The Black Horseman

Chapter 8

 

VIII

 

 

 

 

Gwaynn’s swollen lip did not keep him from running the next day, nor did the fact that he’d worked late the previous day helping to repair the storm damage. The damage, though considerable, was less than Lane expected.

Again Gwaynn finished the run trailing only Vio, but after the finish B’dall just avoided him, and surprisingly Vio did as well. It bothered Gwaynn that she departed so quickly, but he did not have time to dwell on it because later that morning the Tars returned.

They appeared suddenly, along with a number of Travelers, several Healers and one Scholar. Gwaynn was on the infirmary roof with Lane repairing a wooden gutter when the group suddenly appeared outside the main hall.

Lane, who was perched on the very top of his tallest ladder, noticed that the lad’s attention was not on the job and turned, half expecting to see his daughter waltzing up the road. He watched as the arriving group looked about for a moment, then as one, moved into the Grand Hall, led by Tar Amon and Tar Kostek.

“Let’s hurry and finish up,” Lane said with a frown. He could not remember when so many visitors from so many different islands were all on Noble at the same time.

“Master Kostek may have something else planned for us to do,” he explained.

Gwaynn nodded, very happy to see the Tars return. He hoped it meant that he would begin sparring with Vio again. All that afternoon he worked hard and fast, helping Lane fix the last of the most pressing damage. It was late in the day when Gwaynn noticed several Tars emerging from the hall, Tar Kostek was among them. Gwaynn hoped to catch his attention but Kostek walked off to the south in the direction his group of students usually trained in the early evening. He did not approach close enough to Gwaynn for him to ask about this evening. 

When it was time for the students evening meal, Gwaynn conveniently found himself working on a fence, which ran along the south pasture. He was near the path that led to the student’s quarters so he was confident they would pass close by once they finished their training for the day. Lane was working in the same pasture, but nearly a quarter of a mile away.

Gwaynn was shoring up the fence posts with rocks when he could and marking those that would need additional support in the near future, but he was also keeping a very close eye out for Vio and the others. It was nearing sundown and he was actually afraid he would be called into to eat, when finally the group of tired students appeared over a rise, walking briskly home. Gwaynn could hear them talking but they were too far away for him to make out just what they were saying. He scanned the group, finding Vio and Krys, but was disappointed that Master Kostek did not seem to be among them.

As they moved closer, Gwaynn was surprised that it was B’dall who veered away from the others and approached him.

“Won’t be winning anymore races now, will you?” B’dall said with a smirk, and Gwaynn noticed that Vio, Krys, William and Tam, stopped on the road to listen, but not one of them approached closer.

“What do you mean by that?” Gwaynn asked, puzzled.

“Come on B’dall. Leave him be,” Krys said.

“Leave him alone,” Tam agreed, but Vio just stood there with her head down.

B’dall smiled at him. It was not a friendly smile. “Master Kostek just let us know. You’ll be going to Lato to live with the Scholars…hey maybe you can race them,” he added, reveling in the look of shock on Gwaynn’s face.