Jaalin Tal.

Jaalin Tal carried the bucket of water down the village path to his family's cabin.  He looked up at the sun, which shone bright and warm in the summer months after it vanishes for winter, and felt a cool breeze on his face as he reached the door of his hut.  Inside, his mother was stocking the fire, readying for supper, Tuli, Jaalin's younger sister, sat on the earthen floor playing with wooden dolls, his father sat by the fire, he was dressed for a hunt.  Jaalin hauled the bucket over to his mother, who thanked him and kissed him on his head.  His father set down his whetstone and motioned for his son to come over next to him.
"My son," He said, Jaalin sat down in front of him, "I'm going to hunt with the other men, but you must stay here.  So, in honor of your fifth birthday, I give you this."  Jaalin's father gave him a bone knife, which he had just finished.  Jaalin, overjoyed hugged his father and ran outside with his new tool.  As Jaalin showed the other boys; they heard the sound of hoof falls thundering up to the village, a cloud of dust looming behind the horsemen.  Jaalin spotted the red and silver banner of the Empire.  His friends scattered once they saw the horsemen, dogs started to bark, and the people of the village came out of their huts at the noise.  The soldiers, in burnished breastplates, rode into the village, one of the soldiers took out a scroll and began to read aloud, over the tumult,
"By order of his Imperial Majesty Toralius the Third, two thirds of all young boys shall be taken from their homes in times of war, as to be trained into his Majesty's Imperial Legions."  The man rolled the scroll and directed his soldiers into action.  The legionaries rounded up all the boys in the town, Jaalin included, they picked him up in iron grips and tossed him amongst the others.  The man still on his horse counted up the boys, then had his men round up the most fit and healthy looking.  One soldier came over to Jaalin, he inspected Jaalin for a while then called to his superior.
"This one looks young."
The commander looked at Jaalin.
"Take him anyway."
Jaalin was hefted up in strong arms and thrown into the back of a wagon with the other chosen boys, and carted of to the capital of the Empire, necer to see his home again.