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Anhelm rose as a young soldier came in. "Lieutenant Adenain reporting for duty, sir. What are my orders for the day, Captain?"
Anhelm looked the young man over. "At ease," he said, and gestured to the seat next to Astalder. "Adenain, Astalder. And the other way around. Get to know each other, because you'll be working closely." He walked around his chair and leaned on it. "Adenain, I was just telling Astalder about our situation here. Here at the Poros settlement we have a delicate balance to keep. It's a dangerous game to play, and one that requires a lot of skill, but I believe that the two of you for sure have the abilities necessary to win. And I say this because there's no alternative to winning here."
He gestured out the window. "That road there? That leads directly to trouble. That leads directly to our enemies. We have a settlement full of men, women, and children. We have a little town that is on the verge of becoming a real place of commerce. We can't afford to lose it. We can't afford to allow the Haradrim to take this settlement."
Adenain looked a little stunned at Anhelm's sudden proclamation, and the young captain smiled. "You asked after your orders, Lieutenant. Your orders are to be at ease and familiarize yourself to the settlement. I want you to get to know this place. Meet the people. Taste the food. I'm not saying that Telpe's food isn't good, but it's military-issue. Eat something that the settlers cook. Buy a shirt." He tossed a small bag of coins at Adenain, then one at Astalder. "I want you to love this place. I want you to want to defend it. Because that's what we're here to do. Defend this place against a very real and very immediate threat." He inclined his head. "Dismissed, men."
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