The Angry Boy – Epilogue
"To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high." – John McCrae. 'In Flanders Fields'
"Who is that?" Princess Elspeth asked. She pointed to a tiny Companion foal that had wandered into the foaling stall. The leggy youngster could not be more than a few days old.
Keren looked around. "That's Bereyen. He was born four days ago, but he's spent half his time beside Emerr, here, instead of with his own dam. He seems very interested in the foal she's carrying."
Emerr was very pregnant, but neither the mare nor Keren expected her to drop her foal tonight. Since Emerr had not yet Chosen, trainees took turns doing foal watch on the Companion mare. Talia had the duty tonight. In her new-found fascination with Companions, Elspeth begged her mother for permission to share the duty. The weather was warm and dry, so Selenay agreed, taking Elspeth's offer as a sign of further reform of the Princess' former 'brat' behavior.
Elspeth and Talia got into their bedrolls, expecting a quiet night. "See you in the morning." Keren turned down the lantern. "Call me if you need me." The Riding Master walked briskly down the aisle to her own quarters. Twilight turned to full dark and Talia and Elspeth drifted off to sleep.
Just after midnight, Emerr forcefully nudged Talia awake. The Queen's Own scrambled to her feet. Elspeth, wakened by the noise, got up as well. Emerr had gone into labor.
A quick inspection told Talia the foal was breech. She sent Elspeth for Keren. Between them, Keren and Talia got the foal turned while Elspeth stood at Emerr's head and crooned comfort to the mare. Soon the new colt was born. Talia tore the amniotic sac from the foal and dried it quickly with a towel.
Keren pulled a few hairs from Emerr's mane and braided them into a bracelet, which she presented to Elspeth 'as a thank-you present from his mom.' A wide-eyed Elspeth slipped the bracelet on and stroked it reverently. "What's his name?" She asked.
The foal lay panting on the ground, its ears still floppy and its coat still damp. :Name? I am Ken..: That was not it. :My name is…..Keesen. Yes, Keesen.: Gathering its uncooperative legs, the foal tried to stand. Once. Twice. On the third attempt, Keesen rose to all fours and stood wobbling in place.
On legs only a little steadier than Keesen's, Bereyen re-entered the stall and touched noses with Keesen.
::Friend.::
::Friend.::
[Most of you will recognize this episode from "Arrows of the Queen", which I have retold here to add my own embellishment. This is not an attempt to plagiarize Mercedes Lackey but an effort to add a further bit to the tale of Bredin and Kensie. (Or should I say 'Bereyen and Keesen?')]
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"Kerenos, Leif. You look like you were dragged here." Lord Martin Poldara eyed his friend sympathetically. The two of them sat on a log beside the Terilee River, their horses quietly cropping grass nearby.
Leif Kase did look exhausted and harried. "It's just the feeling I'm being watched. Like there are eyes all around me, staring at me. Dozens of them, with more coming all the time. Ever since we were out two days ago. I haven't been able to get any sleep."
Lord Martin slapped his friend on the shoulder. Other highborn questioned his association with a saddler's son, but Martin ignored them. Their common mania for Companions had brought them together initially when they were barely more than toddlers. Leif had an uncanny gift for knowing when a Companion was approaching and the two boys would seek out a spot where they could meet the Companion and Herald. Even now, at fifteen, they still tried to greet each Companion passing through.
Martin's father, Count Wyeth Poldara, had not interfered. Martin's brother Kensie and Leif's uncle Bredin had been Heralds. The two had died together due to the machinations of the late Earl Orthallen, who had been unmasked as a traitor at the beginning of the war with Hardorn. After the deaths of Kensie and Bredin, Count Poldara approached Leif's father and offered to educate Leif as an aide to Martin. Asen Kase had agreed readily, though Count Poldara suspected that Enro Kase, father of Asen and Bredin, had pressured his son to accept on Leif's behalf. Martin and Leif had been inseparable ever since.
Alongside Martin, Leif received a noble's education, learning riding, swordsmanship, languages, courtly graces and all the subjects considered proper for a gentleman. Count Wyeth intended to sponsor Leif as an ensign in the guard if no other opportunities arose before the boy came of age.
Certainly Valdemar needed young officers. The war with Hardorn ground on, tearing the lives of Valdemarans of all ranks. Count Poldara's second son and heir, Baron Grayson Poldara, had come home in the third year of the war with half his face missing and his right leg so badly broken that he could no longer sit on a horse. The hair-raising stories of King Ancar's doings had been confirmed by thousands of Hardornen refugees. No peace was possible with a monster like Ancar on the throne of Hardorn.
If Leif had his strange link to Companions, Martin had his own gift. Like his eldest brother, Martin could mindspeak animals, particularly horses. If their horses wandered, Martin could reach out through his gift to gently bring them back. Martin's mania for horses was only slightly less than his mania for Companions; he rode at every opportunity. Even when the aging Chase Tanner insisted that Martin not use his gifts, Martin could ride the rankest stallion. Martin's talents had already come to the attention of other nobles, who sometimes asked the youngster to help with their warhorses.
"So what happened the other day? How did you do that?" Martin asked. The two had been out for a long ride when a sudden downpour caught them in the woods. Both were soaked to the skin in moments. Hoping to wait out the storm, they took shelter in an abandoned woodcutter's cottage. They attempted to start a fire on the hearth, but the wood was damp and they had no flint.
"I don't know. I just pointed and there it was." Leif shook his head. Shivering in his wet clothes, Leif pointed in frustration at the wood stacked on the hearth and commanded it to burn. Immediately, a roaring fire blazed on the hearth.
"Well, you frightened the whey out of me." Martin said, tapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Me too." Leif said. "I had a huge headache right after and, once it faded, I started to feel like I was being watched. All the time. I can hardly sleep. It is really horrible and getting worse."
"You better see a healer about that."
"I will as soon as we get home." Leif said. His face brightened in a sudden smile. "Companions coming. Two of them."
Martin smiled back. "Where?"
Leif's grin broadened. "Right here." He pointed upstream. "Here they come."
Two riderless Companions trotted around a sandbank, their silver hooves kicking up little sprays of sand as they approached the boys. Leif and Martin stood open-mouthed as the Companions halted smoothly in front of them.
::I am Reynar. I Choose you.::
::I am Aloin. I Choose you.::