The Trooper

'Not today Volnev’ the recruitment Sergeant said, ‘you don’t meet the physical requirements!’

‘That is not fair Liuddar!’ Volnev spat, ‘you let in Bozholir Tchaikofiev and he is just three midgets in a Greatcoat.’

This wasn’t true but Bozholir wasn’t fit for the job ‘Yes but Bozholir’s father is an Akshina officer and pulled strings’ Liuddar said, ‘He will be given an arbitrary rank and sent to the Logistics Corps.’

Liuddar closed the Kislev recruitment office, putting Volnev out in the cold streets of Krassis. Volnev was a twelve year old orphan; his father was a Kislev Guard who died when the Beastmen from the North attacked the cities that made up the Kislev Shield, a group of towns than ran along the Kislev Border who’s job it was to monitor the wall known as “The shield.” His mother died when he was five; when his father died, she had turned to prostitution to make money for her family, she died when a passing trader wouldn’t pay for services rendered. Volnev and his three older sisters had to live on the streets, stealing whatever they could to live. His two oldest sisters died during the storm that hit Kislev in 1781 IC. His surviving sister managed to get passage out of Kislev with a wandering troupe of Harlequins leaving Volnev alone. Volnev only wanted to join the Kislev Guard, he had dreams of being a Kislev Ranger or a Winged Lancer. He was joining the army whether the army liked it or not.

Volnev staked out the recruitment office; he knew that in the next few days the new recruits would be taken to Västerlanda to begin their training, and the young Volnev would be joining them. The coaches left the recruiting station in the early hours of Marktag; Volnev seized the chance to scramble onto the rear coach, making himself comfortable alongside the coach’s footmen. He was bound in cloak he had stolen earlier in the week, from an old man at the barbers, which obscured his face completing his deception. It would be a few days of travelling before the coaches reached Västerlanda, he’d have to try and steal a spot on the inside of the coach to stay warm for the rest of the journey.

Twelve hours into our journey we stopped at a small transit village of Vindhus giving us a chance to eat some food and relieve ourselves. Being the skilled thief he was, Volnev pinched some food and water from the scullery of the only tavern in the village. Having raced back to the coach, pleased he had managed to avoid being caught or drawing attention to himself, he savoured the meat pie he had absconded with. It had been a while since he had a good meal. As he sat in the darkened coach, Sergeant Liuddar Irinasyn came into the coach and sat next to him ‘How is the pie Volnev?’

Volnev stopped eating, he was shocked. He was so sure that he had managed to avoid anyone discovering who he was and his skills as a thief let him avoid people in public ‘How did you know it was me?’ Volnev asked.

Liuddar closed the coach door and shifted to the other side ‘I knew it was you when you hopped aboard alongside the footmen’ he smiled, ‘I knew you wouldn’t take no for an answer.’

Volnev look downtrodden as he replied ‘Are you going to send me back to Krassis?’

Liuddar shook his head ‘No, we’re too far away, plus I was testing you’ he said, ‘we were looking for good candidates for the Kislev Rangers and I’m glad to say you passed the test.’

Volnev sat back in peace and finished the pie and water. His dreams were coming true, however, if he knew just how hard the road ahead was he would’ve bailed out of the coach and legged it for Krassis.

• This short story is based loosely on Warhammer Fantasy Battle by Games Workshop
• Copyright Games Workshop
• No IP infringement intended.