Forged in Honor (1995) Page 6

  Bak brushed back his moustache ends. "Would you keep your honor students from demonstrating their ability? I think not, Mrs. Brown. I am asking, one teacher to another, for such an opportunity. I have two honor students who have attained all that this teacher can teach. It is time for graduation.

  It is time for our boys to become men."

  Sarah sighed and slowly nodded her head. "You are a very wise man, Master Horseman. I have learned much from you over the past four years. I know you have worked very hard with the boys and I appreciate all you have done. Joshua has changed. He has always been a good boy, but you have given him what Henry and I could not: an appreciation of this land and its people. I approve of the tests and will be happy to see the demonstration."

  Bak smiled and reached out to take Sarah's hand. "Thank you, Mrs. Brown. I believe you will be very pleased with the results."

  Sarah squeezed the old Horseman's hand. "I need your wise counsel on another matter. You know as well as I that Joshua and Stephen have become like brothers. And as you probably know, Stephen has become like a son to me. It pains me ... it breaks my heart to think' of his leaving the mission, but as you said, it is time for graduation. Stephen is a gifted student, very gifted. He needs to go to college next year. A good school, so that he can use his gift. I thought at first, when Stephen first came, that he might become a man of God ... but it is not to be. His gift is in math. I'm saying this to you because I know you stay in contact with the Chindit. Many times I've heard that our people have seen him watching the training. I ask of you, Master Horseman, talk to the Chindit and tell him what Stephen needs to better himself."

  Bak dipped his chin. "Stephen's heart has grown cold for his father. I do not think he would accept anything from him, even if it was an opportunity to go to a university."

  Sarah's lips curled upward. "There are scholarships granted to gifted students. If the Chindit would provide a `scholarship,' Stephen would not have to know where it came from."

  The old Horseman smiled. "Ah, Mrs. Brown, you are a very clever woman. I can assure you a scholarship can be made available whenever you desire."

  It was the second day of the test, and both Joshua and Stephen were sweat-soaked as they made their way up a steep, twisting trail. Stephen led and stopped for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at the sun that was just beginning to sink behind the mountains. "We'd better camp once we reach the top."

  Stephen began to step off, but Joshua grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  "What are you doing?" Stephen protested.

  Joshua pointed at the bamboo viper coiled among fallen leaves on the trail just three steps in front of them. "I'm keeping you alive. You'd better let me lead."

  Stephen rolled his eyes. "I saw him. I was just seeing if you did."

  Joshua took the lead and knocked the green snake off the trail with his walking stick. "Yeah, sure. Just like you saw the boar's lair in the valley."

  Stephen sighed. "Okay, so you know the forest better than I-I give you that. And I give that you are a better rider and shooter. But who helped you with your studies, and who is helping you become friends with Su?"

  Joshua abruptly stopped and turned around. "Yeah, big help you are. She won't even speak to me. Stephen, I think you're after Su yourself and just messing with me."

  "Su? Never. The only woman I can see is beautiful Chi.

  She is my dream and the one for me."

  "Wait a minute. Last week it was Sak See and the week before that, Daa. Since when is Chi the one?"

  Stephen grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Since she asked me to take her riding after the tests. She loves me. She said so in a note."

  Joshua sighed and again began walking up the trail. "You may be a brain in school, but with women you're as dumb as they come. Maybe we should ask Teacher to help us with girls instead of making us fetch black stones."

  Stephen laughed and motioned ahead. "There's the top.

  Let's get there, start a fire, and discuss how we will approach Teacher on this delicate subject-" Stephen froze as he saw Joshua suddenly raise his hand.

  Joshua lowered himself slowly to the ground and whispered, "Do you smell it?"

  Stephen sniffed the air and immediately recognized the putrid odor of saddle sores that he and Joshua had smelled during other treks in the forest. He nodded. "A mule train."

  Both boys scrambled off the trail toward a huge sayo tree's aboveground root, which stood like a winding wall. Joshua climbed over, then slithered on his belly to a spot where he could see without being seen. He had to wait only a few minutes before the lead scout of the train appeared. It was a Wa guide, easily identified by his flat nose and greased hair.

  Short and powerfully built, the scout was obviously in a hurry, for his face was glistening with sweat. Behind him came the first mule, loaded with large woven sacks that formed a huge mound on the small animal's back. Waiting, Joshua counted ten mules-and more were coming. He also counted the drivers, all lowlanders, identified by their dirty Western clothing and shaggy, unkempt beards.

  Stephen had crawled up beside Joshua. He whispered, "What kind of train is it?"

  Joshua backed up. "It's a lai train, an opium train. The drivers are carrying new rifles."

  Stephen pulled at Joshua's arm. "They will shoot first and ask questions later. Let's just stay here and wait for them to pass."

  Joshua leaned against the root wall with Stephen to wait.

  Suddenly a shot rang out, then another. The mules brayed and struggled to break their ropes. Men shouted and more shooting broke out, louder and closer, the sound like a wave of thunder rolling over the ridge. Joshua and Stephen lay balled up on the ground as bullets cracked overhead. They heard a man grunt as if he'd been hit with a bat; another screamed like a child.

  Finally there was a long, oppressive silence in which not a leaf rustled or a bird chirped. A bray from a wounded mule finally ended the eerie quiet.

  Joshua began to rise slowly and then froze. The Wa scout was standing only a foot away on the other side of the root wall, pressing his bloody hands against his stomach. The wounded man raised his eyes to Joshua as if pleading. A loud report behind Joshua caused him to jump. The bullet cracked over his ear and hit the Wa in the forehead, making a dull noise like a stone hitting an overripe melon. The Wa dropped like a rag doll and lay looking up at the canopy with unseeing eyes.

  Joshua pulled his pistol and spun, but Stephen grabbed his arm. A blue-turbaned Horseman holding a rifle stepped forward and stared at the two boys for a long moment before lifting his chin and barking a command. In seconds both boys heard the hoof beats of approaching riders.

  Walking past Joshua and Stephen, the Horseman approached the Wa's body cautiously until he saw where the bullet had struck. He smiled and looked at Stephen. "I was worried about you, Sao. It is good to gaze upon you again."

  Stephen bowed his head. "Greetings and blessings, Horseman Lante. It is good to gaze upon you as well."

  The Horseman walked up to Joshua and took the old pistol from his hand to inspect it. "I have heard much about you, white Sao. It is said you are a true Shan and one to behold when riding and shooting. I am fortunate my Sao stopped you from shooting me."

  "Did you have to kill them all?" asked Joshua, still in shock at seeing the Wa shot dead before his eyes.

  "Of course," retorted the Horseman levelly. "They were warned five days ago and told to pay the tax before crossing the Ri. They stole away during the night thinking they could cross without our knowledge." The Horseman motioned toward the dead body. "It is the law to pay the Chindit for crossing his land. This one and the others knew this law and insulted us by breaking it. They knew the penalty was death." He pinned Joshua with his eyes.

  "Sao, this bandit is a killer. The black tar he carries will kill many people and cause nothing but ruin. Farther north the people are cutting down the mountain forests and growing more and more poppies to make into this black tar. The Chindit cannot stop the people from
doing this. The lai is worth more than rice or teak. The fields are spreading like storm clouds and soon will devour our Ri."

  Joshua nodded in silence, having seen the white and pink flowers in fields of other villages.

  The Horseman stepped forward and slapped his hand on Joshua's right shoulder. "I must go, white Sao. I have wanted to meet you for many monsoons. The Chindit speaks of you with a smile. I will pray to the gods that you and the Chindit's son have a good journey to the river. It was long ago that I made the journey, and I remember well the Master Horseman's praise upon my return with the stones."

  The pup pig dog growled at the but door. Bak rose up from bed holding a pistol and shouted, "Identify yourself!"

  "Teacher, it's us," Joshua said, pushing the door open.

  Bak lay back down and mumbled, "I should have known you two would be back early and try to impress me."

  Stephen walked in from the darkness with a beaming smile and held up a small bag filled with the black river stones.

  "We have traveled all night. Here are the stones for you, Teacher, a full day early."

  Bak waved his hand as if shooing them away. "Good, good, now lie down and rest. I'm an old man who needs the darkness to sleep."

  Joshua exchanged smiles with Stephen as they lay down by the coals of the fire in the corner of the hut. Joshua whispered, "I think he's impressed."

  Stephen shook his head. "I told you we shouldn't walk all night just to return early by a day. Teacher does not impress easily."

  "Naw, he's impressed, I can tell. He'll say so tomor-"

  "QUIET! You two sound like whimpering pye dogs!" growled Bak.

  "I told you he was impressed," Joshua whispered in Stephen's ear.

  Sarah walked over the rise and abruptly halted. Below her, on the plateau, were two mounted men. Goose bumps ran up her arms and neck and she suddenly felt a warm rush of pride course through her body. The two riders were sitting erect with their heads and eyes set to the front. They wore the traditional blue mountain Shan turban and loose-fitting white shirt and pants. Around their waists were crimson sashes; both wore swords stuck in their sashes and had rifles slung over their shoulders.

  Bak stepped up beside the small woman and bowed his head. "Mrs. Brown, I am honored for you to witness the last test of the two candidates. They returned from the river two days ago and have been resting and practicing for this last event."

  Sarah kept her gaze on the two riders. "You've worked very hard with them, Horseman Bak, and it shows." She turned and looked into the old man's eyes before bowing her head. "I'm very proud of what they've become, test or not.

  Thank you."

  Bak returned the bow. "And I thank you for your understanding. I am sorry the pastor could not be here to witness the test. I ask your permission to begin."

  Sarah looked back at her son and Stephen, thinking of how much they had grown in the past four years. Stephen was no longer a thin, gangly boy-now a half-foot taller than Joshua, he was rawboned and had the look of a slick racehorse, all muscle and sinew. Joshua too had grown and filled out. He had become broad-shouldered and thick-chested like his father. His bronzed face contrasted sharply with his sun bleached blond eyebrows. She thought both young men had the look of the Horsemen she had seen, confident men who knew no fear.

  Sarah nodded. "Please begin."

  Bak raised his hand, then dropped it to his side. Immediately both riders spun their ponies in opposite directions and took off at a full gallop.

  Although his pony was galloping, Joshua's body seemed perfectly still. There was no bounce or movement of his head or shoulders, as if he were floating just above the horse. Suddenly both ponies stopped abruptly at opposite ends of the field. Both horses reared up on their hind legs and pawed the air as the two young men pulled their swords from their sashes. A chill ran up Sarah's spine hearing the swords' distinctive singing sound as the blades were pulled from their metal sheaths. The horses came down in a full run and headed directly for each other. The riders lifted their swords in the attack position. As the distance between them closed, each rider raised his blade higher, as if to make a slashing attack, but as they passed within inches of each other each rider twisted in the saddle and plunged his blade into the grass field. Both swords swayed on their glinting shafts but remained perfectly perpendicular to the ground.

  Bak nodded in approval and leaned closer to his guest.

  "The placement of the swords was well done. Notice they are parallel to each other, which shows good timing. Now they must recover their blades. It is very difficult at a full gallop."

  Both riders had reached opposite ends of the field, had made their turns, and were barreling back toward each other.

  Each rider leaned over the side of his pony, plucked his sword from the ground, and swung it over his head.

  Sarah let out her held breath and clapped. "They're wonderful!" she cried out excitedly.

  "Watch now, Mrs. Brown. They will perform without their reins, using only the pressure of their legs to direct the ponies."

  The young men were now in the center of the field, facing Sarah. At the same moment both horses began sidestepping in opposite directions as both riders held their arms across their chests. The ponies halted and backed up, stopped, and came forward at a trot. At the same time each peeled away and made a wide loop before coming back to their original positions and halting.

  Bak leaned toward Sarah. "Now you will see the final phase of the test, combining horsemanship and weapons skills. Notice the melons at the far end of the field."

  As Bak was speaking, Joshua spun his horse around and lined up behind Stephen. All at once both ponies sank to their knees and rolled onto their sides. Both young men took their rifles from their shoulders, lay over the ponies' flanks, and fired at the melons. Stephen hit a melon, as did Joshua. Stephen fired again, followed by Joshua. Two more melons exploded in succession. Jerking their horses back up, both boys remounted and reslung their rifles. Grasping their sword hilts, they smiled broadly at each other and together made the blades sing as the shafts were pulled from their sheaths. Holding the glistening blades high, they kicked their ponies. "Ayeeeee!" they screamed as they galloped full speed toward two remaining melons on barrels.

  With swords held high they closed within striking distance and slashed downward.

  On a distant hill overlooking the plateau, Sawbaw Xu Kang lowered his field glasses but kept his stare on the field. A single tear trickled down his cheek and fell into the dust.

  Horseman Lante stepped up to his leader and nodded his head. "Stephen performed as a true Horseman, Chindit. You can be very proud."

  Xu Kang rolled his shoulders back and took a breath.

  "Yes, I am very proud. Of both of them." He faced the Horseman and canted his head. "Were we ever as graceful as they?"

  The Horseman smiled and handed the reins of the Sawbaw's horse to him. "We were, Chindit ... many, many monsoons ago."

  Xu Kang bellowed in laughter and swung into the saddle.

  Reining his raven horse around to face the other mounted Horseman, he stood in the stirrups and shouted, "My brothers, the gods are smiling on me this day! My son has become a man!"

  Sarah was trying to smile as Joshua rode toward her, but her tears wouldn't stop.

  Joshua climbed down from the saddle, lifted his mother off the ground, and gave her a kiss on the chin. Lowering her slowly to the ground, he winked. "How was I?"

  "Wonderful, really wonder-I'm sorry for crying. It's just that you were both so good. I still can't believe it."

  Stephen rode up and bowed his head to the small woman.

  "Your son is an insufferable show-off." He pinned Joshua with an angry stare before breaking into a grin. "But I love him anyway. We were good, weren't we?"

  Sarah bobbed her head, still trying to stop her tears. "I'm so proud of you two. I'll fix whatever you want for dinner to celebrate."

  The young men exchanged worried glances before Joshua sighed an
d faced his mother. "Mom, it's kind of traditional for those who pass the tests to have a little party. The Teacher and the militia are giving us one at the Horsemen's camp. I-we won't be home tonight."

  Sarah's smile dissolved. "Is there drinking involved?"

  Joshua lowered his chin. "A little zu. But we know to be careful."

  Sarah stepped closer. "And will there be girls at this party?"

  Joshua's head dropped further. "Yes, some were invited," he said meekly.

  Sarah was about to speak but stopped herself and took a deep breath instead. Then she spun around and headed back toward the village. After ten steps, she yelled back over her shoulder. "At least you two be at breakfast on time."

  Joshua sighed in relief and winked at Stephen as he climbed back up on his pony. He began to direct his mount toward the Horseman's but but glanced over his shoulder at his mother walking back to the village. He looked pleadingly at Stephen, who nodded and said, "If you don't, I will. Go on, I'll explain your tardiness to Teacher."