Chapter 1 – The Horse Trainer
Another day, another early morning ride.
It was a few days, that the news of a certain 'Alice' who had arrived in Underland, was creating ferment at the castle. So the Knave needed his horse, Shadow, all day long. And who was the one who had to wake up at 5.00 o'clock in the morning for have a ride before the Knave woke up? Exactly: me!
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I put Diablo in the stable after I rode him, then I saw the Knave arriving.
"Good Morning!" I said to him.
"Greetings…" he answered "Hope my horse is already clean"
"Of course he is, as always. Do I have to prepare him?"
"I'll do it…" he entered in the tack room. I got the saddle off from Diablo's back and 'followed' the Knave in the room. I adept to place it on the stand, but as I did, I gasped loudly as I was pinned against the wall by Stayne.
"Get off of me!" I said trying to pull my hands from his grip.
"Now, there, Trainer dear… I just want to know you better…" he said learning in for kiss me.
"NO! Stayne, do I have to remind you that horses don't just hear but speak too?" he said nothing, just started to kiss my neck "LET ME GO!"
"You won't regret it, honey, I promise…" he said continuing to kiss and lick down my throat.
"I'm not like the other ladies, Knave, I won't ever be able to praise your… skills. I belong to someone else"
"Oh, and where is that 'someone else' right now?" he asked languidly.
I kicked his leg and he moved away , gripping it in pain "I'll have my revenge, Hightopp, remember!"
He took the saddle and went away. I cleaned my neck from his kisses and went back to work, hoping that he wouldn't say that I flirted him to the Queen.
Later that morning, the guards who accompanied Stayne out, returned with a prisoner and Bayard.
Poor ones…
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The next morning, I walked down to the stables, hiding something behind me. As Diablo saw me I grinned madly: "Let me guess: my I'm-with-the-bloody-big-head halter is ready" he said, annoyed tone.
"Don't see it as a constriction: I'd say that the Queen noticed that you are worth to be part of her cavalry!" I tried to cheer him up.
"Considering who is the Queen, I'm not sure that's a thing I can be proud of!" he told me back.
I made a thoughtful face: "You won. Won't you even try it on?" I asked him showing the tack: it was made of red thick cotton with black hearts and a thin golden chain which was supposed to pass under his chin.
"Not so bad, after all. I just don't like the meaning of it!" he mumbled after he had the halter on; I ignored his last sentence and continued to fix the buckle behind his cheek: "And I think it fits quite well! What do y…" for some reasons, my gaze had raised in the sky and I swear that I saw something flying that, certainly, was not a bird!
"Did you see that?" I asked.
"See what?" Diablo asked back.
"It seemed to be… a hat?!"
"In the sky? Tean, this is Underland, but, a flying hat?" he asked starting to laugh.
"But… Ah, never mind, I'm going mad down here!" And I wouldn't be the only one if just… but then my thoughts were stopped by the Queen ordering: "Someone find her some clothes! Use the curtains if you must, but clothe this enormous girl!" I looked at Diablo with an 'I told you!' expression, just for see a priceless confused one on his snout: "I'm not here, I'm not listening and you are my witness" I just nodded in response.
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In the evening, before dinner, I asked to a Lady of the court about that.
"The new favorite of the Queen. She's very tall, you know. She said 'Use the curtains if you must!' and we did. The seamstresses had to make her a dress at the last minute: they can do miracles!"
"I see".
When we finally sat at the table, for supper, the Queen entered followed by a very tall girl, blond curls on her shoulders and dark brown eyes.
She sat beside the Queen after she had announced her: "Couwt! She's Uhm, fwom Umbwige. My new favowite!"
"Good evening Uhm!" we greeted her. What kind of name was, Uhm?!
"Good evening" she answered.
As we started I asked to the same Lady: "Were that curtains for real?"
She smiled a little: "Told you that our seamstresses do miracles!"
"Yes but, that's unbelievable!" Only if you believe it is… someone had once told me. I made that thought go away.
And the dinner passed.