Frostbite Snippet: Soldier Life

Hello, everyone! Last week, multiple people said they would enjoy a writing snippet from my new WIP, Frostbite. So, here you are! I hope you enjoy!

It was still dark as Gonden trudged through the streets of Hawlden, the snow coming down thick, fast, and silent.

He turned onto main street and hurried down the cobbled road. Now the buildings around him were mainly shops and restaurants. A few were open, but most were not.

“Gonden!”

Gonden turned, surprised that someone else would be roaming the streets at this hour. A glint of chain mail caught the light of one of the lampposts on the side of the village road, and Gonden smiled as he saw Orlando Hunt heading toward him.

“I didn’t know you had the same schedule as me today,” Orlando said as he caught up to his friend and clapped Gonden on the back.

“I got switched to the morning shift for some reason,” Gonden replied. “Maybe because some of the lazy soldiers wanted to sleep in more and Commander Broden knew I wouldn’t be like that.”

“Well, I don’t blame those lazy soldiers,” Orlando laughed, gesturing at the thick layer of snow on the ground. “Winter in Molee is…cold.”

“Cold is an understatement,” Gonden agreed.

They walked along in silence, until at last they left Hawlden behind and entered the restricted area, where only soldiers were allowed access. They reached the foot soldier barracks and headed towards it to clock in.

Out of the hazy sheet of snow, the towers of Lord Herbix’s castle could barely be seen, towering above the common soldier barracks and servants quarters.

Orlando stepped up to the front of the main barracks building and shoved open the heavy wooden door. He and Gonden slipped inside before the door crashed shut, propelled by the wind.

A fire was crackling in the large hearth, next to the front desk of the main room. Gonden and Orlando tugged off their cloaks and placed them on the pegs next to the door. Stomping the snow from their boots, they headed into the room. No one was at the front desk, but this was common. Gonden and Orlando quickly signed their names down in the books set on the desk, stating the time of their arrival. They were now clocked in for duty. But there was nothing to do but be ready for anything they may be needed for.

“Five hours of boredom,” Orlando sighed, slumping into a chair in the corner of the room. He leaned his spear on the wall next to him and folded his large, muscle-packed arms over his broad chest. Gonden sat in a chair near him and did the same. The room was quiet—only the crackling of the fire and the howl of the snowy wind outside could be heard.

“Is the chess board still here?” Gonden asked, straightening from his slumped position in his chair.

Orlando blinked and shrugged. “Maybe…”

The two friends rose and made a quick search around the room. A few weeks ago a Molee foot soldier had left a chess board and pieces for the soldiers to play with when they were on a dull shift—like Gonden and Orlando. After five minutes of nothing, Orlando looked behind the main desk and found it in a drawer below the desktop.

“Here it is!”

Gonden clapped and the two set to a game of chess.

© 2020, Caleb E. King

All rights reserved.

Note: This piece of work has been specifically selected and edited for the convenience of the readers, and came from a story in progress. Not a final piece of the story.

Well, there you have it! Did you enjoy it? I hope so!

That’s all for this week!

Until later,

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