Disclaimer: nothing's mine!
*takes her Vidanric dolly out of her back pocket and huggles him* he's very happy where he is, everybody, stop crying! *grin*
Anyway, I'm not really sure if this story is going where most of you seem to think it is or seem to want it to go. That worries me, I don't want you to hate it! *cries and hides* Here goes!
Oh and yeah it's two generations after Danric and Mel. Nimaria is Bran and Nee's granddaughter, the daughter of Ranisia or "Kitten." And Mel and Danric had Alaerec, Oria, and Elestra, and Alaerec had Mabrie. Bran, Nee, and Danric are no longer with us, unfortunately. Hmm, everyone else you'll learn about later I guess. I was going to do the generation after Mel n them all, then they could play a bigger role, but Sherwood Smith already has that generation all planned out and I wanted to make up my own characters.
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It was with a heavy heart that I packed up my oh-so-few belongings and helped the other servants load everything into the carriage we were taking. I was being allowed to take Pride, that was the one thing keeping me going. Once we were closer to the city, Pride would be hitched to the carriage to put on a show for the parade of onlookers that were sure to be there. I would then switch places with the herald that was going along with Countess Ranisia and the other maids in the carriage.
I was slightly worried. Pride had never been hitched before and I doubted he'd like it. And I'd been a witness countless times when he'd decided he didn't like something. Hopefully everything would be okay and Pride would be too distracted by his surroundings to cause a fuss.
I suppose the brave face I put on was to hide how terrified I was. Eavesdropping on the heralds hadn't exactly helped, either, instead lowering my confidence to an all time low.
"One of the servants is riding with us."
"I didn't know the Countess was bringing stable hands."
"She's not."
"One of the maids?"
"Yep."
"I don't believe you."
"She's riding that big chestnut you were admiring yesterday."
"Like one of the maids could handle that colt. I'll believe it when I see it."
All four of the heralds had had a good laugh at my expense and I tiptoed away quietly, full of apprehension about the trip.
It was hard to say goodbye to Aria. My throat choked up like it did the day before as I hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go. I knew there was a good chance I might never see her again, servants who are not important to a noble often change households frequently when at Court and Countess Ranisia barely knew my name, despite the fact that her daughter and I had been like sisters for the course of our lives.
"Promise to write." Her voice trembled from the effort of trying to be strong. "I want to know all about Court, I'm going to need to go someday to take my oath as Countess."
I had forgotten. Newly reminded, I wished she were going with us instead of Ranisia. I immediately felt guilty, for the reason for our trip was not a happy one and I shouldn't have such ungrateful thoughts. Most of the other servants would give anything to be in my place. And yet I wanted nothing more than to be riding free and swift as the wind along the mountain trails.
And of course, we had to hug for the last time and I stared forlornly over my shoulder at her waving goodbye from the top of the hill where we'd spent so much time as young girls. And then I forced my eyes forward, forced my morale upwards, forced my mind elsewhere. I had to think of anything but the life I was leaving behind.
Pride was confused. He wasn't used to being on a ride with so many other horses and the carriage's rattling wheels were spooking him, as was the contraption's design; things that I supposed were fashionable in the city decorated the exterior of the vehicle. He listened to my gentle, familiar hands because after the three years I'd had him, he trusted me completely, but the constant flicking of his ears alerted me to how distressed he was. The farther we got from home, the more confused he got; we'd never been out so far. I felt horrible and clung to the hope that he'd let his trust of me win over so that he would calm down.
I noticed the heralds watching me from time to time and the feel of their eyes on me was unsettling. They were silent and I got the vibe that it was because of me, they hadn't seemed such like such a quiet group at breakfast. That made me even more uncomfortable, their comments from the day before still stinging, and so I stayed silent too, having never been good in social situations. You needed Aria if you wanted to make conversation. That thought just saddened me more as it brought my thoughts back around to home.
The silent trip was unmarked until the fifth day, when we encountered a herd of deer. Pride paused for a few seconds, triangular auditives swiveling to upright swiftly. I let him look, I knew he wasn't scared; he'd seen plenty of deer up in the hills and they fascinated him. Unfortunately, one of the heralds' horses didn't think so. The fleet-footed bay took off before his rider could react, briefly spooking the carriage horses. The carriage swerved and the other three horses struggled to get their heads, but the remaining heralds had been alerted by the panicked charge of the bolting horse.
At home, Pride would have taken this as an excuse to raise a fuss, but he felt only disdain for these poorly trained beasts and was eager for a chance to show off his manners. I stared after the racing horse that was becoming smaller in the distance and weighed my options, seeing how the herald was in danger of becoming unseated.
One of the heralds had done an emergency dismount and was trying to calm his horse. He yelled to the other two men, his face angry. "Go after the daydreamer before he falls off!"
But it wasn't them that took off after the herald in peril. I leaned low over Pride's neck, giving him full rein and a one word command. "Go!" He didn't need any other encouragement, not even a tap of my heels. Leaping forward into a full-flung gallop, he charged down the road after the fleeing bay.
As I said before, Pride was fast. He was the perfect mount; all speed, strength, and stamina compacted into a lean style of running. The trees flashed by in a green blur as his slender forelegs snapped out in front of him; literally eating up the ground between him and the horse I was asking him to catch. The wind whistled in my ears, but still I urged Pride on, my fists scrubbing along his sleek neck and grabbing at his mane. This was pure freedom, no time to think, just quick action.
The herald had had a good head start, but Pride was catching up swiftly. I took the reins in one hand, struggling to maintain my balance in the odd racing crouch I was trying to ride in with such long stirrups. Pride's nose drew even with the bay's flank and I called out more encouragement to him.
He switched leads in a single bound, somehow finding more after all I'd asked of him and charging forward once again, nearly passing the other horse until I gave the reins a gentle pull. He fought me briefly, I'd awakened in him a competitiveness that would not be defeated, but his training and manners won out. He stayed at that speed, increasing it slightly when the other horse tried to surge pass again.
I reached for the reins and missed. The herald was trying to pull the horse up, but he was nearly falling off and the bay had taken the bit in its teeth, so it was up to me. I gave Pride's left rein a tug, he swerved closer obediently. This time I snatched up the bay's right rein, giving it a firm jerk. The horse's head was forced my way and it was either slow down or charge into Pride. He opted for the second choice and I sat back, slowing Pride down with my seat and voice.
And so it was that I proved myself to the heralds. In some ways, I felt like they represented the Court and that I had made my first dent in actually arriving. Whatever had happened, the rest of the trip was much more pleasant.
The heralds were in awe of me at first. They'd never seen a horse that fast or a maid that could ride so well. Added to that was the sword they'd seen me pack and the daggers they'd noticed concealed in my boot. Little did they know about the other weapons I kept quiet about that were hidden on my body. I think they started having thoughts among themselves about my maybe being a secret guard against assassins for the Countess. That made me laugh.
Of course, they realized I was only human that night when there was dancing at the inn we stopped at and I stepped on all their toes, tripping my way around the dance floor. And two days later, when Pride was fully recovered and threw in an unexpected buck, perhaps feeling feisty and confident about 'beating' the other horse, I was thrown up on his neck and nearly lost my seat. They saw that I was not perfect.
But I think the main part of their respect for me came from how well I took care of Pride. For me he came first, then the Countess, and then I took care of myself. They saw how I stuck to my duty and how I did have some bad qualities. Like when I lost my temper at a stable hand who almost fed Pride moldy hay. The last thing I needed on that trip was for Pride to colic.
I wrapped his legs tightly that night; I was worried the run on the road had caused him to injure himself. I couldn't feel any heat or swelling, but you never could be sure. The next day he proved to be sound, walking strongly on all four legs and not showing any signs of pain, but I refused to ride faster than a walk for that day and the next day. No one dared to complain; for all they knew the herald could have fell and broke his neck if it weren't for Pride and I.
After that we set a swifter pace, though the carriage slowed us down. When we were a day's ride from the city, we hitched Pride to the carriage. The driver listened to my instructions; Pride didn't like a harsh hand nor did he like the whip. All he needed was a voice command. I took my place in the carriage and prayed for Pride's obedience.
And so it was that I got my first look of Remalna-City from the window of a carriage.
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Kinda a cliffhanger for ya, though not much of one. I know this chapter was boring, I can't help it! I had no inspiration whatsoever for what should have happened on the trip, sowrys! I promise, next one will be better!
Anyway, review review review! I love getting them, so if you want another chapter, send em!!
The next chapter might be my last update for a while, prewarning. I've got a horse show this weekend, plus my cousin's graduation and graduation party, and then we leave for Florida after a busy next week too. PLUS HARRY POTTER!!! Whoo!!! So yeah, just a little prewarning!
Linds
