AN: I don't own Tin Man. I'm just borrowing the characters for my own twisted ends. :D
Recommended Listening: "Another Brick in Hadrian's Wall" from the King Arthur soundtrack
Jeb watched as Az rewrapped her sash for the fifth time. Wearing her Vedu riding clothes may have seemed like the practical choice since they were focusing on horseback riding after orientation, but it went deeper than that. Those clothes were her armor and security blanket, a reminder of a time when she was happier and had less to fear. He certainly could not begrudge her that. Besides, in Vedu clothes she looked as far from the sorceress as she could possibly get. Every little bit helped.
He touched her shoulder. "I think you can stop now, Az. Are you all right?"
She tried to smile and failed miserably, touching her thick braid. "As long as they're not burning me in effigy, I'll be all right." The joke fell flat as Jeb grimaced.
"I prepared them as best as I could last night, but it will still take some time. Remember, I'm right here."
"You can't be there all the time, Jeb." Az frowned. This was an eerie repetition of her conversation with DG the night before. In fact, the more she thought about it, they had acquired a similar turn of phrase when it came to giving her pep talks.
"No," he agreed. "But I will be with you as often as I can. I promise."
Neither of them spoke about their meeting in the garden. It was something precious, a moment to be tucked away and carefully retrieved and relived in the privacy of one's heart. She'd needed him, and perhaps he was beginning to need her as well.
Az's eyes darted towards the door, hearing the chattering beyond it. "How many of them are there?"
"Total? Forty. I expect we'll lose about ten to fifteen of them when we really get into training." He shrugged. "Some will find that they're just not cut out for this kind of life. The hours, the orders, the stress…it's best for them to find out what they're getting into right at the beginning."
"I see. That's why their training is so intense."
Jeb nodded. "They'll have various types of combat training in the mornings, riding lessons in the afternoons, and practical lessons at night – strategy and tactics, medicinal herbs, mapping, tracking, and all of that. For those we'll have guest lecturers, like Glitch. You also have to keep in mind that this is all without the field training exercises that we'll add later on."
The look in the princess' violet eyes was thoughtful. He was about to ask her what she was thinking before he realized that it would seem like he was prying into things that he wasn't privy to just yet. Private thoughts were still private thoughts, even among friends.
"The palace seamstress would like to see us after orientation." Her quiet voice intruded on his thoughts.
"Oh? Why's that?"
"She's drawn up several sketches for the Riders' uniforms and would like us to make a decision."
Jeb glanced down at his simple shirt, tunic, breeches, and boots and grinned ruefully. "Uniforms would be good," he admitted. "They'll provide some semblance of unity until we can pound that idea into their heads."
Jem stuck his head through the door. "Jeb, everyone's here."
The commander looked down at Az. "Ready?" She nodded, taking a deep breath and following after him.
The room went dead silent the moment Azkadellia stepped through the door. Only years of royal etiquette kept her head up, but it was difficult to remain strong in the face of that unforgiving silence and the hostile stares. She tried valiantly not to quail. She had to show them that she did belong there and that she had something to offer. She wanted to show them that she was not to be feared or hated.
As she sat down beside Jem, the whispers began.
"-thought he was joking when he said-"
"-got to be kidding-"
"Witch."
Jeb stood at the front of the room and cleared his throat. All murmurs ceased. "Welcome, future Riders," he said mildly. "In case you've forgotten, I'm the Commander Jeb Cain of the Queen's Riders – in other words, the man who will be running you ragged for the next few weeks." Several chuckles came from the crowd at this. "I know you've had a rough introduction with Lieutenant Switzer and the Princess DG, but allow me to reiterate why you're here.
"We have been rebuilding the O.Z. to the best of our ability within the last year, but there are some things that have been left languishing. Banditry has increased dramatically within the last year and the Royal Army and the Tin Men have not been able to address this because of larger issues. Both organizations also lack the infrastructure and organization to truly deal with the bandits-"
"Most of whom are ex-Longcoats, isn't that right Commander?" interjected a tough-looking redhead with hard green eyes, staring straight at Azkadellia. Murmurs of agreement rose and the princess suppressed a flinch.
"Some of them are, Micah," Jeb said softly. "Some are simply opportunists. They strike fast and they strike hard. Then they disappear. But the Riders-" A glint appeared in his eyes. "Will respond faster and strike harder. And we will make those bandits disappear."
The room erupted into cheers. Jeb put up a hand. "But getting there will be tough. You will not have worked so hard in your entire lives – not even if you were a member of the Resistance. What you have to remember is that this is for the O.Z., for the paradise we lost and are now fighting to regain. This is what you have to look forward to."
As he began outlining the schedule for the next few weeks, Az couldn't help but notice that some of the trainees looked taken aback and downright resentful. Some looked fiercely eager, sitting forward in their chairs and hanging on to their commander's every word. It would be interesting to see who would stay and who would go.
"We're going to start right away, since I daresay you lot having been sitting on your butts for far too long waiting for me to come back." He cleared his throat. "We're starting with the most important part – your horses."
"Demon spawn is more like it, if they came because of her," someone muttered.
"Belay that!" Jeb snapped, making several trainees jump in their seats. "Those horses are not demon spawn. They will be your partners, companions, and friends. These horses are like nothing you've ever known – so if you think you know anything about horses, you'd better forget it. They will be your best weapon in the field besides your mind, so you better treat them right."
"Your horse's wellbeing comes before your own," Az added, speaking up for the first time. She stood up beside Jeb. "You cannot trust the care of your horse to anyone but yourself, so you must accept that responsibility. You must be uncompromising in your attention to it. Do that and you will have an equal partner and a loyal friend."
"Well said, Horsemistress," Jeb said. "The Princess said you must be uncompromising in your care, and we will be uncompromising in our appraisal of that care. We will not tolerate shoddy treatment. But I promise you, the effort will be worth it. So now, if you will follow us out to the field, we'll get you started."
Outside, Gordy was helping Rojer put out a barrel of apples. The hostler smiled at Az. "Good morning, Your Highness. Those Vedu horses are beauties."
"A good morning to you too, Rojer." She returned his greeting, grateful for a friendly face. "Have you been getting acquainted with them, then?"
"A bit," he admitted, his brown eyes glowing with excitement. "They're just like the stories say they are, and more." He flushed. "Well, the lads and I set up the jumps you asked for, so I best be getting back to the stables."
"You can stay if you like," she offered.
"Oh no, Highness." He glanced back at the big group of trainees. "This I'd best leave to you." With another shy smile and a bow, he ambled off.
If anyone noticed the ease of the relationship between Az and the chief hostler, they did not remark on it. Instead, their eyes were riveted on the adjacent field, where the Cloudrunners were peacefully grazing. They had already adapted to their new environment.
Jeb turned back to the trainees. "All right, we've prepared a little demonstration so that all of you can see just what these beauties are capable of." After a quick glance at Jem and Az, all three whistled for their horses at the same time.
Freeheart, Strongwind, and Sandstrider instantly broke from the herd and leapt over the fence, trotting over to their respective riders.
"You will notice," Az explained, accepting a saddle from Gordy. "That Vedu saddles are made differently from others. They don't use stirrups, bit, bridle, or reins." She talked as she belted the saddle. "This is why Commander Cain said you must forget everything you know about horse riding – beginning with how you perceive the horses.
"As you can see, even though Commander Cain, Lieutenant Switzer, and I called for our horses at the same time, they still managed to make their way to their rider. Vedu horses are smarter than any horse you've ever seen…and perhaps much smarter than we give them credit for," she said, patting Freeheart affectionately. The horse blew into her hair as if in agreement, provoking several startled laughs from the trainees.
"You will develop a bond with your horse," Jeb continued, grabbing an apple from the barrel and offering it to Strongwind. "If any of you have had a pet, multiply that by a thousand and you may get an inkling of what kind of bond it is. Luckily, you all have the chance to experience it."
"How do we ride these horses, then?" called a man with hazel eyes, white hair, and a forbidding countenance.
"Good question, Dunstan," Jeb said. He glanced at Az. "I believe I will give the Horsemistress the honors."
Az grinned. She placed a hand at the front and back of the saddle and vaulted, her body sliding into the saddle with the grace of an acrobat.
"We're supposed to learn how to mount like that?" A trainee whispered.
"Not just that," Az said. "Come on my heart, let's fly," she whispered, tightening her legs around his middle. Freeheart tossed his head and leapt forward.
A lot of planning had gone into this first demonstration. The Vedu created jump courses in order to harness the courage, range, accuracy, power, agility, and control of their horses. Any horse worth its salt was trained regularly on a variety of jumps and obstacles. Ahmet had drawn out a plan for her, one that the border guards used for their training. She'd sent the plans ahead to give to Rojer so that they could have a course set up by the time they got back.
The course consisted of about sixteen obstacles, most of them jumps that reached six feet in height. It was the rider's job to navigate the route, saving ground as much as possible with good turns and lines, as well as keeping track of their horse's stride to gauge the strength and distance needed for a jump. It was the horse's job to be balanced and rideable, and above all accurate in its jumps.
In other words, the horse and rider had to be remarkably in tune.
Az and Freeheart approached the first jump, a spread with two poles of an equal height of about five feet. They cleared it perfectly, making a wide right turn and then a tight right turn to clear a single vertical, then straight on into another spread. A slight left turn brought them to their first six-footer vertical, which they also cleared. They turned 180 degrees and jumped another six-foot vertical and continued diagonally to an ascending spread, with the last pole levered higher than the first. A sharp right brought them to another five-foot vertical, followed by another 180-degree turn to a six-foot vertical.
Jeb smiled, taking in the astonished gasps from the trainees as they forgot just who was riding and appreciated the display for what it was. Az was utterly in control and composed as she led Freeheart through the course as well as any of Ahmet's riders. They were truly a sight to behold, the dark stallion and his pale mistress, her purple sash catching the sun. They moved as one, with Az shifting her weight back and forth and side-to-side to keep herself balanced on Freeheart's back.
They galloped straight and then made a right over two jumps over ascending and descending spreads, then making for a spread with the poles crossed into an X. They turned 180 degrees again, this time to the left, and made for their first triple bar, with each bar set at a different height. Again, they cleared it perfectly before heading for a descending spread followed by another six-foot vertical. They turned around again and made for another X spread, leaving the last and most difficult obstacle: the open water ditch.
Open water was the most daunting task for both horse and rider. Water was often unnerving for horses, even those trained by the Vedu. There was a drop fence (only four feet as they approached, but it went down to six feet on the opposite side) into a shallow pool of water, and then a six-foot vertical at the other end.
"Ready, my heart?" Az whispered. She shifted her weight to the front of the saddle to signal the jump. As the stallion leaped forward, she began shifting her weight back so that there was less strain on his front legs, making the sudden six-foot drop less of a shock. Freeheart plowed through the water and made the six-foot vertical easily, finishing the course.
The trainees clapped, stunned. Az slipped off the sweating stallion, producing sugar cubes. She praised him in Vedu as she fed him the cubes, stroking his head.
Jeb turned to the trainees, grinning broadly. "Obviously, we won't ask you to do something like this just yet, but eventually you will. But first things first – you get to pick out your horses."
The trainees began whispering amongst themselves excitedly.
Az glanced up from Freeheart's neck. "There isn't enough time for me to select horses individually, so it is up to you to go amongst the herd to select your mount. However, I cannot stress enough the fact that you must approach the horses with respect. They will not tolerate dominance, and we certainly will not tolerate any thoughts of breaking them." Her violet gaze hardened, causing many to blanch. But then she smiled, open and friendly. "I suggest you make use of the apples. Bribery always works."
With that dismissal, the trainees moved towards the herd, grabbing a few apples.
"What should we do, Princess?" Jeb asked, coming up beside her. Jem was on his heels.
Az moved over to the fence, debating. The trainees, depending on their personalities, met the horses with confidence or timidity. "I think we should probably move among them to make sure they are approaching the horses correctly. Also, you and the lieutenant know many of these trainees better than I do. You'll know right away if they're making the wrong choice in a mount, even if you don't know the horses like I do."
"And you'll know a bad match if you see one because you know the horses better," Jeb decided.
Az nodded. "Yes. And you two also know how to deal with the horses, so if there are any problems you'll know what to do."
It was difficult for Az, moving amongst the trainees. Many of them shied away from her or snubbed her. The only comfort came from the horses themselves. They greeted her cheerfully by blowing in her hair and sniffing her pockets for treats. Freeheart had followed his mistress into the field as well, hovering over her like an anxious mother.
"Excuse me, Horsemistress?" Az turned around, facing a man with brown hair and eyes and a kind face. "Jeb – I mean, Commander Cain said you know all these horses' names. I think the two of us are a good match, and I would like to know your opinion as well."
"What are you asking her opinion for, Bo?" Micah said nastily. "She'll just give you a horse that will as soon as throw you than carry you."
Out of the corner of her eye, Az saw Jeb start forward, his face like a thundercloud.
Bo rolled his eyes. "Because she's the Horsemistress, Micah," he said laconically, with the patience of someone who knew how to deal with the woman. "No one knows these horses better than she does, and I respect her opinion."
"Respect for her is a one-way ticket to getting your soul sucked out," the redhead snarled, obviously irked that he wasn't taking the bait.
Surprisingly enough, it was Jem who managed to diffuse the situation before Jeb. "Come along, Micah," he murmured. "You have yet to pick a mount."
"Try Proudflame," Az murmured to the lieutenant as he walked past, nodding at a palomino stallion that grazed by himself. She had a feeling that a girl like Micah needed a mount as independent and fiery as she was. They would be formidable together.
"The hell if I'm going to ride a horse she recommends," the woman protested as Jem dragged her towards the stallion.
"I'll apologize for Micah," Jeb sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She's been through a lot."
"Haven't we all?" Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"She'll come around, don't you worry, Horsemistress," Bo said cheerfully. "Anyway, my horse is-"
The mare standing behind him nudged him out of the way and whickered in greeting. Az chuckled. "That is Starlight. She's a blue roan, and very straightforward." Bo was obviously a dreamer. He and Starlight would get along perfectly. "I believe you've made a very good choice…Bo, is it?"
"Yes it is, thank you Horsemistress."
"Why don't you lead her around the field a bit so you get better acquainted?" she advised. Bo nodded and walked off, with Starlight walking by his side.
Several brave trainees gathered the courage to seek out her approval soon after. Az met Sula, Bo's partner – a no-nonsense black-haired beauty who chose a quiet champagne mare named Desertflower. Sula's younger brother Windy picked Cloudchaser, a piebald mare. She even helped Dunstan pick a strawberry roan stallion named Thundercall. And when she got the time to look over at Micah, she saw that the woman was clearly smitten with Proudflame, and he with her.
"I think everyone's picked a horse," Jeb said. "Time to start mounting?"
She nodded. "Help anyone who needs it."
Mounting was always the hardest part for a new rider. Cloudrunners were smaller than their Windrunner counterparts, but they were still among the largest of horse breeds. Vaulting onto the back of one of them was a daunting challenge, indeed.
"You're going to have someone boost you into the saddle until you gain enough muscle to do it yourself," Az found herself telling a shivering trainee.
"How?" the waif of a girl whispered. She could not have been a day older than sixteen and looked positively terrified – though most of her terror seemed to be directed towards her horse rather than Azkadellia. Az had no idea why since the blanket bay mare, Summersong, was second only to Sandstrider in patience and sweetness.
The princess shrugged and bent her knees, cupping her hands in preparation.
The girl's eyes widened. "No! I-I couldn't possibly, Your Highness-"
"Out here, I'm just the Horsemistress," she corrected. When the girl continued to shake her head, she sighed and straightened. "Trainee, what is your name?"
"Anka, Your-Horsemistress."
"Well then, Anka, why are you here?"
Whatever question she'd been expecting, it wasn't that. "Got too many brothers and sisters, Horsemistress. Ma and Da couldn't take care of us all, so they said we had to find our own way." Her chin firmed and lifted. "They said I couldn't do this, though. But I swore that I would, and that I'd show 'em."
"You have something to prove," Az murmured, nodding decisively.
Anka was startled. "Yes! How did you know?"
"That's something we both have in common, Anka. I have faith in you. Now…" She got into position again, raising an eyebrow. Anka swallowed but complied – and found herself flying into the saddle with a decidedly ungraceful squawk.
Az nodded with satisfaction. "Good luck, Anka." She strode off without another word. Many other trainees found themselves thrown into the saddle by the princess with sheer shock and fear for the situation drowning out any dislike they held for her.
By the time all the trainees were mounted, Az went over a detailed speech on the basic gaits and how to instruct their horses to move. She stressed the importance of pressure so that there would be no repeats of Lieutenant Switzer's unfortunate tumble off Sandstrider's back. By the time she was finished, more than one trainee looked as though their brain had been overstuffed and fit to explode.
"All right, let's trot!"
Half of the horses jolted forward a half step before tossing their heads in disgust at their riders. Jeb snorted back a laugh. Az bit back a smile. Jem felt no compunction towards human sensitivity and guffawed loudly. Apparently, those trainees had taken Az's advice a little too much to heart and had barely squeezed their horses' sides. The other trainees were already trotting around. Az was pleased to see that Anka was one of them. The girl looked pale but satisfied.
"Should we be checking anything, Horsemistress?" Jem asked politely, his eyes still twinkling with amusement.
"Yes, we should be checking if they're sitting properly in the saddle," Az said. She paused thoughtfully. "Although it has been my experience that the more spirited horses will do the correcting themselves-"
Right on cue, Micah let out a shriek as Proudflame kicked up his hindquarters in an attempt to seat her in a more forward position in her saddle. Jem quickly made his way to her side.
Az tracked the burly lieutenant's progress, a slight smile on her lips. "He's sweet on her, isn't he?"
Jeb followed her gaze. "Micah?" He grinned. "Yeah. I think it was love at first sight for him. They'd make a good couple too, if Micah would just get her head out of her ass." He winced at his language. "I apologize-"
She waved it off. "It's all right." It was more than all right. His slip showed that he was becoming more comfortable around her. She couldn't ask for more.
He coughed and continued. "Jem's just a softie at heart. He can't stand seeing anyone hurt, and Micah has quite a bit of baggage."
"Who doesn't?" Az murmured sadly.
Jeb glanced over at her and softened. Perhaps he had a thing for the wounded, too. "Come on," he said, eager to get her mind on other things. "Let's whip these trainees into shape!"
Please let me know what you think!
And so the Riders make their first appearance! There's definitely a lot of influence from Tamora Pierce (for all you Daine fans), but I definitely looked more towards Robin McKinley when it came to this training bit. I hope you all enjoyed it! There's more training fun to come, though. Thanks again to MatsuMama for being an amazing beta!