"Let's get down to business - to train some knights
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?"
Alanna of Trebond, no Alan now, gulped. Did Duke Gareth know already? No he couldn't. Could he?
"You're the saddest bunch I've ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man out of you"
Now Alan felt the Duke's gaze rest on her. Duke Gareth's words rang in her mind. I'll have to work harder than all the rest, Alan thought, just to keep up.
Tranquil as a forest
But on fire within
Alan seemed cool and collected, but the other boys wondered sometimes. Around Ralon they could see a different Alan.
Once you find your center
You are sure to win
Alan leapt to learn enough to rival the boys. He wasn't as good at wrestling as he could be. He needed to work harder. Each bruise was a lesson on the road to being a better knight.
You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue
Somehow I'll make a man out of you
Alan practiced nightly with Coram's overlarge sword. He practiced far longer and far harder than any other boy. Sklaw wasn't going to get to him, never.
"I'm never gonna catch my breath"
Sacherell of Wellam thought. Sklaw had called him lazy; there will be no rest from here on out, the boy groaned.
"Say goodbye to those who knew me"
Geoffrey of Meron sighed. Sword fighting is going to be bad, I don't want to be a knight, and I hate blood, The boy thought suppressing nausea.
Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym
Douglas of Veldine gulped at Sklaw's sharp reprimand. How did he know that I like food? Now I'll never be safe in the kitchens.
This guy's got 'em scared to death
George Cooper, King of Thieves, smiled grimly. Alan can pull it off, he beat that Ralon boy senseless. Of course George knew of the swordsmanship lessons, George knew everything happening in Corus.
Hope he doesn't see right through me
Alan of Trebond was both angry with and afraid of Sklaw. He breaks down my confidence but his sharp eye could see what the others haven't. He could learn my secret.
Now I really wish that I knew how to swim
The four boys dreaded Sklaw. A moment without the sword was cause for punishment. They wished they'd put more effort into training before this.
Be a man
We must be swift as the coursing river
Sklaw repeatedly rode the boys to draw the swords faster.
Be a man
With all the force of a great typhoon
Alan was hit the hardest by Sklaw's comments. "You're a midget." "You're too clumsy." Or "You'll only be a 'Lord' sitting about writing poetry, never a knight."
Be a man
With all the strength of a raging fire
When Alan's temper finally exploded at Sklaw, all he did was laugh. "You haven't much confidence if an old buzzard like me can hurt it."
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
Alan practiced as hard as he could with Sklaw. Do I need to do more? He asked himself often.
Time is racing toward us till the Ordeal arrives
Heed my every order and you might survive
Today was something far different. Actual dueling, between the comrades. This was the real thing. No pretending. Alan faced off against Sacherell; he could barely fend off the blows. The defeat was embarrassing.
You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home you're through
How could I make a man out of you?
No one actually told Alan to go home, except his inner voice that taunted him with the failure. He lay awake that night replaying the whole duel.
Be a man
We must be swift as the coursing river
Be a man
With all the force of a great typhoon
Be a man
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
Every night Alan practiced two hours; one with Lightning, one with Coram's heavy sword. Alan wasn't sure it would pay off but he had to try, he had to work at it.
Be a man
We must be swift as the coursing river
Be a man
With all the force of a great typhoon
Be a man
With all the strength of a raging fire
When Lord Martin of Meron arrived Alan would see if it had paid off. He faced off against Geoffrey. He was nervous but that soon evaporated.
Every move Geoffrey made had a counted Alan had practiced repeatedly. He didn't think only reacted; his muscles knew the movements from repetitive drilling.
Then a deft twist of Lightning and Geoffrey's sword spun from the other boy's hands. A neat flick of Lightning and Geoffrey was staring down the business end of Alan's sowed.
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
While the boy and his friends cheered and celebrated Sklaw looked on. The boy, small, weak, temperamental, had done the work himself. Sklaw couldn't take credit for the matchless swordsman the boy would become. "He did it all by himself."