didn’t know if he could’ve held that shield for another moment.
Thor hurried back to the others, many of whom gave him looks of admiration. He wondered how he had survived.
“Nice work,” Reece whispered to him.
“Any other volunteers?” Kolk called out.
There was dead silence among the boys. Clearly, after watching Thor, no one else wanted to try.
Thor felt proud of himself. He wasn’t sure if he would have volunteered knowing what was entailed, but now that it was over, he was glad that he did it.
“Fine. Then I will volunteer for you,” Kolk yelled. “You! Saden!” he called out, pointing to someone.
An older, thin boy stepped forward, looking terrified.
“Me?” Saden said, his voice cracking.
The other boys laughed at him.
“Of course you. Who else?” Kolk said.
“I’m sorry sir, but I would rather not.”
A horrified gasp arose among the Legion.
Kolk stepped forward, approaching him, grimacing.
“You don’t do what you want,” Kolk growled. “You do what I tell you to do.”
Saden stood there, frozen, looking scared to death.
“He shouldn’t be here,” Reece whispered to Thor.
Thor turned and looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“He comes from a noble family, and they placed them here. But he doesn’t want to be here. He’s not a fighter. Kolk knows that. I think they’re trying to break him. I think they want him out.”
“I’m sorry sir, but I cannot,” Saden said, sounding terrified.
“You can,” Kolk screamed, “and you will!”
There was a frozen, tense standoff.
Saden looked down to the ground, hanging his chin in shame.
“I am sorry, sir. Give me some other task, and I will gladly do it.”
Kolk turned red in the face, storming towards him until he was inches from his face.
“I
Saden looked as if he were about to burst into tears, as he nodded back.
A soldier came over, draped chainmail over Saden, and then a second arrived and draped another set of chainmail on him. Thor could not understand how he could bear the weight of it. He could barely run with one of them on.
Kolk leaned back and kicked Saden hard in the rear, and he went stumbling forward and began his long, slow jog around the field. Thor felt bad for him. As he watched him hobble around, he couldn’t help but wonder if the boy would survive the Legion.
Suddenly a horn was sounded, and Thor turned to see a company of the King’s men ride up on horseback, a dozen of the Silver with them, holding long spears, wearing feathered helmets. They rode up and stopped before the legion.
“In honor of the king’s daughter’s wedding day, and in honor of the summer solstice, the king has declared the rest of today a hunting day!”
All the boys around Thor erupted into a huge cheer. As one, they all broke off into a sprint, following the horses as they turned and charged across the field.
“What’s happening?” Thor asked Reece, as he began to run with the others.
Reece wore a huge smile on his face.
“It’s a godsend!” he said. “We’re off for the day! We get to hunt!”
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Thor jogged down the forest trail with the others, holding the spear that had been handed to him for the hunt. Beside him were Reece, O’Connor and Elden, along with at least fifty other members of the Legion. In front of them rode a hundred Silver, on horseback and in light armor, some carrying short spears, but most with bows and arrows slung over their backs. Running on foot amongst them were dozens of squires and attendants.
Riding at the front was King MacGil, looking as huge and proud as ever, an excited grin on his face. He was flanked by his sons, Kendrick and Gareth, and, Thor was surprised to see, even Godfrey. Dozens of pages ran amidst them, a few of them leaning back and blowing horns made of long ivory tusks; others yanked at baying dogs, who anxiously ran forward to keep up with the horses. It was complete mayhem. As the huge group charged through the forest, they began to split off in every direction, and Thor hardly knew where they were going, or which group to follow.
Erec rode close by, and Thor and the others decided to follow his trail. Thor came running up beside Reece.
“Where are we going?” he asked Reece, out of breath as they ran.
“Deep into the wood,” Reece called back. “The King’s men aim to bring back days’ worth of foul.”
“Why are some of the Silver on horses and others on foot?” O’Connor asked Reece.
“Those on horses are hunting the easier kill, such as deer and fowl,” Reece responded. “They use their bows. Those on foot aim for the more dangerous animals. Like the yellowtail boar.”
Thor was both excited and nervous at the mention of the animal. He had seen one growing up: it was a nasty and dangerous creature, known to tear a man in two with little provocation.
“The oldest warriors tend to stay on horseback and go after deer and birds,” Erec added, looking down. “The younger tend to stay on foot, and go after the bigger game. You have to be in better shape for it, of course.”
“Which is why we allow this hunt for you boys,” Kolk, running with the others, not far away, yelled out, “it is training for you, too. You will have to be on foot the entire hunt, keep up with the horses. As we go, you will break off into smaller groups, and each fork down your own path, and each hunt down your own animal. You will find the most vicious animal you can-and you will fight it to the death. These are the same qualities that make you a soldier: stamina, fearlessness, and not backing down from your adversary, no matter how big or how vicious. Now go!” he screamed.
Thor ran faster, as did all of his brethren, racing to catch up to the horses as they tore through the forest. He hardly knew which way to go, but he figured if he stuck close to Reece and O’Connor, he would be okay.
“An arrow, quick!” Erec yelled down.
Thor burst into action, running up beside Erec’s horse, grabbing an arrow from the quiver on the saddle, and handing it up to him. Erec placed it on his bow as he rode, slowed and took steady aim at something in the woods.
“The dogs!” Erec screamed.
One of the King’s attendants released a barking dog, which dove into the bushes. To Thor’s surprise, a large bird flew up, and as it did, Erec let loose the arrow.
It was a perfect shot, right to the neck, and the bird fell down, dead. Thor was amazed at how Erec had spotted it.
“The bird!” Erec yelled out.
Thor ran, grabbed the dead bird, warm, blood still oozing from its neck, and ran back to Erec. He slung it on Erec’s saddle, and it hung there as he rode.
All around Thor, many knights on horseback were doing the same, flushing birds and shooting at them, their squires retrieving them. Most used arrows; some used spears. Thor watched as Kendrick pulled back his spear, took aim and hurled it at a deer. It was a perfect strike, right into its throat, and it fell, too.
Thor was amazed at the abundance of game in these woods, the amount of bounty they would be bringing home. It would be enough to feed King’s Court for days.
