“Merric, Seaver, Esmond, you’re here!” He looked up, saw Duke Baird, and straightened abruptly. “My lord duke, welcome to Fort Giantkiller,” he said with a graceful bow. “Forgive my inattention. If I may take your mount, your grace?”
“Mithros save us, the Stump broke him to bridle,” Neal said, his voice dry as he dismounted. “I thought it was impossible.”
“Do not let me catch that nickname on your lips as long as you are under the man’s command,” Duke Baird told Neal sternly as he gave his reins to Owen. “You owe him the appearance of respect, not to mention proper obedience.”
Neal met his father’s gaze, scowled, then bowed silently. Owen whistled softly; Kel, too, was astounded. She had thought nothing could make Neal back down so quickly.
“‘Scuse me, lady.” Kel turned. There stood Tobe with Hoshi’s reins in one hand. “I’ll take ‘im now.”
Kel gave Peachblossom’s reins to Tobe. “Check his hooves, please?” she asked.
“Yes, lady,” the boy said. He headed towards the stables, gelding and mare in tow.
“Who was that?” The shocked whisper came from Owen. Kel glanced at him: her friend stared gape-jawed at Tobe. “Did you see that? He just - Peachblossom! He just took Peachblossom, and Peachblossom went!”
Kel smiled. “That’s Tobe,” she explained. “He is good with horses.”
Duke Baird cleared his throat. “Did my lord Wyldon say what was to be done with us?” he enquired tactfully. A proper squire would have bustled the duke away at the first opportunity. Kel was relieved that Lord Wyldon hadn’t changed Owen completely.
“Your grace, forgive me,” Owen said with a deep bow. “My lord is out riding patrol yet, but I am to show you where you will sleep, and ask if you will dine with him later. To the knights who accompany you -” he bowed to the group that stood behind the duke and Kel - “he sends greetings. Lukin will show you to your quarters -” he beckoned a soldier forward - “and lead you to supper when you choose. My lord asks you to remain in the officers’ mess hall after supper. He will send for you to talk of your assignments.”
Lukin bowed and beckoned; other soldiers swarmed forward to take charge of the newcomers. Kel, Jump and the sparrows followed them as Owen guided Duke Baird to headquarters.
Over supper with the officers in their mess hall, the knights got some idea of what they would face when the fighting began. So interesting was the talk that Kel didn’t realize immediately that Owen came from time to time to lead knights from the mess hall. When he gathered up three at once, she realized he was taking them to Wyldon for orders.
Kel watched as Owen led the knights away. The men’s backs were straight under their tunics, their air businesslike as they left. Were any afraid? she wondered. Did they have unsettled dreams of war, as she did? Were any hoping for a post in a fortified place with orders that kept them from battle? Some would get part of the district to guard, with squads of soldiers to command and a small fort to build. Others would go to Wyldon’s new fortress between Giantkiller and Steadfast, to the town of Riversedge or to the castles, to be placed under a senior commander. Some would remain here.
Owen came for Quinden, Seaver and Esmond, then for Neal and Merric. Suddenly Kel realized that she was the last newly-arrived knight to be called. A fist clenched in her belly. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like it at all.
Wyldon of Cavall had not wanted a girl page. He thought that females had no place in battle, Alanna the Lioness and lady knights of the past notwithstanding. He had wanted to send Kel home, then shocked everyone, including himself, when he’d allowed her to stay after a year’s probation. Once he’d decided she would remain, he’d taught her as thoroughly as he taught the boys. But he had also said, often, that girls didn’t belong in combat, even if they did have good
“Mithros save us, the Stump broke him to bridle,” Neal said, his voice dry as he dismounted. “I thought it was impossible.”
“Do not let me catch that nickname on your lips as long as you are under the man’s command,” Duke Baird told Neal sternly as he gave his reins to Owen. “You owe him the appearance of respect, not to mention proper obedience.”
Neal met his father’s gaze, scowled, then bowed silently. Owen whistled softly; Kel, too, was astounded. She had thought nothing could make Neal back down so quickly.
“‘Scuse me, lady.” Kel turned. There stood Tobe with Hoshi’s reins in one hand. “I’ll take ‘im now.”
Kel gave Peachblossom’s reins to Tobe. “Check his hooves, please?” she asked.
“Yes, lady,” the boy said. He headed towards the stables, gelding and mare in tow.
“Who was that?” The shocked whisper came from Owen. Kel glanced at him: her friend stared gape-jawed at Tobe. “Did you see that? He just - Peachblossom! He just took Peachblossom, and Peachblossom went!”
Kel smiled. “That’s Tobe,” she explained. “He is good with horses.”
Duke Baird cleared his throat. “Did my lord Wyldon say what was to be done with us?” he enquired tactfully. A proper squire would have bustled the duke away at the first opportunity. Kel was relieved that Lord Wyldon hadn’t changed Owen completely.
“Your grace, forgive me,” Owen said with a deep bow. “My lord is out riding patrol yet, but I am to show you where you will sleep, and ask if you will dine with him later. To the knights who accompany you -” he bowed to the group that stood behind the duke and Kel - “he sends greetings. Lukin will show you to your quarters -” he beckoned a soldier forward - “and lead you to supper when you choose. My lord asks you to remain in the officers’ mess hall after supper. He will send for you to talk of your assignments.”
Lukin bowed and beckoned; other soldiers swarmed forward to take charge of the newcomers. Kel, Jump and the sparrows followed them as Owen guided Duke Baird to headquarters.
Over supper with the officers in their mess hall, the knights got some idea of what they would face when the fighting began. So interesting was the talk that Kel didn’t realize immediately that Owen came from time to time to lead knights from the mess hall. When he gathered up three at once, she realized he was taking them to Wyldon for orders.
Kel watched as Owen led the knights away. The men’s backs were straight under their tunics, their air businesslike as they left. Were any afraid? she wondered. Did they have unsettled dreams of war, as she did? Were any hoping for a post in a fortified place with orders that kept them from battle? Some would get part of the district to guard, with squads of soldiers to command and a small fort to build. Others would go to Wyldon’s new fortress between Giantkiller and Steadfast, to the town of Riversedge or to the castles, to be placed under a senior commander. Some would remain here.
Owen came for Quinden, Seaver and Esmond, then for Neal and Merric. Suddenly Kel realized that she was the last newly-arrived knight to be called. A fist clenched in her belly. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like it at all.
Wyldon of Cavall had not wanted a girl page. He thought that females had no place in battle, Alanna the Lioness and lady knights of the past notwithstanding. He had wanted to send Kel home, then shocked everyone, including himself, when he’d allowed her to stay after a year’s probation. Once he’d decided she would remain, he’d taught her as thoroughly as he taught the boys. But he had also said, often, that girls didn’t belong in combat, even if they did have good
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