We don't always get to decide our destiny. No one can tell us what life will have in store. All we can do is follow down the path we believe to be correct.
I was like any other lad in the north, except I never really knew my parents' vague memories are all I have left of them now. I never understood why they left me. Guess one day. They decided to drop a babe near the gates of a castle in the north.
"come now, boy, you'll mess up her hooves like that," the stablemaster said. I'm doing it just fine. Besides, shallow doesn't seem to mind. I replied, his brow raised as a grin appeared across his face. Chuckling as he said." she doesn't mind it now, but when she runs, she will mind it a great deal." he replied, sitting on one knee and taking the blade from my hand. "so, you named her?" he asked. Softly I replied, "for an orphan boy, a horse is as good a companion as any, I guess." the stablemaster looked at me with his eyes widened, saying. "ay, have I not raised you as my own? as far as anyone is concerned, you are my boy, and don't let anyone tell ye different."
I couldn't help but smile at the sound of those words.
Suddenly there was a skirmish amongst the castle folk, people running and draughting fast all over the place. We both walked out to see the cause when a knight came to us. "What seems to be the problem?" Father asked. "We've caught a deserter from the night's watch. The lord needs his horses ready for him and his sons."
"Right away," he responded. Turning to me with a stern gaze. "Ready the horses quickly." he exclaimed with a gesture. I made haste back to the stables. "Which ones?" I asked. "all of them," he responded
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Soon the lord starks road out, leaving the castle as I watched in awe. one could only dream of what it's like to have entered this world as a high born, the freedom to go wherever, servants for your every need. it's hard not to look with envy
"don't look so down, del." father spoke, his hand firmly on my shoulder, leading me back to the stables. "we may take care of horses for other men to ride; however, the life of a stablemaster does have its merits here and there. Like what? I shrugged. What merit is there to shoveling shit all day and constantly carrying hay and water?
Father paused for a second before smiling again, placing his fingers between his lips and making a decently loud whistle. Making one of the horses emerge from the stables—a magnificent black stallion. Before turning back to me, his eyes widened. You get to go for a ride sometimes. Settling on the horse, I asked. But what if someone needs this horse? A knight or one of the ladies? Laughing, he responded. Then I'll tell them the lords took them all. Now go but be back by sundown. But I've never road one before. I said as my hands were shaking, and my father was leading the horse to the gate before saying. Well, now is an excellent time to learn. He replied before smacking the horse's back end as it proceeded to dash at full speed. I had never experienced such a rush before I could hear the beating of my own heart in my ears. The force of the wind pushed me back, but my grip prevailed. It felt like I was part of the wind that I could fly and go anywhere I wanted. I had finally realized just what it truly meant to be free.
After a while, the horse needed to rest. Luckily we came across a small riverbed to sit and recover. As we drank, I started to feel a slight sting on my backhand until the sting evolved into a massive burn.
"Ahhhhhhh"
It felt like a branding iron was shoved right above my hand as the burn took shape and form.
An arrowhead?