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But at the tied all three of my roommates to be worthy coood-bye We stood beside it for a tio and yet anxious to begin my new life and return to my new friends My father cautionedfarewell to a son, to re to the rules of

"Be above reproach, son, especially for the first few ood reason I did not recognize Colonel Stiet’s nah his wife is Our good king, for reasons I shall not question, has seen fit to put a regular are of the Cavalla Academy Moreover, even as an army officer, he has not served in warfare, but here at houlations about uniforanizing parades for state occasions And he trumpets this as an accomplishment! I will not speculate that his wife’s connections hadthis appointment than his own record" My father shook his head In a lower voice he added, "I fear he will be ood on a drill field than that they be able to shoot froht situation

"Now, you look shocked, and well you should to hear me speak so of a fellow officer But there it is; it is how I have judged hiod that I , I fear I shall not I have seen the horses he bought for his cadets Pretty little things, all of a size and color, that will doubtless look well in a parade but would jolt aday’s ride and die after two days with no water" My father paused abruptly and took a deep breath I do not knohat else he had thought to say, but whatever it was, he seee his mind

"I think that your uncle was correct when he said that Colonel Stiet has little love for the sons of the new nobility I wonder if he has any love for the cavalla at all We are expensive if all a man looks at is the flow of coins it takes to keep us horsed and equipped and does not reckon up the lives that would be lost if we did not He does not understand our place in the military; I think he believes we are but a showpiece, an entertainment, and a spectacle, and thus he will build his career on fostering that iain, and then he said what I think he had hesitated to say before "Remember that he is your cos as he wishes them done, even if you think you know a better way to do them Perhapsespecially if you think you know a better way to do the Avoid bad coood god has granted you that Let no one steal it frohtly I knelt for his father’s blessing I know I e and drive away, and certainly we must have waved farewell to one another But all I recall is standing on the edge of the drive looking after the departing carriage and feeling more alone than I had ever felt in my life I felt suddenly cold and hollow, and nearly queasy as I turned and hurried back to my new quarters

My felloaited me and let me know thata cavalry enuine iteer he’s spent as many hours in the saddle as he has on foot in his life"

"More, I think," I replied to Kort’s co ourselves into our room Three fellows from across the hall came and introduced themselves Trist, Gord, and Rory were all the sons of new nobility Gord was a slab of a boy, pale and fat, his neck bulging over the collar of his unifor aardly and saying little, at the edge of our group Trist was tall and golden, with the bearing and char prince Even so, it was squat, affable Rory who claiether a’purpose," Rory told us soleh to associate with the soldier sons of the old nobility?" Kort was both astounded and offended

"Nar So’s on’t rinned as if it were a fine jest "They may be soldier sons, but they h’ain’t been raised by soldiers like ere Half of the a pony in the park You’ll see e get to drill My uncle’s soldier son was fostered with us, ’cause that’s hoe do it in our faive their soldier sons to their soldier brothers to raise so the boy gets a good start on his training when he’s still a little feller My cousin Jordie was through the Acadeo, and wrote ood idea what to expect here"