Lady of the Fairies
Chapter 11
by Keruseyu
===
Keru-chan says: Sorry about the first 4 chappies, folks! The whole lost-in-the-woods thing just wasn't in my zone. I'm glad ya'll liked my last chappie!
Kira rushed into the palaces' main stables, dripping rain water on the swept dirt walkway.
Stalls filled with restless mounts lined on wall, and the air rang with neighs and the rustling of hooves.
Neal was slower in coming- his Magewhisper had thrown a shoe, and was led instead of ridden so as not to stress his hooves.
Kira herself had already put away the calm packhorse by the time Neal got in. He glanced at her sodden form, shrugged, and began unsaddling his own animal.
The wingless fairy was gazing at the stalls, each adorned with a name plate stating the horse and it's owner.
Her grass-green eyes flowed evenly over the burnished copper slabs, reading each engraved name.
'Cavall's Heart, Lord Wyldon of Cavall.' To Kira, the name rung a bell, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.
She continued. 'Cloud, Veralidaine Sarrasri.' The pony inside was alsleep, stormy gray coat rising and falling with each breath.
'Peachblossom, Keladry of Mindelan.'
Kira's heart skipped several beats. Something deep inside her stirred, and she was lost in memory.
===
Kira, her hands full of dried cherries, fed tiny sparrows that flew from the courtyard, through her window, and into her room. The world of the courtyard was snowy white, covered with at least a foot of snowflakes. More flakes driftled slowly through the air, touching her nose as they blew through her window.
Footsteps sounded behind her as the room's door creaked open. She spun, not knowing what to expect. "W-who is it?"
She could see him, but his face features were totally blank.
He stepped forward and clapped her on the shoulder-
===
And she fell back onto hard-packed dirt in stupor.
Neal offered her a hand, helping her up deftly.
Her eyes instantly riveted on the plaque that had spurred the memory; her fingers brushed its smooth surface, glinting in the light. "Keladry..." Kira whispered. Chills went up and down her back at the name.
Neal glanced up from feeding Magewhisper, eyes filling with pain and sorrow. He came to stand beside her.
"The horse in this stall used to belong to my best friend before she died." His hands shook, but his voice was soothingly monotone and steady.
"The wildmage in the palace, Veralidaine Sarrasri, bought him so he wouldn't be killed. She told them to put Kel's name on there." His fingers trailed the name, and he whispered the last sentance. "He's dying anyway."
Kira stared at him. The horse inside the stall was lost in the gloomy silence surrounding it. Without hesitation, Kira slipped over the door and landed with a thump on the new straw within.
A low, weak wicker sounded from the darker corner, and she knelt by the almost still form. The horse struggled to his feet, eyes glazed.
Kira gasped. Despite the full food bucket in the corner of his stall, the gelding before her was rail-thin, ribs poking out of a hollow stomach. A once-glossy, dull, white flecked strawberry-roan coat was now dull and rough. Mane, forelock, and tail were almost impossibly snared up.
Kira knelt by the dying beast, stroking him softly. She looked into his deep eyes, sorting through the images of memories she found there, using one of the more useful spells the fairies had taught her. Suddenly she was falling into one of the memories, eyes close in concentration.
===
A marvelous avalanche of a gelding pranced in his stall, obviously enjoying the thorough grooming.
A gleaming strawberry-roan coat adorned the scarred, helthy gelding, who was fat as horses go. His aburn mane and tail flicked absently in the slight breeze as he leaned against the brush. The girl murmured something, turning to get another brush. Kira tried to keep ahold of her face's appearance but is was swept away as the memory ended, leaning her alone again on the table floor.
===
Whaddaya think? Please review!
Chapter 11
by Keruseyu
===
Keru-chan says: Sorry about the first 4 chappies, folks! The whole lost-in-the-woods thing just wasn't in my zone. I'm glad ya'll liked my last chappie!
Kira rushed into the palaces' main stables, dripping rain water on the swept dirt walkway.
Stalls filled with restless mounts lined on wall, and the air rang with neighs and the rustling of hooves.
Neal was slower in coming- his Magewhisper had thrown a shoe, and was led instead of ridden so as not to stress his hooves.
Kira herself had already put away the calm packhorse by the time Neal got in. He glanced at her sodden form, shrugged, and began unsaddling his own animal.
The wingless fairy was gazing at the stalls, each adorned with a name plate stating the horse and it's owner.
Her grass-green eyes flowed evenly over the burnished copper slabs, reading each engraved name.
'Cavall's Heart, Lord Wyldon of Cavall.' To Kira, the name rung a bell, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.
She continued. 'Cloud, Veralidaine Sarrasri.' The pony inside was alsleep, stormy gray coat rising and falling with each breath.
'Peachblossom, Keladry of Mindelan.'
Kira's heart skipped several beats. Something deep inside her stirred, and she was lost in memory.
===
Kira, her hands full of dried cherries, fed tiny sparrows that flew from the courtyard, through her window, and into her room. The world of the courtyard was snowy white, covered with at least a foot of snowflakes. More flakes driftled slowly through the air, touching her nose as they blew through her window.
Footsteps sounded behind her as the room's door creaked open. She spun, not knowing what to expect. "W-who is it?"
She could see him, but his face features were totally blank.
He stepped forward and clapped her on the shoulder-
===
And she fell back onto hard-packed dirt in stupor.
Neal offered her a hand, helping her up deftly.
Her eyes instantly riveted on the plaque that had spurred the memory; her fingers brushed its smooth surface, glinting in the light. "Keladry..." Kira whispered. Chills went up and down her back at the name.
Neal glanced up from feeding Magewhisper, eyes filling with pain and sorrow. He came to stand beside her.
"The horse in this stall used to belong to my best friend before she died." His hands shook, but his voice was soothingly monotone and steady.
"The wildmage in the palace, Veralidaine Sarrasri, bought him so he wouldn't be killed. She told them to put Kel's name on there." His fingers trailed the name, and he whispered the last sentance. "He's dying anyway."
Kira stared at him. The horse inside the stall was lost in the gloomy silence surrounding it. Without hesitation, Kira slipped over the door and landed with a thump on the new straw within.
A low, weak wicker sounded from the darker corner, and she knelt by the almost still form. The horse struggled to his feet, eyes glazed.
Kira gasped. Despite the full food bucket in the corner of his stall, the gelding before her was rail-thin, ribs poking out of a hollow stomach. A once-glossy, dull, white flecked strawberry-roan coat was now dull and rough. Mane, forelock, and tail were almost impossibly snared up.
Kira knelt by the dying beast, stroking him softly. She looked into his deep eyes, sorting through the images of memories she found there, using one of the more useful spells the fairies had taught her. Suddenly she was falling into one of the memories, eyes close in concentration.
===
A marvelous avalanche of a gelding pranced in his stall, obviously enjoying the thorough grooming.
A gleaming strawberry-roan coat adorned the scarred, helthy gelding, who was fat as horses go. His aburn mane and tail flicked absently in the slight breeze as he leaned against the brush. The girl murmured something, turning to get another brush. Kira tried to keep ahold of her face's appearance but is was swept away as the memory ended, leaning her alone again on the table floor.
===
Whaddaya think? Please review!