"Mama, mama! Their here! The gypsies are here!" I called out to my mother as I ran throughout the house, quickly grabbing my small coin bag for the festival, I tied it around my waist as I walked into the kitchen.
"I heard Alean, but I can't make it this year, I need to watch your siblings and clean the inn" my mother called from the kitchen, I sighed. Ever since Da got the inn built, up and running, him and mama and my older siblings have been busy with the inn.
"Can I go then? You know how much I love the festival!" I asked as I sat down at the kitchen table closest to mother.
"Yes you can still go, just be careful, the men out there can be different when their drunk" my mother warned me, peering through her spectacles, down her nose, straight at me.
"I know mother, have you forgotten I am sixteen years old now? I can take care of myself" I inferred, looking my mother straight in the eyes, a battle between my chocolaty brown eyes and her hazel gray eyes.
"Thank you, I am no longer a child, but a young woman" I said proudly, a smile on my face from ear to ear.
"A young woman with the smarts and wits of a lady past her age" my mother teased, watching me walk out our small French cottage.
I walked to the small barn my father had built, partly for me, mostly for the inn's travelers. My horse was an Arabian black stallion that listened to no one but me when given a command.
"Hey Stanley, how are you old friend?" I asked my horse as I walked up to his stall with a handful of sugar cubes, Stanley answered me with a hough of a breath followed by a flash of his teeth when I held the sugar cubes out to him. I got a carrot from Stanley's cubby basket that Da had made for him; the carrot was to balance out the sugar cubes.
"How about some fun today? Go into town for the festival, see about the new horses, watch some of the gypsies and walk around the market" I walked into Stanley's stall and petted at his neck gently, trailing my hands along his strong flanks and stomach then stopping at the basin of his back where I sat.
"Hold still for a moment Stanley, when you feel your mane being pulled twice, nudge the stall door open, got it?" I asked Stanley as I climbed on the fencing of his stall and slid one leg over his side, I sat down gently so both my bare feet touched Stanley's sides and I was centered on his back. My fingers touched Stanley's mane gently, not a pull but a gentle touch, letting my existence know that I was ready and anxious for the festival. I twirled my fingers into Stanley's mane gently and held his mane in my hands like reins. Stanley was waiting, I could feel it in his hoofs, in his breath, in his stance, he was ready for my signal to him, Stanley looked back at me as if I was uncertain or scared about the idea but when I nodded Stanley seemed to get my thoughts and I felt his front hoof take a step forward. I smiled before pulling Stanley's mane twice and letting out a whoop of excitement as Stanley nudged the door open and raced out the barn to the road leading into town. Stanley had been galloping for a few minutes before he slowed down to our secret spot where I hid my bag that hid my shoes and reins for Stanley along with a saddle blanket to make it seem my family was richer than what people thought we were.
"Good boy Stanley" I said, patting Stanley's neck as I slid down from his back to the ground, running to the bush where the items were well hidden. I took out the saddle blanket, shoes and reins before running back to Stanley, quickly but efficiently hiding the bag again.
"Here's your saddle blanket and reins Stanley" I said as I placed the saddle blanket over my riding spot on Stanley's back, Stanley knew the routine of going into town like this. I held the bit in my hand, Stanley took it in his mouth, I moved it back to help him. I leaned against Stanley to put on my shoes.
"Their good for leaving no tracks but they don't help when your trying to run" I told Stanley as I slid on my purple silk slippers. I hated wearing shoes but I took them off once I was in the crowd and no one could see if I was wearing shoes or not.
"Alright, let's continue on into town" I threw my arms over Stanley's back and pulled myself up, Stanley partly helping me with his muzzle on my thigh nudging me up onto the saddle blanket.
"If you weren't an Arabian horse, I wouldn't have this problem, well actually I still would even if you weren't Arabian" I noted to Stanley, my shortness in height not matching up to the height of his natural born genes.
I sat on the saddle blanket, picked up the reins, and with a light tap, Stanley was back into a trot, leading the way into town.