Late Again
Sorry, this should have been up on Wednesday. But that was my sweetheart's birthday, so I just spaced it. But now it's here, an "animal" story. Last week I took you briefly to Maltisten and I intend on expanding that story further. I'm not happy with how it turned out. I was rushing and that never shows my best work. Anyway, this week we're back in Sanalbereth. I'm sure some of you have wondered how Allegra got Obsidian in the second book. Here's your answer. And this Wednesday tune in for a "technology" story.
Allegra awoke early. The winter sun was barely over the horizon, shrouded by cold, misty fog. There were only a few days of winter break left, but she looked forward to going back to school. She missed Lucian dreadfully, though she would not have admitted it to anyone. He was off questing, probably having a grand adventure and she was still in training. She sighed as she slowly got out of bed, the chill air making her shiver as she changed for the day.
When she arrived in the dining hall, her father greeted her with a smile. "Good morning, my star. Did you sleep well?"
She nodded and sat down. "Is Mom feeling any better?"
"I'm afraid not, so I've grounded her to her room. I thought we'd go to town today to purchase any supplies you might need for your quest.You know you won't have the opportunity after graduation."
"I guess I hadn't thought of that," she replied. "What all did you have in mind?"
"Well, you'll need a good sword properly fitted to you. While Lucian's practice swords have served you well during your training, you need one meant for your hands. Though Lucian's hands are small, yours are smaller still."
"True, I guess we get it from mom."
Lysander chuckled, "Certainly not from me. Anyway, you also need durable traveling clothes and a strong horse who can take you anywhere you need to go in any conditions."
"Sunset Rose wouldn't like that at all. I'm afraid I've rather spoiled her," Allegra admitted.
"She's a dressage horse," he shrugged. "Most are spoiled."
Nodding, Allegra asked, "So when do we leave?"
"As soon as you finish your breakfast."
Within a couple of hours, Allegra was at Phillip's stables. He bowed as they approached. "Good day, Your Majesties. What can I do for you?"
"I need a strong horse for traveling," Allegra replied. She'd been leading the conversations at most of the stops and her father allowed her to. He knew she needed to be able to fend for herself once her quest started.
Phillip glanced at the king who nodded. "Very well, Princess. If you wish, you can go to the ring and I'll bring some of my horses to you to choose from."
"Do you mind if I just look about for a few moments?"
"No, of course not," Phillip said, though he looked surprised.
Allegra began walking slowly down the rows of stalls. She glanced at each horse before continuing on her way. Most of the horses seemed oblivious to her presence and she passed by them immediately. She needed a horse that was alert and observant. She paused a couple time when horses would turn and look at her, but would resume her walk when they would look away, disinterested.
As she walked, a great horse stuck his head out of the stall to look at her. She stopped. Warm, chocolaty eyes looked back at her, reflecting intelligence and curiosity. His coat was shaggy for the winter and darker than a moonless night. His mane and tail were thick, long and wavy while his hooves were half-hidden under short feathering. He nickered softly in greeting, his face kind and gentle.
Allegra reached into her pocket and pulled out the sugar cubes she'd brought with her from home. "You're a handsome fellow," she said, offering the sugar to him. "What do they call you?"
"His name is Obsidian, Princess," Phillip replied. "He's a very fine gelding and a hard worker."
"How's his termperament?" Allegra asked. Her eyes never left the horse as she stroked his neck. Part of her wondered in he would become bored and look away from her as the other horses had, but he never did.
As Phillip spoke, Obsidian regarded the young lady before him with interest. People didn't come to the stables often in the wintertime. She looked small and frail to him, though he recognized a fire in her eyes that he'd seen in many young colts. He could tell she was stronger than she appeared. Her hands were gentle and her face kind. As the people continued to talk, he found himself hoping that this girl would take him home.
"I think he's the one I want," Allegra said when Phillip finished telling her about Obsidian's qualities."
"Allegra, dear, don't you think you should look at more than one horse?"
"Why? Obsidian hasn't stopped paying attention since I came over. That shows high intelligence. He is strong and has a good temper."
"You should at least ride him first."
"I was planning on it."
Phillip led them to the riding ring as Lysander continued trying to get Allegra to consider other horses. "This is a big horse, Allegra, what if you need a boost? How will you find one while questing?"
Allegra laughed. "When have I ever needed a boost, Daddy?"
Soon they arrived at the ring where Phillip's daughter was working a spirited bay. "Mariah, please take Symphony back to his stall. We'll work him again later."
"Yes, Papa."
Once the ring was available, Allegra mounted and put Obsidian through his paces. Each gait was smooth and lively. He followed every command with perfection. Despite the horse's wide girth, Allegra felt completely comfortable in the saddle. She reined him in and dismounted. "I'll take him."
"Allegra, he's a fine horse, but think before you buy too hastily. Every prince has to have a white or grey horse. Don't you think you should consider that?"
"But I'm not a prince, I'm a princess. Therefore that rule, among others, doesn't apply."
"Look at his feather. That fur is silky and clean now, but how will you keep it that way?"
"I'll groom him the best I can just as I will myself. Honestly, Daddy, I have more important things to worry about than how silky his feather is. He's perfect for me and I'm getting him."
Lysander looked at the defiant gleam in his daughter's eyes and sighed, "You win. How much is he Phillip?"
Eight hundred Simari, Your Majesty. We can take care of that in my office if you like."
"Very well. Allegra, take Obsidian to the carriage."
"Thank you, Daddy!"
"He'll be a good horse for you, Princess. He's been blessed by the Fairy King..."
Allegra hardly heard him as she led her new horse away. Having ordered her sword and clothes earlier that day, she was beginning to feel more prepared than she had since discovering that she would be going on a quest rather than her prince, Adrian. "You and I are going to have an adventure together, Obsidian. I'm glad you're going with me."
He whinnied and flicked his tail. He was happy to go with this auburn-haired girl wherever this adventure might take them.
Allegra awoke early. The winter sun was barely over the horizon, shrouded by cold, misty fog. There were only a few days of winter break left, but she looked forward to going back to school. She missed Lucian dreadfully, though she would not have admitted it to anyone. He was off questing, probably having a grand adventure and she was still in training. She sighed as she slowly got out of bed, the chill air making her shiver as she changed for the day.
When she arrived in the dining hall, her father greeted her with a smile. "Good morning, my star. Did you sleep well?"
She nodded and sat down. "Is Mom feeling any better?"
"I'm afraid not, so I've grounded her to her room. I thought we'd go to town today to purchase any supplies you might need for your quest.You know you won't have the opportunity after graduation."
"I guess I hadn't thought of that," she replied. "What all did you have in mind?"
"Well, you'll need a good sword properly fitted to you. While Lucian's practice swords have served you well during your training, you need one meant for your hands. Though Lucian's hands are small, yours are smaller still."
"True, I guess we get it from mom."
Lysander chuckled, "Certainly not from me. Anyway, you also need durable traveling clothes and a strong horse who can take you anywhere you need to go in any conditions."
"Sunset Rose wouldn't like that at all. I'm afraid I've rather spoiled her," Allegra admitted.
"She's a dressage horse," he shrugged. "Most are spoiled."
Nodding, Allegra asked, "So when do we leave?"
"As soon as you finish your breakfast."
Within a couple of hours, Allegra was at Phillip's stables. He bowed as they approached. "Good day, Your Majesties. What can I do for you?"
"I need a strong horse for traveling," Allegra replied. She'd been leading the conversations at most of the stops and her father allowed her to. He knew she needed to be able to fend for herself once her quest started.
Phillip glanced at the king who nodded. "Very well, Princess. If you wish, you can go to the ring and I'll bring some of my horses to you to choose from."
"Do you mind if I just look about for a few moments?"
"No, of course not," Phillip said, though he looked surprised.
Allegra began walking slowly down the rows of stalls. She glanced at each horse before continuing on her way. Most of the horses seemed oblivious to her presence and she passed by them immediately. She needed a horse that was alert and observant. She paused a couple time when horses would turn and look at her, but would resume her walk when they would look away, disinterested.
As she walked, a great horse stuck his head out of the stall to look at her. She stopped. Warm, chocolaty eyes looked back at her, reflecting intelligence and curiosity. His coat was shaggy for the winter and darker than a moonless night. His mane and tail were thick, long and wavy while his hooves were half-hidden under short feathering. He nickered softly in greeting, his face kind and gentle.
Allegra reached into her pocket and pulled out the sugar cubes she'd brought with her from home. "You're a handsome fellow," she said, offering the sugar to him. "What do they call you?"
"His name is Obsidian, Princess," Phillip replied. "He's a very fine gelding and a hard worker."
"How's his termperament?" Allegra asked. Her eyes never left the horse as she stroked his neck. Part of her wondered in he would become bored and look away from her as the other horses had, but he never did.
As Phillip spoke, Obsidian regarded the young lady before him with interest. People didn't come to the stables often in the wintertime. She looked small and frail to him, though he recognized a fire in her eyes that he'd seen in many young colts. He could tell she was stronger than she appeared. Her hands were gentle and her face kind. As the people continued to talk, he found himself hoping that this girl would take him home.
"I think he's the one I want," Allegra said when Phillip finished telling her about Obsidian's qualities."
"Allegra, dear, don't you think you should look at more than one horse?"
"Why? Obsidian hasn't stopped paying attention since I came over. That shows high intelligence. He is strong and has a good temper."
"You should at least ride him first."
"I was planning on it."
Phillip led them to the riding ring as Lysander continued trying to get Allegra to consider other horses. "This is a big horse, Allegra, what if you need a boost? How will you find one while questing?"
Allegra laughed. "When have I ever needed a boost, Daddy?"
Soon they arrived at the ring where Phillip's daughter was working a spirited bay. "Mariah, please take Symphony back to his stall. We'll work him again later."
"Yes, Papa."
Once the ring was available, Allegra mounted and put Obsidian through his paces. Each gait was smooth and lively. He followed every command with perfection. Despite the horse's wide girth, Allegra felt completely comfortable in the saddle. She reined him in and dismounted. "I'll take him."
"Allegra, he's a fine horse, but think before you buy too hastily. Every prince has to have a white or grey horse. Don't you think you should consider that?"
"But I'm not a prince, I'm a princess. Therefore that rule, among others, doesn't apply."
"Look at his feather. That fur is silky and clean now, but how will you keep it that way?"
"I'll groom him the best I can just as I will myself. Honestly, Daddy, I have more important things to worry about than how silky his feather is. He's perfect for me and I'm getting him."
Lysander looked at the defiant gleam in his daughter's eyes and sighed, "You win. How much is he Phillip?"
Eight hundred Simari, Your Majesty. We can take care of that in my office if you like."
"Very well. Allegra, take Obsidian to the carriage."
"Thank you, Daddy!"
"He'll be a good horse for you, Princess. He's been blessed by the Fairy King..."
Allegra hardly heard him as she led her new horse away. Having ordered her sword and clothes earlier that day, she was beginning to feel more prepared than she had since discovering that she would be going on a quest rather than her prince, Adrian. "You and I are going to have an adventure together, Obsidian. I'm glad you're going with me."
He whinnied and flicked his tail. He was happy to go with this auburn-haired girl wherever this adventure might take them.
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