The Count and his family went on to Poldara City the day after settling with Enro Kase. Organizing his regiment and mounted company kept the Count and his family at the county seat through the remainder of the winter, so Bredin and Kensie did not see each other for several moons.
Bredin's training progressed. Father Toma, Father Milo and Brother Luca focused more on Bredin's temper than on his combat skills. Each time Bredin lost his temper, he was set back a level and required to complete the examination to move back up.
For a while, Asen and Raidal were afraid to provoke Bredin, fearing that he would repeat what happened at Midwinter. Eventually, they realized Bredin was supposed to avoid losing his temper. On learning this, Bredin's brothers began a game of prodding Bredin to the point where he was visibly fuming, then reminding Bredin he was not supposed to get angry. Bredin's only defense was to bury his nose in his books.
Bredin endured the torment until three days before Spring Day. The day was a Rest Day but rain confined the boys to the house. Bored, Asen and Raidal used the time and leisure to pester Bredin from the moment the three rose. Bredin clenched his jaw and stared at his Karsite grammar, trying to ignore his brother. Asen, seeing Bredin's flushed face, tried to goad him further. Asen made the mistake of taunting Bredin about his banishment from the shop, then snatching Bredin's book from his hand. Three breaths later, Asen was unconscious on the floor and Raidal was hiding behind his mother.
Bredin sobered the instant he saw Asen on the floor. Panic-stricken, he knelt beside Asen and began babbling apologies.
Zelar, alarmed, pushed Bredin out of the way. "Leave him." She ordered.
Bredin stood by the wall as Zelar put her arms around his older brother. Zelar satisfied herself that Asen was still breathing before turning to Raidal. "Hand me that cloth." She pointed to a wet cloth on the counter.
Before Raidal could hand it to her, Asen moaned and opened his eyes. "What happened?" He asked groggily. He tried to rise, but Zelar held him down.
Seeing her eldest son revive brought Zelar's exasperation to the fore. "You tickled the grouchy bear and got swatted for your foolishness." She said testily.
Bredin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Zelar was going to blame his brothers. Hearing Bredin's sigh, Zelar looked at him sharply. "You're no better. You're as bad tempered as a hungry bear and rise to every bait." Her eye fell on Raidal as well. "All three of you are a pack of fools.
"Very well," she went on, "if you three can't spend a day as civilized humans, I don't want you around. All three of you will go to bed. You will stay in bed until tomorrow morning. You will not speak or make a sound. If I hear a peep out of any of you, I will spank all three of your bottoms until they are red."
"But I was going fishing with Perry and Syd." Asen protested.
"Your friends will fish without you. You are going to bed." Zelar said firmly.
"What about supper?" Raidal asked.
"There will be no supper. You can go hungry while you think about what a fool you've been."
Asen, now sitting up, pointed at Bredin. "But he was the one who hit me!"
"And you were the one who couldn't stop teasing the bear until he did. Don't play innocent." Zelar fixed him with a stern eye.
"What if we have to use the jakes?" Asen said.
"Get up, go to the jakes, do your business and go straight back to bed. And don't think you can dawdle. You have a count of thirty to get back to bed or you'll get a swat on your backside. Don't speak a word."
Raidal opened his mouth to protest once more. "Enough!" Zelar said. "Go. Now." She pointed at the ladder.
Sullenly, the three climbed the ladder to the loft and got into their bed. Asen sprawled, taking up most of it. Raidal was on the left and Bredin perched on the right edge, trying to take even less of the space than he usually got.
The three spent the day, evening and night miserably. Bredin, lost in the gloomy thought that Father Toma would somehow find out what had happened, ignored Asen's pokes and prods. After a candlemark, Asen gave up and tried to sleep.
For Bredin, the incident bought a further decrease in the torments from his brothers, though at the price of gaining the nickname "Bredin the Bear." Though neither Asen nor Raidal completely gave up teasing Bredin, they learned to recognize the warning signs they were pushing Bredin too far.
Bredin's fears that Father Toma would find out proved true, though no one told the priest directly. The seclusion of all three boys, even when the rain eased in the afternoon, was all the information Father Toma needed to deduce that something had happened to incur their parents' wrath.
Father Toma confronted Bredin the next morning and got the full story out of him. Though the priest was inwardly pleased that Bredin told the story honestly and did not try to justify himself, he demoted Bredin back to the beginner class once more. Bredin had to learn that rash actions had consequences.
Many of the young men and some of the young women of the village joined the local militia and began regular drills under the supervision of Shanis Rains. The magistrate's sister had joined the guard at sixteen to avoid an arranged marriage and spent over thirty years in the guard, rising to the rank of sergeant. Nearly sixty, she was no longer able to go to war herself, but still had her hard-won weapons skill and a sharp eye for a recruit's mistakes (and a sharper tongue for letting the recruit know the mistake). The youngsters in the militia said they feared her more than the Tedrels.
As part of the war preparation, the guard built a series of staging camps along the roads so that the troops would not have to prepare camp each night on their journey. One camp was built outside Bransat. Zack Pedden and his sons Marin and Bennis worked long hours building the camp during the winter. Once it was complete, Marin and Bennis helped with the maintenance. The boys were eager to join the guard themselves, but they could not enlist until they were sixteen.
As the weather began to warm, companies of soldiers began passing Bransat on their way south. Many of the first troops were mounted companies. From the little that was known of the Tedrels and their tactics, Sendar and the Lord Marshall wanted troops that could be moved quickly to counter the expected harassing attacks aimed at weakening Valdemar before a final assault.
The women of the village, including Zelar and Ilis Pedden, prepared food and kept the camp spotless. Boys and older men cleaned the stables and brought in supplies. This allowed the soldiers and mounted troops to move out faster and make longer marches, knowing that they would not have the chores of setting up and taking down camp on their journey.
Father Toma and most of the monks left three days before the equinox. They would meet the monks of three other temples in Haven to march south under the command of Grandmaster Sanat. The monks from the fifth temple in Three Rivers had already gone ahead to prepare a camp for the order near the border.
Count Poldara and his company left two days after the monks. Chase Tanner went with him as his lieutenant.
The departure of Chase Tanner meant that Kensie was once again allowed to ride Blood. Master Tanner was almost as pleased to be rid of the duty of exercising the horse as Kensie and Blood were happy to be reunited. It had taken all of Chase Tanner's skill to manage the fractious, high-strung beast and put it through its paces.
The stallion bellowed at the first sight of Kensie and whickered noisily as Kensie hugged and petted him. After saddling the horse, Kensie set off on a long gallop, returning only when the horse was lathered from poll to tail. Kensie, not having been on a horse for three moons, was tired and saddle-sore, but still insisted on walking the horse until it was cooled out then grooming it until its dark coat gleamed. The horse whinnied plaintively for a candlemark after Kensie left the stable.
Although his muscles were stiff and aching, Kensie repeated the ride for the next three days until his mother threatened to take the horse away again if Kensie did not return to his other lessons.
For Bredin, the departure of Father Toma and most of the monks meant that he was thrown more on his own resources for training. Father Milo was too old to spar with the remaining acolytes and novices and most of the other instructors were either too old or disabled by injuries. The students had no one to actually demonstrate exercises to them.
Though unable to spar with the students, Father Milo and the other remaining instructors nevertheless had sharp eyes for mistakes and would relentlessly force the students to practice until the exercises until they were perfect.
Fewer instructors meant less individual attention and Bredin was often left to learn exercises from patterns sketched in manuals. Generally, Bredin could make sense of the drawings, but it was more difficult than having the exercise demonstrated by someone who had mastered it already.
The one good aspect of learning from the manuals was that Bredin was forced to think about each exercise and its purpose. As he began to grasp the reasons for the exercises, Bredin's progress was almost as rapid as it had been before Father Toma went south.
Bredin's life was not all schoolwork, practice and helping Zelar, however. The precepts of the Iron God emphasized wholeness. Time for relaxation and play was deemed important in a balanced life, so Bredin still had time for reading tales and games with Tag and Rhys.
One hot day just before Midsummer, the three boys were playing "Heralds and Bandits" across the river from the point where Mason Creek flowed in. Through the bushes, Tag spotted Kensie Poldara cantering his horse along the sand beside the river.
"Hey, come over here." Tag waved to the other two. As Rhys and Bredin joined him. "I wonder if the horse is going to throw His Lordship in the river again." The three stayed hidden in the bushes to watch.
To Bredin and the others' disappointment, Blood did not throw Kensie.
Kensie brought the stallion to a walk ten yards from the point where Mason Creek joined the Terilee. He asked the horse to walk forward. The horse looked nervously at the water and snorted. After a second step, the horse moved away sideways. Kensie held the horse and pushed it forward again. The horse took another step forward. Kensie patted the horse on the neck, saying "Good boy" as he did so. The horse took another step before shying away again.
Step by nervous step, Kensie urged the horse to the edge of the water, stroking it and encouraging it every time it moved forward. Every time Blood shied away, Kensie checked it and turned it back towards the water. Bredin and his friends watched from concealment as the young lord gradually got the stallion to the edge of the water.
After a few sunwidths, Bredin noticed something: Instead of getting angry when the horse tried to get away, Kensie would reassure it and calmly turn it back. Not once did Kensie whip the horse or speak angrily. Bredin had seen Kensie fly into rages when his palfrey was disobedient; with Blood, Kensie showed endless patience and kindness.
At last, at the very edge of the water, the horse stopped completely. Kensie could urge it no further. The stallion looked at the water. Even across the river, Bredin could see the horse shaking in terror.
Rhys picked up a rock. "Let's see what happens when the rock hits the water."
"No!" Bredin said, knocking the rock out of his friend's hand.
"When did you get to be a friend of Kensie Poldara?" Tag sneered at Bredin.
"I'm not. But that isn't fair to the horse." Bredin replied.
"That horse tried to run you down at midwinter." Rhys said.
"Kensie did it, not the horse." Bredin retorted. "Besides, if you spooked the horse and Kensie got hurt, we'd be in big trouble."
"How would he know who threw the rock?" Tag said.
"Somebody would figure it out. Remember, my brother and his friends saw us here just a half candlemark ago." Bredin said.
Bredin finally persuaded his friends not to try to frighten the horse. Instead, the three continued to watch Kensie working with the animal.
After a few moments at the water's edge. Kensie patted the horse and turned away. He rode over to a log at the edge of the sand. He dismounted and stripped the saddle off the horse, placing it over the log.
Next, Kensie stripped down to his singlet. Leading the horse by the bridle, Kensie walked back towards the water.
With his master beside him, Blood approached the water more readily. Kensie stopped at the water's edge. The horse looked nervously at the water. Kensie stroked its neck and cooed encouragement to it.
Kensie stepped forward, putting his feet in the water. He patted the horse's neck and pulled slightly on the reins. The horse stepped into the river. Kensie flung his arms around Blood's neck and kissed it.
Gradually, step by step, Kensie led the horse into the water until it was chest deep. He walked back to the shore, petting the horse the whole way.
Turning the horse back towards the water, Kensie led the horse in once more. The horse followed more willingly, going a little deeper this time before taking it out.
Kensie repeated the exercise twice more. The fourth time, he and the horse were both swimming in the water.
When they reached the shore the fourth time, Kensie vaulted onto the horse's back. He rode the horse towards the water. Blood balked briefly at the water's edge. Kensie nudged the horse's side gently and it walked forward.
Kensie repeated the exercise he had done when walking beside the horse. Four times, he took the stallion into the water, each time deeper. The fourth time, he slid off the stallion's back and swam beside it, sliding back on when Blood had his hooves on the bottom once more.
Returning to the shore, Kensie leaned forward and slipped the bridle off the horse. Throwing it aside, he turned Blood towards the water once more. With a kick of his heels, he sent the horse into a gallop. Without hesitation, Blood plunged into the water. Kensie rode the horse back and forth in the shallows for a moment, then turned out into the stream. When the water was three-quarters the way up the horse's barrel, Kensie dove into the water and swam for the opposite shore. The horse followed.
As Kensie's feet touched the gravel on the opposite shore, he stood up. Blood surged out of the water at his master's side. Kensie vaulted onto the stallion's back and the two raced up the shore, straight towards the spot where Bredin and his friends hid.
Tag and Rhys, un-nerved by the stallion running at them, jumped up and ran. Blood's war training came to the fore. Seeing people running before him, the stallion charged.
Bredin's own training had taught him not to run, but to face a mounted attacker and be prepared to evade once the other was committed. Bredin stood up.
Kensie saw Bredin. Though tempted to run Bredin down, Kensie sat in on Blood's back, bringing the horse to a halt. The horse reared, towering in front of Bredin, who stood unflinching as its fore hooves flailed the air. Kensie stayed on by gripping the stallion's mane and wrapping his legs tightly around its barrel.
The horse dropped to all fours. Kensie glared at Bredin; the horse pinned his ears and bared its teeth, ready to attack if its rider asked. "Were you spying on me?" Kensie demanded angrily.
"We were watching you, My Lord." Bredin said. "That horse really loves you, doesn't he?" Bredin added before Kensie could say more.
Taken aback by Bredin's observation, Kensie paused for a moment. "What do you mean by that, peasant?"
"When you brought him to the water, he was really afraid, but he eventually went in because you asked him to. He did it for you. He trusted you." Bredin said.
Kensie was torn between pride in his horse and his dislike of Bredin. The former won out. He leaned forward and stroked the stallion's neck. "Blood is the best horse in Valdemar." The stallion whickered with pleasure as Kensie petted him.
"I can't ride, My Lord, but I think he is a very pretty horse." Bredin said.
"I wouldn't expect a peasant like you to know anything about horses," Kensie said "but any fool can see how fine a horse Blood is." The disdain had returned to his voice. Remembering his first question, he asked "Now why were you spying on me?"
"We were playing 'Heralds and Bandits', My Lord, when we saw you coming." Bredin said. "We watched you while you were teaching your horse to go in the water."
Kensie narrowed his eyes. "Who is 'we'?" He demanded.
"Rhys and Tag and me. Honest, My Lord, we were just watching."
"I'll be you were." Kensie doubted the boys were spying on him for his father or some nobleman, but he was sure they were spying for their own mischief. "If I catch you spying on me again, I'll run you down like a poacher. Do you understand me?"
Bredin could see that that Kensie wasn't going to believe him, so he said "Yes, My Lord" and bowed.
Kensie dismissed Bredin from his thoughts and turned the horse back to the river. He could swim the stallion back, but he felt he had already tested Blood enough for the day. However, he had neither bridle nor saddle and would have to ride the horse a mile upstream to cross the bridge at Bransat. The latter would be a challenge, but he thought Blood could do it. Besides, Kensie thought he would impress those who saw him with his ability to ride his horse bareback and unbridled. That thought decided him.
Still, that would leave his clothes and tack unprotected. He looked back at Bredin. "I am going to go back by the bridge. You stay here and watch that no one steals my saddle and clothes before I get back." Without waiting for Bredin's response, Kensie set off.
Bredin sighed and sat down on a log. After Kensie had disappeared, Tag and Rhys joined him. The three talked until Kensie reappeared on the opposite bank a quarter candlemark later. When the young lord had resaddled his horse and ridden off, the three headed for home.
