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Not awkward and clumsy, like the practice weapons he was used to, it sliced the air easily. The blade was about five centimeters in width, single edged, and thickened and curved slightly at the end.

Benoni eagerly put the harness on and strapped the sword to it. It strapped to his back with the handle sticking out behind his right ear. He walked around the shelf of swords and came to a shelf filled with shields. It was taller than the sword rack and had an assortment of shields as varied as the sword shelf. Some of the shields probably weighed more than he did. On the bottom of that shelf was a small metal armpad that he buckled onto his left arm. The pad was not as large as a shield, but was not as heavy. Since they would be riding, it would be better to be less encumbered. It would definitely work to keep weapons away from his body. Gerry spent more than a little bit of time over the years teaching him how to use it anyway. There were no boys his age in Kados who could beat him, and none but Volar could beat him consistently.

Benoni unsheathed his sword and swirled it around his head. It whistled slightly as he swung it. He tapped the flat of the blade against his metal armpad and then carefully sheathed and buckled the sword down. Gerry picked up a crossbow and handed it to Benoni along with ten quarrels. Gerry had a longsword and a shortsword on his belt and a heavy crossbow in his hand. Benoni also noticed a pistol holstered on his hip. He had seen his dad use the gun on pumpkins. He would hate to see what a steelshot would do to any other living thing.

Gerry walked back up the stairs and Benoni followed. Gerry closed and locked the door behind them. Bear was laying down next to the horses. Dark clouds lingered in the north, brewing up a storm that would not be good to get caught out in. They would probably have to push the horses unless they hurried. Those clouds were going to drop really cold rain. Maybe even snow.

"Maybe we should get cloaks." Ben said to his dad. "Those clouds do not look like they will make the night comfortable."

"Perhaps you are right." Gerry said. "You should go inside and get our cloaks."

Benoni went back into the back door of the house and gathered the two rolled cloaks his mother had already set out on one of the chairs. They were thick brown wool. Marveling at his mother's foresight, Benoni walked outside and ran to Blizzard as his father kicked Goldie to a gallop.

"Race you to the gate, Ben!" he shouted as he rode by. Bear bounded around Blizzard, anxious for the chase to begin, and regretting that he was not Benoni's mount. Bear could beat Goldie to the gate head start or not.

Benoni tied the cloak to the saddle horn hastily and kicked Blizzard to a full gallop. The scabbard of his sword bounced up and down on his thigh and he tried to adjust it as he and Blizzard tried to catch up. Goldie kicked up dust as she pulled further ahead. Bear held back and urged Blizzard on with playful snaps at her heels, then passed Goldie in ten leaping strides.