Chapter Nine: The Arrival
My governess and I visited the stables the next day. "What lesson will this be?" I asked her.
Della smiled. I got used to that smile and recognized it whenever she was about to do something unusual or something that was unexpected of her. "Your nature lesson," she coyly answered.
We ambled to the stable doors and was greeted kindly by the marshal in charge of the stables. "What can I do for you ladies?" he asked. The marshal was a large man with broad shoulders, burly arms and deep, leathery hands. His hair was black and graying on the sides. "My name's Gavin," the man said.
Della smiled again, only this time it was in welcome. "Hello. I am the Governess, Della Finley and this is Lady Eva. She's the daughter of one of the king's knights. We would like to ride one of these fine horses. I'm teaching Lady Eva about nature and wanted the activity to be hands-on."
Gavin bowed to us. "Of course! Follow me and I'll show you to your horses." Gavin led us through the stable passed a few stalls with horses feeding on their oats and hay. A stable hand was cleaning one, racking in fresh hay for a mare who was out in the pasture grazing.
Gavin stopped at a stall near the side door of the stable, leading out into the pasture. The stallion was ebony and glossy like silk.
Gavin let me pet her. The horse nickered stamping the ground. She turned her head to look at me and I smiled. Gavin fetched a saddle and helped me up. Once I was astride the horse, Gavin inspected she and I together. "Can you ride?" he asked me.
I nodded. "I was taught when I was four."
Gavin seemed to be deciphering something and then finally he said, "Why don't you test her out, see how you like her?"
"All right." I said and turned the mare out of the stall. I glanced at Della.
"I'll be right here," she assured me.
I nodded and nudged the horse into a trot. She trotted. Good. Next a canter. I dug my heel into her side and the horse responded immediately with a spirited canter through the long cut grass.
I laughed. I had forgotten how much fun riding was. It had been ages since I'd ridden Rose. She had been sold though, when Father brought the merchant to our manor.
Now it's time for a gallop. My heels drove deeper into the mare's side and she raced. The rough wind whipped all around me and I found complete and utter strength and freedom as we rode on into the wind.
I slowed the mare and guided her back to the stables. Gavin was smiling. "You're a natural!" he exclaimed. "I haven't been able to tame that horse since the king bought it. You've done well. You're welcome to ride her when you please."
I slid off the horse and asked politely, "What's her name?"
Gavin answered knowingly, "She's called Leila. It means 'as black as the night'. She's an Arabian horse and a rare beauty."
I stroked the horse's mane. "Leila," I murmured softly. Her ears twitched. I smiled.
"Now we shall find Governess Finley a mount," Gavin announced striding off.
Gavin saddled a gray speckled horse and said to Della, "His name is Ezra. We've had him for a while so he's more docile then some of the other one's we've got here. I think you'll do well with him."
Della mounted the charger and I soon joined her in the field riding Leila.
"Now," said the governess as we rode into the middle of the pasture, "the first thing you must learn to connect with nature, is how her creatures connect with you. We start with horses." Della nudged Ezra with the soul of her heel into his side to begin a trot. He did so with no effort, letting her guide him.
"Every animal has a personality. Like Gavin said, Ezra is docile and his personality is gentle." Della motioned a hand toward me. "To form a friendship between you and a horse, it takes time and patience and faith. Your horse must learn to trust you before fully relying on you to be the guide. You must respect it and in return your horse will respect you."
We continued to experiment with our horses, seeing how far our command would go before they stopped listening. It was late noon before we stopped for the day. Della and I took the horses to the stable where Gavin received them and waved us off. We then, returned to my room.
Della taught me about the Detorian Border next. She pulled out a book from a brown cloth bag she's brought with her and opened to the first page.
For the next week, Della and I worked with Ezra and Leila. We studied more about Rhyanen and the Detorian Border and even sewed some. The mare was getting used to me and I was beginning to like her a lot. I visited her out of my schooling time, riding through the pasture, drinking in the fresh sounds of autumn.
Later that day, as I lounged in my chair in my room, reading from my fable book, a set of loud trumpets issued from the castle turrets, announcing an arrival. I looked up from my page and crossed the room to gaze out my door. It overlooked the stable and parts of the archery range behind the castle. Queen Farrah's garden was also visible below. I could however, see part of the road leading to the courtyard from the iron gates. I pulled back the light pink curtain and glimpsed a stately looking carriage rolling up the terrace.
The carriage passed the gate without stopping, it being already opened, awaiting the return of the king and his sons. It entered the courtyard and pulled to a stop in front of the entrance doors. A knight standing guard at the door rushed down the steps and opened the carriage door for King Cyril and the princes.
The first to come out was King Cyril himself. From my balcony, he looked tall and lean. Age-wise the king was around his late forties or early fifties. He was clothed in a hunting garb, plain brown, but it had an air of majesty still. His light hair, now ash-covered, was growing thin, and receding on his forehead, his golden crown glistening in the afternoon sun. King Cyril had the bearing of all that is imperial.
His eldest son stepped out second to stand beside him. He was clad in olive-green, his hair powdered with ash, to keep from alarming the forest animals with his naturally toned hair. His face was angular, his chin sharp. The prince's skin, from what I could tell, was unblemished and clear, very princely.
His brother climbed out of the carriage next, dressed in the same colors as him. The younger boy, who must have been only a year older that I was, had the identical ash-covered hair his brother and father had, but I could tell, even from a long way off, that his real hair color was darker.
I walked to the end of the balcony and leaned gently on the stone paling. I watched the men stand side by side and the doors of the castle open to reveal the princess and her mother. The women came to them and embraced each quickly. I smiled. The family seemed so content, now that they were together again. They stood apart and seemed to converse, but obviously, I could not hear their words.
I must've been inattentive, for just then, I glanced down at Prince Thomas and found him looking right at me. I froze, my blood running cold. Oh, how embarrassing! He'd seen me watching them.
Quickly, I slipped away behind my curtain and out of sight. First impressions last a long time, and I know he couldn't forget what happened when we were younger. He must think I'm uncultivated and a spy. I decided to keep distance between us.
I spent the next few hours reading and then practicing a little of my sewing. The next patch I made for my quilt was of a black horse. It was Leila. Around five o' clock, when dinner was to be served, Della knocked on my door and came in to tell me that dinner was served.
I thought of having to see Prince Thomas at the table and shuddered.
"Sorry Della," I turned from my glass door and looked back at my governess, who was still standing in the doorframe, waiting for my answer. "I cannot attend tonight's dinner."
"And why is that?" she asked smoothly.
"My stomach is unsettling me. I think I should lay down."
"Ah," she replied nodding. "You may be excused tonight. I will inform the royal family of your dismissal."
She made sure I got in bed and after Della had left, I rolled out and took my fable book from on top of my chair. I sat in the archway of my glass door, before my balcony and read by moon and starlight. I opened it to a random page and read from it.
After reading a fable, I flipped through the book and found another story to read. After I had read two others, I finally settled down in my feather-down mattresses to sleep.
A/N: I have posted two chapters because the last one was short and in this one, things actually happen. There is some foreshadowing of Eva and Thomas. And things will really start getting interesting in the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!
