Shelby rubbed her sore eyes. She had just finished lessons with Lucas. Today they had focused on simple things like light and how to manipulate it. It was difficult to get adjusted with using her Gift.
Shelby walked down to the practice courts. She wished Lucas would get to scrying spells so she didn't have to look everywhere for Michael or his companions.
She checked all the indoor courts to no avail, so she moved on to the outdoor ones. She first checked the jousting arena. Only the pages and a few squires were practicing their with their training master. She checked the other courts used for practicing swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. These were deserted. Next she tried the archery court. This was set somewhat farther away from the other practice areas. It was closer to the armories and smiths shops on the castle's ground floor. There she finaly found someone.
It was the knight who had flirted with her so boldly the day before. Shelby leaned against the fence that enclosed the practice court. From there she watched as he released bolt after bolt.
He was shooting at one of the tweleve targets set up on the opposite end of the court, but on the one he shot at little colored pieces of cloth had been pinned to the target. They were in varying sots all over the target and were barely and large than the arrow heads of his bolt. These made for a harder target that the four inch wide bulls eye. Everytime he shot he hit either the bulls eye or on of the strips of cloth. He was an extremely good shot. Finally he shot his last arrow.
For a moment he studied his target than walked over and removed the twelve arrows inbedded in it. He made quick work of removing the arrows then turned to walk back to his spot. That's when he saw Shelby. He sent her broad smile before walking swiftly over to her. He leaned on the fence in front of her. His face was extremely close Shelby noted.
"You're very good with a bow." She commented.
"Well, thank you m'lady." His voice was honey in her ears. She saw a light of playfulness in his green eyes. "Have you ever practiced archery?" Shelby shook her head. "Would you like to try?" Shelby's eyes lit up when he asked.
"Yes!" She exclaimed excitedly. She had always wanted to try but archery wasn't exactly the weapon of choice in her world.
The knight chuckled. "Well climb over here and I'll let you use my bow."
Shelby scurried over the tall fence and into the court.
"Here, put these on." He took of his arm guards and helped Shelby put them on and tighten the straps. After he was satisfied with their tightness he towed her over to the spot where he had shoot from. He placed the soft wood of his bow into her hands. "Ok, stand like this." He puts his hands on her hips and positioned her in the right stance. "Now you're going to lift it up like this. Focus on the spot you want to hit." He helped her hold the bow in the right position. Then he hand her and arrow. He was surprised to find out she knew how to string it and hold the string with her middle and pointer finger. "Now just pull back and, well, release." He took a few steps back to stand behind her.
Shelby pulled back on the string as far as she could. It was nowhere near where her companion had pulled back to. Her arms burned with the odd new use of her muscles. When Shelby was satisfied with the target she chose she released the string. The arrow flew in an arc, just barley grazing the bottom of the target. She pursed her lips as she looked at her failed attempt to at least hit one of the colored rings.
"That's alright. No one ever really gets it on the first try. Here, try again." He handed her another arrow. Shelby restrung the bow and reassumed her stance. Pulling back on the string once more she chose her target. This time the arrow embedded itself in the top of the target. It still didn't hit any of the rings but at least it was stuck in something. She shot yet another. This time he made a correction to how she held the bow's wooden continued this way untill they ran out of arrows.
"You did quite well for a first timer. "He said as they wriggled the arrows free from the target. She had burried about half of them in the target.
"Thanks. But I have a feeling you had a lot to do with it Jesse. "He looked at her abruptly. Shelby giggled at the confusion at his face. She let him come up with his own explination for how she got his name.
"Michael told you, didn't he?"
"Perhaps." She turned away from him to walk back to the fence. She glanced at him over her shoulder, a sly smile on her lips.
He grinned and shook his head at her. "You're an interesting one Miss Shelby."
"I know." She smirked and received a laugh from him.
He stuffed his arrows in a quiver that rested against the fence. He slung it over his shoulder before unstring his bow. When he was done with that he climbed over the fence. Shelby did the same. "I need to go to the stables. Would you care to join me?" Jesse asked pleasantly.
"I'd love too." Shelby loved horses and she was not about to turn down a trip to the stables.
The two walked around the castle to the stables castle's stable was a long building. This was where the nobility, pages, squires, and castle visitors housed their mounts. Shelby loved the smell of hay and horse sweat. Half way down the stable two horses hung there heads over their doors and greated Jesse with happy whinnies.
"The bay is Jacamo and the liver chestnut is Dark Heart." Jesse explained as he began unlocking a large chest between the two stalls. Inside was his equipment and a sack of apples. He took out two handing them to Shelby. She fed each horse one, laugh as the licked her palms in thanks.
"Well hello there Jacamo." She rubbed the big bay's head. It was obvious to Shelby this was Jesse's war horse. His whithers were higher than Shelby's head. His blocky head, thick neck, and big feet were signs of draft blood. Shelby was rubbing his broad forehead when the stallion pressed his nose against hers. He exhaled straight into her face. Shelby caught the sweet smell of alfalfa hay and apples. She smiled and cupped Jacamo's chin with her hands. Gently she blew back into his nostrils. The horse whinied happily.
"Where did you learn that?" Jesse asked. He looked at her skepticaly.
"Oh, just from some book." She smiled innocently at him. She had forgotten he was watching. Jesse watched her for a moment longer before pulling out some brushes for the horses.
"Would you like to groom Dark Heart?" He asked, offering her a brush.
"Sure." She took the brush in her hand and began opening Heart's stall. The mare snorted when Shelby closed the stall door behind her. "Well hellow there girl." She greeted the mare. Heart pushed her head into the girl's stomach. Shelby laughed and rubbed the white stripe going down the center of Heart's forehead. Shelby lifted the mare's chin and did the same with her as she had with Jacamo. Heart returned Shelby's scent with her own. She swished her tail, satisfied with the introduction. Shelby started to brush Heart's dark coat. The mare had the long legs and broad chest of a Thoroughbred. She was Jesse's riding horse. She was more agile and sure footed then her large companion. Shelby ran the brush over her coat in long strokes.
She was three quarters done when she thought she heard a voice. Shelby looked out of the stall, but there was no one in sight. "Did you say something Jesse?" She asked from her stall.
"No[e." Was the reply.
Shelby returned to Heart. Where was the voice coming from? She could hear it faintly, though she couldn't make out the words. She went back to grooming Heart. As she ran the brush over the mare's flanks the voice got clearer. Now Shelby realized she wasn't hearing with her ears, but with her mind. She didn't like what she heard.
Let go of me you foul creatures! The voice was gruff, male, and distressed. Shelby stopped brushing Heart.
I sware it, if you do not release me I will tear the hide from your backs myself! Shelby couldn't help but pick up the feeling that the owner of the voice was in trouble. She felt anger and fear in his harsh tones.
Horse Gods curse you, you mongrel curs!
Suddenly an ear spliting cry split the air. It came from another horse in the stables. She ran to the stall door and quickly opened it. Jesse was already out of Jacamo's stall staring at the source of the cry.
Shelby stared in awe. Four grooms were leading a tall black stallion into the stable. He was the most beautiful thing in the stable. He had the similar comformation of Heart but much larger. Possibly even larger than Jacamo. He had a true black coat that shone with sweat. He had no white markings and a long black mane and tail. Shelby could see the horse was obviously angry and frightened. His eyes flashed wildly showing the whites of his eyes. He tried to rear, only to have the grooms pull him back down. He did not want to go into the windowless stall they were leading him to.
"Stupid beast! Git in th' stall!" This came from the largest of the grooms. The black stallion tried to snap at him, but another groom pulled his head away. They had two ropes attached the the halter on his head and two more around his neck. Shelby wondered how he breathed with the ropes so tight around his throat.
Shelby rushed forward. Before she took two steps Jesse had gripped her arm. She looked at him and snarled. The horse was obviously being mistreated. Jesse shook his head and pointed.
"Look." He said. Shelby turned to look where he pointed. Three nobles had entered to look at the struggling animal. Shelby was disgusted in the way they looked at the stallion.
"So, what will you do with him? He's obviously not breakable." This came from a tall young man dressed in a gem studded gold rob and purple hose. Shelby didn't like his pinched face and bug eyes.
"Send him back to that goat fellow that you bought him from. Let them deal with the monster." This came from an equaly tall man wearing a silk maroon shirts and brown riding pants.
They both spoke to a woman Shelby already despised. She had curly blond locks that had been pinned at the back of her head. She wore a pale pink tunic, with white embroideries and clear crystals stitched into it's hem. She had on a flowy pale cream shirt and similarly colored breeches. She wore diamond earrings and matching gold and diamond rings on greedy looking fingers. The look in her eyes was one of disgust.
"I think I'll just have him fed to the hounds. He's not worth the trouble. Any untamable beast should be put out of our misery." She scowled at the struggling horse. "You incompitent fools! How hard is it to get the beast in a stall!" They had gotten the stallion to the door of the stall but they were having difficulties getting him to go in. The blond woman flicked peach fire at the horse's rump. He squealed in pain and charged forward into the stall. Shelby gasped. How could she be so heartless!
"That's princess Annalyshia. She's as cold as ice and as mean as a troll." Jesse whispered in her ear. Shelby glared at the princess. Jesse released her and stuck his hands in his pockets. "She has no respect for a good piece of horse flesh. She'd rather throw away a good animal rather than take the time to understand the poor thing." The look on Jesse's face was unreadable.
Shelby listened as she heard the horse kick and strike the wall and door of the stall. He whinnied loudly snorted as he paced his dark quarters.
Shelby couldn't take it anymore. She stomped over to the group of snobbish nobles and exhausted grooms.
"If you don't want him I'll take him." She didn't bother hiding her anger and irritation. The princess didn't even look at her.
"Go away girl. You have no business dealing with a war horse." Shelby didn't give up.
"If you don't want him, what does it matter what my business is?" This time the princess didn't even respond. Jesse was tugging her arm, trying to get her to go back to his horses. She shrugged him off and ran to the dark stallion's stall. She hurriedly tried unlocking the door. Before she got the latch undone a cold hand grabbed her shoulder and threw her to the floor. Shelby looked up at her attacker. The princess looked at her disgustedly.
"How dare you! The stallion is mine. I will do with him as I please you stupid wench!" Annalyshia's voice was cold and degrading. She was readying to kick Shelby when Jesse grabbed her arm. She glared at him.
"Your Higness, if you don't mind I'd like a word with you." His grip on her arm tightened. Anna stared at him for a long moment.
"What is it Groulle?" She asked. Jesse pulled her away, just far enough so they couldn't hear.
The princess's two companions snickered at her. Shelby stuck her tounge at them and got up. She brushed off her bum and fized her tunic. She turned her back to the two and tried to look through the slats of the stall door. She could barely make out the figure of the stallion. He paced in the back of the stall. The ropes the grooms had used to direct him dragged behind him as he trotted back and forth. He snorted and stopped to paw the ground every now and then.
What did they do to you, Great One? She asked with her mind. The stallion immediately stoopped in a corner. He turned to face the stall door. His ears swiveled, obviously confused.
Over here, she called. She couldn't see his dark eyes in the shadows of his stall. She sighed. What had they done to him.
Who are you? His voice was shaky in her mind. He was still very upset.
I'm Shelby. Who may you be? She asked softly.
Shelby, you are a two-legger. How is it that you can speak with me? Shelby caught the hint of suspicion in his voice. Are you People? Did they turn you to one of them? Shelby thought about how to answer his questions.
No, I was born a two-legger. I'm not sure how you hear me. I've never talked to or heard People before. That was a good enough response. The horse was silent. What is your name Great One? She asked again. A long moment stretched out before he responded.
The fire maker there calls me Black Sun. The man who I served before the fire maker called me Black Tea. The one before him called me Laddy. Shelby paused as she took this in.
Well, what would you like to be called? She asked. She didn't feel right forcing a name on him. A long silence dragged on before he came up with something.
My herd called me Demon. Demon is what you will call me by. Shelby smiled.
Well it's a pleasure to meet you Demon. The stallion snorted at her.
Finaly Jesse returned. Shelby looked over his shoulder at Annalyshia. The princess, who Shelby now realized had a face similar to her own, was sneering at her. Shelby returned it with her own fiery glare. Jesse shifted to block her view and Shelby listened as she heard Anna and her companions exit the stable.
"The stag is yours." Jesse said. He looked exasperated from the conversation he had had with Anna.
"What?" Shelby asked in disbelief. The princess had looked like she wanted to kill Shleby. Why had she now decided Shelby could have Demon?
"The stallion, the one behind you, he's your horse now." Shelby continued to look at him in disbelief.
"But how-" She began
"Please don't ask, I'd rather not talk about it." Shelby didn't push the subject. Instead she turned around and opened Demon's stall door. His head jerked up when light flooded the space.
"It's ok sir, it's just me." He swished his tail and shook his matted mane. "Why don't you come here so I can get a look at you, hm?" she tried coaxing him out of the corner he had retreated. Stubbornly he refused. Shelby pursed her lips. Suddenly she felt a cool apple pressed into her hand. She turned to look at Jesse. She hadn't heard him run across the aisle to get an apple from his chest. Shelby smiled her thanks and turned back to Demon. She held out the apple in her flat palm. "If you want it you're going to have to come and get it."
The stallion didn't completely distrust humans. He just didn't like Annalyshia and her group. He tried to get her to come to him once then quietly strode forward. Shelby grined happily as he ate the apple out of her hand. When he finished she lifted his large nose to hers and blew into his nostrils. He blew his own hot breath into her face. Shelby kissed his nose and was rewarded with a happy squeal from her stallion. She patted his soft cheek.
I think we're going to make a wonderful pair, she said to him.
He snorted and tossed his big head. So we will.