Chapter 1

Bulgaria 1490

Katerina sat by the window, confined to her stuffy bedroom. She watched as Kosta, the stable boy prepared one of the horses to leave. The simple stable boy who had brought shame to the Petrova family.

When Katerina's father learned that she was pregnant with Kosta's child, Kosta was lucky that he was only exiled and not murdered for his offences.

Rosa, the Petrova family maid knocked on her door.

'You may enter' she said.

Rosa, a short, middle- aged woman with hard features that were once beautiful walked into the room. She had a tray of food in her hand.

'I brought you some food Katerina, also your mother wants to discuss what will happen to your child after she is born' Rosa said, slightly speaking quietly on the last few words.

Katerina looked at her belly and sighed, she knew the fate of her child would not be a good one. 'I will speak to my mother soon enough, you may leave.'

Rosa put the plate of food down on the table and left the room. Katerina continued to stare down as Kosta prepared to leave for Spain. He was a tall man with hair as dark as a raven's and ice blue eyes. He was almost god-like for a stable boy.

Looking at him now, she felt the same way she did for him the day she met him.

….

'Well why do we does Alexei have to leave Papa? You know he's the only one apart from me who can tame Div!' Katerina shouted at her father.

Her father was being stubborn as always, never giving in to his daughter's pleas. 'You know why Katerina! He spoke out of line! I will not have such disrespect from someone I employ, and you watch your temper madam or I may lose mine with you! '

That was the way it was with Katerina's father. He always had to have the last word.

She walked away sulkily, annoyed that her horse might not be treated properly. She would have to spend more time with Div if he was to be properly trained. She walked towards the stable; Alexei had already left.

She proceeded towards the brown horse and stroked his mane. Div was a beautiful stallion. He was named Div because he was always so fast and wild; exactly why Katerina chose him.

As she ran her fingers through his silky mane, she instantly felt him relax. He was the perfect horse for her and her and Alexei were the only ones who could calm him down.

She would sometimes speak to him, tell him all her secrets when she couldn't tell anyone else, and from the way he responded, it was like he could hear her.

A man with a long stride that had a certain grace approached the house.

Katerina's father had already seen him and opened the door to greet him and brief him on his duties. Their walks were the complete opposite. Katerina's father walked with tiny, mincing steps and his backed sometimes hunched over. The man walked with long, confident strides and had a good posture.

'You must be Kosta, I received your reference earlier this week.' The father said, with a voice he was using to try and intimidate Kosta, yet he was unchanged.

'Yes sir, it was quite short notice.' He replied.

'Well no worry. I understand you know why a replacement was needed in the first place?' He inquired.

'Yes, I heard your previous employee spoke out of line.' He said.

'He did. So you understand the behaviour I expect from my employees?' He asked.

'I understand.'

'Good, now the stable is east of the courtyard, not too far away from the house. Your accommodation will be at the back of the stable where there is a small room. The mistress and I shall provide your food. It shall be left for you in the kitchen after my family and I have eaten dinner; you will eat with our maid, Rosa. The horses must be tended to each day, and they must occasionally be groomed. If any of my family has not taken a horse out to the woods in two days, this is expected from you; I don't want them to become lazy.'

Kosta took everything the father said in and replied surely 'I understand.'

'You should acquaint yourself with the horses then.'

He nodded and made his way towards the stable.

The duties were fairly simple. He had ridden many horses as he grew up and was very comfortable around them.

This was his first official job. Growing up, his mother owned a small farm. It wasn't a grand house however their where many acres of land around it. They lived fairly comfortably with a steady income from what grew on the farm. His father had left him and his mother after he was born.

Until he was nineteen he lived and tended to the farm with his mother. Then the monster came and took her.

Ever since, things where being taken away from him and he could not afford to get it back. He no longer could support himself and he had to start working.

He approached a modest stable, quite like his own one from the farm and saw a large brown stallion being tended to by a woman.

'That's one beautiful horse.' He said.

She revealed her face from the side of the horse.

….

A.N.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I enjoyed writing it. I'm sorry if the chapter was a little short; I'm not really used to writing long chapters. I think Katherine is a really interesting character and she has a story that should be told. I would like a little bit of feedback otherwise I don't know whether or not to continue with the story.

Jess x