here?" Damion demanded of one of stable hands, who jumped nervously when he saw them approaching.
"Storm is up to his same old tricks again, milord." The stable hand told him, holding out his hands helplessly. "He somehow managed to open the gate to his stall, and is refusing to let anyone enter the stables. He even grabbed poor old Thomas by his tunic and slammed him into the wall." He gestured to another man that was sitting on a nearby bench with his head wrapped in bandages, and a dazed expression on his face.
"What set him off this time?" Shirk asked in amusement.
"We just tried to take Lady Skie's new mare out so she could be groomed." The stable hand shrugged. "He appears to be completely smitten with her, and won't let anyone get close to her."
"That brute is a menace." Sly grumbled to Damion sourly. "I think he sits around all day planning his next terror spree. It's getting to the point that we can't find stable hands willing to work for fear of Storm targeting them!"
"What kind of horrid beast are they talking about?" Brody asked nervously, glancing first to Slither, then to the open stable door.
"You'll see." Damarius replied with a mysterious grin.
The crowd around the stable watched with bated breaths as Damion placed two fingers to his lips and blew a shrill whistle. Almost immediately, an enormous smoky grey stallion emerged from the stable and trotted up to the big warrior.
"That is, by far, the largest horse I have ever laid eyes on!" The elven man said in astonishment. "It's huge!"
"That's Storm." Leia informed him, hurrying forward to allow the massive warhorse to nuzzle her hand. "He's a Deolan warhorse. They're some of the largest horses on the planet." She nimbly scampered up onto the stallion's broad back. "They're bred to be vicious, and are unbeatable on the battlefield. Each one is worth a king's fortune, but the Deola rarely part with them. Only their finest warriors are allowed to ride them."
"How did you get one?" Brody asked the huge warrior enviously.
"I saved one of their chieftains' lives." Damion shrugged. "He gave me Storm as a way of showing his thanks." He turned his attention to the huge stallion, who was staring at the stable hand with aggressive eyes. "I hear that you're down here causing problems again." He murmured in a disapproving tone. "Haven't we talked about this?"
The huge stallion looked away innocently.
"I've also heard that you have a new love interest who you are refusing to let anyone go near."
Storm threw his head back and nickered excitedly, then turned towards the stable doors and watched as a white horse suddenly appeared in the doorway and whinnied in response.
"You old dog!" Damion laughed. "I'm happy you've found yourself a new girlfriend, but you need to allow the stable hands to do their jobs. You can't keep slamming them into walls every time you get annoyed."
The massive stallion gave the injured stable hand an indifferent flick of his tail.
"I'm serious." Damion told him firmly. "No more tormenting the stable hands. One more incident and I'll have them move your girlfriend to another stable."
Storm stared at the huge warrior for a long moment defiantly, then the huge stallion sighed in defeat and stepped aside, allowing the stable hands to pass.
"We'd better get ssstarted." Slither hissed to Leia, glancing up at the rising sun pointedly.
"I'll see you later, father," She wrapped arms around the massive horse's neck in a quick hug, then scampered back to the ground.
"Have a good birthday." Damion called after her as she hurried off with Slither in tow. "Try and stay out of trouble."
"What should we do about Storm, milord?" The stable hand asked as he led Lady Skie's mare out into the courtyard to be groomed.
"Why don't you start grooming both Storm and Aunt Skie's mare together from now on." Damion suggested as Storm trotted over to stand next to the mare. "And move her to the stall next to his so that they'll be close. That should calm him
"Storm is up to his same old tricks again, milord." The stable hand told him, holding out his hands helplessly. "He somehow managed to open the gate to his stall, and is refusing to let anyone enter the stables. He even grabbed poor old Thomas by his tunic and slammed him into the wall." He gestured to another man that was sitting on a nearby bench with his head wrapped in bandages, and a dazed expression on his face.
"What set him off this time?" Shirk asked in amusement.
"We just tried to take Lady Skie's new mare out so she could be groomed." The stable hand shrugged. "He appears to be completely smitten with her, and won't let anyone get close to her."
"That brute is a menace." Sly grumbled to Damion sourly. "I think he sits around all day planning his next terror spree. It's getting to the point that we can't find stable hands willing to work for fear of Storm targeting them!"
"What kind of horrid beast are they talking about?" Brody asked nervously, glancing first to Slither, then to the open stable door.
"You'll see." Damarius replied with a mysterious grin.
The crowd around the stable watched with bated breaths as Damion placed two fingers to his lips and blew a shrill whistle. Almost immediately, an enormous smoky grey stallion emerged from the stable and trotted up to the big warrior.
"That is, by far, the largest horse I have ever laid eyes on!" The elven man said in astonishment. "It's huge!"
"That's Storm." Leia informed him, hurrying forward to allow the massive warhorse to nuzzle her hand. "He's a Deolan warhorse. They're some of the largest horses on the planet." She nimbly scampered up onto the stallion's broad back. "They're bred to be vicious, and are unbeatable on the battlefield. Each one is worth a king's fortune, but the Deola rarely part with them. Only their finest warriors are allowed to ride them."
"How did you get one?" Brody asked the huge warrior enviously.
"I saved one of their chieftains' lives." Damion shrugged. "He gave me Storm as a way of showing his thanks." He turned his attention to the huge stallion, who was staring at the stable hand with aggressive eyes. "I hear that you're down here causing problems again." He murmured in a disapproving tone. "Haven't we talked about this?"
The huge stallion looked away innocently.
"I've also heard that you have a new love interest who you are refusing to let anyone go near."
Storm threw his head back and nickered excitedly, then turned towards the stable doors and watched as a white horse suddenly appeared in the doorway and whinnied in response.
"You old dog!" Damion laughed. "I'm happy you've found yourself a new girlfriend, but you need to allow the stable hands to do their jobs. You can't keep slamming them into walls every time you get annoyed."
The massive stallion gave the injured stable hand an indifferent flick of his tail.
"I'm serious." Damion told him firmly. "No more tormenting the stable hands. One more incident and I'll have them move your girlfriend to another stable."
Storm stared at the huge warrior for a long moment defiantly, then the huge stallion sighed in defeat and stepped aside, allowing the stable hands to pass.
"We'd better get ssstarted." Slither hissed to Leia, glancing up at the rising sun pointedly.
"I'll see you later, father," She wrapped arms around the massive horse's neck in a quick hug, then scampered back to the ground.
"Have a good birthday." Damion called after her as she hurried off with Slither in tow. "Try and stay out of trouble."
"What should we do about Storm, milord?" The stable hand asked as he led Lady Skie's mare out into the courtyard to be groomed.
"Why don't you start grooming both Storm and Aunt Skie's mare together from now on." Damion suggested as Storm trotted over to stand next to the mare. "And move her to the stall next to his so that they'll be close. That should calm him
Similar Books
