Alanna The First Adventure - By Tamora Pierce Page 0,36

fear I’ll use that friendship. My game of wits is with my Lord Provost—no one else.”

“I hope so”—Jon grinned—“or Alan, Gary and I are in a lot of trouble.”

“George,” Alanna said. The other two looked at her. Her face was bewildered. “I—I don’t understand,” she stammered. “Why do this for me? You went to a lot of trouble. Why?”

George looked at her for a long moment. Finally he replied, “And why do you find it so hard to think someone might like you and want to do things for you? That’s the way of friendship, lad.”

Alanna shook her head. “But I haven’t done anything for you.”

“That’s not how it works,” the thief said dryly.

This was confusing, and Alanna said so. George laughed and took them to lunch.

Shortly after this the four youngest pages—Alanna, a new boy named Geoffrey of Meron, Douglass of Veldine and Sacherell of Wellam—were ordered to one of the indoor practice courts, instead of the staff yards. Awaiting them were Duke Gareth, Coram and Captain Aram Sklaw, head of the Palace Guard. The Captain, a hard-bitten old mercenary with a patch over his missing eye, looked the boys over.

“Hmph!” he snorted. “Not a promising one in the lot!” He pointed a thick finger at Geoffrey. “You—you look like a dreamer to me. Blood makes you sick, eh? You’d rather read than fight Huh!” He eyed Douglass. “Aye, you like your food, don’t you? Hang around the kitchens, I wager, begging from Cook.” He squinted at Alanna. “You? You’re not big enough for bird feed. You won’t be able even to lift a sword, let along swing it.” Alanna started to argue and remembered Duke Gareth’s presence. She stored that remark for later—she’d show Sklaw! The mercenary turned to Sacherell. “I’ve seen you on the courts. Lazy, that’s what you are, and slow to boot.” He stood at attention before the Duke. “With your Grace’s permission, I’d like to be excused.”

Duke Gareth’s smile did not quite fit under the hand he used to hid it. “You ask to be excused every time, Aram, and yet you manage to turn out creditable swordsmen—every time.” He looked at the boys, his thin face stern once more. “You are going to learn the art of fencing.” Alanna gulped with alarm—Duke Gareth always made her nervous. “No, don’t look at me like that, Alan—I don’t waste my time on beginners. I don’t have enough for the more promising students as it is. Captain Sklaw and Guardsman Smythesson will be your teachers. You’ll learn how to forge a sword, how to draw it, how to hold it. For the next few months you’ll eat, sleep and study with your sword on. If it leaves your side, you get an overnight vigil in the Sun’s Chapel. This is not wrestling or tilting. You might go all your lives without wrestling, when you are knights. However, you may safely bet you’ll have to defend yourself—or someone else—with a sword at least once before you die. If any of you give the Guardsman or the Captain cause to complain, you’ll talk to me. I know how much you boys enjoy our little chats.” The Duke nodded to the men. “Gentlemen, they’re yours.” He walked from the room.

Sklaw looked at them and snorted. “Before you likely-looking lads touch a blade, you’ll make one. Guardsman Smythesson will instruct you there, poor man. I leave them to you,” he told Coram, and walked out after the Duke.

Coram sighed, his face grim. “Well, lads—let’s be off to the forge.”

It was the beginning of a long, hard winter. After the practice swords were made to Coram’s satisfaction, Sklaw took over. He instructed them in the stances and passes that were such an important part of fencing. He taught them how to get a sword from its sheath quickly—a feat that looked much easier than it was. Always Sklaw hovered nearby, criticizing, growling, complaining. The boys learned to do everything while wearing their practice swords, because there was no telling where Sklaw would turn up. The only place it was safe to take the blade off was in one’s room, when one was bathing—and even then the door had to be locked. Alanna made sure her door was locked.

Sklaw singled her out for special treatment, perhaps because she was the smallest of the group. She did nothing right, or even better than last time. She was clumsy; she was lazy; she didn’t practice because where were her muscles? She was a midget;