Teach to Learn
No one ever teaches well who wants to teach, or governs well who wants to govern. ~Plato
~o*o~
Eric fell into the gutter.
He didn't mean to, his sister Ellyn had thrown a snowball at him and he tried to duck…right into icy cold water.
"Hello boy!" a big voice sounded from over his head and a big hand lugged him out of the water.
Eric stood shivering on the road looking at a centaur with curly black hair. Behind him stood a chestnut centaur with his arms crossed.
"I'm Flavis," the black centaur said, "what's your name?"
"Eric?" Eric said.
"Don't ask me," Flavis said, "I don't know."
"Oh," Eric said, "I'm pleased to meet you."
"Do you know how to use a sword boy?" the chestnut centaur asked.
"His name is Eric, Martin," Flavis corrected him, "not 'boy' and why on earth would you ask him that?"
"Do you know how to use a sword?" Martin asked again, ignoring Flavis. Flavis kept smiling as if he was used to being ignored.
"No sir," Eric said, wide eyed.
"Perfect," Martin said, "come to Cair Anvard at three o' clock tomorrow…sharp. Say that Martin sent you and they'll let you in."
"What on earth, Martin?" Flavis asked, "What do you want him for?"
"Something to practice on," Martin said, "let's keep going."
"But," Flavis said, cantering after him, "practice what?"
"Sword."
"Isn't he a little young?" Flavis asked.
"They'll start him off with wooden swords first," Martin said.
"Who?" Flavis asked.
Martin answered him, but they were so far away that Eric couldn't hear them.
"Eric!" Ellen said staring at him, "did you hear what they said? Cair Anvard!"
"I know," Eric said, "why?"
"Something to do with swords," Ellen said, "Maybe you'll learn how to use a sword!"
"I wish father was still alive," Eric said, "you'll come with me?"
"I wasn't invited," Ellyn said.
"You've got to come," Eric said, "or else I'm not going."
~o*o~
"Oh," the centaur guard looked down at Eric, it was Ahearn, he was a black centaur, black hair, black skin.
"You're it? Martin told me to watch for you…I'll open the gate."
Eric looked over his shoulder at Ellyn and she smiled encouragingly, though it looked as if she didn't mean it.
Slowly the portcullis raised and Eric looked up at the mean edge of it as he passed under. He felt as if he were walking into the mouth of a great lion.
They reached the courtyard; it was filled with people going every which way and seemingly doing nothing.
"They'll be in the small courtyard," Ahearn said and led them dodging through the crowd to an open door. Through it was another courtyard, empty, except for two boys and centaur that Eric recognized as Martin.
"You're on your own now," Ahearn said, then grinned and cantered away.
The two boys were sitting on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. They were wearing plain leather jerkins and looked quite like any boy from Anvard. The youngest one, Eric decided was probably his age. At their feet was a young fox that was in the act of telling a joke. Both boys burst out laughing and Martin looked on in stony silence.
"There's that centaur," Ellyn pointed out helpfully.
"Yes," Eric said, he squared his shoulders and marched over to Martin.
"There you are," Martin said looking at him, "you are late."
"Sorry," Eric said.
"You are," Martin turned to the boys, "Going to teach this boy how to use a sword."
"Why?" the bigger boy asked.
Eric winced, the centaur didn't look like the sort of person you say 'why' to.
"You never know anything really well until you can teach someone else what you know." Martin said with great stoicism.
Martin tossed the bigger boy a wooden practice sword and then gave another to Eric.
"Begin," Martin ordered.
The boy looked uncertainly at Martin, then at Eric.
"Well," he said, then dove headfirst into the basics of sword fighting.