“Your name is often mentioned when the Greater Herd meets. Yet this is the first time you have graced us with your presence. What matter do you bring before us?”
T’rsa reared angrily. “As the head of his herd, I have not given him permission to address this gathering.”
Majherri stiffened and replied, “Apparently, I have no business here. If I did, I would say that I am troubled by stories coming out of the west. Caravans going missing, poisoned wells, and other tales that have been recently related to me. My first rider is not the only rider that has been lost in the west over the recent seasons. With our eyes ever looking southward, it may be prudent to glance to the west every now and again.”
“I do not support this speculation.”
Tyrix nodded. “Your objection is noted T’rsa. Majherri, I thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Losses in the west have been unusually high in recent times, but it is also true that the nomadic humans are prone to violent conflicts over the scarce resources. You know all too well how hostile the living conditions are there. Rest assured I will speak with the leaders of the western herds when they come here, or as other opportunities present themselves.”
Majherri didn’t detect any real sincerity in his words. He knew enough to realize that he was being placated. “Thank you for hearing my words. Safe journeys to all of you.”
“The Greater Herd exists to serve all of our kind, Majherri. Safe journey to you as well.”
His message delivered, Majherri turned and left. They will ignore me. That much I am certain of. I can only hope that all this is just foolishness on my part. If I could leave and go find proof, I would. For now, I can only watch the seasons pass me by from the shores of this island.
Chapter 20 – Of Fighting and Frustration
The days leading up to the challenge passed like the clouds in the sky. The history class was given a series of lectures by the legends that put down the southern uprising. The fourth and fifth years received personal lessons from all eight of the finalists in the High-King’s annual jousting tournament.
With the day of the challenge at hand and the bleachers of the reviewing stands already filled to capacity. Kayleigh lined up her recruit company into a tight marching formation, six abreast and on foot. The column was surrounded by two squads of battle maidens. The mounted air maiden in front of her, looked over her shoulder and nodded at Kayleigh.
“Company! Forward march!” This was one part a parade, combined with a trust building exercise, and a demonstration of why even a small group of battle maidens could wreak havoc upon a group of defenders.
The air maidens on the flanks worked together and created an overlapping dome of hardened air. Kayleigh swallowed involuntarily, as fifty of the High-King’s Royal Archers stepped up on the pair of elevated platforms they marched between. They took aim at the students, but their best shots bounced harmlessly off of the overlapping disks of hardened air with the sound of hail on a rooftop.
Just ahead, a ditch ten feet wide had been created. It was filled with water and on top of that water was a layer of oil. A single archer sent a flaming arrow into the water and a plume of flames threatened to halt the march. Four fire maidens parted the wall of flame almost effortlessly as a pair of water maidens solidified the water into a hard surface. Kayleigh did her best not to pause before stepping onto the water. She did not sink. It was if someone had hidden a bridge just below the surface.
Racing by her, a trio of earth maidens galloped up to the side of the “city wall” and then rode sideways along the length of it, scurrying like spiders on woodwork. The ground shook, but it was nothing compared to what was happening to the stone wall. It separated and collapsed into a pile of rubble creating a rough, but very passable gap.
On the other side of the wall, was a group of nobles, who symbolically raised the white flag indicating the surrender of the fake city to the thundering cheers of the crowds in the stands.
It was an emphatic demonstration of how easily a trained group of battle maidens could approach a city unimpeded by that city’s defenses and break through the walls in just over a minute, all without the use of catapult, ballista, or battering ram. Kayleigh’s company could easily have been armored knights now racing through the enemy city and overwhelming the ill-prepared defenders.
“Company halt! Right face!” Kayleigh stepped forward and marched quickly to the middle of the column, executing a turn before snapping to attention and saluting General Jyslin, who returned her salute.
“Company fall out by the rows!” Kayleigh called out and led the single file line over to where seating was waiting for them. They took their places as the other classes performed their demonstrations. Kayleigh cheered, but did her best to keep her muscles from getting stiff. They didn’t have much practice sitting in armor and there was still her contest with Andrea Hawthorne to be decided.
As the fifth years were performing, Captain Lynch appeared from nowhere. “Reese, Hawthorne. On your feet by me.”
Kayleigh stood as the captain said, “You’ve selected your seconds?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Seconds, stand and join us.” Ellen stood up. Things were somewhat cool between them since the night in the infirmary. Kayleigh had listened to her apologies and accepted them, knowing it would be insane to alienate one of the few people who were genuinely nice to her. Even so, there were still enough hurt feelings to spare between the two girls.
Surprisingly, Morganstern also stood. Hawthorne liked Morganstern about as much as she liked Kayleigh. The girl had a penchant for turning up where she wasn’t wanted. Andrea might be doing this as a strategy, or she could see Rebekah asking to be her second. Either way, she was going to battle Andrea Hawthorne. She wouldn’t let Rebekah get under her skin during the challenge.
Majherri and Kyrinda made their way to the outside of the circle. Kayleigh stepped up and selected a padded sword and medium shield from the weapons rack. She handed it to Ellen, who went to meet Rebekah in front of the captain, so the weapons could be inspected.
Meanwhile, Kayleigh went to Majherri and stroked his mane. She took off her helmet and rested her forehead against his side, searching for his strength and encouragement.
She was not disappointed. He was proud of her and urged her to victory.
“Thank you,” she whispered, replacing her helmet and turning to face the circle. Ellen offered the practice sword to her and pointed to the barrel of dye. Kayleigh inserted the sword into the red dye and allowed the liquid to seep into the padding. She was the red champion and Andrea the blue. The marks on their armor would be easy to spot in the crowded stands. She practiced with the weight of the weapon and shield while Captain Lynch explained the rules to the audience and the reason two first years were allowed to participate in a challenge before it was normally permitted.
Odd, she didn’t mention the real reason was that Andrea’s mother requested it.
Lynch commanded them into the circle. “The victor is the first one to score either three clean hits to the arms or legs, or one clean ‘kill’ shot to the torso or helmet. May your training serve you well. I will now step outside the ring. You will turn to each other, salute with sword across your shield. When I say begin, you will do battle.”
Seconds later, Kayleigh’s nerves were on edge and she stared into Andrea’s neutral expression. She almost missed the command to begin, lost in the sea of rising noise, but was alerted by Andrea’s sudden movements.
Sliding to the right, Kayleigh used her shield to blunt the force of the thrust. Andrea used her smaller size to keep herself lower to the ground and use leverage. It worked, forcing Kayleigh backwards. She barely evaded a swipe aimed at her shin plates.
Hawthorne had the initiative and continued to press it. Her aggressiveness made Kayleigh scamper around the edges of the circle while her opponent prowled the center and dared her to attack.
Almost thirty seconds of this went by before Kayleigh realized something ve
ry important. I haven’t even tried to swing my sword other than to block her attacks.
Kayleigh tried an overhand slash, which was blocked all-too-easily and found herself immediately on the defensive. Just as she thought she was going to get away, there was a resounding smack on her left shoulder where her shield didn’t protect. It was like a gong was sounded inside her skull.
“Point blue! Contestants back to your ready lines.”
Kayleigh had to walk back to the other side of the circle, passing Hawthorne. Her eyes fell on Morganstern’s gleeful expression and Kayleigh’s frustration built.
“Begin!”
Andrea was back on the attack, relentlessly wearing down Kayleigh’s guard. The weeks of training she possessed paled next to the years of lessons Hawthorne had been given. Kayleigh’s sole advantages were her height and reach. Calling on the instincts Sir Dunlap drilled into her; Kayleigh swiped her sword back and forth in varying patterns trying to keep the smaller, but faster girl away.
This will wear me down and she knows it!
Still, it bought her valuable time to beat back her own nerves. Hawthorne blocked her sword, but was unable to get inside Kayleigh’s guard. Trying to exaggerate her fatigue, Kayleigh tried to lure her opponent into attacking, but Andrea didn’t rise to the bait for another ten seconds and by that time, Kayleigh wasn’t faking the fatigue anymore. The wooden practice swords smacked against each other and Kayleigh threw her weight and strength into a shield bash, which managed to knock Andrea backwards.
She was feeling proud of herself for doing something right up until Captain Lynch spoke, “Point Blue! Second Point! Contestants back to your ready line.”
Stunned, Kayleigh examined her armor. Somehow, Andrea had managed a blow to Kayleigh’s right leg that she never felt. The ground was getting a little slick. She was getting angry and it seemed like Andrea was just toying with her. Walking back to her starting position, she caught the hint of a smirk on Hawthorne’s face. She avoided looking at Morganstern.
Kayleigh grabbed on to that anger and allowed it to fuel her. Her panting breaths became something of a growl. I’m being too timid! I’m letting her control the entire fight!
Begin!”
Kayleigh exploded forward. She threw her strength and weight into each swing. Andrea countered and tried to attack, but she plowed forward repeating the same overhand slash. Hawthorne tried to block, but the blows came in too strong. It drove the smaller girl back. Kayleigh’s assault was as subtle as using an ax to chop wood.
Andrea stabbed, attempting to score her final hit, but Kayleigh spun awkwardly away using the edge of her shield to block the attack. Finishing her spin, she brought wooden sword full circle and cracked it against the side of Hawthorne’s helmet.
Her opponent staggered and fell to the ground. The practice sword in Kayleigh’s hand was still held together by the padded wrappings, but it was in two pieces.
“Winner Red!” Lynch shouted, but was pushing by her to get to Hawthorne’s side. The captain slid down next to the girl and helped to get the dented helmet off Hawthorne’s head. The cheers and the noise came to an abrupt halt as an uneasy silence fell across the training grounds.
Kayleigh listened as the captain asked her opponent basic questions. Hawthorne’s answers were slow and her eyes were unfocused.
The captain summoned another to help get Andrea to the infirmary while saying the girl had a concussion. Kayleigh looked over at Ellen, who looked equally as horrified. Uncertain of what to do, Kayleigh walked back toward Majherri. She dropped her shield and shook the gauntlet off of her left hand. Her mind was a whirlwind. She needed Majherri to ground her.
Through the swirling emotions, she heard a voice. “What were you trying to do, Reese? Kill her?”
Kayleigh’s hand grasped onto Majherri’s neck. Her grip was akin to someone who had fallen off a fishing boat grasping for a lifeline and her unicorn winced. She sensed the safe harbor ahead, through the bond and fought to reach her sanctuary.
“Aren’t you going to say anything, you stupid cow? You should never have been allowed here in the first place!” Morganstern continued.
“Leave me alone, Rebekah,” she grunted with her body shaking.
“Hah, you’ll be lucky if Andrea’s mother doesn’t call for your arrest!”
“Shut up!”
The storm inside her threatened to break free. Kayleigh’s head was pounding and her blood was beginning to boil. In the distance, she heard Captain Lynch shouting something, but she was past the point of understanding. Rebekah’s taunts blended with the roar in her mind. She had to get rid of the noise. Morganstern was right next to her and Kayleigh reached out to push her away. Her still gauntleted right hand lashed out and exploded into flames.
The roar in her mind was replaced with the whoosh of all-too-real flames. The jet of fire hurled Rebekah away.
She dropped to one knee and there were screams from the audience. Kayleigh was still trying to process what just happened, when the armored form of Meghan Lynch slammed into her back and drove her into the ground. Her connection with Majherri was severed as the woman’s greater strength and weight pinned Kayleigh to the ground. Kayleigh struggled and for a second time blacked out.
Some time later, there was an awful smell that startled her out of the darkness. Kayleigh came around, woozy and rapidly blinking her eyes. The sheets and mattress at her feet were damp with water and she was no longer in her armor.
In front of her was the face of Captain Lynch and that face looked less than pleased.
She was in the infirmary … again. Bits of memory reassembled into coherent thought and she slowly remembered what happened.
“Are they going to be okay?” Kayleigh asked. Her throat was dry and the words came out painfully.
General Jyslin cut off the captain. “Trainee Hawthorne has a concussion and some bruising. Trainee Morganstern’s burns are being treated. There will most likely be a lasting scar, but she will live. Unfortunately, we now need to deal with the repercussions.”
“I’ll readily admit to being biased, Naomi, but she’s far too dangerous to be around first year trainees. We should have never allowed this challenge to proceed.” General Hawthorne said folding her arms and looking ready to attack her at any moment.
“In hindsight, it certainly looks that way, Althea. For the record, Captain Lynch, you were the closest trained observer. What did you witness?”
The captain, red-faced with fury, never took her eyes off Kayleigh. “As the challenge progressed, it was clear that Trainee Hawthorne was the more skilled contestant. After losing the second point, Trainee Reese became erratic and unfocused. Her attack was borne of fury and overwhelmed Hawthorne. From the force of the final blow and the dent in Hawthorne’s helm, there is no question in my mind that the blow was delivered with the intent to kill. As I tended to the injured challenger, the trainee went to her unicorn. She has been previously instructed not to touch Majherri without direct supervision. In violation of those directives, she made contact. Trainee Morganstern was reacting to what she considered an assault on her classmate began demanding an answer from Trainee Reese. I recognized the danger of the situation and called out for Morganstern to stand down and get away from Reese and for Reese to step away from her unicorn. Both my orders were disregarded and Reese conjured a life-threatening fireball injuring Trainee Morganstern.”
Silence fell and the only sound was the scratching noise of quill on parchment as the scribe performed her task.
“To your knowledge, Captain, has the trainee been instructed on how to produce a fireball?”
“No General, she has not. However, this is not the first time she has been observed performing feats beyond what she has been trained for.”
“Do you believe Trainee Reese was responsible for her actions at the time?”
“No.”
General Hawthorne asked, “Do you believe that Trainee Reese constitutes a threat to the rest of the trainees under your c
are?”
“Yes, I do.” Those three words were a dagger through Kayleigh’s heart.
The two generals exchanged a meaningful look. Kayleigh could see there was a battle of wills taking place. General Hawthorne spoke, “I’ll take her into the field, Naomi. She’s too dangerous to be around children, even the upper classes. We can’t drum her out, her bond is obviously too deep. It’d kill her unicorn. My warriors can get her up to speed without endangering trainees. I don’t think The Academy was meant for a girl like her.”
“That’s one option, Althea. I’ll take it under advisement, but your task is to protect the southern kingdoms and mine is to train our future riders. I’d like to speak with my other captains before rendering a decision.”
“Begging the General’s pardon,” Captain Lynch said, “but I don’t think it’s the girl’s problem. I believe it’s something wrong with her unicorn. Trainee Reese hasn’t displayed any real outbursts of violence before now. Tradition allows for the unicorns to be present at the weapons challenges. I should have insisted that Majherri not be present. My theory is that the berserker level strength she displayed was drawn across the bond even though they were not in physical contact. There have been recorded instances where that has happened before.”
“Not with trainees.” Hawthorne said.
“True, ma’am. But there is no denying that their bond is stronger than most.”
“Put yourself in my place, Captain,” General Jyslin said. “What would you do?”
The captain paused for a moment and composed her words. “I’d exile Majherri, ma’am. I actually believe he’d survive the separation. Give the girl the choice to go with him or return to her home. The trainee’s behavior is a symptom. The unicorn is the root cause.”
“No!” Kayleigh screamed.
“Silence!” Captain Lynch shot back.
The general intervened, saying, “Unfortunately, that is a second option. I like it even less than the first, but we must consider all paths before us. For the moment Trainee Reese, you are relieved of your lead rider position. I cannot in good faith allow you to remain with the first year class, but I am not ready to give up on you at this juncture and see you leave this island. Until a decision is rendered, you are not to leave this infirmary. Your meals will be brought here to you. Is that clear?”
Rider (Spirals of Destiny) Page 17