A considerable time later the halfling and fairy dragged their weary bodies into the pig pens. Despite this not being a usual place to imagine a training session, Fandri was too tired to be curious. He sank down onto a small stool beside the pens and watched the pigs with half-closed eyes. The fairy landed on his shoulder and lay down with her wings splayed open. She whispered into Fandri’s ear. “Perhaps they have forgotten about us and we can go to breakfast.”
A large man approached, causing Fandri to murmur. “Fat chance of that, I reckon. Look at this giant.”
At Fandri’s eye level was a wide, solid girth. As his gaze travelled upwards he noted broad shoulders, a thick neck and a scarred face half hidden by a tangle of pale curls. Without a word of greeting he pointed at a black boar in the sty. “Get on the pig.”
Fandri was taken aback at the knight’s brusqueness and lack of introduction. He stopped in his tracks and his brow furrowed as he pondered whether to do as he was asked. Do they really want me to sit on this smelly pig?
The man glared at him. “Either get on the pig or take another twelve turns on the staircase, squire. It would be a long walk home to the Southlands if you cannot follow my simple instructions.”
Fandri-La prodded him on the arm and motioned towards the boar. She hissed at him. “Hurry up, Fandri. He looks serious.”
The halfling hurried over to the stout pig who gave him a look, snorted and walked forward several paces.
“Uh-oh. He’s going to be tricky.” Fandri approached the pig from side on and again it moved away.
He glanced at the big knight who frowned, but offered no assistance.
Fandri took in a deep breath. It’s a test. I can do this. He walked in a wide circle and approached the boar from the front so it could not go forward. He murmured in the boar’s ear. “Look pig, let me on your back and I promise to find you a nice big bucket of scraps to eat. Just don’t make me look foolish in front of this giant.”
The pig twitched an ear, which Fandri took as a positive sign. He grabbed a handful of skin on the nape of its neck and hoist his leg over its broad back.
The pig grunted, but stood its ground.
Fandri smiled, then he and his fairy looked to the knight with raised eyebrows.
“Will you sit there all day, or ride the damn thing? I have no patience with simpletons. I need knights with obedience and initiative.”
Oh. He dug his knees into the boar and it lurched forward through the open sty gate. There was no saddle or reins to hold, so Fandri gripped the folds of skin behind its neck.
“Now, back to me.” The knight’s voiced called clear across the field. Fandri sighed.
He pulled on one ear and the pig turned back towards the sty.
“Yay! That’s it Fandri. You can do this. Good job.” Fandri-La flitted in front of the pig and it tried to reach up and swallow her mid-stride. She increased her speed and stayed just out of its reach, glancing back to ensure it would not catch her.
The boar raced back across the field and came to a stop at the knight’s feet.
He nodded his head, with a grunt. “Satisfactory, squire. Now rub down the pig and repeat this exercise ten more times.”
Without a word of praise and still no introduction, the knight turned on his heel and headed towards the castle, leaving them alone with the boar.
“Gee, would it have hurt him to give his name and say that you did a good job? These knights sure are a serious bunch.” Fandri-La flicked her dark hair over one shoulder and huffed.
Fandri grabbed the flannel hanging from the post and rubbed down the pig, which gave a grunt of appreciation. “Yeah, the pig likes me more than the knights do. I’m going to have to work hard to prove my worth to them.”
He mounted it again and they set off on their task.
Artwork: ‘Dragon under the Relorian sky’ by Susannah, age 14