The blast of a horn sounded, announcing a messenger.
Alanna and George looked walked out from their chambers onto the balcony. The messenger's sorrel mare galloped into the courtyard. George yanked on his shirt and ran down to the courtyard, Alanna hot on his heels.
The messenger was from a nearby village, where a vicious raid by spidrens was going on. Alanna and George were the only people within three miles that could possibly defeat them. Alanna gulped when she heard this. Her horrible dislike of spiders always got in her way when she fought spidrens.
She shoved aside her doubts, set her jaw, and began rapping out orders. "John, get Darkmoon and Hoshi saddled! Maude, get this man some water!"
Moments later, Alanna and George mounted Darkmoon and Hoshi, George's chestnut mare, and galloped off to the village under siege.
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