The next few weeks flew by for Tine. The young Imperials all Chose with the exception of Carnan, who had been forbidden to participate in any of the gathering activities by the healer, and soon it was leaving day. At the party the night before, Tine and Aiden spent as much time together as possible. Tears fell when they parted. Tine told Aiden he hoped that he would be Chosen soon now that he was a year-ten, but Aiden had his heart set on being a Temple Guard and told Tine so. They parted with tears and promises to keep in touch. Both knew it would be impossible once Tine left for them to keep in touch, boys left and never looked back.

Tine was excited about leaving because it meant he was headed toward Bra-Neche, but he was also apprehensive as he had never been out in the world before. When they stopped the first night, Tine wondered where he would sleep. He did not need to worry though, the Imperials were assigned their tents, and he was assigned one right along with them. The newly Chosen were put all in one large tent though with a guard outside. Tine wondered at this, musing aloud, and discovered it was because the boys had not truly bonded, only picked one they would like to Choose with their father’s permission.

The ride took longer than Tine expected, yet it was over before he was ready for it to be. Over the course of a few days the trail they had been following widened to a track, then widened further, eventually turning into a well-traveled, stone-paved road. People passed them in either direction as they began to pass houses more frequently. That night they stopped at an inn instead of pitching their tents along the roadside. The Chosen were escorted inside and Tine did not see them again until dinner in an upstairs dining room reserved for their use alone. Before the meal, he had a chance to wash the travel dirt off which he took advantage of gladly. The Imperials gave him a bit of privacy as he was Chosen, but they did not ignore him completely either as they bathed, which Tine learned was often a social event among Imperials.

The meal was another social event that Tine had not been expecting to be so boisterous. At the school, the Imperials were not like this. Tine wondered how different Bra-Neche was among his own kind than he was at the school, and if they would still feel the same way toward each other. After the meal, there were entertainments that lasted well into the night. Clean, well fed, and bone-tired, Tine finally fell into the bed he had been assigned and slept like the dead.

Pounding on the door jolted Tine from sleep. He sat up and began to pull on his clothing, noting that Joulip was still asleep in the bed they shared. After using the chamber pot, Tine slid out of the room looking for breakfast. He followed his nose down to the lower floor where he found oven warm bread on the counter along with various fruits and cheeses. There were so many men in the hall that Tine found it difficult to move without bumping into anyone. He saw the men were helping themselves, so he followed suit, then found a table that was not in use along the back wall. A young boy with his own breakfast made his way over to Tine and sat in one of the empty chairs at his table.

“Are you Chosen?”

Tine nodded as he chewed, looking the boy in the eye. When his mouth emptied he spoke, “I am, why do you ask?”

“We are here to gather my brother and his Chosen. I was wondering if you were him.”

“Who is your brother and I will tell you,” Tine offered.

“Kavil.”

“Ah, sorry, no I am not your brother’s Chosen,” Tine said with a smile as the boy shrugged.

A man approached the table. He was broad of the shoulder and narrow of the hip with long thick legs encased in tight leather. His tunic was cinched in tightly with a wide leather belt from which hung a dirk.

“Kariv, there you are. Who is this with you?”

“Not Kavil’s Chosen…” the boy said as he took a big bite of bread. The man laughed.

“Of course not, the Chosen will descend shortly with those who Chose them.” The man looked back toward the stair, “Are you waiting on someone too?”

“Me?” Tine asked, then when the man nodded, he responded, “Yes, actually I am.”

“Your brother?” He asked, then touched his own hair about where Tine’s bead lay, “Or someone else?”

“Not my brother,” Tine admitted.

The man laughed. About then a small group of men came in together. They were dressed identically in black and silver with great capes flowing behind. Tine could not help but to stare, at least until Kariv’s father chuckled.

“You look as if you have never seen the Imperial Guards before.”

“I’ve not,” Tine said with an awe-filled voice.

“How…” the man looked at Tine questioningly, then understanding dawned in his eyes, “You are Chosen.”

Tine blushed and nodded his head.

“Come Kariv, we should go,” he pulled at the boy, “I’m sorry, but we are not supposed to engage with the Chosen before they are bonded. We will talk later.” He picked the protesting boy up and carried him off leaving Tine sitting there with his mouth agape.