‘No, they’ve more sense. I’ll leave it to the likes of you, if there’s ever a war. It’s best I sit behind a nice warm desk and let the others do the fighting.’ Bill looked at the blackboard, and at the teacher coming in.

‘Coward,’ Luke whispered.

‘Too true, but at least I’ll still be around to tell the tale.’

Luke looked around him, stopping to catch his breath as the steep track rose in front of him out of Settle, leading on towards Malham. He turned round to see down to the market town of Settle, and a little further afield he could see the majestic copper dome of Giggleswick School chapel. It rose above all else, stating its importance before the students and school below it. Further to his right, he could just make out the rooftop of his home at Windfell. He looked at it for a brief second, before putting his best foot forward as the CO yelled at them all to keep marching. He missed home, but had decided a while ago that the army was to be his life.

They had marched through the centre of Settle, past the ancient Shambles and up through the market towards the narrow cobbled street of upper Settle, turning all the locals’ heads as they swung their arms and walked in time together. Over their shoulders were their trusted rifles and on their backs were their backpacks, filled with what they would need for their two nights on the wild fellside. Luke was quietly looking forward to staying out in the wilds. He knew that he did not excel in his studies, so he devoted his time to becoming a soldier and to one day serving the King. It was what he most desired. And two days of scouting and shooting practice were right up his street; anything to get away from the musty-smelling oak-clad rooms of the ancient school, which his mother had thought he would be happy in.