Ransom should have been spooky after not being ridden for a few days and being held in the company of strangers. Alanna sank her weight down into her heels warily, suspicious of his surprisingly good behavior as he docilely followed Arven's gelding down the unfamiliar trail. She held the reins in one hand, the other resting lightly on her dress-clad thigh.

            She had refused to ride sidesaddle, claiming she didn't even know how. It was the truth, she'd never even tried to look like a lady on horseback. And she knew she'd be off in a moment if Ransom so much as shied. It took time and patience to build up a sense of balance and the sidesaddle would throw her off her center.

            This was not her saddle, however. Her saddle was small, perfectly fitted to her frame. She'd given up her fancy saddles years ago for one of comfort and practicality. It was a saddle she could jump fences in, if she so wished.

            But this saddle had a high back, almost like a tilting saddle. She squirmed for the first few minutes, having forgotten the feeling of being so restricted, so confined. I should be used to it after being caged in that carriage for so long.

            Her lower leg was swinging. She scowled down at it, angry at herself for letting a few days off slacken her usually perfect form. She'd always been good on horseback; it was a quality that made her a good knight.

            Alanna's earlier suspicions had been correct. She nudged Ransom into a trot to catch up to Arven as the trail widened. Given only a moment's notice, she jammed her heels back down from where they'd been riding up as the colt's head shot downwards and jerked the reins almost out of her fingers.

            They passed Arven in a mixture of bolting and bucking. Alanna briefly heard an exclamation from the person she had wanted to interrogate. "Alanna, what…?" But Ransom had no inkling to stop so she could have a conversation.

            Alanna set her teeth, forcing her weight back as far as it could go. Cursing the saddle, for it kept her in place, she finally grabbed hold of her left rein, letting the right one dangle precariously through her slackened grip. Yank.

            She pulled Ransom's head around until it was almost resting against her leg. Given no alternative, the colt turned in circles for a few moments before giving up, letting out a long breath that was almost comical. At home, Alanna would have laughed at his antics. A spirited horse kept her on her toes. But this was so not the time.

            Alanna ignored the stares of the other travelers as Arven tentatively pulled up beside her. "You okay?" His green eyes studied her with a level of concern that surprised her.

            "Fine and dandy," she told him, smiling as if she were out for a ride with some friends.

            "He's got a nasty buck in him," Arven said, letting out a low whistle as he studied the colt.

            "That was nothing," she said, laughing. "You should see him when he decides it's time for my flying lessons." Smiling to herself, she recalled all the times he'd bucked her off.

            "Why do you ride him, if he's so bad?" Arven asked curiously as they started walking again.

            As if he could understand, Ransom snorted loudly, slim ears sliding back a fraction. Alanna smiled, reaching down to stroke his neck affectionately. "Because he's not mean, just playful. And a good horse to have in a battle. He's not really trying to get me off. I'd know if he was, it would be impossible to stay on. He grew out of that after George and I broke him…" The thought of George sobered her and she glanced away from Arven.

            Neither of them seemed to know what to say to break the silence. Blinking back tears, Alanna said hurriedly, "He just gets antsy. I usually ride him everyday. What he needs is a good gallop."

            Arven glanced at her again. "That can be arranged," he said, smiling, before turning to greet an approaching rider.

            Alanna hid a scowl at the sight of Capel. "What can be arranged?" the leader asked of Arven, while he directed his gaze at Alanna.

            Demurely, or she hoped, Alanna glanced down.

            "The lady's horse could use some exercise," Arven explained. Alanna scowled, resisting the urge to protest the name he gave her. She wanted to remain a lady in front of Capel, for perhaps he would leave her alone if he thought of her as a noble.

            "We are almost to the castle," Capel told her. "There is a long field before the entrance. We can gallop there."

            "We?" she inquired, arching a brow.

            "My horse is restless, too," he said, with a wink that was anything but innocent.

            Arven scowled, unnoticed by Capel. Alanna glanced at him quizzically. His identity was becoming a constant mystery. Why did he care so much about her? He'd been concerned that one night, when Capel had intended for her to share his bed. And a few moments before, when she'd almost fallen off. This façade he was putting on, both for the Scanrans and for her, was utterly frustrating to struggle to decipher.

            With a sigh, she resigned herself to walking until they reached the last leg of their journey.

            "Race you to the fence," Arven said, the challenge dangling in the air for her to take. Capel opened his mouth to speak, but Alanna had already snatched the challenge from mid-air and was off and running with it.

            Ransom's ears slid back as she heeled him forward, but soon he was caught up in the joy of running, the joy that she shared. And this time, there were no archers who would end their headlong flight, no pursuers they had to be wary of as they flew. That wasn't true. Alanna glanced back under her arm at Arven and Capel, who were vying for second place. She threw back her head and laughed, briefly surprised that she felt so happy. Well, competition could do that to her.

            "Faster," she called to the horse. This might be the last chance she had to ride him. Ever. Who knew what the king would do with him? She clucked her tongue rapidly, giving the horse all the rein he wanted. His mane flew up to tickle her face and she breathed in his familiar equine scent, burying her face in the silken strands briefly.

            Alanna glanced back once more. The field was long and her two pursuers were far enough back to be a distant worry, something she could forget about until she reached the finish line.

            Her hands scrubbed up his neck as she clucked at him again. As he changed leads, he accelerated again and she was almost blown back into the saddle by the rush of power and wind that the new gear he'd found brought to her. Laughing once more and causing his ears to flick back questioningly, she enjoyed the feeling of racing the wind. "We're winning!" she told the horse, who seemed to already know this as he simply lengthened his stride again.

            And suddenly there was the fence. Alanna sighed, reluctant to slow down and come back to reality. Her reluctance cost time, precious time that sped by as the horse's swift strides ate up the ground. Then there wasn't time to stop. "Goddess!" Alanna gasped as Ransom continued his flight toward the fence. To take a jump at this speed was murder¸ was suicide.

            But Ransom wasn't stupid. The spot was perfect and he went for it without any urging from his rider. She was poised, her extended arms giving him space. The colt's knees snapped up to his chest and he cleared the fence, suspended in mid-air for a few, time-stopping moments.

            Flying, she'd thought. She hadn't known what flying was until this moment, hanging there during the air time that such a huge jump created. They landed jarringly and Alanna fell forward onto his neck, patting and praising the colt as if he were the son of the Gods themselves. Right then, she'd have believed such an impressive lineage, if she hadn't known that he descended from her former mounts.

            The colt was sweating by now and she continued patting him, walking around in circles while they waited for Arven and Capel to catch up. Her gaze slid up the hillside to the top of it, where the castle sat waiting for her. A deep breath whooshed out of her lungs and the joy she'd felt only minutes earlier evaporated.

            It was time to be a prisoner again.

I know, I know. I took a while. But it was my birthday yesterday! So I'm allowed to be slow =P Anyway, long enough for you? I hope so, it took forever cause I would always get called away after like a sentence.

Next chapter: Secret =P (actually I don't really know yet…haha)

Next Alanna chapter: We meet the king! Who is he? Did we meet him already? Is he someone from the books that you'd never expect? Hmmm. *evil grin*

I've got midterms this week (and snow days! you can actually thank the snow that I finished this in the first place) so maybe I can get another chapter up tomorrow or something. No promises, though.

love, linza