Amidst the bustle of the war preparations, Bredin entered the Temple of the Iron God as an amicus on the last day of Corn Moon, three days after his eighth birthday.
In the morning, he would study with the children of his own age as he had until now, although he would be required to meet a higher standard in his studies. He would be pushed beyond simple sums and calculations into geometry and problem solving. Where others of his age would be writing sentences and paragraphs, Bredin would be required to produce whole pages of written work. His friends would learn a few words of other languages; Bredin would be expected to become fluent.
Bredin spent four candlemarks each afternoon practicing and studying with the monks. Most of the time was in basic drills in unarmed combat and with practice weapons, practicing set patterns of moves until he performed them smoothly. For the monks, the primary drills were ritualized so that the responses were automatic. As a student moved through the stages, the drills became more and more complex. Only when the masters were satisfied a student had fully learned the exercises and patterns at one level was the student permitted to move up to the next.
Based on his thesis, Father Toma tested Bredin's aptitudes. Toma's tests indicated that while a sword or sabre would be Bredin's best weapon in battle, Bredin would do exceptionally well in unarmed combat or a knife fight.
As was standard for all new students, Bredin was set to work on the pells and taught the basic moves for sword work. However, the main focus of Bredin's education in fighting was unarmed combat. Father Toma decided that knife fighting would wait until Bredin learned to control his temper, though some of the moves of unarmed combat could also help when Bredin's hand held a knife.
The predictions of Toma's tests proved frighteningly accurate. Bredin learned the moves and counters of unarmed combat rapidly. Bredin advanced quickly through the levels, mastering each new move with casual ease. Part of it was simple natural ability. Another part, Father Toma was sure, was Bredin beginning his training at the age where children learn quickest. Bredin had nothing to unlearn.
Father Toma wondered if Bredin's coordination was the result of his learning to work designs in leather in Enro's shop or if Bredin's own natural skill had made the leatherwork easier.
No matter what the cause, Father Toma worried that Bredin's fast developing fighting skill might land the boy in yet more trouble. Before Sovran, Father Toma added training in meditation and self-awareness to the boy's study program.
The lessons in focus only accelerated Bredin's progress. Two days before Midwinter, Bredin tumbled Brother Saini, a third-year acolyte six years older than Bredin. Brother Saini was not the best of his year, but he was a head taller than Bredin and twice his weight. The result had surprised everyone except Brother Luca Ives, the unarmed combat instructor, and Father Toma.
The incident served to heighten Father Toma's fears that Bredin's temper would resurface and the boy would use his new skills inappropriately. It was only good fortune, the priest was sure, that Bredin had fewer tormentors since he entered the Temple. Kensie now spent most of his time in Poldara with his father. Bredin's brothers were called to work long hours at Enro's shop to help fill the demand for Enro's saddles. Bredin saw little of either Kensie or his brothers, who had little opportunity to tease him.
Father Toma was sure the fortunate circumstance could not last. On the day before midwinter, Father Toma called Bredin into his office once more.
Bredin entered and sat facing the priest across the desk.
"Bredin, what are you going to do when Kensie or Asen makes you angry?" Father Toma asked.
Bredin blinked, nonplussed by the question. "Um. You told me not to get mad at them." Bredin said at last.
"That is true, Bredin. I am glad you remember that. But that is not what I asked. What are you going to do when you do get angry?" Father Toma rephrased his question.
Bredin worked the question over for a few moments. "I will really try not to get mad." He said. Bredin was not attempting to be evasive; he knew what Father Toma was asking and knew that the priest did not want him to lash out. Bredin simply could not imagine planning what to do when he was angry.
Father Toma nodded. "That is good to hear, Bredin. We all try not to get angry. But all of us get mad sometimes. What do you think you will do when you get angry with Kensie or your brothers?"
"Um. I might try to fight them?" Bredin said tentatively.
"What do you think will happen then?" Father Toma asked.
Bredin looked worried. "Um. I'll get beaten?"
Seeing that Bredin was unaware of how extraordinarily skilled he was, Father Toma fought the urge to smile. Instead, he looked at the boy gravely. "Bredin, yesterday you were training against Brother Saini. What happened?"
Bredin smiled, proud of his skill. "I threw him and pinned him." Bredin abruptly made the connection. "You mean I could beat Kensie or Asen?" Bredin grinned and a speculative gleam appeared in his eye.
"How much trouble would you be in if you did that?" The priest tried to bring the boy back down to earth.
Bredin was still lost in the thought of inflicting punishment on his tormentors. "Dad would probably swat me hard." Bredin smiled, thinking the victory would be worth the beating.
"Bredin!" Father Toma said sharply. The boy's attention snapped back to the priest. "You might get beaten. What else do you think would happen?"
Bredin tried to think of other consequences. "I might get sent to gaol?" He guessed.
Father Toma snorted. "Unlikely. What do you think your father would do after he beat you?"
"He might send me away?" Bredin guessed again.
"Your father can't legally do that until you are fourteen. But he could apprentice you as a stableboy at an inn, or find something else even worse. He probably would take you out of your training here."
Bredin looked truly alarmed at the last. He had begun to enjoy his studies and training. "You mean I would have to leave?" He asked softly.
"If you hurt Lord Kensie, Count Wyeth would probably demand that you lose your place here. More than that, what do you think Count Wyeth might do to your father if he wanted to hurt you?"
"He might put dad in gaol?" Bredin worried.
"No. Bredin, a Lord can't put a commoner in gaol just because they are angry with them, not in Valdemar." Father Toma said. He decided to try another tack. "Bredin, has your father been busy for the last few moons?"
"Yes." Bredin said. Since the investiture, a steady stream of high-born and wealthy clients had come to Enro's shop to order fine saddles. Bredin had never seen his father so busy. Nor had Enro ever been happier. Though he had not relented on allowing Bredin to return to the shop, Enro now took time to speak with his middle son and to question him about his studies at the Temple.
"Why has he been busy?" Father Toma asked.
"Because all the nobles want him to make saddles for them." Bredin now realized what the priest was driving at. He looked at Father Toma with alarm. "You mean that the Count would get the nobles to stop buying from dad?" Bredin had no trouble imagining how angry Enro would be if that happened.
"Yes, Bredin. Count Wyeth is a very powerful man. He has many friends among the nobility. If Count Wyeth told his friends that he was angry with your father, they would stop buying your father's saddles." This, Father Toma knew, was the absolute truth. The desire to please and defer to Count Wyeth would certainly influence the buying decisions of the Count's peers.
Desperately, Bredin said. "I promise I will never get mad." He pleaded with Father Toma as though the priest could make it so.
Father Toma sighed. "Bredin, we all get angry. What you need to learn is how to control your anger."
Bredin stared at the priest. He nodded, waiting to hear more.
"After Midwinter, Bredin, I am going to have Brother Luca and Father Milo give you some special instruction. They will do things to make you angry and lose your temper."
"Huh?" Was all Bredin could say. He was baffled by the notion.
"They will try to make you angry, then show you how to control the anger before you do or say something wrong." Father Toma explained.
"You mean, so I don't hit someone?" Bredin was trying to imagine how he could control himself.
"Yes." The priest nodded. "Or say something that makes the other person angry."
"I don't understand, Father. How can I make myself not be angry?" Bredin looked at the priest with wide eyes.
"I think you will understand once you have had some lessons. Bredin. Are you willing to try?"
"Yes, Father. I don't want to get in trouble or get dad in trouble." Bredin nodded vigorously.
"Very well, Bredin. We will begin when classes resume after Midwinter holiday. For now, go home and enjoy Midwinter with your family." The priest rose and opened the door for the boy.
Bredin smiled at Father Toma and left. As he went out into the street, he met Tag and Rhys. Worries forgotten, the three boys had a snowball fight that lasted until the lights began going on in the houses around them.
Father Toma's concern blossomed into reality that very evening. For once, good luck was on Bredin's side.
Enro was just closing his shop as Bredin came down the street. Asen and Raid were waiting for Bredin, who came into the yard just as Enro turned around.
Springing out from their hiding places, Bredin's brothers tackled Bredin and shoved him into a snowbank. The two piled onto Bredin, attempting to push snow down his back.
Bredin reacted as Brother Luca had been training him. With a swing of his right leg, he swept Raid's legs out from under him. Raidal fell flat on his back, knocking the wind out of him.
Continuing the momentum from the sweep of his right leg, Bredin spun and pulled Asen over his hip. Asen landed flat on his face. Bredin pounced on his brother's back, placing his right arm around Asen's neck and twisting Asen's left index finger backwards.
Asen cried out in pain.
"Say 'uncle'". Bredin shouted in Asen's ear.
"Uncle." Asen submitted to his brother.
Bredin released Asen, who sprang to his feet and swung at Bredin. "You cheated. You fought dirty." Asen said as Bredin jumped backwards.
Asen pulled back to swing at Bredin again, only to feel Enro's firm grip on his arm. "You ambushed Bredin and got what was coming to you." Enro said. He glanced at Raid, who was still gasping for breath. "Both of you got what you deserved."
Bredin gaped at his father, scarcely believing that it was his brothers, not Bredin, who were in trouble for once. Still unsure, Bredin tried to placate his brother's anger. "I'm sorry Asen. I didn't mean to hurt you. You, too, Raid."
"You got nothing to apologize for, Bred." Enro actually smiled at his middle son. Putting his arm around Bredin's shoulder, he walked him towards the house. "Is that what they are teaching you at the temple?"
"Yes, dad. But Father Toma says I got to be careful so I don't cause trouble." Bredin looked up at Enro's face.
Enro laughed. "It looks like you finished the trouble this time, son."
Behind them, Asen helped Raidal to his feet.