A World Apart The Jake Thomas Trilogy - By Steven A. Tolle Page 0,66

armorer. He will outfit you."

"Come over here, lad." Mordun said, tone short and businesslike. He retrieved a measuring rope and writing materials, taking several measurements from Jake and heading into the storage room. He returned with two sets of leather pants and padded vests. He put these on the counter and went over to grab a plain breastplate, which was then stacked next to the clothing.

"Which is your dominant hand?" He asked Jake.

"My right." Jake replied. Mordun went over to the weapons area, returning with a wide brown leather belt with a brass buckle and a sheathed sword and dagger hanging from it. The sword hung on the left side and the dagger on the right. Mordun placed this next to the other equipment and looked over at Dominic, who nodded.

"Lad, go put on the pants and vest." Mordun said, directing Jake to a small room set off the main room. Jake went in and quickly changed his clothes, wrapping up his phone and pouch in his cloth pants. The leather pants were a snug fit, but soft and supple; the vest seemed to fit well. He re-laced his boots and went back out to Mordun.

He handed Jake the breastplate, showing him how to put it on and buckle the straps. The breastplate felt heavy, digging into his shoulders some, the padded vest absorbing most of the weight.

"Let's see you move around a bit." Mordun said. Jake walked around, swinging his arms and twisting his body. After a few moments, Mordun seemed satisfied and called Jake back over. He handed Jake the sword belt and instructed him on how to properly wear it. Jake cinched it down against the breastplate, securing the belt with the buckle.

"Draw your sword, boy." Dominic said. Jake reached over and drew out the sword, the double-edged blade long and bright. The sword had a straight bar as a hand guard just above the brown leather grip on the hilt. The grip was slightly tacky, allowing Jake to maintain a solid hold.

"Always respect your sword. In combat, it is the tool that will keep you alive." Dominic said, his hard eyes locking onto Jake's. "I will teach you to use it properly, but you must keep it sharp and ready at all times." He made a little gesture with his hand. "You can put it away for now."

Mordun handed Jake a small pouch. "This is your honing stone and oil…" He began.

"Pardon my interruption, but there is no need to take up any more of your time, Sergeant Mordun." Dominic said. "The boy is living with Mastersmith Norlan. Norlan will explain the proper way to maintain his weapons and armor. My thanks for all of your help."

"The pleasure is mine, Dominic." Mordun replied. He looked at Jake. "You are lucky to have such a teacher, lad." He shook hands with Dominic and went back to his office. Jake grabbed the other pants and vest, as well as his rolled up pants and followed as Dominic headed out the door.

"I will make sure that Dontas is fed and watered tonight. You can take on that responsibility tomorrow." Dominic said as he halted a few steps away from the building. He faced Jake, face set and eyes firm. "From this moment on, you are in training. That means that you will wear your armor and weapons from the moment you wake until the time you go to sleep. The only exceptions will be when you are working at the smithy, heading to the baths or if I give you permission. Understood?" Jake nodded. "Remember: an hour after the mid-day meal, no excuses. Do you think you can find your way back to Norlan's?"

"I can find it." Jake said, feeling pretty confident about his sense of direction.

"Fine, I will see you tomorrow. Get plenty of rest; you are going to need it." Dominic turned and headed back towards the stables.

Jake fished out his phone and money pouch from his rolled-up pants, securing them in the pockets of the leather pants. He tucked the rest of the clothes under his left arm and started walking back towards Norlan's. He felt a bit odd at first, never having worn a breastplate, but having armor and a sword increased his confidence, making his feel more secure and in control.

He passed by soldiers and their officers as he left the training area, getting some curious looks, but no one said anything to him. He went back down the street he came in on