And now, so was Shem.
---
For someone who had never stolen a thing before in his life, Dormin made off quite well with the horse, he thought to himself. Maybe he did have a talent.
What he didn’t have was more time.
He’d already wasted too much in Idumea looking for his brother, and now he had to get back on schedule and to Winds. As he rode the black horse along the dark roads, he tried to justify in his mind what he’d done by taking the animal. The words wouldn’t come. Everything sounded either feeble, or something his brother would say, which was pretty much the same thing.
But it was over now, he was sure of it. Sonoforen had chosen his fate, Dormin was now choosing his. But only by riding all night and day and night again would he meet his fate on time.
He just might have to steal a few more horses.
---
It was a sunny and cool afternoon in the middle of Harvest Season, the 46th Day. Perfect weather for the Strongest Soldier Race.
“Actually,” Perrin clarified to his wife for the umpteenth time that morning over breakfast, “it’s to test Stage Three, the Tower Banner Notices. Not to see who the strongest soldier is. So please stop calling it the Strongest Soldier Race!”
“But everyone else in Edge is calling it that,” Mahrree defended sweetly.
“Because you got them to!”
“Yes,” she giggled, “I did, didn’t I?”
The day should have been declared a holiday, Perrin decided later. The towers which had captured the citizens’ attention as they were constructed were now fully manned and readied. It seemed most of the population of Edge put their work on hold to come watch the first trial of the system, especially since they heard that the Commander of the fort would be racing the young Hero of Edge.
Also probably Mahrree’s doing as well.
It was early afternoon when Perrin approached at the village green tower on horseback from the west, having made sure the towers in that quadrant were ready for their first test. Corporal Zenos was coming to meet him from the east, and Captain Karna from the south, with verification that the towers in those quadrants were readied as well.
What the three men hadn’t expected was the festival atmosphere that greeted them by the amphitheater. Over a thousand adults and children were milling around, chatting, and even selling food and drinks as they waited for the race.
Perrin shook his head at the unexpected scene. A cheer rose up when the three men arrived from different roads, converging at the village green tower. Major Shin nodded to the crowd and waved politely before walking his horse over to his captain.
“Karna,” he said in a low voice, “this is madness! We posted bulletins to forewarn the citizens, not to be their entertainment.”
The captain chuckled. “Remember Major, you’re winning hearts and minds, and that’s important since you’re now also the Administrators’ Eyes and Ears and Voice.”
Perrin shook his head and mumbled, “Only a few body parts remain my own.”
“Don’t worry,” said Karna,” You can borrow some of mine. I’m still your third and fourth hands, and second mind.”
Perrin winked in gratitude.
Corporal Zenos looked around nervously from atop his mount. A group of young women, with their own homemade cloth banner proudly sporting the name of ZENOS, caught his eye. They waved enthusiastically. Sareen was one of them, and Perrin noticed Zenos wincing as the silly girl giggled.
“Major, maybe we shouldn’t do this today—the race I mean,” Zenos said quietly giving sidelong glances to the girls who called for him and waved more boldly.
He waved timidly back.
They squealed.
He blushed.
Captain Karna shook his head. “That would be a bad idea, Zenos. Those girls have been waiting for nearly an hour to see you,” he warned him. “If we cancel now we’d most likely have an angry mob on our hands. Major, perhaps that could be the signal for the purple banner?” He grinned.
Major Shin smiled in agreement. “Then I guess you best be on your way to the fort, Captain. You have a relay race to finish setting up. We’ll be up shortly after we’ve checked the last two stations.”
“I’ll have the surgeon waiting on standby for you two. If you’re able to complete what I’ve set up for you, neither will be walking well for a week!” Karna laughed, kicked his horse, and headed to the fort.
Shin looked over to Zenos. He was staring at his horse’s mane trying not to notice the crowd, and especially trying not to look at the girls who kept calling for him.
Sareen and another girl had taken off their cloaks, despite the chill of Harvest Season, and slid their short sleeves down to reveal their bare shoulders, and even a bit beyond. ‘Cleavage’ was a new Idumean fashion, a trend Perrin told Mahrree she didn’t need to adopt.