under her long plait around her neck like a scarf.
The dancer smiled and left the room.
The common room was half-empty. Lin and Kraarz sat at the same table they had occupied last night. Grald and Vrenstalliren were nowhere to be seen.
“Good morrow, Lady Freya. Vox informed me that you were awake and what to order for you to break your fast.” The Urakh smiled.
Freya was mildly surprised to find that she no longer thought of Kraarz as strange looking. “Thank you, Kraarz.”
“Your brother and the Paladin have gone out to inspect Korettln. I think Vrenstalliren is still trying to get you what he calls a more suitable mount for a maiden .” Lin told her, looking mildly amused.
Freya laughed.
“I suspect that Kore will have something to say about that.” She sat beside Lin and thanked the barmaid who brought her porridge over.
A comfortable silence settled over the table as they ate. Even Vox seemed disinclined to say anything.
“Freya!” Grald burst into the room.
She looked up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your stallion has gone crazy! I’m going to get the local Farrier to put it down,” her brother said.
Freya rolled her eyes and looked at Vox who had curled up in her lap.
“Vrenstalliren is trying to ride Korettln. Korettln is trying to unseat him.” The Flixen purred.
“Don’t tell me. Vrenstalliren is insisting that Korettln is an unsuitable mount for a delicate maiden such as myself and decided to try and ride Kore to prove his point.” Freya sighed. “Don’t bother with the Farrier. I’ll deal with this.”
“Freya, the animal is frothing at the mouth. It’s mad!” Grald tried to block her as she picked up Vox and made for the stableyard door.
“That horse is as intelligent as you or I, Sir Grald,” Kraarz said. “The Lady has proved on more than one occasion that she can control him.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Urakhiiz, ” Grald snapped.
Lin’s hand dropped to her sword hilt, but Kraarz shook his head at her and shrugged.
“Urakhiiz? I haven’t heard that one since I was an Urakhling,” he laughed.
“Come on, Grald. Let me show you what I can do, before you decide to have my horse put down.” Freya pushed her brother aside and strode out.
In the stable yard, the Inn’s grooms and stableboys had gathered to watch the show.
In the centre, Korettln was on his hind legs and Vrenstalliren held on grimly.
“I’ll tame you, beast,” the elf prince snarled.
“You’ll do no such thing,” Freya called out, noticing that the Paladin had spurs on and there was blood on the points. Her eyes narrowed. “Get off my friend.”
Korettln dropped to the ground, sparks flying out from beneath his hooves.
“I’m glad you’re here. Can I get rid of this pest please?”
“Yes, you can. Just make sure he lands somewhere soft,” Freya replied.
Korettln tossed his head.
“I have just the place.”
The black stallion spun his mane, tail and feathers flying out. Vrenstalliren gasped and tried to keep his seat, but as he slipped sideways, Korettln bucked sharply.
Vrenstalliren sailed through the air. He landed face down in the Inn’s manure pile.
The watching crowd burst out laughing and cheered as Korettln settled and trotted over to Freya. He nuzzled her hair.
She examined his flanks.
“At least these are just scratches.”
“I have a wonderful ointment that will soothe them,” Kraarz said. “And if I use a small incantation, he will be as good as new in a few moments.”
Freya stroked Kore’s nose. “Will you let him?”
“Yes. Just don’t let those two brutes near me again.” Korettln neighed and bared his teeth at Grald who took a step back.
“Go with Kraarz and Lin please, Korettln,” Freya said aloud.
Lin took Korettln's reins and the three of them went back into the stables.
Freya waited until the crowd had dispersed and then she rounded on her brother.
“I am not four anymore, Grald. Since you left I have had to protect myself and
The dancer smiled and left the room.
The common room was half-empty. Lin and Kraarz sat at the same table they had occupied last night. Grald and Vrenstalliren were nowhere to be seen.
“Good morrow, Lady Freya. Vox informed me that you were awake and what to order for you to break your fast.” The Urakh smiled.
Freya was mildly surprised to find that she no longer thought of Kraarz as strange looking. “Thank you, Kraarz.”
“Your brother and the Paladin have gone out to inspect Korettln. I think Vrenstalliren is still trying to get you what he calls a more suitable mount for a maiden .” Lin told her, looking mildly amused.
Freya laughed.
“I suspect that Kore will have something to say about that.” She sat beside Lin and thanked the barmaid who brought her porridge over.
A comfortable silence settled over the table as they ate. Even Vox seemed disinclined to say anything.
“Freya!” Grald burst into the room.
She looked up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your stallion has gone crazy! I’m going to get the local Farrier to put it down,” her brother said.
Freya rolled her eyes and looked at Vox who had curled up in her lap.
“Vrenstalliren is trying to ride Korettln. Korettln is trying to unseat him.” The Flixen purred.
“Don’t tell me. Vrenstalliren is insisting that Korettln is an unsuitable mount for a delicate maiden such as myself and decided to try and ride Kore to prove his point.” Freya sighed. “Don’t bother with the Farrier. I’ll deal with this.”
“Freya, the animal is frothing at the mouth. It’s mad!” Grald tried to block her as she picked up Vox and made for the stableyard door.
“That horse is as intelligent as you or I, Sir Grald,” Kraarz said. “The Lady has proved on more than one occasion that she can control him.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Urakhiiz, ” Grald snapped.
Lin’s hand dropped to her sword hilt, but Kraarz shook his head at her and shrugged.
“Urakhiiz? I haven’t heard that one since I was an Urakhling,” he laughed.
“Come on, Grald. Let me show you what I can do, before you decide to have my horse put down.” Freya pushed her brother aside and strode out.
In the stable yard, the Inn’s grooms and stableboys had gathered to watch the show.
In the centre, Korettln was on his hind legs and Vrenstalliren held on grimly.
“I’ll tame you, beast,” the elf prince snarled.
“You’ll do no such thing,” Freya called out, noticing that the Paladin had spurs on and there was blood on the points. Her eyes narrowed. “Get off my friend.”
Korettln dropped to the ground, sparks flying out from beneath his hooves.
“I’m glad you’re here. Can I get rid of this pest please?”
“Yes, you can. Just make sure he lands somewhere soft,” Freya replied.
Korettln tossed his head.
“I have just the place.”
The black stallion spun his mane, tail and feathers flying out. Vrenstalliren gasped and tried to keep his seat, but as he slipped sideways, Korettln bucked sharply.
Vrenstalliren sailed through the air. He landed face down in the Inn’s manure pile.
The watching crowd burst out laughing and cheered as Korettln settled and trotted over to Freya. He nuzzled her hair.
She examined his flanks.
“At least these are just scratches.”
“I have a wonderful ointment that will soothe them,” Kraarz said. “And if I use a small incantation, he will be as good as new in a few moments.”
Freya stroked Kore’s nose. “Will you let him?”
“Yes. Just don’t let those two brutes near me again.” Korettln neighed and bared his teeth at Grald who took a step back.
“Go with Kraarz and Lin please, Korettln,” Freya said aloud.
Lin took Korettln's reins and the three of them went back into the stables.
Freya waited until the crowd had dispersed and then she rounded on her brother.
“I am not four anymore, Grald. Since you left I have had to protect myself and
Similar Books
