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“Here you go uncle,” said [[Brynach]] as he handed over the reins to the [[charger]], “a present.” The other knight took the reins with a surprised and almost apologetic look, and [[Brynach]] couldn’t help but to feel satisfied by it. Last year [[Ennis]] had backhanded him. This year [[Brynach]] was turning the other cheek, even if there was a small hint of malice to the action to giving sir [[Ennis]] such a valuable gift. “You really ought to be more careful with your [[horses]],” said [[Brynach]]. “The last one was one of [[lady]] Ellen’s own breeds was it not? Since your armour was taken by the [[saxons]] this summer you really do not have the funds to lose another war horse.” [[Brynach]] himself had the funds to buy a new armour of course, but he would not give that money to sir [[Ennis]]. The horse was enough, he had no need for two. Torrent, the strongest [[charger]] in [[Salisbury]], except for maybe uncle Cadry’s stallion, would serve [[Brynach]] well. “I suppose I can’t,” laughed [[Ennis]] seemingly ignoring the implied meaning to Brynach’s words. “I can’t say I was ever a cautious man. Me and sir [[Victus]] have that in common,” he added and looked over at The one-legged-knight who were talking quietly to Torrent. “But I thank you sir [[Brynach]],” [[Ennis]] continued. “It means a lot to me that you would give me the horse [[lady]] [[Ellen]] gave you. You are a knight now, and a good one too. You will do great things in the service of king [[Nanteleod]].” [[Brynach]] felt nothing from the praise that sir [[Ennis]] directed his way. As a matter of fact, he was surprised that the words of recognition didn’t mean anything to him. Agreements apart, sir [[Ennis]] wasn’t his father. Blood apart sir [[Ennis]] wasn’t even his uncle. But one thing was true: he was knighted and he was free. Free to do whatever he wanted, at least for a couple of years until that reckless uncle of his got himself killed or lost in feari again. [[Brynach]] had hoped that this last meeting would mean... something. He had thought of revenge. He had even considered to challenge sir [[Ennis]] for Hindon, but that would have been stupid. Standing there now he knew that he had already forgiven sir [[Ennis]] for last autumn. The resentment he felt for sir [[Ennis]] hadn’t disappeared which both made him glad and a bit ashamed. He knew that he ought to like the man more. As lord [[Elad]] had said, what was really the difference between sir [[Ennis]] and his father [[Melkin]]? Sir [[Ennis]] was proud and worldly yes, things that [[Melkin]] hadn’t been, but the harder [[Brynach]] had thought about it he had realised that there was a lot of things that he didn’t remember about his father, and he didn’t like that one bit. “And king [[Nanteleod]] has promised to find you a good match.” [[Ennis]] was not asking. “That is not a small thing.” For a second [[Brynach]] wondered if sir [[Ennis]] had meant to imply that, because [[Brynach]] was unattractive, he was lucky to get married at all. Still the words meant nothing to him. He shrugged. It didn’t bother him that women didn’t find him attractive. He had grown up around women all his life, and they were not as complicated as some men seemed to think. “I will not return,” [[Brynach]] said, “at least not until I’m needed.” He saw that these words saddened [[Ennis]] somehow. He knew they would, as they had saddened his sisters, as they had saddened his other uncles. [[Brynach]] himself was mostly excited, and that he didn’t feel guilty about that. “That’s fair,” nodded [[Ennis]] finally. “I know you’re not happy about this arrangement but...” “I actually am,” interrupted [[Brynach]]. “I am going to enjoy travelling, and serving the king, and I can’t do that if I have to take care Hindon too.” [[Ennis]] looked surprised: “Well that’s… new,” he said, “I thought you would… What in the world are you doing [[Victus]]?!” Startled by this sudden change of tone and volume [[Brynach]] looked over at [[Victus]] who had, only God knows how, managed to mount Torrent and was riding towards them. “Good horse this,” he said smiling with approval. “King [[Meliodas]] had one that looked just like this one.” “Are you mad man?” exclaimed [[Ennis]]. “You can’t ride without your saddle.” “It’s been a while but I’m quite sure I can still do it,” protested [[Victus]]. To prove his point he moved back on the horse slightly and pulled Torrent’s main which made the [[charger]] rear. The first time went well. “See, I’ve still got it…,” began [[Victus]] when Torrent, indigent by being handled in this way reared again with more force. The second time went badly. Unprepared for this, the one-legged knight was thrown from the back of the [[charger]] and hit the fence behind him badly. [[Brynach]] stood petrified as the old man slumped jaw open. [[Ennis]] was at the other knight's side in seconds. “Don’t just stand there,” he snapped at [[Brynach]]. “Get my tools!” “No,” whispered [[Victus]] blood running from his head, “this is it. I can’t feel my legs… well the one I have left.” They crouched at his side as the old scarred legend of a knight laughed though his broken ribs. “Reckless,” cursed [[Ennis]] gripping sir [[Victus]] hand. “It was,” agreed sir [[Victus]], “but Mawrth men don’t die in battle do they now? My boy,” he reached out for [[Brynach]] who shakily took the hand, “don’t stay away too long. I know you grief what you don’t have, but you should acknowledge what you got.” He nodded unable to say anything. “And [[Ennis]], boy... give the faeries a good kick from me.” And so the one-legged-knight died, as he had lived; recklessly.
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