First page is done. Wooo!
Age 15
Your name is Jess, named after your grandfather.
You're not the biggest boy, in fact, you're quite small, the other kids are all a good few inches taller than you. You take after your mother, a soft woman with green eyes and blond hair. The only feature from your father is your curly brown mane, a contrast to your mother's lighter hair. You'd look quite ordinary if it wasn't for the large birthmark on the side of your face. You never had your father's muscle, but you could run fast, from the moment you could walk, you'd always try going faster.
Your habit of running only complimented a habit of stealing. Ever since you can remember, you've wanted to steal anything you could get your hands on. You usually didn't get caught, but there's a few times you did. After the first your father gave you a beating, all you stole was a small knife, you didn't think anyone would miss it. You had an entire collection of knives under your bed, lucky for you that he didn't find that. You hide everything you steal, most of it you never use, but there's always the chance you'll need it eventually.
Most recently, you stole a gold ring, you just wanted to give it to the merchant's daughter. She was so pretty, with long red hair and fair skin. You did not realize however, that the ring you stole was from her father. She told her father, who's wife was a friend of your mother, who told your father. Your father is a very large man, with a loud booming voice. He loved his wife, and he might have loved you, but he definitely didn't like you.
The next thing you knew, your mother had given you a loaf of bread, and your father had told you to get your ass to Cellia. You've only been there once, two years ago when your brother had gotten the plague, the only healers trained well enough to deal with it were in Cellia. It was a massive city, and you were there for one day and two nights before your brother passed away. It left your father with a hole in his heart. Your brother was the smart child, always absorbed in book. You two never got along, always fighting over the littlest things.
The road to Cellia is empty. Most people in the villages are farming, the only person you meet is an old woman traveling back with her mule. At noon, you stop to eat lunch. Your mother was a very good baker, and the bread tastes like heaven. By night, you've arrived at the city, the walls towering over even the tallest trees. The guards at the gate barely acknowledge your presence.
The inside of the city is loud, even at night. Criminals run in allies, and young couples walk, keeping to the safer cobbled streets. Wealthy young men wander the streets aimlessly, the jingle of coins in their pocket makes your fingers twitch.
The recruiting building is a large building with a fancy interior. A single rat-faced worker sits at an oak desk. A small crossbow is on his desk, no doubt protection from the various undesirables that come in. He gives you a large fake smile as you push the large door open.
"Hello sir, please state your buisness." His voice is unnaturally monotonic.
"Umm, I would like to sign on."
In a flash, he pulls out a contract.
"You will get 7 gold a month, weapons will be provided, and you will serve a two year tour before your contract is up for renewal." The tone of his voice suggests that there is no negotiation to be had.
You pick up an ink pen and sign your soul away to the military.
