Early Fire Season with the Royal Foot Guards

[Quatlu]

Quatlu sat in his tent, muddied, bloodied and exhausted, but alive and well. He was taking pen in hand to write a letter to his beloved Darra, to let her know he was doing well. The first month of the campaign had begun poorly for the Royal Foot Guards. In inconclusive Field Operations, the Guards Brigade as a whole did not fare well, and his own unit was part of the retreat as the brigade was driven from the field. During the engagement, both the brigadier and brigade-thane were among the fallen, and both had been stout of heart and keen of axe. Worse for us, the fallen brigade-thane was Hundred Thane Rastarg Duchison, a sword brother of the of the Royal Foot Guards. Added to this loss, our acting regimental commander, Lt Warlord Saliast Broasraifson, had also fallen just before the retreat was sounded. With two senior positions now vacant in the regiment's command structure, Hundred Thane Heortolar Garastson was promoted to Lt. Warlord and Ten Thane Quatlu Carasilson was promoted to command as Hundred Thane of 2nd Battalion. He couldn't be more proud and pleased, and he made up his mind that if he survived the entire campaign season, he would take Darra to visit his family. The trumpet sounded, calling the regiment to dinner, and he rose slowly to follow his sword brothers to a well-earned meal.

[grumbold99]

Grumbold finished cleaning the mud and blood from his uniform as best he could when he heard the trumpet sound. Stepping out of his tent, he saw the weary figure of Quatlu Carasilson approaching. He spared an envious glance at the newly sewn on rank insignia while instinctively assessing the jacket for its quality and fitting. Like his own, he could tell that it was going to need a lot of care if it was to make it through the campaign season. Perhaps he should write urgently to the city and commission new ones for them both?

"Congratulations on your promotion, Hundred-Thane." he said, attempting a hearty tone that trailed off abruptly as he stifled a hacking cough. "I can still hear the troops around the campfires echoing the words you spoke to rally the regiment when Saliast and Rastarg were cut down. Such poetry! It's no wonder you were promoted on the spot. Tragic though the loss of so many of our fellows has been, your words have inspired us all. I now feel optimistic that we have seen off the worst that the Lunars can do. By the end of the season we will have sent them running so fast they won't stop until they reach Borni's Landing, and it won't just be Mularik's Company being showered with accolades."