Kensie arrived at the stable a quarter candlemark before the appointed time. There was a light rain and the wind was still blowing, though not as strongly as the day before.
He found Gamin and began grooming the horse. When Tahk stopped by, Kensie asked if there were any old saddles that would fit the horse. Kensie did not want to damage a good saddle in the rain. As there had been many saddles abandoned at the Palace stable by nobles over the years, Tahk was able to find one in short order. Though old, the saddle was still in good condition due to the stablemaster's insistence that even unused saddles be cleaned and oiled regularly.
A quick check of the label showed that the saddle had belonged to Earl Dathan Trullesen, who had died without issue or heir about ten years before. His title was now vacant.
Kensie placed the saddle on Gamin and cinched it. Gamin objected strongly to the girth and tried to snap at Kensie as he tightened it. Kensie bluffed the horse with his palm, then loosened the girth and repeated it. After four tries, Gamin stopped trying to snap at Kensie. Kensie praised the horse and scratched his crest. Gamin relaxed and leaned into the scratching. He flicked an ear at Kensie.
"Glorying in the horse you stole?" Lord Kadhael's voice rang down the aisle.
"I am making friends with a splendid animal you cast aside." Kensie said, not taking his eyes off the stallion.
"We'll see how friendly he is when he makes blood pudding out of you." Kadhael sneered back.
"Since you are so eager to see him trample me into the mud, I see no reason to delay." After handing a hackamore to Tahk, Kensie smiled at Kadhael and led Gamin down the aisle. The horse pinned his ears as he passed Kadhael.
Instead of heading for the école, Kensie headed for the round pen where the grooms lunged restive or fresh horses before their masters rode. Kadhael and his coterie grumbled and pulled their hoods up as they followed Kensie into the rain.
Rubin Larkin, Urson Felthan and Lovat Astey followed as well, the three glanced at one another and shrugged before putting up their own hoods and going out into the rain.
In the main riding ring, Keren and the Herald trainees did not interrupt their practice, but Keren kept half an eye on the curious parade of highborn following Kensie to the round pen. Herald Tobias stood just inside Companions' stable to watch. Dantris and Irian stood beside him.
Kensie was actually a little uncertain as he led Gamin to the round pen. Chase Tanner had given him some basic instruction on what he was about to try prior to Kensie's disgrace, but Kensie had never done it with a horse that was entirely new to him.
Kensie entered the round pen. Tahk closed the gate behind him.
As Kensie removed the lead rope and halter to release Gamin, Kadhael burst out "Are you mad?"
Kensie ignored Kadhael. Gamin stood stock still for a moment. Kensie moved away slightly and waved the lunge whip at the stallion's hindquarters.
Gamin exploded into a series of bucks and kicks, striking out in all directions and tearing around the ring. Kensie deftly avoided the stallion's lashing out; he drove Gamin forward and towards the fence, positioning himself near the middle of the ring but always slightly nearer Gamin's flank than his head. When Gamin attempted to stop and rear, Kensie drove him forward, sending him around the ring. By the third time around, the horse simply cantered on without bucking or kicking except when an occasional large splat of mud struck his belly.
After a dozen circles, Gamin tried to drop into a trot, Kensie drove him forward. After another dozen circles, the stallion bobbed his head and cocked an ear at Kensie. Kensie moved ahead of the motion; the horse turned and tried to rear. Now Kensie moved towards the other flank, driving Gamin in the opposite direction.
When Gamin flicked his ear again, Kensie allowed the horse to trot, but kept him on the circle.
Kensie forced Gamin to reverse direction two more times, still maintaining the trot. After the third reverse, the stallion dropped his neck and lowered his head. Kensie kept Gamin moving forward three more circuits before allowing the stallion to halt along the fence. The horse stood, mud-spattered; he looked towards Kensie with his head low and his ears softly forward.
Now I find out if I learned this right. Kensie thought. If I'm wrong, Kadhael may get to see blood pudding after all.
Kensie walked over to the stallion and stroked its muzzle and neck. He opened his arms wide and backed slightly; Gamin moved towards him, ears still forward. Kensie halted; the horse stopped. Kensie raised his arms and Gamin backed away. Kensie drew the horse towards him again and backed it up once more. After two more repetitions, Kensie stepped towards the stallion and stroked his neck. Gamin whickered softly.
Jaws dropped and a few people gasped as Kensie turned his back on the stallion. Kensie walked away. Gamin followed, his head at Kensie's shoulder. Kensie led the horse around the ring, turning circles to the right and left. The horse followed placidly.
Kensie led Gamin over to where Tahk stood. Taking the hackamore from Tahk, Kensie slipped it onto Gamin's head.
"You don't think you are going to control that beast with that, do you?" Kadhael's voice was an incredulous sneer.
Kensie kept his attention on the horse. "I don't think I will; I know I will." Kensie was actually less confident than he sounded, but he knew better than to let the horse sense hesitation.
He took Gamin to the small mounting block in the middle of the ring and positioned the horse beside it.
Kensie stood on the mounting block and ran his hand along the near side from poll to flank. Bending slightly, he reached over to the off side and repeated the stroking. Gamin's ears flicked slightly as Kensie stroked him, but the horse showed no tension.
Kensie lay over the saddle.
"Are you going to ride him on your belly?" Kadhael mocked. A few of his coterie forced laughs.
Paying no attention to Kadhael, Kensie patted Gamin's neck, shoulder and flank; he kept his eyes on the stallion's head the whole time. Gamin stood steady; only his ears swivelled towards Kensie. "Good boy." Kensie said softly.
Kensie stood up and patted the horse's neck once more before he bent over the saddle again, patting Gamin as before, softly encouraging the horse as he did so.
Kensie stood once more. Taking the reins in his left hand, he put his left foot in the stirrup. Gently, he swung up onto Gamin's back, settling softly in the saddle. The horse did not move. Kensie patted him on the neck and praised him again.
Kicking his feet out of the stirrups, Kensie jumped down onto the mounting block. He patted the horse and praised it once more.
Kensie mounted and dismounted Gamin four more times. The sixth time he mounted, he stayed in the saddle, petting and praising the horse for a while. Then he asked Gamin to move forward.
Gamin walked forward unresisting. Kensie circled the ring once in each direction, then asked the horse for turns on the forehand and haunches. Gamin responded flawlessly.
Kensie moved the horse into a trot. After a few brief exercises in trot, Gamin moved smoothly into canter on Kensie's aid. The two circled the ring a few times before Kensie turned the horse across the ring and charged towards Kadhael.
Despite the fence between them, Kadhael jumped back.
Kensie sat in and halted the horse a stride before the fence. Gamin reared and towered above the watchers' heads in a perfect levade. He held the pose for a moment, then dropped carefully to the ground.
Kensie dropped the reins and patted the stallion's neck. "You are a wonderful boy." He grinned and ran his hands along the crest. The horse whickered and arched its neck. Picking up the reins once more, Kensie moved to the center of the ring and vaulted off Gamin's back. He hugged and praised the horse. Turning, he led the horse towards the gate.
Rubin, Lovat, Urson and a few of their friends cheered and applauded as Kensie came out of the ring. The stablehands dared not cheer, but their broad grins showed their approval. Kadhael's friends stood in dumbfounded silence.
"How did you do that?" Kadhael said belligerently. "You got some Herald to work their mind-magic on him, didn't you?"
"I haven't spoken to a Herald since you took my ring as pledge yesterday." Kensie said. "My riding master taught me what you just saw. It's the first time I've tried it on my own, but it works very well. You just have to understand the language of horses."
"I thought so!" Kadhael pounced on Kensie's last sentence. "You have that animal mindspeech the Heralds talk about. That's how you got him to act up yesterday and controlled him just now!"
Kensie's smile was wistful. He shook his head. "I wish I had that ability. I don't, as far as I know, but it would be wonderful to be able to link with my horse like the Heralds do with their Companions."
Several loud snorts could be heard from the Companions being ridden by Keren's students. Dantris and Irian snorted as well. Tobias looked thoughtful.