Pulling treats out of her pockets, she offered them to Buttercup and Icefire, giving them a good pat. Then, she fixed her attention on the black stallion in the corner. She held a carrot aloft and waved it back and forth. The horse tracked the carrot with eyes so dark that they appeared solid black. Draugr, Lial had said his name was.
“Behave,” she ordered firmly.
Draugr shook his head as if to say,I’d like to see you make me.
She grinned. “We are going to have fun, you and I.”
Tucking the carrot back into her pocket, she sat on a stool for a few minutes, waiting patiently. When Draugr relaxed and acclimatized himself to her presence, she walked over to him slowly, and stood in front of him for several minutes, smiling. Elizabeth figured that, even if horses couldn’t speak Common, her body language showed him she was not a threat and she was not here to hurt him. After a moment, she steadily held out her hand.
Draugr eyed her warily and took the carrot, chomping on it. She noted with satisfaction that his ears were now contentedly perked forward.
“You listen here. I am going to put a saddle on you, and we are going to ride.”
Draugr snorted and reared, his hooves flailing in the air.
Such dramatics,she thought, amused at the spirited horse’s antics. If she could only get him to behave, he would be so fun to ride. His haunches were large and muscled, and he stood taller than the other horses. She imagined he would fly across fields faster than any easy-going mare. With a bit of training, he would put even her father’s warhorse back home to shame.
Taking a bridle, she entered the stall, paying attention to the location of Draugr’s hooves. She set the harness down in plain sight and began brushing him down, murmuring what a handsome horse he was and how she would give himtreats if he behaved. She stroked his neck and whispered soft praises as she put on the harness.
Smiling widely, she walked over with the saddle. His ears flattened, but he let her do it. When she bent over to do the girth strap, he rose a hoof. She quickly jumped back, and he landed solidly with all of his bulk where her foot would have been. She scolded him, swatting his rear lightly and smiled. She was an experienced rider and would not be caught unawares.
Elizabeth snapped a lead rope onto his harness, led Draugr out to the paddock, and began some exercises. She kept the lead loose and walked him around the enclosure. They kept an easy pace, and he seemed to be behaving. She didn’t dare try to ride him, though. With his temperament, she would be thrown off immediately.
She walked beside Draugr for the better part of an hour before leading him back inside.
He looked at her as if to say,Is that all?
She brushed him down, murmuring what a strong, magnificent horse he was. Just when she was feeling quite pleased with herself, he stomped on her foot.
Stars danced in her vision, and she wanted to shout profanities. But she reined it in, inhaling deeply through her nose. She smiled weakly, her eyes watering.
Thathurt.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth, but she didn’t want to show any weakness. Still, for good reason, she kept well away from his hindquarters while she finished brushing him down. She backed out of the stall, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.
Her foot ached as she limped. Elizabeth was certain when she took off her boots, she would find an impressive bruise starting to form there.
Elizabeth grimaced and saddled up Buttercup, a blessedly docile mare, and left the stables.
She rode sidesaddle until she was well out of sight of the castle, and then she hopped off, landing firmly in the grass and wincing slightly at the impact to her injured foot. Then, she mounted up properly, swinging a leg in a wide, graceful arc over the horse’s back.
Readjusting her seat, she smiled broadly and nudged Buttercup into a trot.
Elizabeth urged the mare faster, racing through the forest trails. Grinning widely, she navigated her horse over stones and through mountain trails.
Eventually, the forest thinned and opened into a vast valley, nestled between the mountains. The mountains were everywhere here, and so enormous that it made her feel like an ant in a house of the gods.
She urged Buttercup into a gallop and raced across the plains. She took the field at a run several times until both she and the horse were breathing heavilyand covered in sweat. After crossing the field a fourth time, she gently slowed Buttercup to a walk.
They passed a craggy mountain pass where more of those strange flowers with glossy black petals grew. Even in Rhodea, which was widely referred to as the kingdom of flowers, she had never seen their like.
She wandered the fields and valleys, thoughts drifting between the old life she had left behind and the new one she had begun.
After her ride, she brushed Buttercup down and limped back to the castle.
The doors opened before she touched them, and a disgruntled Finnigan strode out of the castle, scowling.
“Lady Elizabeth, what are you doing out so early?” Finnigan inquired sharply by way of greeting.
