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“Can it be done, brother?” the Prince asked

Vaelin’s gaze turned to the Cues laid out on the map in precise, neat lines He wondered howthe Western Road had any notion of the storm that would soon descend When this as done perhaps another map would have to be drawn In Cus “It will be done, Highness,” he said with flat certainty I’ll whip them all the way there if I have to

And so they marched, four hours at a stretch, twelve hours a day They rass lands north of the Brinewash, into the hills and valleys beyond and the foothills that signalled entry into border country Men who fell out on the march were kicked to their feet and hounded into on then put back on the road Vaelin had decreed the only men left behind would be ready to join the Departed and counted on their fear of hi So far it had worked They were sullen, weighed down by weapons and provisions, theirthe rum ration until further notice, but they were still afraid, and they still ht Vaelin would seek out Alucius Al Hestian for two hours of training The boy was initially delighted by the attention “You honour sword held out in front of hirip with a flick of his wrist

“Don’t be honoured, be attentive Pick that up”

An hour later it had become obvious that as a swordsman Aluciussent his He had repeated the same move four times and the boy had failed to notice the pattern

“I, uan, his face flushed, tears of huift for this,” Vaelin said “You are slow, clu you, ask Prince Malcius to release you and go home”

“She put you up to this” For the first ti to protect me Well I won’t be protected, , and I will have it If I have to walk all the way to the usurper’s keep th to thee does you credit, sir But proceeding with this will only result in your death…”

“Then teach me”

“I’ve tried…”

“You have not! You’ve tried to make me leave, that’s all Teach me properly, then there will be no blaht an hour or two of huo home Could he really train him in the time left? He looked at the way Alucius held his sword, how he held it close to his body to balance the weight of it “Your brother’s sword,” he said, recognising the bluestone poht it would honour hier too” He thought for awith the Volarian short sword King Janus had given hiift Let’s see if you fare any better with it”

He was still cluained so a counter stroke or two

“That’s enough for now,” Vaelin said, noting the sweat on his brow and his heaving chest “Best if you strap your brother’s sword to your saddle fro, rise early and practice the ain tohts they trained, after an arduous day’s march, Vaelin would try to turn a poet into a swordsman

“You don’t block the blade, you turn it,” he told Alucius, annoyed he sounded so much like Master Sollis “Deflect the force of the blow, don’t absorb it”

He feinted a thrust at the boy’s belly then swept the blade up and around, slashing at the legs Alucius stepped back, the blade e of his own, it was clumsy, unbalanced and easily parried, but it was quick Despite his continual ht That’ll do for now Sharpen your edge and get some rest”