Battle Horse

Chapter Five

Ena watched bitterly as Malvin trained Horace how to ride Kicker. She stood watching from inside the stable door as horses passed by her in the care of second years. She had already finished all of her class work and the stalls for the horses were spotless. Kerry saw her standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do, and had her help him groom the horses, but they were finished now. Horace sat awkwardly on top of Kicker, holding the reins high above his head in an attempt to halt the gelding. Malvin stood off to the side, watching in dismay.

"Horace, pull back only slightly! No Horace! You'll make him-..." He trailed off as Kicker took off in a full gallop, causing Horace to fly off. "Run." Malvin finished his sentence with a slight smile. Kerry and Jaryn joined Ena at the door, and they all chuckled to themselves as Malvin ran to help Horace off the ground.

"Well don't just stand there! Jaryn, go get Kicker back!" Malvin yelled at them. He held out his hand to help Horace up off of the grass. Jaryn rolled his eyes, grabbed a carrot from the supply room, and ran after the horse. Kerry and Ena snickered as Jaryn waved the carrot in the air calling, "Here Kicker! Here boy!" He finally caught the attention of Kicker, who pranced over to him, stopping just long enough for Jaryn to grab his bridle. Malvin led Horace over to the stables, and sat him down on a tree stump they used to help shorter boys climb on top of the horses. Kerry handed a cup of water to Horace he had drawn up from the well.

"You need to get back on soon, Horace." Malvin told her ward mate. Horace glared over at Kicker, who Jaryn was bringing back to the stables. Horace's gaze shifted to Ena, where she was holding back a smile.

"You think this is funny?" He snapped. Ena shook her head, but the smirk that was still on her lips betrayed her. She thought it was funny seeing the bully of her ward looking hopeless. She felt that Will would have loved to see it. "It's not like you could do any better." He scoffed. Ena's face turned cold at his words.

"Better then you? Easy." She retorted. He rolled his eyes.

"And pray tell how you learned since you grew up in the ward?" He mocked. She gave him a stern look before turning to Jaryn, who had just returned with the horse. She took Kicker's reins from him and threw them over his neck.

"Ena?" Malvin asked curiously. She glared at him and stuck her foot in the stirrup. She swung herself into his saddle.

"Ena!" Malvin warned now. She only looked at Horace, who looked back at her curiously. She turned Kicker around and set him at a steady trot out of the stables.

"Ena!" Malvin yelled now. She pretended not to hear him, and urged Kicker into a gallop. Her surroundings rushed pass her, and she smiled at the feeling of the wind rushing pass her skin. She looped him around a pole at the end of the field and they raced back to the stables. She eased him into a steady trot before halting in front of the dumbstruck boys. Ena slid out of his saddle and handed him back to Jaryn. Horace's jaw was slightly open and he stared at her in awe.

"That was amazing!" Kerry exclaimed. Jaryn nodded in agreement. Malvin on the other hand, turned a furious gaze on her.

"What were you thinking?!? If Ulf caught you..." He was cut off from a new voice.

"If I caught her, what?" Ulf asked, folding his arms. Malvin suddenly went pale, and Ena dropped her gaze.

"Sir..." He began. Ulf held up a hand to stop him.

"No need to explain, Malvin. I saw the whole thing. Ena, come with me. Malvin, I'll deal with you later." Ena gave Malvin a sorrowful look as she made her way over to the horse master. She let out a deep sigh as she heard Horace scoff at the outcome. Ulf led her out of the stables and into the school. She felt a sense of déjà vu as he led her into his office. Only this time she wasn't being dragged by her collar.

"Sit." He said. She dropped down into the same arm chair she had sat in less then a week ago. He walked over to the fire, and took the kettle off, pouring the water into the cups. The room filled with the aroma of coffee. Ena didn't particularly like coffee, but she feared that refusing the cup would simply make her situation harder then it was. Ulf passed her the cup and took his own, sitting down at his desk. They sat in silence for a moment and Ulf sipped his coffee. He set it back down on his desk and let out some sigh.

"What am I going to do with you?" He said chuckling. Ena said nothing, going over the worst case scenarios in her head. This must have been what Will felt like the day of the choosing!

"I don't know, sir." She mumbled quietly. He stared at her for a moment before he let out a chuckle. Ena gave him a look of confusion.

"I think I'll call you trouble from now on. You're the only first year I've ever seen this often." He said. She didn't know whether to be proud or disappointed in herself. She felt almost both.

"So you're not kicking me out? I broke the one big rule of Horse school, first years can't ride." She said warily. He rolled his eyes.

"Ena, I only say that because boys are stupid enough to get on untrained horses. That gelding was already broken. We wouldn't let an untrained battle school student on him otherwise. He's one of the finest horses we have in Redmont. You have experience with horses. I can tell." He said. She nodded slightly.

"So I'm not in trouble?" She asked.

"I'm not shipping you off to Lady Pauline, if that's what you're asking." He smirked. She smiled and nodded. "Go on now. But if you could keep out of sight the rest of the day? I don't want the others to think I've gone soft on you." She nodded.

"Yes sir." She stood to leave. "And sir? Please don't punish Malvin. He tried to stop me, but I'm stubborn." He laughed.

"I won't, but only because you just admitted you're stubborn." He teased. She grinned and left his study.

***

I don't really have anything to say about this chapter. I hoped you liked it. Please comment and vote!

~Avis