Tales of Aranth: The Girl and The General

Chapter 2

“Do we know?” She asked. “I’m not a regular, just enlisted recently.”

“Oh, I think someone mentioned you to me,” I mutter, still too startled to think clearly.

How? Is my mind playing tricks with me? Does it mean I’m dead or in a coma in my world? In all those books about transmigration, I read it worked like this. What about mom and dad? Do they grieve? I feel a cold hand holding my guts. I don’t understand it all and I’m half panicked. All my thoughts are probably visible on my face because Alarana looks at me with care.

“Are you alright? Come with me,” she says. She is like described in the book, nice, sweet, and caring. She doesn’t know me, but she is worried about my condition. And she is so beautiful, with lush hair and milky skin, even if now she is a bit neglected and wearing unflattering clothes similar to mine.

Oh my gosh, I just acquainted a female lead. Does it mean I will be involved in a plot? But she didn’t have a friend or any acquaintances of her age mentioned more than twice in the book. Her beloved was her all world. When I think of this now, it looks a bit strange, but then, when I was reading it, it seemed perfectly normal.

"What is your name?” She asks and I realize that I don’t know. The only answer that comes to my mind is “Mia”, but there was no Mia in the book. I quickly glare at my hands and forearms. They look like before. All my birthmarks and scars are in place, I don't seem to be bigger or smaller than normal. Also, my hair looks like usual. I'm me, I wasn't reincarnated into any of the characters mentioned in the book.

Does it mean I’m a new character? How will that affect the plotline? Or maybe it won’t because I will die in the battle. Or even if I won’t die, we will part ways, she will get her happy ending and I will be just one of many ordinary people living in Aranth. Maybe it won’t be the worst scenario? Maybe there is something for me in it? An ordinary life, that sounds not that bad.

“Mia. My name is Mia,” I say, quietly accepting whatever fate would bring me. Nonaristocrats in Aranth don't have family names.

“Nice to meet you. Come on, let’s get our breakfast.” She smiles at me and I smile back. I will think about it all later, now I have to stay alive. We are sitting on a long bench, eating our porridge and chatting. 

“It’s quite tasty,” Alarana says. “I always heard that food in the military is awful, but I can’t corroborate.” I nod with my mouth full of not that bad food. I was really hungry.

I’m trying to remember as much as I can about the battle of Red Hills. Aranth won. That’s good. There were not many casualties. That’s good too. I don’t remember the exact course of the battle, but I don’t know whether it wasn’t described, or I didn't pay attention while reading. After all, it was supposed to be a fantasy romance, not an RPG manual. 

I guess I will be fighting in an infantry squad. Most women in Aranth who had to enlist went to the infantry. I suppose fighting with a lance isn’t very complicated, but the infantry was just the cannon fodder.

The most important thing about the battle was that Alarana met General Gravian. She caught his eye and the romance began. I’m thrilled to witness it.

“After the battle what will you do?” She asks me.

“I don’t know. I’m an orphan.” I'm not into explaining my situation.

“I thought about staying in the military, but that’s not for me. I know I’m not that bright become a non-com and not that strong to remain a private. I used to work in an inn, but it closed. Then I inherited a small house in King’s City.” That is the capital of Aranth. “But I can’t afford to pay the taxes, so I enlisted.” As far as I remember, the soldiers of Aranth couldn’t be evicted or lose their property due to their debts. And the property tax in the capital was described as uncommonly high. “When I’ll get my pay and clear my debts, I will think what to do next.”

“Maybe you could think of renting rooms.”

“That’s brilliant, I never thought of it. I have a spare room and I could arrange two more in the attic.”

She is to say something else, but the crowd gets agitated.

“It’s the general,” she whispers. “He comes to have breakfast in different kitchens every day.”

“The general,” I repeat and crane to see him. He is there, tall, with almost white blonde hair, already prepared for the battle, with a simple wooden bowl in his hand. He looks a bit out of place in his shiny armor among us, dusty and dull.

No, I don’t have a crush on him, never had, but I admire him, his ethics, demeanor, and integrity towards his people, witts, and leadership skills. He is just the perfect male lead for a fantasy novel and I sometimes wondered why the author made him only collateral and subject to the somewhat inapt and dull royal line, not an heir to the throne. Aranth would benefit from having such an able king.

The soldiers scootch and he sits among them, just a few people from us. He eats and people slowly start to relax and chat again.

“Why do you think about him?” I ask Alarana.

“About the general? I don’t know. I mean, he is handsome and righteous, but I feel intimidated by him. Like he is too perfect.” That is not the answer I expected. Soon she is going to fall madly for him. “But I got to know his aide, Ole Riggel. He is a different story.” She points at the brown-haired man sitting on the general’s left. He looks in her direction and passes her a shy smile. I remember him, a great friend sometimes acting as Gravian’s common sense when Gravian got too virtuous or proud and made his life an unbelievable mess. I liked him and wished him well, but in the book, there was nothing about his private life.

So they know each other. How did they meet? Was that even mentioned in the book?

We finish eating. A man with a Sargent band on his arm approaches us.

“Privets, get ready. We meet in 20 minutes in the first section.” I don’t understand what he is talking about, but Alarana nods. We go back to our tents. There is another woman in mine, older than us, visibly an experienced soldier.

“Ah, here you are,” she snorts. Doesn’t she like me?

“Karina is always like this,” Alarana sees my expression and whispers before she goes to her tent.

We get ready, I try to peep how Karina dresses, but when my epaulets fall on the ground for the second time, she grabs them and buckles them quickly.

“Well, kiddo, I hope you’ve told your prayers.”

We march out of the camp and form a tactical formation, I’m in the second row, between Alarana and Karina, holding my lance and shield, which is too heavy for me. And before I realize what is happening, we march to the battle.