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Javan swallowed more words of protest and pleading. What was the good of arguing with anyone in charge? They always wanted go exactly with the rules, no matter how fun the breaking of those rules might be. He gave Léof a narrow, reproachful look out of the corner of his eyes as he obediently swung his horse about and set her into a trot into the clear space that Léof indicated.
“Figure eights. Circles! Pah!” Javan felt furious. “What am I - his pupil? Does he think I don’t know how to ride?” He jerked fitfully on Herefola’s rein, pulling her head about. She turned in an awkward looking circle, swinging about on her hindquarters and launching again into a trot immediately in response to both his feet kicking into her sides.
Léof stopped his horse some way back and sat watching Javan work. Javan did what Léof asked of him, setting different paces and go left and right and in circles and other figures as he was instructed. Before very long, Léof had him come back.
Javan allowed Herefola to trot back to Æthel. “There,” he said, coming to Léof’s side. “I did it. What’d you think? Am I good enough for you?"
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