'That strap should be a bit higher.' The soldier pointed to the breastplate, trying not to get too close to the bess, which was eyeing him warily. 'Otherwise it might slip down.'
'Is that enough?' Draco adjusted the strap and looked at the cavalryman.
The dragon was lucky that in Ed'heer, besses were not uncommon, unlike on other estates, and he had someone to tell him how to properly look after Fenrir. It turned out that this was no easy task, and the mount's stubbornness did not help matters at all. Even the return journey from the port had caused them problems, as the bess refused to take its eyes off the dragon at any cost. Riding bareback wasn't really an option either, especially for a reptile that wasn't very good at riding. The trip to Enpine alone had shown that the most he was capable of at the moment was staying in the saddle on the back of a calm horse trotting along behind the other mounts and paying little attention to the rider's often chaotic movements. In the end, they decided that Draco would ride at the rear of the escort, closely watched by Fen, who was staring at him as he trotted calmly behind the carriage. Kei joked all the way back that bess was staring at the dragon as if he were a painted picture. At first, the reptile wanted to say something back to the animorph, but nothing seemed to come to mind. All he could do was grit his teeth and put up with the little jibes during the journey.
James, who for some reason didn't particularly want to get close to the growling Fenrir, hailed a return carriage and disappeared, leaving his friend with a huge, shaggy problem. Of course, he apologised and wriggled out of it by saying he had to let Matheo know as soon as possible that everything was fine with the delivery. It didn't sound very convincing, especially considering he'd been in no hurry at all all afternoon.
Fortunately, the journey through the city was peaceful, and they reached Ed'heer without any complications. Naturally, rumours of a slump spread instantly throughout the estate, and the sceptics began heading towards the stables, where Draco was trying at all costs to clean Fenrir, because as soon as the cavalrymen and stablehands appeared in the vicinity, they quickly started discussing what should be done with the new mount. The bath was only the first step in the whole process, and a rather difficult one at that. Fen was not exactly fond of water, let alone soapy suds. On top of that, apart from the dragon, he wouldn't let anyone near him, so the boy had to deal with the unruly beast on his own. It took a long time, but it could be declared a success.
Another problem arose when Draco had finished talking to the stablehands. Of course, there was not the slightest problem finding a place for yet another beast in the stables. One of the buildings was intended solely for these combat mounts, and currently almost half the stalls remained empty. The individual stalls were quite large and spacious, equipped with the same set of amenities: a saddle rack, grooming tools, brushes, combs, a stone trough filled with gently flowing water, and a granite bowl with a faint rusty tinge inside. The final element of the décor was a large stone slab serving as a bed. Interestingly, it was connected by a network of sealed channels to a furnace located in the cellars, so, according to the stablehands, the stalls were heated in winter. However, even all this did not change Fenrir's reaction to the attempt at a farewell. Bess grabbed the dragon with his front paws and settled down on his bed, refusing to let Draco go.
It took a long time to explain to Fen that he would be safe, that everything would be all right, and that they would see each other in the morning. Draco was certain that the stubborn beast understood perfectly well what was being said to him, but was just as likely to ignore it. Finally, it was dinner that persuaded the beast to give in and release the dragon from his grip. Well, the steaming meat must have been a real treat for Fenrir.
The reptile left his mount slowly sinking into a deep sleep. It was strange to hear the massive beast purring softly. Draco, however, had to satisfy his own hunger, so he quickly returned to the estate.
The next day, the dragon couldn't wait to see his beast again, but he didn't forget his routine exercises. So he didn't go to the stables until after breakfast. At the door to Fenrir's stall, he bumped into a middle-aged soldier who, instead of a blue uniform, was wearing a white, thin coat fastened at the sides.
'Loran Tress, cavalry veterinarian.' He introduced himself with an indifference that was almost painful to behold. 'I look after all the animals and beasts within Ed'heer.'
'It's a pleasure to meet you.' Draco beamed even more broadly. He was going to ask someone for help and to teach him how to look after bess anyway. Fenrir seemed much more energetic than other mounts, but according to the cavalrymen, he should settle down soon. They just didn't bother to say exactly when that might happen.
The vet got straight to work without wasting a moment. He was the only one who didn't seem to mind Fen's growling. Tress didn't even seem to notice it. The soldier examined the beast from head to tail, muttering to himself. Finally, he delivered his verdict: Fenrir was a picture of health, and his unusual build did not affect his functioning. The only thing left was to see him in motion. And that was how Draco found himself standing beside the bess, adjusting the saddle on his back.
Thanks to the valuable comments offered by the cavalryman, the dragon was coping reasonably well with all the fastenings, buckles and the whole host of other bits and bobs on the beast. The only thing hindering Fen's preparation for the first attempt at riding and getting used to this method of movement was his temperament. Fenrir growled at everyone, except Draco, who came within four paces of him. Moreover, he kept his eyes fixed on the dragon, as if fearing he might disappear. Ultimately, this meant he had to manage the mount entirely on his own.
'Now everything should be in place,' the cavalryman finally remarked. 'You may lead the bess out of the stable. Please hold the reins firmly.'
The dragon obediently grabbed the thick strap and looked deeply into the bess's eyes.
'Fen, please, just behave yourself,' he whispered into the beast's ear. It seemed that Fenrir understood perfectly. He also rolled his blood-red eyes, as if to say that he knew that already.
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Leading the bess out and climbing into his saddle wasn't difficult. The problems began later. Whilst riding a horse was straightforward and didn't require much guidance, mounting Fenrir proved difficult. Following the instructions of the vet and one of the cavalrymen, the boy found himself on the beast's back and was to guide his mount, starting with the slowest gait and gradually increasing the speed. Bess moved quite differently from a horse; some said he was more stable, but for Draco the rhythm of the beast's movements was hard to bear, especially when it turned out that, depending on the pace, he moved in a completely different way. When walking slowly at a trot, the beast took steps alternately with its two front legs—for example, the upper right and lower left, and the rear right—and then the other way round. This created a strange swaying motion caused mainly by the powerful, double-jointed shoulders working. When breaking into a trot, Fen began to move alternately with the two front legs on one side and the hind leg on the other. It was then that the riding experience most closely resembled riding a horse. The gallop caused the dragon a tightening in his stomach. Fenrir then moved in leaps, alternately pushing off with his front upper and lower legs and his hind legs. The bess's back shook violently at that point, and had it not been for the helpful advice shouted by the gawping cavalrymen, who clearly regarded Draco's first attempts in the saddle as excellent entertainment, the dragon would have landed on the ground very quickly. The worst part, however, was during the gallop, when the beast began to work all four front limbs simultaneously. The force of the bouncing could be felt even on Fen's back.
Draco spent several hours on such exercises. Finally, the vet declared that he'd seen enough and could assure him that Fenrir was perfectly fine and there was nothing to worry about. The delighted dragon slid out of the saddle and sat down on the ground, his legs feeling numb. Even though he hadn't been the one running, he was pretty exhausted. He didn't even want to think about how humans managed in similar conditions. Finally, he decided that if someone learns from a young age, perhaps it isn't so bad after all. In this case, the reptile had been thrown in at the deep end straight away. Fen crouched behind the dragon and rested his muzzle on his shoulder. Draco instinctively reached out to scratch the beast under the neck. He'd read the bess's intentions correctly, for it merely purred.
'Can we come closer?' The mage looked up at the sound of a familiar voice. It seemed that, apart from the cavalrymen, a few other people were having a good laugh at the dragon's expense, including, of course, the reptile's friends. Kei grinned, keeping a safe distance from the stretched-out bess.
'They can, can't they?' Draco nudged Fen slightly, who reluctantly shifted position and rested his head on the boy's lap, offering his ears for a scratch.
'I'll take that as a yes.' Ari was the first to approach, though he kept glancing at Fenrir every now and then. 'You did pretty well.'
'You don't need to be polite.' The dragon retorted. He was well aware of how he must have looked during the exercises.
'It wasn't that bad.' Forth nodded appreciatively. 'You didn't even fall off.'
'I clung to the saddle so tightly I think it was a miracle I didn't tear it apart.' Draco didn't even have the strength to argue, so he just sighed heavily. 'And then there's the rocking... As if I were on a boat.' Fen snorted, sensing it was a dig at him. 'It's not your fault. I know.' The dragon began scratching the bess behind the ear more vigorously.
'If you practise regularly, you'll get used to it.' Kei smiled even wider and was the only one to approach the beast without the slightest sign of fear. 'You keep saying that yourself.'
'Touché.' The werewolf's argument was irrefutable, and Draco had no intention of coming across as a hypocrite. 'You had quite a show there.'
'It was quite a sight, wasn't it.' Ari chuckled, but immediately tried to cover it up. He didn't manage it very well, as his chuckle turned into a snort. 'Well, we shouldn't laugh, because the first time we learnt to ride at the Enpine training camp, we didn't do much better.'
'On horseback? Or something else?' The dragon took an interest in a topic none of them had mentioned before. Besides, since the reptile had arrived in Ed'heer, he hadn't seen any of the four standing before him on any mount.
'No, at first they trained us on warags.' Vi grimaced, not seeming particularly fond of the memory. 'Lousy beasts.'
'You're only saying that because they were pulling your hair the whole time,' Kei suddenly protested. 'The wargs weren't that bad; you just had to be a bit patient with them.'
'You were the only one who managed to ride your warg during the first lesson,' Vi reminded him, almost reproachfully. 'It took everyone else ages, and the ride itself didn't last very long anyway. They were shaking all the time and lurching in all directions. A disaster.'
'That's not true,' the werewolf clearly had no intention of letting the matter drop. 'They were agile and quite fast. You just had to get a feel for their movements, that's all. That's the whole secret.' He shrugged and sat down next to the dragon with a thud. Surprisingly, Fenrir didn't take any notice and merely glanced at Kei.
'Okay, you're right.' Ari stepped in conciliatorily between the werewolf and the half-dwarf. 'At the end of the day, we all learnt to ride. We managed it, some better than others. There's no point dwelling on it.'
'I didn't start it,' Kei snapped. 'But you can't complain about the wolvens.' It was clear he was holding back from pointing the finger at Vincent.
'It was easier with them, actually.' It seemed they must have gone through this several times before, because Vi quickly gave in and agreed with the shapeshifter. 'We'd already had a bit of practice and we were older.'
'Right.' The lycanthrope snorted with satisfaction.
'So you can ride,' Draco stated, leaning against Fen, who was lying behind him. 'I haven't seen you do that before.'
'We're infantry here,' Ari pointed out rightly. 'We do ride occasionally if we're on duty at the courier office, though cavalrymen are usually sent out more often. After all, besses are faster.'
'Maybe we'll get the chance to go out in the saddle more often,' Kei remarked keenly. 'Now that you have your bess, carriage trips are likely to be less frequent.'
Draco hadn't thought of that before, but it certainly seemed likely. Since he could travel by bess, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. Of course, that was assuming he finally mastered the art to even a decent degree. Fenrir's stubbornness also had to be taken into account. The dragon couldn't quite picture a situation where he'd go off somewhere in a carriage whilst the bess waited patiently for him in his stall.
'I think you're right,' he merely muttered.
'Whatever will be, will be,' Ari cut in. 'First, stay in the saddle without clinging on for dear life. Then see how it feels to ride properly, not just round and round a flat patch. Then we can talk about going anywhere riding.'
'Yeah, don't even suggest it before then, or Oscar'll give you an earful,' Forth chimed in. His argument was the one that really struck a chord with the reptile.
'Actually, we've come on a matter of business.' The elf changed the subject, thinking that everything that needed to be said had already been said. 'You've got a letter. ' He pulled a sealed letter from his inside pocket. 'From Solvein,' he added with a smile.
Draco almost jumped to his feet, but the bess's head held him in place. Suddenly, he felt a strange shiver and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The dragon shuddered and realised his breathing had quickened considerably.
Ari handed him the letter. Although it was clear from the looks on all four of their faces that they were very interested in the contents, Draco didn't notice. The reptile's gaze was fully focused on the document. At that moment, nothing else mattered.
With trembling hands, Draco broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
Dear Mr Draco Ignis,
I am pleased to inform you that the entrance examinations for the Solvein Royal Academy of Magic and Alchemy in Atlantis have been completed. In accordance with your declaration, you sat the entrance examinations for the third-year military profile. All tests taken were assessed in accordance with the generally accepted academic grading scale:
Outstanding (O) – this grade is awarded for exceptional achievements that exceed all expectations.
Above Expectations (AE) – awarded for results that are clearly above standard requirements.
Expected (E) – awarded for meeting all requirements.
Acceptable (A) – awarded for results that demonstrate a grasp of the basic material.
Insufficient (I) – a grade awarded for results below expectations, requiring improvement.
Failed (F) – a grade awarded for results significantly below expectations.
Unacceptable (U) – a grade awarded for a complete lack of understanding of the subject.
In accordance with your examination registration form, your attendance at all required tests has been confirmed. Your marks are as follows:
Theoretical examinations
Atlantean language AE
Foreign language (dragon) AE
Theory of magic E
Geography AE
Arithmetic E
History A
Basics of navigation AE
Practical examinations
Mastery of the source and control of power O
Practical magic E
Hand-to-hand combat AE
Weapons combat AE
Shooting A
Overall, you have achieved an 'Expected' (O) average grade; I therefore offer my warmest congratulations on your admission to the third year of the military programme at the Solvein Royal Academy of Magic and Alchemy in Atlantis. The official commencement will take place on Monday 4 September 1702 at 10:00.
Yours sincerely,
Johan Hartmann
Senior Military Instructor
P.S. Mr Ignis, please report to my office at 9:00 on the first day of the academic year.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief and read the entire letter once more. All the tension he had been feeling suddenly subsided, and the dragon felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He took a few deep breaths and said briefly:
'They've accepted me.'