nearly as good as this stuff.”
“Neither am I,” Lethoras had chimed in. “I'm sick of patriph, national dish or not. Every freaking morning, midday and evening porridge with slivers of dried goat meat. No, thank you. You're outvoted, Hem.”
“I still think it isn't fair,” Hemarchidas had grumbled, but, when Anaxantis had laid his hand on his shoulder, he hadn't insisted.
Ehandar had said nothing to discourage Anaxantis, although sometimes the words burned on his tongue. He had listened to his excited stories of how he had mastered a new sword technique, or when for the first time he had won a race from Hemarchidas.
“He has a healthy color. All that exercising must do him good and he seems to enjoy the time with his friends. He is more lively. I just hope that he doesn't become overconfident. We still don't know what caused his spells and if they're truly gone for good.”
One afternoon Lethoras demonstrated how one man defends himself against multiple opponents. It was impressive. He had asked the other three to attack him simultaneously, and in less than five minutes he had disarmed them one by one. To Anaxantis's relief, Bortram was even worse with a sword than he. Lethoras explained the different moves and techniques he had used to simultaneously keep two attackers fully occupied while disarming a third.
“Now you,” he said to Anaxantis. “Don't try to do what I did. Just defend yourself. If you manage to keep us at bay for a few minutes that will be a very good beginning. Don't try anything fancy, just concentrate on deflecting our attacks.”
There was only one thing Anaxantis could do and that was retreat while fending off their blows. Very soon they threatened to surround him, so he maneuvered himself until he stood with his back against a tree to prevent being encircled. It also meant that he couldn't retreat any further, and he knew that whatever he did, it would be over in a matter of minutes.
Suddenly the four friends heard a cry and saw about a dozen soldiers on horseback storming at them, swords drawn. They had not the faintest idea what was happening.
“Stop, stop, it's only an exercise. They're my friends. I'm not in danger. Stop. Stop,” Anaxantis yelled at the top of his lungs
The soldiers came to a halt, only inches away from the four friends. The captain of the squad dismounted.
“Are you all right, my lord?” he inquired.
“Yes, yes, we were only practicing. My friends were teaching me to defend myself against a multiple attack.”
The captain looked at the other three with still a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
“How is it you find yourself in this part of the woods,” Anaxantis asked. “I've never before seen soldiers here.”
“Your brother, lord Ehandar, gave us specific instructions to keep an eye on suspicious movements in this sector of the forest, my lord.”
“And he didn't mention that I was here with friends?”
“Yes, he did, my lord, only, what I saw didn't look very friendly. For all I knew you were under attack by robbers, and your friends could be lying dead somewhere.”
“I see,” Anaxantis said resigned.
“I'm sorry, my lord, if I disturbed you.”
“No, no, captain, you weren't to know. On the contrary, you did your duty and you did it admirably. You are to be commended. Had I been in any real danger, you would have saved me. Thank you. I shall make sure to tell my brother that you executed his orders with diligence.”
Inwardly, the captain sighed with relief. He wouldn't have been the first officer to be reprimanded for just doing his duty with an undesired result, because his instructions had been incomplete. Blame tended to seek out the lower ranks, he knew. At least the young lord was fair in his assessment of what had happened.
“Thank you, my lord,” he replied. “With your permission we will leave you to it. I will patrol the perimeter of this section and not disturb you anymore.”
When the soldiers had left an uneasy
“Neither am I,” Lethoras had chimed in. “I'm sick of patriph, national dish or not. Every freaking morning, midday and evening porridge with slivers of dried goat meat. No, thank you. You're outvoted, Hem.”
“I still think it isn't fair,” Hemarchidas had grumbled, but, when Anaxantis had laid his hand on his shoulder, he hadn't insisted.
Ehandar had said nothing to discourage Anaxantis, although sometimes the words burned on his tongue. He had listened to his excited stories of how he had mastered a new sword technique, or when for the first time he had won a race from Hemarchidas.
“He has a healthy color. All that exercising must do him good and he seems to enjoy the time with his friends. He is more lively. I just hope that he doesn't become overconfident. We still don't know what caused his spells and if they're truly gone for good.”
One afternoon Lethoras demonstrated how one man defends himself against multiple opponents. It was impressive. He had asked the other three to attack him simultaneously, and in less than five minutes he had disarmed them one by one. To Anaxantis's relief, Bortram was even worse with a sword than he. Lethoras explained the different moves and techniques he had used to simultaneously keep two attackers fully occupied while disarming a third.
“Now you,” he said to Anaxantis. “Don't try to do what I did. Just defend yourself. If you manage to keep us at bay for a few minutes that will be a very good beginning. Don't try anything fancy, just concentrate on deflecting our attacks.”
There was only one thing Anaxantis could do and that was retreat while fending off their blows. Very soon they threatened to surround him, so he maneuvered himself until he stood with his back against a tree to prevent being encircled. It also meant that he couldn't retreat any further, and he knew that whatever he did, it would be over in a matter of minutes.
Suddenly the four friends heard a cry and saw about a dozen soldiers on horseback storming at them, swords drawn. They had not the faintest idea what was happening.
“Stop, stop, it's only an exercise. They're my friends. I'm not in danger. Stop. Stop,” Anaxantis yelled at the top of his lungs
The soldiers came to a halt, only inches away from the four friends. The captain of the squad dismounted.
“Are you all right, my lord?” he inquired.
“Yes, yes, we were only practicing. My friends were teaching me to defend myself against a multiple attack.”
The captain looked at the other three with still a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
“How is it you find yourself in this part of the woods,” Anaxantis asked. “I've never before seen soldiers here.”
“Your brother, lord Ehandar, gave us specific instructions to keep an eye on suspicious movements in this sector of the forest, my lord.”
“And he didn't mention that I was here with friends?”
“Yes, he did, my lord, only, what I saw didn't look very friendly. For all I knew you were under attack by robbers, and your friends could be lying dead somewhere.”
“I see,” Anaxantis said resigned.
“I'm sorry, my lord, if I disturbed you.”
“No, no, captain, you weren't to know. On the contrary, you did your duty and you did it admirably. You are to be commended. Had I been in any real danger, you would have saved me. Thank you. I shall make sure to tell my brother that you executed his orders with diligence.”
Inwardly, the captain sighed with relief. He wouldn't have been the first officer to be reprimanded for just doing his duty with an undesired result, because his instructions had been incomplete. Blame tended to seek out the lower ranks, he knew. At least the young lord was fair in his assessment of what had happened.
“Thank you, my lord,” he replied. “With your permission we will leave you to it. I will patrol the perimeter of this section and not disturb you anymore.”
When the soldiers had left an uneasy
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