Guardians of the West

shared a wholehearted enthusiasm for each other's company.
    The boy stood in the center of the exercise yard with the long-legged animal frisking about him in the bright morning sunlight. Then he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, turned, and saw Durnik and Garion approaching.
    "Good morning, Errand," the Rivan King said.
    "Belgarion."
    "You and the horse seem to be enjoying yourselves."
    "We're friends," Errand said. "We like to be together."
    Garion looked almost sadly at the chestnut-hued animal. The horse came to him and curiously nuzzled at his clothing. Garion rubbed the pointed ears and ran his hand down the smooth, glossy forehead. Then he sighed. "Would you like to have him for your very own?" he asked Errand.
    "You don't own friends, Belgarion."
    "You're right," Garion agreed, "but would you like it if he went back to the Vale with you?"
    "But he likes you, too."
    "I can always come and visit," the Rivan King said. "There isn't really much room for him to run here, and I'm always so busy that I don't have the time to spend with him the way I should. I think it would be best for him if he went with you. What do you think?"
    Errand considered that, trying to think only of the well being of the young animal and not of his own personal preferences. He looked at Garion and saw how much this generous offer had cost his friend. When he finally answered, his voice was quiet and very serious. "I think you're right, Belgarion. The Vale would be better for him. He wouldn't have to be penned up there."
    "You'll have to train him," Garion said. "He's never been ridden."
    "He and I can work on that," Errand assured him.
    "He'll go with you, then," Garion decided.
    "Thank you," Errand said simply.
    "You're welcome, Errand."
    "And done!" Errand could hear the voice as clearly as if it had spoken in his own mind.
    "What?" Garion's silent reply was startled.
    "Excellently done, Garion. I want these two to be together. They have things to do that need the both of them." Then the voice was gone.

CHAPTER SIX
    "The best way to begin is to lay a tunic or a coat across his back," Hettar said in his quiet voice. The tall Algar wore his usual black leather and he stood with Errand in the pasture lying to the west of Poledra's cottage. "Be sure that it's something that has your scent on it. You want him to get used to your smell and the idea that it's all right if something that smells like you is on his back."
    "He already knows what I smell like, doesn't he?" Errand asked.
    "This is just a little different," Hettar told him. "You have to go at these things slowly. You don't want to frighten him. If he's frightened, he'll try to throw you off his back."
    "We're friends," Errand tried to explain. "He knows I won't do anything to hurt him, so why should he try to do something to hurt me?"
    Hettar shook his head and looked out over the rolling grassland. "Just do it the way I explained, Errand," he said patiently. "Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
    "If you really want me to," Errand replied, "but I think it's an awful waste of time."
    "Trust me."
    Errand obediently laid one of his old tunics across the horse's back several times while the horse looked at him curiously, quite obviously wondering what he was doing. Errand wished that he could make Hettar understand. They had already wasted a good part of the morning on the hawkfaced Algar warrior's cautious approach to horse training.
    If they had just got right on with it, Errand knew that he and the horse could be galloping together across the free open expanse of hills and valleys stretched out before them.
    "Is that enough?" Errand asked after he had put the tunic on the horse's back several times. "Can I get on him now?"
    Hettar sighed. "It looks as if you're going to have to learn the hard way." he said. "Go ahead and climb on, if you want. Try to find a soft place to land when he throws you off, though."
    "He wouldn't do that," Errand replied confidently. He put his hand on the chestnut's neck and gently led him over to where a white boulder stuck up out of the turf.
    "Don't you think you ought to bridle him first?" Hettar asked him. "At least that gives you something to hang on to."
    "I don't think so," Errand replied. "I don't believe he'd like that bridle."
    "It's up to you," Hettar said. "Do it any way you like. Just try not to break anything when you fall."
    "Oh, I don't think I'll fall."
    "Tell me, do you know what the word 'wager' means?"
    Errand