Hustling against the crowd of people gathering around the fence, David and the girl somehow reached the guarded gate after a lot of wrestling, being smacked, punched 'accidentally', pushed around.
David was sure that this was probably even harder than whatever hardships lay on the field in front of him.
As he approached the open gate, a soldier eyed him and the girl beside him. His eyebrows raised in unison as he asked, "Are you both here for the Sihapi contest?"
David nodded immediately, causing the soldier's eyes to squint. "Alright, go inside. But if you are lying to me and if I find you standing around the seats in the pavilion, I shall smack your shitty ass out of here."
"Why so aggressive...?" The words slipped out of his lips, confused and alarmed. Was this man threatening all the other contestants that were entering the areana?
The soldier pointed his short spear at him as he asked, "You want me to believe you are going to fight other contestants without a weapon? You are not the first one who gave that excuse to enter the fenced field and try to cause a ruckus for a seat in the pavilions."
David's eyes shifted inside the fenced area. All the seats in the pavilion were filled with common people, most probably the ones who had come early to watch the recruitment contest.
Any extra person who couldn't fit in the seats were expected to be standing out of the fence. 'Makes sense why the soldier thinks I am trying to bypass the rule.'
David shrugged as with a sigh, he reassured the man. "Don't worry, I am a contestant. Now let us go, if should start soon enough."
Although the soldier looked at them with mild suspicion, he let them go, his eyes still tracking their path.
'I just want to win this...and go wherever they take me to, ugh.' David felt like punching something, his frustration almost showing on his face.
'Damn my bad luck and my hero complex. I should have just eaten the bread, all by myself.' He thought bitterly as he caressed his growling stomach.
But as he looked at the girl beside him, who was glancing around with a touch of slight curiosity on her face, he sighed and just rolled his eyes.
With the one copper he had with him, he had bought the only thing he could find - a loaf of bread.
And call it kindness or stupidity - although both of them could sometimes end up being the same thing - he has ended up giving more than three quarters of it to the girl.
'Fulfilling the bulshit rule of elders looking after juniors, I guess.' He smiled lightly, which quickly faded away as his stomach reminded him of the hunger possessing him.
"Alright, let's get over this." He glanced at the nameless girl, who looked at his raised fist.
Slowly clenching her fingers into a tight fist, she raised it and touched his fist.
"Yes..."
They joined the flow of the crowd of contestants gathering around a raised stage in the middle of the arena.
Looking around him, David found himself shocked to see such a large number of contestants leading to a congestion in the open area.
"Silence!" A grumpy voice echoed as all chaos died down.
David raised himself on his toes and squinted at the stage. A middle aged man, with few white streaks of hair and a scarred face overlooked them. His eyes were sharp and analysing as his gaze roamed over the entire crowd, making everyone go silent.
As if satisfied with his performance, he then lifted up the bullhorn to his lips. His voice now resembled the tone of a cheerful host as he announced.
"Welcome to the contest of the Sihapis for the year 1215 CE. I can see a lot of you eager to try their chances at this, which is a proud moment for the kingdom. You are not only the youth of our kingdom...well except for a few."
His last sentence was directed at the few old and the middle aged men who also happened to be the contestants, causing a few snickers to ring out in the crowd.
The host continued, "But remember everyone, this is your first and last chance here. If you fail to win this, you fail forever to become a Sihapi...so be careful out in the rings."
A few nervous chuckle broke out at those words. Meanwhile, David had a confused look on his face.
'How would they know this is the last time we are all participating in the contest? Unless they plan to register us name by name, by making us stand under this heat for hours.'
His eyes widened as he was almost sure he would probably faint in that case.
'Even if I somehow managed to be conscious, will I be still be able to fight and...even win?'
"Now, few of our veterans shall go and give you each a piece of paper. And in case they missed you, don't be shy and speak out."
As he said that, few soldiers in Sihapi dresses came down from the stage with a bowl in each of their hands.
They separated in different directions as they started distributing a piece of paper to each of them.
David noticed something strange. At times, the Sihapis would raise their hands as a couple of soldiers would rush to that spot and drag away someone the Sihapi veteran would point at.
"What's happening...?" He muttered out. Was there something wrong? Or any unspoken dress code they hadn't followed?
David looked down at him. A thin, cotton shirt that was almost of no use against the biting cold winds of the winter nights, a trouser that was stained with duty at few places.
'This dress is okay, right?'
"Oh don't you know?" David looked beside him at a boy who had heard him speak.
"You see those veterans? It's rumoured that they wear something - don't ask me what as I have no idea - which helps them to see whether the person standing in front of them is present in the registered list of contestants."
The boy shook his head with a light smile as he added, "This is why people should register themselves beforehand instead of just barging into the competition even though they know they won't be allowed to participate without registering."
David swallowed visibly as his eyes widened with horror.
'What the hell?!'