Winter's Blossom: The Seasons of Arthur

Chapter 11

There was no change immediately, for we still were up each morning at dawn for weapons drill, and we still went straight from there into lessens with Merlin, but we found out swiftly just how well prepared we had been in Enniaun's household. I had certainly underestimated how well Ector had prepared us as warriors.

I was a big lad, as big as many of the men in Ambrosious' service, if not those of the Votadini contingent yet. Not only was I big and strong, but Ector had told me that I was faster than I had any right to be. And so it proved, even for Owain who had never been as good with a sword as me. As swordsmen we were far better than any we came across, better skilled than any of the ordinary soldier, so that our new instructor, Aglovale, had to get some of his veterans to come against us.

These veterans often beat us. Experienced warriors, they knew many more underhand and dirty tricks than us. They taught us that fighting is not fair and it did not matter how you won, so long as you won. I tried to impress them by telling them my trick when I fought Mordred and they nodded grudgingly. 'If you fight fair, you die.' They said gruffly.

'But what about honour?' Owain looked oddly hurt.

'Plenty of honourable men in the graveyard.' The veterans scoffed at him. Owain flushed.

We were hungry to learn, and we both picked up these lessons quickly. I especially took to them, having no qualms about fighting dirty. Both Owain and I though, with age having slowed the veterans, quickly learned to beat them if not easily, then confidently so that in the end Aglovale is had to prevail upon Ambrosius to borrow his champion Laval to fight us, and at first, against the combination of speed and guile he beat us bloody, though quickly we learned to hold our own and beat even him.

Aglovale was a big, bluff looking man with a weather-beaten face and a scar that ran from his temple to his chin, giving his face a mocking look. He was a man given to a seemingly eternal cheerfulness except when in conflict with his wife, who was even more formidable than him. He made us laugh with his colourfully eloquent blasphemy that would have made a bishop blush in outrage, but he was utterly loyal to Ambrosius though, more so than to his wife, and had fought for his lord throughout the length and breadth of Britain.

It was not just our lessons in swordplay that we continued. Merlin had stayed on in Viroconioum with us. I did not like to ask why Merlin had stayed on, supposedly as our guardian but I had no doubt he was there to be a spy within the High King's household. Regardless, we were to continue our lessons with him.

Having two young men as his wards must have been akin to having sons for Ambrosius, who had but one daughter. He had little time for his daughter Guinevere, who was reputedly the most beautiful girl in all of Britain but was not quick witted like her father. Ambrosius spent time with us, sitting in on some of our lessons.

Our lessons were less broad than before. A lot of it was about war, battle and strategy. We were walked through historic battles and how they were won. Ambrosius would sit in on those lessons and explain to us why Roman battles, and give a blow by blow account of his own victories. We had been taught tactics before by Merlin before, but I had always assumed territory followed those important lines, that each hilltop and mile of land was important along the borders.

Ambrosius told me that was not the case. War was more often than not about roads, and the settlements that dominated them. We were also taught about the logistics of war. 'Armies can be defeated by hunger as surely as by swords.' Ambrosius explained. 'It is important to always ensure you have supplies of what you need. Food especially.'

I was in awe of Ambrosius, and I sense that he liked us well enough too. He was very kind to us, and often spared time to learn more about us, which in hindsight was him astutely gauging our personalities and what sort of young men we were. More importantly, as a leader, he was judging how we would be of best use to him.