Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 8i

Grifford slammed the door of the training arena behind him and crossed to the water trough that sat in the nearby shade of a cherossa tree.

"Stupid beast!"

His dark hair was plastered to his head with sweat, and as he walked he stretched his arm back and forth and rubbed at his elbow with his other hand. After the mess he had left it in the previous day, Master Chen had made him take his training-armour off before leaving the arena, but the thick stench of it still clung to him.

Once at the trough, Grifford plunged his hands deep into it, doused his head with the icy water and then shook it vigorously. He turned to look back at the arena.

"Stubborn, useless animal!"

"Not happy, little brother?" said a voice from above.

He looked up into the tree to see his sister sitting astride one of its thick boughs.

"Do not call me that," he said. He grabbed a rough towel from a nearby branch and began scrubbing at his hair.

"I am the eldest," Tahlia replied as she drummed her heels against the tree's trunk. "I was born first."

Grifford finished with the towel and threw it on the floor.

"Is Jud-jud not behaving himself?"

"Do not call him that. I have not given him a name yet." Grifford pulled his tunic off over his head, dipped his hands in the trough again, and began sloughing water over his arms and neck. "And no, he is not behaving himself. The stupid animal will not listen to me. My throat hurts from shouting, yet the beast refuses to acknowledge me."

"Oh dear," said Tahlia, her face a model of seriousness.

"I hit the ground with that stupid stick and shout, and he just sits there. 'Get up close to him,' said Master Chan. 'Hit the ground in front of his nose if you have to. Let him know you are in charge.'"

"So what did you do?"

"I did what Master Chen told me to do, and the beast still ignored me, so I hit him a little closer than Master Chen suggested."

"Where?"

"On his nose."

"Poor thing!"

Grifford glared up at his sister.

"Poor thing! He nearly broke my arm! Charged straight at me and knocked me right off my feet."

Tahlia swung herself off the branch and dropped to the ground.

"Maybe he does not like you."

"He does not have to like me. He only has to do as he is told."

Tahlia went to the through, dipped her head to the water, and took a drink.

"You should name him," she said as she wiped her arm across her mouth. "Then you would get on better."

"So you are suddenly an expert! Maybe I should take lessons from you instead of Master Chen. I might as well. Father has refused to get me someone more capable."

"At least you get time to train your madriel. Mother is making me do extra tuition with Mistress D'almeria, just because I forgot to go to my needlecraft lesson yesterday."

"And then, after that animal nearly tore my arm off, Master Chen gave me punishment!" railed Grifford. "He will have me polishing madriel saddles in the morning!"

He picked his towel back up and began shaking it free of dirt.

"I mean, needlecraft is not that important," said Tahlia. "The fortress is already filled with tapestries..."