The Four Swords

Chapter 105: Golden Child

I threw the two extra cloaks at the newest members of my party, accentuating the need to hit the road. Sir Balor had the good sense to keep his mouth shut as he and Sir Gavin mounted the horses supplied to them. Although it did not keep him from trying to set me ablaze with his unnerving stare. I did not mind one bit. If it kept his mouth shut, he could look at me upside down and through a mirror riding atop a flying pig.

The horse that he mounted, however, did not keep quiet. As soon as Sir Balor found his place in the saddle, the horse snorted in protest. That poor horse was not used to such a plump rider. To make matters worse, the stirrups had to be adjusted for the man's short legs. The horse swished her tail in annoyance.

Finally we were out of the gates and into the open air. I led the group, motioning Sir John to take up the rear. He was an experienced horseman and traveler. I trusted him to fully wrangle any of our wandering charges and to protect our backs.

With the rest of the group behind me, I took in the sight of the horizon. The sight felt like home. The sun would soon cast an array of colors across the sky as it set since the winter made the days short.

Freedom from the city never felt so needed. The only place I seemed to clear my head was out in the wilderness. I would at least get one evening underneath the stars without thinking about the court or obligations there.

After having traveled the forests to the east of the capital city and seeing the enemy invade the lands there, it felt nice to be headed south. The gnomes were our neighbors to the south which would take us as far away from the mountains occupied by the Norads in the north.

My thoughts were interrupted as Sir Gavin rode up his mount next to me. He tried to get my attention with a motion of his hand. I enjoyed my peace for a moment longer before I let the son of the Swordsman from the clan of Falcon destroy it.

"Yes, Sir Gavin? Did you need something?" I inquired as I guided my mount toward the left side of a fork in the road.

"Thank you for your guidance to the border, Lord Holden. I do not wish to forget my thanks," the youth offered almost angelically.

"You're welcome," I retorted. My time did not mask my annoyance verging on the edge of confusion.

"If it is alright with you, might I ask you a few questions along the way?" Sir Gavin inquired.

My stomach churned for a moment. This felt like a trap. "I suppose." I replied, not fully committing to answer anything.

"As you know, I am next in line for the Swordsmanship of my clan. I look for any example that I can for ideas on leadership. Do you often find it effective to use threats of violence with your men?" The boy asked earnestly.

Oh. So that's what this was about. He was certainly not the one clapping when I talked to Sir Balor, but I did not think he would so openly challenge my method of dealing with the brat.

"I don't use threats. I use promises," I responded with a bit of bite in my tone. Empty threats mean nothing without follow through.

"Ah. I see," Gavin's voice rose in pitch, shocked by my response. "Any other tips you might have for someone aspiring to inspire others? I cannot very well make the same type of promise to Sir Balor every time he steps out of line."

I could not tell if Sir Gavin was truthfully looking for information and methods on how to handle his pompous clansman or if he was using this kind of questioning to reprimand me. I felt trapped in a maze of mind games with someone trying to prove moral superiority.

I turned to look him straight in the eye, pulling down my cloak hood once more. The wind had picked up once we left the city and a chill ran down my spine after I left the protection of the fabric. Seeing my serious expression, he too dropped his hood.

"Sir Gavin, you cannot change another man's actions. You might be able to understand his motives and hope to address those. If you do not like the way I addressed Sir Balor's need for attention, then you should say so and move on. My methods of leadership might not be the same as someone of more formal Swordsman training," I added, attempting to point out that our upbringings were much different.

Although both of our fathers were Swordsmen, our clans had very different expectations and rules on how the Sword would pass to the next person. Gavin was destined to inherit his clan's Sword. It would pass to the firstborn son of the previous Swordsman. The clan of Falcon was very clear on that front.

The clan of Bear was much different. I was voted into the position of Swordsman by the entirety of the clan as was my father before me. I was not raised with the expectation that I would have the honor of serving my people in the same way that my father had before me.

Gavin looked taken aback. "I am sorry if my questions offended you in any way. I would not dare to disgrace my clan by offending a Swordsman. Please accept my apology. I hope you grant me the opportunity to gain any wisdom you might share on our journey to the border," Sir Gavin groveled. "By the way, why are we going to the border?"

This guy could not be serious. "You'll figure it out soon enough," I responded, pushing my mount into a gallop. The party behind me pushed their mounts in the same way, making our journey go faster for the time being.

The two Falcons seemed to be polar opposites. Rude and overly respectful. Insults and flattery. Set in his ways and yearning to learn. I wish we could average the belligerent fellow and the golden boy to get two average joes that would be a pleasure to travel alongside