Free The Making of a Mage King: White Star by Anna L. Walls Page A

planned or any goal in mind, but it was inevitable that he find the destrier. It was still hobbled and muzzled, but someone had put a bucket of water within reach. Sean watched the horse doze. What am I going to do with him ? To the best of his knowledge, no one else in his company was qualified to take on a warhorse let alone a destrier, though some might be willing to learn. Then again, he hadn’t been qualified either when he had taken on Prince. He decided that, come morning, he would ask for volunteers.
    Sean turned around and saw his ‘guest’ standing a few feet away. Someone had found him a shirt and pants; he was just standing there in the rain. “My name is Laon. I owe you my life. All I can remember is, wanting to be a soldier and then being a soldier as soon as I was old enough. I remember enough to know that, for what you have done for me, I would follow you into the jaws of death, if you’ll have me.”
    “Jaws of death, huh. That’s a bit far, don’t you think?” Sean smiled at Laon’s expression. He patted him on the shoulder and turned him around. “You’re getting wet. You go talk it over with your sister tomorrow. After that, if you still want to come with me, I’d be honored to have you. Then we can start to work on that horse of yours.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder.
    Laon looked back at where Sean had pointed. “That’s my horse? I don’t remember having much to do with a horse.”
    Sean looked at him hard and saw the confusion behind his eyes. “Manuel will be there to help. I’m sure you’ll remember enough. We’ll teach you the rest.”
    After seeing Laon back in his cot, Sean spent the rest of the night sitting in front of the watch tent in the rain and thinking of absolutely nothing. He didn’t know if it was the residue of all the magic he had expended and the long hours of sleep or if it was something else, but it felt kind of nice to just exist for a few hours rather than agonize over things all the time.
     
    After breakfast, Sean gave Laon a horse and sent him off to see his sister, then he took up his swords and did a brief workout, but his heart wasn’t into it. When he’d had enough, he went to find Prince, and since it was still raining, he led him into the stream and gave him a bath. There was no soap involved, just buckets of water and a brush, but as soon as Prince got used to the idea, he seemed to like it.
    When Sean was done, he had taken no more than a dozen paces away when Prince took a good roll in the mud. Sean had to laugh; watching a horse roll is very comical anyway, but the funniest part was when he was finished, he looked at Sean as if to say that he of course had been mistaken in thinking that he was done giving him a bath. Just for that, Sean tickled him until he sidestepped.
    When he was finished…again, Sean took him all the way over to the grass before turning him loose. He could roll here to his heart’s content if he wanted to. Sean went back to his tent to change into something dry, then took up his saddle and started to oil it. He was just getting a good start when Larry came to tell him he had a messenger.
    Sean glanced around the tent. Charles had lit a small brazier and Sean’s wet things hung around it to dry. He shrugged. At least it’s dry in here. “Send him in.”
    The man stepped in and shook the water from his cloak before throwing it back over his shoulders and pushing his hood back. At first Sean thought the messenger might have been from Laon, but he discarded that idea as soon as he thought of it. He didn’t think Laon would send a messenger even if he could afford one.
    When the man finally stood from his self-adjustments to face him, it took Sean several moments to recognize him, though the man would have no reason to expect recognition. Being wet, being here, and being unexpected had interfered, but Sean did recognize him; he was the man he had helped escape from the guards in Ruhin.
    He was disconcerted to see