The Angry Boy Chapter 29

You Can't Go Home Again – Thomas Wolfe

The Midwinter Season brought a break in classes. Four days before Midwinter, Bredin and Lars left the Collegium just after breakfast, going out of Haven by the Cattle Gate before the late winter sun was above the horizon. Lars would travel with Bredin to Bransat and spend the night at Bredin's home before going on to his own family at their farm near Grandhill, a village just north of Poldara. The morning was bitterly cold and the boys wore several layers of clothing to keep warm.

The early morning and the winter season meant there were few travellers on the road. To warm themselves, Lacaral andCealine moved into a steady canter as soon as they were through the gate. To protect themselves from the cold wind of their passage, Bredin and Lars pulled their scarves over their faces.

However imperfect his seat, the steady work of riding warmed Bredin. Lacaral's even canter and sure-footed going allowed Bredin to simply enjoy the ride with his Companion. Other than a walk, it was the easiest gait for Bredin to ride. He and Lars were able to watch the countryside as their Companions loped along. The wind and cold made it hard to speak, but the two boys would point to interesting sights as they went along.

They reached The Blue and The White just at noon. As before, the stableboy hurried out to greet them. Now, however, Bredin and Lars both insisted on caring for their Companions themselves and followed him to the stable reserved for Companions rather than allowing the stableboy to take them.

Bredin thought he detected some disappointment on the stableboy's face. He smiled at the boy, who was perhaps two years younger than Bredin, and thanked him when he brought grain.

The boy grinned. "I'd do anything for a Companion." He said. "They are really nice people."

::Tell him we think he is a nice person, too.:: Lacaral said.

Bredin laughed. "Lacaral and Cealine think you are pretty nice as well. I am Bredin and that is Lars, by the way." He held out his hand.

The boy shook Bredin's hand "I am Tom Murray. And you tell your Laracle and Celine" – the boy stumbled over the names – "that I'll get them anything they want."

Lars, who had been untacking Cealine, put her saddle down and shook Tom's hand. "They will let you know, Tom." Lars said. "I'm glad that Cealine is in the hands of someone who really cares about her."

"Who wouldn't?" Tom said. "I wish…" He blushed beet red. "Nah. That's being silly."

Bredin and Lars exchanged knowing glances. Soberly, Bredin said "I hope you get your wish, Tom. It's not for us to say, but I hope you get your wish."

Tom blushed even redder. He turned quickly and fetched two blankets, handing them to the trainees.

"These are warmed!" Bredin said. "Thank you very much, Tom." As the trainees put the warmed blankets over their backs, Lacaral and Cealine rumbled happily. Bredin added to Tom "As you can hear, our Companions thank you too."

"We have a box on the outside of the kitchen where the oven is against the wall. We keep blankets for Companions there in the winter so they are warm. My brother says it makes the kitchen smell like horse, but I've never noticed that." Tom's rolled his eyes; he thought his brother was making things up.

Finished untacking, Bredin and Lars thanked Tom again and went into the inn.

Sonja Murray took the two of them to the table reserved for Heralds and Trainees. As she had on the day of Bredin's Choosing, the serving maid brought the boys a hearty soup and warm bread along with hot tea.

When Jaim Murray brought the Heralds' register, Lars and Bredin wrote their names. "Just a few pages left, Master Murray." Bredin said as he handed it back to the innkeeper.

"Aye, lad." Jaim Murray agreed. "Been a lot of Heralds through this fall on account of all the bandits about. At this rate, we'll be starting a new one by next Midsummer."

As if to emphasize his point, two more Companions entered the yard at that moment. Bredin and Lars could tell from the white uniforms that the riders were full Heralds; neither could mindspeak their Companions well enough to find out who the new arrivals were before they entered the inn.

After seeing to their Companions, the Heralds entered the inn, Bredin grinned broadly when he recognized Herald Ylsa. He did not know the other Herald, a tall man with jet black hair and a long thin face that ended with a prominent jaw; he appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

The two boys rose to greet the Heralds. After a quick greeting to Ylsa, Bredin introduced Lars and gave his own name to the newcomer who introduced himself as Simon.

Ylsa was returning from a mission as Herald Courier. She and Simon had met at Poldara and were going back to Haven together.

Simon had just finished his circuit. "I was in Sorrows West." He said. "And I am very glad I am not going to be there this winter. It is going to be a cold one."

Ylsa laughed. "Simon, you have been foretelling the weather since we were both in gray. When are you going to give it up?"

"When have I ever been wrong?" Simon retorted. "I'm the Unheard Prophet who no one ever believes."

"Well, I'm not going to lock you in your room, Simon." Ylsa smiled.

The two boys smiled as well. 'The Unheard Prophet' was a favorite Sovran tale.

The story went that a young man had seduced one of the fae, who had given him the gift of seeing the future as a reward for his favors. When the young man betrayed his fae lover, she could not take back the gift, but cursed him that no one would ever believe him.

The young man returned to his home village and soon began foretelling events to his family and neighbors. Since no one ever believed him, he was deemed to be mad.

His brother, who was left to care for the young man after their parents died, locked the 'Unheard Prophet' in a room, despite the 'Prophet's' warning that the brother would forget him and leave him to starve. The brother, of course, did not believe him.

A few moons later, the brother was called away on urgent business. True to the prophecy, he forgot to arrange for someone to care for the Prophet while he was away. The brother was gone for a moon and returned to find that the 'Prophet' had starved to death.

Sovran tellings of the tale usually ended with the tale-spinner pointing to someone in the audience and making a ridiculous dire 'prophecy' about them.

Herald Simon rolled his eyes upwards and mouthed a prayer for patience. "Very well. I will tell you now that today's cold weather will turn mild for the next fortnight. After that it is going to get very cold again. It will get so cold in Haven that the Terilee will freeze solid."

"Pish!" Ylsa said. "Now I know you are mad. The Terilee hasn't frozen solid in fifty years. At least not in Haven."

"Alright." Simon retorted. "A wager. I will bet you a bottle of your favorite Falerian Red Wine against a flask of Karsite Brandy that the Terilee freezes solid in Haven for at least a sennight this winter."

"Done!" Ylsa said, offering her hand. As Simon shook it, she looked at Lars and Bredin. "You two can be witnesses."

Bredin and Lars grinned and nodded.

Bredin and Lars finished their meal first and went to the Companions' stable. Tom had already put the saddles on, all that was left was for Bredin and Lars to make the final adjustments and put the bridles on.

The two trainees mounted and resumed their journey. In the late afternoon, they passed Count Wyeth and Kensie, who were returning to Poldara to be with Lady Lara and the rest of the family over midwinter. The two trainees exchanged courteous nods with the Count and his son as they hurried along, though a close observer would have noted that the exchange between Bredin and Kensie was stiff and strained.

Bredin and Lars arrived at Bransat just as the sun was setting. Bredin had written to let his parents know he was coming and Lars would be with him. Word had gotten about the village and a mob waited at the bridge to escort Bredin and Lars to his parent's home.

To Bredin's surprise, his father and mother stood not at the door of the home Bredin had left a few moons before, but at Widow Pedden's former home. Widow Pedden had married Reeve Dane a fortnight before and moved into the Reeve's house.

Enro had bought the house from Ilis and moved the family in a sennight ago. The increasing demand for his saddles had forced him to take on more apprentices and another journeyman. The apprentices and the two journeymen now lived in the old house.

Enro was also expanding the shop. He had moved the building of the trees for the saddles into Zack Pedden's old workshop and the valuable hides into the Pedden's old chicken coop, which he could lock securely at night. As Enro did not need to store as much wood as Zack needed for carpentry, the lumber shed had been converted into a stable where horses could be kept while being measured or waiting for their masters to deal with Enro. The walls of the stable were very stout to contain the fractious warhorses favored by Enro's noble customers.

Once Bredin was done with greeting his parents and friends as well as introducing Lars, the two of them set about untacking and stabling their Companions. Both boys were appalled by the condition of the stalls – which were 'clean' by ordinary stable standards but nowhere as fastidiously kept as the stalls in Companions' stable – and set about cleaning and scrubbing. After a candlemark during which Enro bristled and carped over the boys' insistence that the stalls be immaculate, the boys and the Companions agreed that everything possible had been done to meet their standards.

When Bredin and Lars rigged latches so that Lacaral and Cealine could come and go as they pleased, Enro boggled. "You can't do that! You have a stallion and a mare able to run loose! He'll be after her in no time!"

"They aren't horses, dad. They have better manners than that." Bredin said.

::Besides, it's far too cold for that right now.:: Lacaral added.

Bredin laughed. "Lacaral says it's too cold to do that right now anyways."

Tag and Rhys, who had been helping the two trainees as an excuse to get close to the Companions, guffawed while Enro gaped at his son in bewilderment.

::If your father would let Cealine and me use the parlor, we might be able to enjoy ourselves.:: Lacaral added wickedly.

Bredin, seeing the signs that his father was getting exasperated, decided not to pass along Lacaral's comment. From the way that Lars smothered a snicker, Cealine had obviously made a similar comment to her Chosen.

With the Companions cared for, the two trainees went into the house. The larger house had separate bedrooms for Bredin's brothers. For Bredin's visit, Raidal had been doubled up into Asen's room and a second bed set up for Lars.

Lars and Bredin washed up and joined the family for dinner. By the standards of Bredin's childhood, the meal was a feast: Allowing for four boys, Zelar had roasted two chickens and laid on plenty of vegetables, fresh bread, pickles, and light ale for drink. After the main meal, Zelar had a berry pie with clotted cream for a sweet.

After moons of schooling in "Courtly Graces", Lars and Bredin ate decorously and much more slowly than Bredin's brothers, who shovelled food in their mouths as fast as they could. Lars in particular was on his best behaviour and Bredin tried to be as careful, though he noted Asen and Raidal rolling their eyes at the care the two trainees took. Raidal and Asen fidgeted impatiently as they waited for Bredin and Lars to finish their main course so that the berry pie could be brought out.

Once the berry pie was served, Asen bolted his down and begged to be excused. When Zelar granted permission, Asen fled the table and the house.

As he closed the door behind him, Enro grinned. "He's off a-courtin' Twyla Cork." He looked at Bredin. "You'll probably be back for a handfasting come spring fair."

"She's very pretty." Bredin said, deciding on the most decorous comment he could make. He had noticed his brother's interest in Twyla last summer and was sure the miller's daughter was interested in his brother.

Enro guffawed. "Aye, she's pretty and hotter than Tam Warfield's forge. I'll bet he's had…"

"Enro!" Zelar interrupted sharply, using her tone that meant the talk was becoming improper.

Enro broke off, but his broad grin betrayed his thoughts. Bredin and Raidal grinned as broadly as their father. Only Lars tried to maintain a façade of decorous ignorance, though his tight-faced expression showed that he knew full well what Enro had been about to say.

Once the meal was finished, Bredin and Lars gathered the plates before Zelar could even begin. Enro's eyes bulged as he watched his son and his friend clean up; Zelar merely smiled contentedly and sipped her tea. Raidal's expression was one of mingled incredulity and contempt.

Bredin saw his brother's expression and grinned. "We all take turns at chores in the Collegium. You gotta know how to take care of things when you are in a waystation twenty miles from nowhere. There's no mom to cook and clean for you."

Raidal rolled his eyes.

Once everything was cleaned, the family sat around the table. Raidal had innumerable questions about Bredin's life as a trainee. Bredin and Lars took turns answering as patiently as possible. Enro and Zelar both listened closely and added questions of their own. To the Kase family, their son's answers sounded like gypsy tales of faraway lands; Bredin was not entirely sure his family believed him.

Halfway through the evening, Bredin felt a summons from Lacaral. His mindspeech with his Companion was not yet strong enough to catch what Lacaral was saying, but Bredin clearly sense that his presence was required. From Lars' expression, Cealine was summoning her Chosen as well.

There was no urgency in the summons, so the two boys excused themselves politely before going out into the yard.

There was a light in Lacaral's stall. Seeing it, Bredin hurried over.

Asen and his girlfriend were in the stall. While Asen held the lantern, Twyla was stroking Lacaral's neck and cooing at him. Lacaral was standing motionless, but from his pinned ears and flaring nostrils, it was plain he was very irritated.

"If you wanted to meet Lacaral, you could have asked me." Bredin said, allowing a trace of his own irritation to show.

"Ah, get off." Asen dismissed his brother. "Twyla just wanted to see your horse."

"He - is - not - a - horse." Bredin felt his anger rising.

"Oh, really? Could have fooled me!" Asen said.

"Fooling you is not hard." Bredin said testily.

::Chosen, watch your temper!:: Lacaral warned. ::Your brother is being rude, but you don't have to turn it into a fight.:: At the same time, Lars put a hand on Bredin's arm.

Asen turned angrily towards Bredin and raised his fist. Twyla stepped back to get out from between the two brothers.

Before either could do or say anything more, Enro's voice boomed from the door. "What in the seven hells are you doing here?" His gaze was directed at Asen. "You know better than to handle another man's horse without permission."

"Twyla just wanted to see the Companion." Asen said. "We weren't doing it any harm."

Bredin had recovered himself by now. "I would have been glad to introduce her to Lacaral when he didn't mind. Going into his stall without permission was rude."

"I am sorry I didn't ask your permission." Asen said; his tone made it clear he wasn't sorry in the least.

"Not my permission. Lacaral's permission. Would you want people coming into your bedroom unannounced?" Bredin strove to keep a civil tone.

Asen stared at Bredin incredulously. "Are you crazy? Ask permission of a horse, however fancy the beast is?"

Bredin blinked. Somehow, he had expected that his own kin would know better. Still working to stay civil, he said "As I said, he is not a horse. If you don't believe me, go ask Magistrate Rains what the law says about Companions."

Bredin had a small inspiration. "If you will stand very still, Lacaral will show you.

"Lacaral, would you please take off Asen's hat and give it to Twyla?"

Asen stood motionless as Lacaral deliberately reached out and took Asen's hat in his teeth. Turning his head, the Companion took a step towards the girl and held it out to her.

Wide-eyed, Twyla accepted the hat. "Tha –thank you." She said, too astounded to say anything else.

Bredin grinned broadly. "Satisfied?" He asked.

"How did you train him to do that?" Asen said.

::Chosen!:: Lacaral's mindvoice was sharp with a touch of alarm.

Bredin bit back his angry retort. He remembered the lessons from Father Toma years before on how to defuse anger. As politely as he could, he said. "It is no trick. Lacaral understands every word you say. He is smarter than you or me."

"Smarter than you doesn't mean much." Asen sneered.

Bredin had expected Asen to say that and was ready. "By the number of times I've fallen off, I'd have to agree. Someday, I hope I will learn to ride."

Bredin's joke broke the tension. Asen guffawed and Enro snorted. Even Twyla managed to smile.

::Well done, Chosen.::

"Let's leave Lacaral to get some rest." Bredin said. "He brought me all the way from Haven today and is pretty tired."

::Humph.:: Lacaral said. ::That was hardly a workout. We could have made Poldara in the same time if you had been up to it.::

::If they are going to think of you as a horse, you might as well let them think you have been worked hard.:: Bredin replied. ::Maybe you will get some pampering out of it.::

Unaware of Bredin and Lacaral's mindspoken conversation, Enro said. "That is a long way to go in a day. Do you think you and Lars' Companions would like a hot mash and a rubdown? I keep mash and liniment on hand for my customers' horses."

Both Companions whickered.

"I am sure they would, dad." Bredin said. Lacaral winked at him.

Enro fetched the liniment. While Bredin and Lars gave Lacaral and Cealine a rubdown, Enro prepared a hot mash; it was ready by the time the trainees put the Companions' stable blankets back on. The Companions plunged their noses into their buckets. Enro, Lars and Bredin returned to the house and Asen escorted Twyla home.

They talked around the table for another candlemark. Bredin and Lars both began yawning about the time Asen returned. Zelar noted the yawns. She stood and announced she had to rise early the next morning to do some Midwinter baking; Bredin and Lars were glad of the excuse to go to bed themselves.