Crimson Eyes

The Crimson Eyes start training when they are just small kids. Either they are taken from orphanages, peasants who can't pay taxes or they were simply sold for money to be trained. They are paired with another kid and are not allowed to leave each others side. They eat together, they walk together, they train together and they go to the toilet together. If they are seen apart they are punished and on repeat offenses they will be tied wrist to wrist.

They're trained in martial arts from they turn 8, they graduate this stage when they can defeat an instructor together. After that they start sparring with training weapons, always the two of them against an instructor. Once they've shown correct usage of at least 3 different weapons they graduate this stage. From there they start sparring with other kids, this time with real weapons and armour. Hurting the other pair is encouraged, to teach them not to get hit. If you do well you're given a reward, could be more dinner, or sweets. They continue training till they're 20 years old, the main focus being loyalty training towards who they're meant to protect. Then they have their final exam, they need to keep a sheep alive for 2 hours while 4 instructors try to kill it.

If one of a pair should die or become incapacitated permanently more than a year into training, the other is thrown out on the streets, seen as useless without their partner. Less than a year into training they will get assigned a new partner. After they graduate their eyes are tattoed with magic, turning them red, which is where they get their name. Half of them end up working for the Balderen family, but the rest are sold as bodyguards and security to rich nobles.