Relam scowled angrily. Surely the lordling would not get away with such a feeble excuse! Even as Relam went to reply though, the sword master spoke.
“Do you take me for a fool, Garenes?” he asked in a deathly quiet voice.
Sebast took a step back, looking as though he would rather be anywhere else. “Sir?” he asked hesitantly.
“I asked if you take me for a fool!” Agath roared, stepping forward and closing the distance between them once again.
“N-No!” Sebast replied, backing away.
“No what?”
“No, sir,” Sebast amended quickly. “I do not take you for a fool.”
“Then don’t waste my time with obvious lies,” Agath replied, regaining some of his former calm. “I saw the way you went after Relam, with no warning or provocation, using a real blade instead of a drill sword.”
“I-”
“Now would be a good time to keep your mouth closed,” the sword master snapped.
Sebast fell silent, glaring at Agath and Relam.
“Your actions have left me no other choice,” Agath continued. “You are dismissed, Sebast Garenes. Do not show yourself near this training center again.”
“But-”
“Dismissed, boy!”
Still scowling, Sebast scooped up his sword and stalked towards the gate angrily. “My father will hear of this!” he shouted over his shoulder.
“Yes, you can bet he will,” Master Agath muttered darkly. “Come, your highness. Let’s move on with the trials.”
Relam stood still, watching Garenes shove his way through the gate and turn the corner. Only when the lordling was out of sight did Relam sheath his sword and turn to follow the master swordsman.
“You took no injury?” Agath inquired anxiously.
“None,” Relam confirmed. “He could not have bested me, even by surprise.”
“Perhaps. It only takes one mistake though,” Agath pointed out. “What is it between you and young Garenes, your highness?”
“Nothing serious,” Relam said, shrugging. “We just rub each other the wrong way I guess.”
“I hope you are right,” Master Agath murmured. “Sebast looked a little too vicious for me to classify this as a childish squabble.”
“Do you think he meant to harm me?” Relam asked curiously. He had his own theories, but he wanted the master’s input as well.
“Definitely,” Agath said with such finality that Relam stared at him in surprise. “Keep in mind, your highness, that this is not a safe world we live in.”
“I know,” Relam assured the sword master.
“I’m not so sure,” Agath replied cryptically. They stopped in front of the door to the assembly hall. “Right. Well, we must move on. Give me a moment to compose myself, then send Cevet and Knet to me.”
“Yes, master Agath.” As Relam turned away, he stopped. “By the way, thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“You’re welcome, your highness,” Agath replied.
Relam pushed through the door and into the assembly hall, leaving Master Agath alone on the training ground. Inside, the hall had been cleared save for a few benches shoved against the wall. The other cadets were seated there, looking anxious.
“How’d it go?” Cevet asked immediately, jumping to his feet and moving towards Relam. “What did you have to do?”
“Where’s Sebast?” Delan demanded, advancing on Relam as well.
The prince held up his hands, palms outward to ward off. “Don’t ask me what I had to do. I can’t tell you. Sebast has been dismissed.”
“Dismissed?” Jatt asked stupidly. “What does that mean?”
“Kicked out, banished, something along those lines usually,” Relam replied, sinking onto one of the benches.
“You’re saying that Sebast failed?” Knet asked, looking stricken.
“Yes.”
“We’re doomed,” the nervous cadet dithered. “Maybe if we leave now we could come back next week, after a little more practice, and try again.”
“By the way, Master Agath wants you and Cevet next,” Relam said, looking up at Knet.
The boy paled and muttered something unintelligible. Then, he began pacing frantically back and forth across the room, clearly agitated.
Relam snorted with contempt. “Cevet, Master Agath should be ready for the two of you by now. Good luck.”
“If we’re fighting practice bouts, I won’t need luck,” Cevet said disgustedly. “Knet looks like he’d drop his sword if I said ‘boo’.”
“Yeah, well, he’s better than some others,” Relam muttered in an undertone.
“Meaning Sebast?” Cevet asked curiously.
Relam made no reply, merely stared straight ahead, jaw clenched.
“What happened?” Cevet pressed.
“Later,” Relam replied. “Right now, you and Knet need to start your trials.”
“Right,” Cevet said, frowning. “Come on Knet,” he called as he headed for the exit.
“Just give me a moment!” the nervous boy shrieked. “I’m trying to remember everything Master Agath taught us. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something about-”
He broke off as Cevet and Relam seized him by both arms. “What- What are you doing?” he cried.
“Helping you,” Relam grunted as he and Cevet frog-marched the other cadet to the door. “Good luck.”
“No, I won’t go yet, you can’t make me!” Knet shouted, kicking his feet. “I’m not ready!”
“Jatt,” Relam said, exasperated. “Could we enlist your services, please?”
“Uh, services? What d’you want me to do?” the large boy asked.
“Carry . . . this . . . coward . . . outside,” Cevet panted as he struggled with the flailing Knet.
“Huh uh huh, okay,” Jatt said, chortling to himself. He crossed the room in a few long strides and seized Knet by his collar. The nervous cadet gave a squawk of dismay and whimpered pitifully as Jatt dragged him out through the door, Cevet following close behind. Jatt deposited Knet beyond the door, then smartly withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Almost immediately, there was a heavy impact as someone ran headlong into the door. Relam sighed with exasperation and went to one of the benches leaning against the wall. Grunting, he lifted it, balancing it awkwardly, and leaned it up against the door to brace the timber portal against Knet’s reentry attempts.
“Pathetic,” he muttered. “Honestly, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“Nothing to be afraid of?” Delan demanded incredulously. “Sebast was dismissed!”
“Don’t worry,” Relam assured the other cadet. “Sebast was asking for it. As long as you aren’t as-” He took a deep breath and stopped.
Delan scowled and sat down. Jatt lumbered over and sat as well, the bench groaning in protest.
They sat in silence for what felt like hours. Relam knew that for the two Cadets who had yet to spar, the waiting must be even worse. He at least had performed well during the first part of the trials. If getting attacked by Sebast with a real sword could be considered performing well.
Finally, Cevet and Knet returned, Knet pale and grim, Cevet smiling confidently. “Jatt, Delan, you’re up,” the smallest cadet announced.
Delan rose quickly, stalking to the door and pushing through it confidently. Jatt sat still, looking around the hall.
“Um, Jatt?” Cevet said.
“Huh?”
“You should get going?”
“Oh, right. What does Master Agath want us to do?”
Cevet sighed and rolled his eyes expressively. Relam stepped in quickly.
“Master Agath requires your presence on the training ground outside. He’ll tell you what to do when you get there.”
“Oh.” The massive lordling lurched to his feet, swaying ponderously, and left the assembly hall, still looking slightly confused and unsure of himself.
Relam took a seat again, and Cevet moved to join him. “How’d it go?” the prince asked.
>
Cevet settled beside Relam on the bench. “Well enough. I won two out of three. Beat Knet easily in the first one. He calmed down for the second though and managed to disarm me. The third bout took forever, back and forth and back and forth. Must have been fifteen, twenty minutes. I finally wore him down though.”
“Good job,” Relam said quietly.
Cevet shrugged. “I did all right. I wonder what the next round will be like.”
As it turned out, the two cadets didn’t have much time to wonder about the next trial. Jatt and Delan returned less than ten minutes later, Delan having won two of the bouts handily. The third had been won by Jatt, by sheer luck according to Delan. Relam was more inclined to believe that Jatt’s strength had won the last of the bouts, maybe surprising Delan and smashing his practice sword out of his hand.
In any event, the five remaining cadets all moved on to the next round. This time, Tar Agath called them out separately. Relam went first, again, and was surprised when the sword master motioned for him to draw his real blade.
“Now I want to see what you remember from my training,” he explained. “Run through each of the patterns, one through ten, at whatever speed you are comfortable with.”
Relam nodded and raised his sword confidently. He’d been drilled in these patterns every day for the last five years. There would be no problem repeating them now.
“Begin,” Master Agath said, stepping back.
Relam started off slowly with the first pattern, warming up and getting used to the feel of the real sword. By the end of the second pattern, he had developed a good rhythm and increased the tempo of his strokes. By the time he reached the ninth pattern, his sword was a blur in his hands and sweat poured from his limbs. He finished the tenth with a flourish and returned to the ready stance, breathing deeply and evenly.
“Impressive,” the sword master said, nodding to himself. “Before you return to the assembly hall and fetch Cevet, I would like you to attack me the same way you beat Garenes earlier.” Agath drew his sword and stood waiting, watching Relam closely.
Relam shrugged mentally. Why not? If he lost, there was nothing wrong with that. Agath was a master, renowned for his technical skill with a blade. Relam was a cadet. No one would, or could, expect him to win, and he might learn something along the way.
The prince rushed forward, lunging and thrusting with his sword. Agath evaded easily, and Relam spun around, striking from the opposite side. As Agath parried, Relam swung his leg around to hook the sword master behind the ankle.
Halfway through the motion, Agath disengaged with a violent twist of his blade. Relam, mostly standing on one leg, was thrown off balance. He wobbled unsteadily, and Agath reached out to steady him with his free hand.
“I thought so. You’ve been training with your father, your highness?”
“Yes,” Relam replied, wiping sweat from his brow. “A couple days ago. How did you know?”
“I was a cadet the same time as your father,” Agath explained. “I know all of his tricks, and how to combat them if you recognize them quickly enough. When you spin and hook like that, there’s a brief time where you are vulnerable to being knocked off balance. Work on speeding that move up a little and it will be harder for an opponent to take advantage.”
“Thank you, master,” Relam said, humbled by Agath’s display of knowledge and experience.
“Of course, your highness,” Master Agath said, bowing. “I am impressed by your ability to perform such feats. You are a fast learner.”
“It was either learn fast or be defeated repeatedly,” Relam replied ruefully.
Master Agath laughed. “Motivation is a powerful aid to learning. Keep up the good work, your highness.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now, fetch Cevet for me.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Relam bowed and marched back to the assembly hall. As he entered, the other four cadets looked up.
“Cevet, you’re up,” Relam announced.
The small cadet stood, taking a deep breath. “Any tips?”
Relam shook his head. “You’ll be just fine,” he promised. “Just remember what Agath taught us.”
Cevet nodded and stepped out of the hall. Relam took a seat on a bench once more to wait.
The other cadets came and went. Cevet returned, grinning confidently, and sent Knet out to replace him. When Knet returned, he could not find his voice, merely pointing to Delan. Delan left and returned, jerking a thumb at Jatt to indicate it was his turn. Jatt lumbered off and returned, taking a little longer than the others had. When he returned, Relam looked up expectantly.
“Well?” he asked.
“Huh?” Jatt replied, startled.
“Who does Master Agath want now?” Cevet elaborated.
“Oh. He said to wait here,” Jatt explained.
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“Did he say why?”
Jatt glared at Delan, frustrated. “I don’t-” He broke off as the door of the assembly hall opened.
The cadets immediately snapped to attention as Master Agath entered. He surveyed them gravely. “Form up,” he barked in his best parade ground voice.
The cadets obeyed instantly, forming a line and standing at attention, staring straight ahead.
“Today, you have faced the trials,” Agath said, pacing in front of them. “You know by now that one of your number failed and was sent home.”
He paused and looked them over briefly. Relam’s heart fluttered anxiously as he met the sword master’s gaze. “But you, you five, have passed.”
For a moment, there was not a sound. Then, the cadets looked around at each other, hardly believing their ears. “That’s it?” Relam asked, stunned.
Tar Agath grinned widely, letting out a booming laugh. “You should have seen your faces! ‘That’s it?” he parroted, looking at Relam. “Yes, you have completed your training under me. The trials were merely a final review of what you had learned. I had to be sure you really knew what you were doing and could perform under pressure.”
“And Sebast failed?” Delan demanded. “He was the best fighter in our class! How could you possibly fail him?”
Silence fell quickly and completely. The other four cadets, Relam included, watched Agath uneasily. The sword master’s expression hardened and a twitch started along his jawline.
“You can ask young Garenes when you see him, Delan. I will say, though, that I was more than justified in throwing him out. And I’m beginning to wonder if I should have taken a closer look at you as well.”
Delan flushed. “No, sir. I apologize. I’m just surprised, is all. This whole thing has put me a little off balance I suppose.”
“I hope that is the case,” Agath murmured. “In any event, you all have passed. Congratulations. As you know, you have the traditional twelve months of rest, then you may begin training with a true master, one that can finish off your teaching and turn you into feared warriors.” Agath paused again, then bowed slightly. “It has been a pleasure teaching you.”
The cadets murmured their thanks and bowed low. As they straightened, Agath grinned at them.
“Now, get out of here!”
The cadets all laughed and moved forward to shake hands with their instructor. Agath slapped them on the back and embraced them warmly, even Delan. As the cadets began to leave, Relam was certain he saw the warrior wipe a tear from the corner of his eye.
“He really cares about us,” he observed to Cevet.
“Aye,” the smaller cadet agreed. “He wants us to succeed. I always liked that about him.”
Relam nodded thoughtfully. “Any idea who you’ll train with next?”
Cevet laughed and shook his head. “No. For now, I’m taking full advantage of my break. See you around, Relam.”
The small cadet jogged off in the direction of his home, further down the river. Relam smiled and set off for the palace, eager to share the news with his parents. As he pas
sed the Citadel, he realized that he was now as qualified as any of the soldiers that guarded the ancient stronghold. He had passed the trials, and he was now a warrior.
Chapter 7
When Relam returned to the royal apartments, he found that his parents were both waiting expectantly in the main room. There was a small pile of documents on the low table, but the king pushed them aside immediately when Relam entered.
“Well?” he asked, drawing the word out.
“I passed!” Relam announced grinning.
“Ha-ha! I knew it!” his father crowed, surging to his feet and embracing Relam. “Easier than you expected?”
“You could have warned me,” the prince said ruefully as he returned the embrace. “Here I was worrying about what incredible feats I would have to perform and all along it was only a simple review of our skills.”
The king laughed and thumped Relam on the back forcefully, sending him staggering. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re supposed to spend that time worrying and wondering if you are good enough. That way, you’re prepared for the end of one phase of your training and the beginning of the next.”
“Is it always that way?” Relam asked curiously. “Every year Agath does that?”
“Every year,” his father confirmed. “Just as our old master did to us. We were stunned when it was announced we had passed after a few practice bouts and running through the patterns. Tar was furious later. Thought it was an insult to all of the hard work he had put in.”
Relam laughed as he embraced his mother. “Well, I’m more relieved than insulted.”
“Congratulations, Relam,” his mother said quietly. “It’s a big milestone for you. The first trials, passed!”
“Does that mean there are trials after the next round of training too?” Relam asked, suddenly concerned.
“Not for a long time,” his father promised. “For now, rest and enjoy some time off. You’ve earned it. By the way, your presence will be required a week from now at a formal banquet here in the palace.”
“That’s hardly resting and enjoying time off,” Relam muttered, a little annoyed.
“Even if the feast is in your honor? And the other cadets that passed the trials? Garenes, Laurencian, that massive lad Jatt, Knet and the other one- what’s his name, Cevet?”
The Prince (Heirs of Legacy Book 1) Page 8