The next morning they all made their way to the docks and the waiting boat. As they reached their vessel a strangely subdued Strawn accompanied by two guards joined them. The guards had a quick word with the masters, which despite his efforts Nedric was unable to overhear, and departed.
It took most of the morning for Strawn to regain his normal swagger. His cronies tried to get him to tell them what he had been doing but he avoided talking about the subject and sidetracked them into explaining their week. He didn’t seem particularly impressed with the boardways but he did have a look of wistful envy when they mentioned being allowed to explore the city.
The voyage upriver was considerably slower and over the next few days Strawn became more and more his normal self but more so. He was more assertive with his group of friends, he was more charming with the girls and he was extremely quick with a snide remark whenever Nedric said anything that he could jump on.
After a few days of this Nedric was becoming more and more irritated. The masters didn’t seem to care and whilst he could disappear into his room to escape the slights he was extremely loath to do so. His popularity within the group had been at an all time high during their week in Elseth and he didn’t want to be back to being the brunt of Strawn’s jokes. He had an idea and spent some time in his room over the next few days practising.
On one of the evenings Nedric got Rialto to announce to the group that Nedric had devised a new performance. As there was little to do whilst afloat and they had enjoyed the last show everyone immediately arranged themselves to view this show.
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Nedric walked into the main room. He had attempted to make a blond wig and although it wasn’t very good, it did give the correct impression. He had also adopted an exaggerated swagger. It was clear to the group that he was meant to be Strawn. He then started to do some juggling but was incredibly inept. After a while and whilst his audience was still laughing, he got out a pack of cards and pretended to be playing a game. He continued with his inept style and after a short while it was clear that he was losing badly at the card game. Eventually he lost the game and in feigned anger brought out a dagger to attack the imaginary opponent.
There followed a hilarious display of fighting. It was very clear that the opponent was the better fighter and Nedric was soon being thrown around the room. It ended up with his own dagger being pushed closer and closer to his throat until he was forced to concede.
The group were all laughing, apart from Strawn. The blond boy was getting angrier and angrier. Before Nedric had really finished the show Strawn was racing from his chair to attack him. This was fairly rash as Nedric still had a dagger in his hand but Strawn didn’t seem to notice.
Nedric had anticipated Strawn’s reaction. When the larger boy attacked he sheathed the dagger and keeping a clear head took the appropriate stance to cope with a rushing opponent. He knew that Strawn was a better fighter but that if he was angry enough he might not think too clearly.
As Strawn moved in, Nedric moved so that the taller boy was sent sprawling to the ground in a textbook manoeuvre, he followed up by dropping onto Strawn and trying to put him in a restraining lock. Strawn wasn’t co-operating and Nedric was getting slightly worried that he might have got himself into more trouble than he wanted.
Strawn’s cronies stopped the fight. Two of them grabbed Nedric and the other two helped Strawn up. Somewhat to Nedric’s surprise and relief they didn’t let Strawn go but held him until he calmed down. It seemed that his friends were not going to let Strawn have things all his own way anymore.
It was a turning point in the relationship between Strawn and Nedric. Every time Strawn would make a sly, digging comment about Nedric, Nedric would mime a dagger at his throat and get a laugh. Soon Strawn stopped making the comments, as he disliked jokes being made at his expense. Over the next few months they became less confrontational and more accepting of each other, there would never be friendship between but maybe tolerance.