"Having won the contest, he was told to ride this great beast in front of everyone, and so get tossed, if not trampled for the amusement of the Thane and his men, who were famous for such idiotic pranks.
"What they didn't know was that Anest was working in the Thane's employ as a stablehand. Anest knew the horse well and badly wanted the beast for his own. He rode Thunder all right. Right through the Thane's entourage. The mighty Thane of Woodfalen tried to recant the terms of the contest, right then and there, and became apoplectic with rage when he discovered who it was who had duped him. But the other contestants, being just men, and having fallen victim to the Thane's pranks more than once before themselves, petitioned the Thane into allowing Anest to keep his due, which the Thane did, with very poor grace."
Brogan paused as they reached their position at the head of the escort. "Most of us thought that as Anest grew older he would become a renowned man-at-arms like his father. Instead, he left everyone and everything behind to stay with old Belloc here, even after he could have returned. There are still many in Woodfalen who believe that Anest fled his home to avoid the Thane's wrath, not that the Thane wouldn't have liked to exile him at the time, though I believe that he has long since buried that grievance."