Cedric woke earlier than Dodson the next morning, seething with rage. He bathed, dressed, and skulked over to Dodson's door. Without knocking, he walked in. Dodson jumped up, reaching over to grab his sword in one swift movement. When he saw who had startled him he cursed.
"Mithros, Ced! I can't even sleep past the bell in Midwinter?" he gasped for breath, recovering from his shock, and slid his sword back into the sheath beside his bed.
"I'm mad," Cedric said shortly, containing his rare temper.
"Why's that?" yawned Dodson. "Because of Foster? Come off it, Ced. You'll have other chances. At least Wyldon doesn't want to kill you."
"I don't care about other chances," Cedric continued in a clipped voice. "Did you see the way Foster held her arm? And called her Sammie?" Dodson opened his mouth to speak, but Cedric cut him off. "I want to train. Right now."
Shrugging resignedly, Dodson stumbled into his dressing room and donned practice clothes. The sun had just risen when they went to the training yard.
The arenas were empty, save one. Neither boys looked to see who was occupying the one arena as they gathered their gear. Face set grimly, Cedric tacked-up Rafe. When they entered the stable, the group of about six people in the arena had stood. Dodson realized that they had been meditating. He peered at the group and realized that it was all girls.
"Girls? Out here? In this cold? At this early hour?" he muttered in disbelief to Cedric. The stout boy shrugged and inspected the girls. Suddenly his face lit.
"Dod! Samantha and Kelly are there!" Cedric exclaimed.
Dodson smiled crookedly. Smugly Cedric mounted up and walked Rafe to the tilting yard, neighboring where the girls were. The squires decided to put on a show and pretend they hadn't noticed the ladies.
As Cedric adjusted his stirrup, Dodson lounged against Rafe's saddle and held Cedric's lance. They talked for a bit, noticing that the ladies were looking their way and giggling. When the giggling stopped, Cedric and Dodson looked up. The girls were stiff with horror. One of Kelly and Samantha's companions let out a loud, piercing scream. Shocked, Dodson whipped his head around to see a large spidren coming at the girls. Without a word he handed Cedric his lance. His friend's face was resolute. Cedric quickly put on his helm, quietly took the lance, and kicked Rafe into a gallop. The gelding spotted the spidren and snorted. One of the girls gasped. The spidren caught sight of Cedric and shrieked, rearing up onto its back legs to clear its spinneret. Smoothly Cedric shifted his weight and leaned slightly forward, bracing himself for the impact. Just as he was about to hit, Cedric thrust his lance forward. He made contact. The spidren uttered a final cry and keeled over, decapitated. Cedric slowed Rafe to a trot and turned his head away, not wanting to see the dead spidren. He led Rafe back to Dodson.
All of the girls ran over to them. Several were crying openly. Kelly, face twisted with grief, threw her arms around Dodson's neck.
"I was so scared," she sobbed into his shirt.
Cedric dismounted and tossed his helm and lance to the side. He tried not to look at Dodson and Kelly. Samantha walked slowly up to him. Her skin was as pale as the snow around them.
"You're a hero," she whispered. He hugged her fiercely. The other girls crowded around the two couples.
"Very interesting, Cedric," called a voice from the fence.
They all looked up. Lord Wyldon was staring at all of them.
"Father!" Kelly cried. "Did you see what Cedric did?"
"I saw," he replied gravely. "Cedric, Dodson, please come with me."
The squires disentangled themselves from the two girls, who huddled together, some whimpering quietly.
"We'll see you in a bit," Dodson told them.
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Wyldon, Jon, Alanna, Raoul, Cedric, and Dodson all sat around the table. The conversation seemed to be endless. The final conclusion was that everyone was shocked a spidren would come so near to the palace. Finally they were dismissed. Everyone got up to leave.
"A minute, Dodson?" Wyldon requested, though it really wasn't a question. Dodson cast Cedric a wary look before the blond boy was ushered out by Raoul. Alanna and Jon left, and closed the door behind them.
Wyldon sat down again, and motioned Dodson to sit across from him. Hesitantly Dodson sat, fighting to keep the doomed look from his face.
"Calm down, Dodson," Wyldon chided. "I won't kill you."
Dodson smiled feebly. He wondered to himself why he was so scared, when normally he would have laughed--with hidden respect--in Wyldon's face.
"I notice you have taken an interest in my Kelly," Wyldon stated slowly.
Dodson bowed his head.
"What? Are you ashamed of it?" the training master snapped.
Dodson's head shot up. "No sir! of course not! Never! I--"
"Silence, Akins," Wyldon ordered. "It's a father's duty to worry over his daughter. I suppose…since she seems to return your ardor…I can not object. However. I will warn you; Don't hurt her, Dodson." He level gaze bore into Dodson's vision.
"Never, my Lord," the younger man replied evenly. "Never."
(A/n: sorry if these chapter endings suck. But I update fairly fast, so it doesn't matter I guess. Just for clarification: Kelly and Samantha are both 14. Dodson and Cedric are both 15. I think I might mention their birthdays in the next chapter. Now…review!)
