she was called to the path, he just couldn’t see it or didn’t want to. I am glad she found where she fit, but wish I could have helped, that I had of known what was going on.” He smiled a bit as he put the shirt on. “Just why the unit colors? I thought this was just an informal gathering.”

Vale nodded. “It is, but the clothes will help Cap believe that you are fine with it. She is going to tell you that you don’t need to be dressing the part, but will be relieved to see it. Just for tonight?”

Devlin shrugged. “I have no problem with wearing them any time, though I will need to work some green in as well. I was just wondering if there was something I missed. We had best be going before she thinks I am having second thoughts. Is she watching the door yet?”

Vale said, as they left the room. “No, she is just getting there but likely will be soon. Right now she if fussing over the tables, trying to make sure that the wilder ones are not out front, and worried about the paintings again.” He looked at him a bit worried, it was one thing to ask but another to get an answer.

Devlin said. “I am not going to run or suddenly get upset by the fact that you are in a relationship with my sister. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t know that you were being told what was going on.” It was a short walk over to the dragon and then to the common room.

Smiling a bit he went over and sat down next to Gale, knowing that it would trouble the grounders if he tried to get his own food. For all he wasn’t a rider he wasn’t ground so then he should be served. For all it seemed odd to him. “Did Robin find you? I know he wanted to come over last night, but was worried it was to late.”

Gale nodded. “Their teacher brought them over for a tour before the arms test and you know Robin. He asked the first person he saw with an Air badge if there was any chance I was around. Warren told him that it was my habit to watch the arms tests, but he would let me know that one of them wanted to talk, so I would be less likely to try and hide. They both came over and talked to me as they waited their turns. They will be taking their classes here. Wallace could pass level one masters now and Robin is not too far from it. I am glad to see how far they have come. I just hope that it won’t cause more problems, but I am going to recommend Wallace to the Stars. It is an elite unit, and he will do better with them than in the high school. If he accepts he will be agreeing to stay here for three years, but will come out of it with a rank in the international force.”

Devlin said. “Just as long as it comes up during one of Uncle Wanes’ call father isn’t going to object to strongly. He agreed in the council that we should increase the number of soldiers we send to the international teams so he can’t object to Wallace trying of a rank in it in front of him. It was one of the ways put force to improve our image. It is harder to demonize someone you know and with the trouble to our east we need more allies. They have been quite for too long. There will be an war soon.”

Gale nodded. “There are eyes on them. One reason you haven’t seen the small pushes is that they have been taking over a different neighbor. Also when they come they will not be alone, they have made some new friends as well as the old ones.  Speaking of Uncle, he might like to know that Idras and Myth have confirmed they will be attending the summit, in person, this year. I do believe that makes twenty members that will be here in person. It is looking to be a major headache.”

Sara nodded. “My father will be here for all my uncle tried to talk him out of it. He said that he needed to be here. That it was time the old treated was updated to include the new lands that have joined the alliance. I just know that he is going to insist I need a guard those weeks. I got out of it by living here but the added eyes means added risk”

Devlin looked at Gale a bit startled, then shook his head and took the plate he was being offered. The man bowed then knelt and kissed Gale’s ankle, so he must be hers. Just what did it mean that the captain’s secret was seeing to me? Another person handed Sara a plate. “Yes he will want to know, that should insure he comes. He was debating it, but wasn’t sure how it would look. I can see why it would increase the issues, but it is a headache? I think it is against campus police for you to have a guard, so maybe it will just be off campus. Not that helps much. Maybe you can point out that having the guard would just tell anyone looking that you are a target?”

Gale said. “I will see what can be done. If he insists it is too much risk for you to be unguarded we can just put you in uniform for the week. No one is going to risk trying anything to one of Idras’s royal troops. And that Devlin is the headache. I was trying to stay away from that thorn for a bit. It was enough that I am a captain, without the details. Hank there is no need for that, you are not in trouble, sit up. Sorry Devlin, it is the talk of the houses. He knows the pageantry of it upsets me, and we received the news just before you arrived.”

Devlin shrugged. “It doesn’t trouble me that he is there. I could see you were tense and so he would need to be close. I was just surprised that he took time to see to me as well. So will I need to be in uniform at the events? Regardless you will be so I had best tell them that it is a royal unit. Just how?”

Sara looked at them. “That might work, though likely he is going to demand to know just what you are thinking letting me in, even just as a temporary member. After all you were to talk me out of this, not help me. So how do you know each other?”

Gale said. “You have no business going into the field, you will be a distraction. That said I see no harm in teaching you how to stay safe in the event of an attack. You are a talented healer and so will be needed at the field hospitals. That is safer than the battle lines but they can still draw fire. Your being in uniform is simply to see that you are safe, for he puts a guard on you my brother would just help you duck it. If Devlin couldn’t mange on his own he would get Robin to help. That will get your father more considered about what Dev wants than the uniform. It is also the truth. Devlin you don’t have to, but it could be that there are times you will want into one of the meetings, so you will have the uniform, so you can join in. They will be drilling both of you on the protocols so you will be able to blind in. The how. Well um. There are some titles involved and a well. I bonded to a prince and so our units are royal. Well technical it is my unit, but I am keeping it set so that the silvers can function as a separate unit when needed. Like I said it was a lot of things that happened way to fast. It doesn’t help matters that Stromcrow is a dragon prince as well. Not how I wanted you to find out, as now you might not be willing to come home with me.”

Devlin said. “Well now I am wondering just what I will be walking to but I am going to go. I want to know how it compares to the stories.”

Sara said. “I know that I can’t be at the front, but I don’t want to sit at home and knit. I know that they will need doctors at home to, but I just think I can do more at the back. The only way anyone would even consider it is if I have passed the course. I was trying to keep you out of it. So your brother. That is how he was already in your unit. I wonder just how he will react. So Devlin do you mind playing boyfriend?” Gale smiled a bit.

Devlin said. “Why not? If your father is a bit like mine it won’t matter what we do he will be sure that there is something go on so might as well have fun. We need to go out a few times before so that there are rumors going around.”

Sara nodded. “Make it look like we are trying to hide, so it is sure to be noticed. If I put on some my fancier items that will see that I am recognized.”

Devlin nodded. “Good and all anyone knows is that I am a transfer. If they go digging they will see that my Uncle is the current leader of Lighton, but that is not an inherited position. So that will be a scandal. It will take time for it to get out that Gale is related to me. He should hear of it before she tells him I would just see it you lost a guard if he put one on you. That should give him some to worry about other than you being in the program alright. I am not going to say anything about the title, but will let them know the unit is royal. The confusion from that will just help.”

Chapter 4

Devlin entered the duck and made his way to the room, a bit nervously. He knew that this was going to be his hardest class. He just didn’t like fighting, even with spells. Yet he needed to be able to if he wanted to go into the field.