Chapter 336 - Taking him training

Chapter 336: Chapter 336 - Taking him training

By the time the banquet ended, the hunting grounds had grown quiet. Lanterns burned along the paths between the tents, their warm light shifting in the night breeze while soldiers continued their patrols along the outer grounds. Most of the guests had already retired, and Eric walked beside Ryan toward their tent in unusual silence.

Ryan hadn’t spoken much since leaving the imperial pavilion either.

Eric knew exactly what was on his mind.

Tomorrow’s hunt.

Accepting the Emperor’s challenge had seemed like the only reasonable choice while everyone was watching him. The Emperor had deliberately brought up his past as the crown prince of an enemy kingdom, a man supposedly raised around soldiers and warfare. Refusing after that would have looked weak, and Eric wasn’t about to give the court the satisfaction.

Now that he had time to think, however, there was one rather serious problem.

He didn’t know how to hunt.

He could perhaps get away with following Ryan and doing very little, but even that depended on one skill he didn’t possess.

Ryan suddenly stopped walking.

Eric took another step before noticing and turned back. "What?"

Ryan was staring at him with a troubled frown.

"Can you ride?"

Eric froze.

For a moment, he considered lying.

The original owner of this body should have known. As crown prince, he would have received martial training from childhood. The people around them would naturally assume Eric could handle a horse, and tomorrow the Emperor would be watching closely.

But Eric had merely been reborn into this world. Whatever skills the original prince had possessed hadn’t conveniently appeared in his mind.

Ryan watched his silence for several seconds.

"Eric."

Eric looked away. "...Not particularly well."

Ryan’s expression changed. "How well?"

"I can probably stay on one if it isn’t moving too quickly."

"Probably?"

Eric sighed. "Fine. I don’t know how to ride."

Ryan stared at him.

Eric folded his arms. "Don’t look at me like that."

"I’m not."

"You are."

Ryan’s gaze remained on him for another moment before his expression softened. "You should have told me."

"And when exactly was I supposed to do that? While the Emperor was asking to see the great enemy crown prince’s hunting skills?"

Ryan fell silent.

That was the real problem, and they both understood it. Eric’s inability to ride wasn’t simply embarrassing. It was strange. A prince who had grown up during years of military conflict should have learned long ago.

Eric exhaled and looked away. "I couldn’t exactly announce it in front of everyone."

"No."

Ryan glanced toward the edge of the camp and seemed to make a decision.

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"The stables."

Eric looked at him. "Now?"

"You have until tomorrow morning."

That was unfortunately true.

Ryan began walking, and Eric followed without further argument.

The temporary imperial stables stood near the edge of the hunting grounds beneath a long wooden shelter. Most of the horses were resting, though several raised their heads when the two men entered. A stable hand hurried forward at the sight of Ryan, but Ryan dismissed him and led Eric farther inside.

He stopped beside a dark stallion.

Eric recognized it immediately as the horse Ryan had ridden during the hunt. It was a large animal, almost completely black, and it turned toward Ryan the moment he approached.

"This is yours," Eric said.

Ryan nodded and stroked the stallion’s neck.

Eric looked at the horse more carefully. From a distance, it had never seemed particularly intimidating. Standing beside it was different.

Ryan noticed his hesitation.

"He won’t hurt you."

"You’re sure?"

"I’ve had him for years."

Ryan took Eric’s hand and placed it against the stallion’s neck. The coat was warm beneath his palm. The horse sniffed him briefly before settling again, and Eric slowly stroked its neck.

Some of his apprehension eased.

Ryan led the stallion into the open training area beside the stables and checked the saddle before turning to Eric.

"Mount from the left. Put your foot here."

Eric watched carefully as Ryan showed him where to place his foot and how to use the saddle for support without pulling unnecessarily on the reins.

His first attempt failed when his robes tangled around his leg.

Eric immediately stepped down and rearranged them.

The second attempt went better until his balance shifted halfway up. Ryan caught him around the waist before he could fall backward.

Eric instinctively grabbed his shoulders.

For a moment, neither moved.

Ryan’s hands were firm around his waist, easily supporting his weight.

Eric cleared his throat. "Again."

Ryan helped him down without comment.

On the third attempt, Eric managed to settle into the saddle properly.

Ryan handed him the reins and adjusted his grip.

"Don’t hold them too tightly. Keep your shoulders relaxed."

Eric nodded.

Ryan took the bridle and started forward.

The stallion moved beneath him, and Eric’s entire body immediately stiffened at the unfamiliar motion.

"Relax," Ryan said.

"I’m trying."

"Move with him. If you stiffen every time he steps, you’ll exhaust yourself."

Ryan walked beside the horse while Eric slowly adjusted to the rhythm. He showed him how to sit properly, where to keep his feet and how to use his legs to guide the animal. Every time Eric shifted incorrectly, Ryan corrected him patiently.

After several rounds of the training ground, the movement no longer felt quite as unnatural.

Ryan eventually released the bridle.

"Try turning him."

Eric carefully adjusted the reins and pressed with his leg the way Ryan had shown him. The stallion changed direction.

A small sense of relief moved through him.

"Again," Ryan said.

Eric repeated it.

They continued until Ryan finally allowed the horse into a light trot.

The change in pace immediately threw Eric’s balance off. His body bounced awkwardly against the saddle, and he instinctively grabbed the front.

Ryan caught the reins.

"Don’t fight the movement."

"That’s easier to say from the ground."

Ryan stepped closer. "Your legs are too tense."

He placed one hand against Eric’s calf and adjusted the position of his foot in the stirrup.

"Relax here. Keep your weight centered."

Eric followed the instruction. Ryan led the horse forward again, correcting him whenever his balance shifted.

It took time.

Eric hated being bad at something, particularly when tomorrow half the imperial court would be watching him, but Ryan never became impatient. He simply repeated the instructions until Eric understood them.

Eventually Eric managed several slow circles at a trot without needing Ryan to catch the reins.

"Better," Ryan said.

Eric exhaled and looked toward him. "Good enough for tomorrow?"

Ryan hesitated.

That hesitation told Eric everything.

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the training ground. "They’re going to notice."

Ryan knew exactly what he meant.

"The Emperor may notice," he admitted.

Eric’s expression tightened.

The Emperor had already made it clear tonight that he hadn’t forgotten Eric’s identity. If a supposedly battle-trained prince suddenly struggled with basic riding, questions would follow.

Ryan stepped closer.

"Stay near me tomorrow. You don’t need to ride quickly. Let the others go ahead if necessary."

"And the hunting?"

"I can handle that."

Eric looked at him.

Ryan’s answer had come without hesitation. He wasn’t concerned about his own score or maintaining his lead. His first thought was simply to keep Eric close.

Something warm moved through Eric’s chest, but he pushed it aside.

His attention shifted toward the weapon rack farther down the training field. Several bows had been left there for practice.

"If I’m going to embarrass myself on horseback, I’d rather not embarrass myself with everything else too."