Star of Gazle by H.Young (new books to read .TXT) 📕

Chapter Two

Kally sat up and rubbed her back, feeling the stiffness that came from lying on the ground. She turned to wake her mother up and gasped in surprise. Her mother was dark skinned like when she took off her amulet. Kally rubbed her eyes and looked again. Seeing her pale skinned blonde haired mother once again, gently Kally woke her mother up and stood up. She shook out her hands and looked at them. Her knuckles were a bit red. She thought that she should heal them but decided against it. Kally wasn’t that good at healing to begin with. The only thing that she did very well was heal exhaustion or tiredness from a person. Beyond that Kally didn’t have a good control on her Talent. She didn’t want to mess up anything in her hands just to get ride of the bruises on her knuckles.
Riana saw Kally shake her hand and she shook her head, “You shouldn’t have done that Kally. No matter how much he bothered you.”
“Why not? You always said to stick up for myself and I-,”
“Not with a Noble!” Riana said sharply. Kally looked away for her mother, not wanting Riana to see the hurt on her face. Her mother hardly ever snapped at her. Riana sighed and touched Kally’s shoulder, “It’s just not the same Kally. Nobles are different and I’m sorry for not teaching you the difference. But you must learn now. Never order a noble and never strike a noble. You are very lucky that all Sir Charles did was slap you. Others would have done worse.”
“You’re mother’s right.” Charles had walked up toward them without either of the ladies knowing, “Many would do worse.”
“Good morning milord.” Riana bowed. Kally looked away from him not even acknowledging him, “From the both of us.” Riana added.
Charles looked at Kally them turned to Riana, “We are leaving soon. I will let you both ride untied,” Charles saw the glimpse of hope in the young girls eyes, “but if you try to escape you will be whipped and have to walk to Darji.” When Charles saw Kally’s eyes turn defiant he thought of someone he knew long ago but didn’t let it show.
“Yes sir, thank you.” Riana answered and bowed again when Charles left, “Come on Kally, let’s pack up.”
Riana was able to ride Black Mage because when the other knights tried to ride him he bucked them off. Under Riana he was very obedient. Kally rode Dancer like before and as they where riding Riana saw that Kally looked confused about what they where talking about earlier. “Kally would you like me to tell you a story to pass the time?” Kally shrugged and Riana took it as a yes. “This might help you understand why I told you those things before. This story starts when I was a little older than you. In this story of my past I’ll use my old name, Lana, because that is who I was back then. My Master’s name was Rubus at the time. He was a horse merchant that sold horses to Eagles Peak. He didn’t know that I was a horse whisperer yet and an old woman taught me how to heal horses, she was the old woman that gave away my name by accident. Anyway, this story starts when I was helping Rubus with trying to sell horses to The Lord of Eagles Peak . . .”
Kally perked up when Riana said the story was about her. Her mother never told Kally anything about her past or about her father for that matter. Riana sighed and started her story . . .

Lana stood in the courtyard of Eagles Peak silently by the horses waiting for her Master’s orders. Suddenly the gates opened and a young man came galloping on a dapple-gray gelding. He stopped the horse and dismounted in front of the Lord. He held the gelding’s reins.
“Sorry I’m late Uncle. Ash wanted me to take him for a ride.” He patted the gray on the shoulder with a smile that reached his bright hazel eyes. His light brown hair was mussed up from the wind.
“It’s alright. Now that you are here I would like to introduce you to Merchant Rubus. He’s kindly letting me pick a horse from this lot. Merchant Rubus this is my nephew and heir, Sir Henry of Eagles Peak. He will be taking over for me soon.”
“Hopefully not too soon Uncle,” Henry laughed and shook hands with Rubus after a formal bow.
Lana was standing away from the Denmarians and looked into the gelding’s brown eyes. She smiled from the corner of her mouth and reached out to the gelding, touching his mind.‘Hello.’

Hello,’

the horse replied in a grandfather voice, ‘who are you?’
‘My name is Lana and you are?’
‘Ash, soon I’ll be retired to the pastures spending my time getting fatter and fatter while my young Master picks a new steed.’
‘I’m sorry! I didn’t know.’

Ash nickered softly, ‘Do not worry. I have been with my master for almost twenty years; ever since I was a yearling.’
‘Well, hopefully your Master picks the right one,’

Lana eyed Henry as he inspected a filly. Lana knew that the filly was a wrong choice. She was very young and not trained for hard riding. Ash looked over to his master then looked at Lana.
‘I think that he would be interested in meeting you.’

Ash said happily and managed to yank his reins out of a servant’s hands and trot neatly over to her, head raised high. This caught the attention of everyone, including Henry’s.
‘No stop!’

’ Lana cried out with her Talent. He stopped and looked straight at her, as did every other horse in the courtyard.
‘What is it?’
‘Your Master won’t want to meet me. I am a lower class, a slave!’
‘Humans are confusing.’

Ash snorted and shook his head confused. Henry made his way toward Ash trying to calm him down. He looked at Lana like he was seeing her for the first time. He straightened and said to her in a smooth voice, “I’m sorry if my horse scared you. He is usually very calm. Did he frighten you?”
Lana could feel all the eyes watching her and she did not even have to courage to look up. She stuttered and shook her head, “n-no my lord he did not.”
“What’s your name?” Henry asked stroking Ash’s cheek. Ash was looking intently at the young woman and that caught Henry’s attention.
Rubus interrupted Lana before she could answer, “I’m so sorry my lord. Don’t give this slave any attention. She’s just here to handle the horses.” Rubus shoved Lana aside and smiled at Sir Henry. Henry’s jaw clenched when he saw Lana stumble but he didn’t say anything. He knew all about how most people treated slaves. He himself had friends and family that owned slaves. His Uncle had many that worked his fields; some of the people that worked in the manor where servants that where paid if only a little bit.
“She doesn’t look like she can handle horses very well,” Henry’s Uncle stated. Rubus bowed his head.
“She might not seem like it milord but she has a way with horses. They seem to be calm around her.”
“Well, let’s not just stand here talking about some slave let’s let my nephew pick a horse. Now Merchant Rubus I would like you to appraise a young filly of mine. I need to know how much she’s worth before I get her to breed.” Uncle stated with a boisterous laugh. Both men started walking off to the stables. Henry nodded to them as a goodbye and saw at the corner of his eye that the girl had tired to blend in with the horses. As his uncle and Merchant Rubus walked away, talking about the filly Henry silently walked away from them and toward the girl.
Lana was silently stroking one of the horses with her back to the Denmarians that she didn’t see Henry come up to her. She jumped when he spoke to her.
“Are you really the one that takes care of all these horses?”
“Y-yes milord.” Lana bowed and kept her eyes away from Henry’s.
“This one has a lovely color.” Henry stroked the strawberry roan’s cheek, as it smelled him. Lana smiled when she heard the other horses complain that they weren’t getting attention. Henry saw her small smile and smiled a little, quietly to himself, “How old is this one?” He asked her about another horse. This one was a sorrel brown. She straightened herself and looked at him like she wasn’t sure whom he was talking to. Henry looked at her and waited patiently until she remembered. He was about to ask again when she finally spoke up.
“She is about four, milord and expecting a foal very soon.”
Henry looked down at the pregnant mare’s belly and saw the she was right. Henry soon realized that he still didn’t know the name of the Bazle girl. He straightened and looked at her again, “You never did tell me your name.”
“Me?” She squeaked stepping back. He smiled a nodded kindly and she relaxed and finally told him, “I’m Lana if it pleases you my lord.”
“Lana,” He smiled at her name, “would you help me pick the perfect steed?”
Lana gulped not sure what to do but knew she couldn’t refuse so she nodded. Henry brightened at that and asked her opinion on what horse would fit him best.
Lana and Henry spent at least an hour together, going to each horse. Lana would tell him about each one like the horse was a family member not an animal. In between Henry would try to ask questions about Lana herself. How old she was? Where were her parents? Did they work for Rubus too? How did she get so good with horses? How did she know so much about them? Lana answered some of the question but not in great detail especially about the horses. She kept looking at Henry like he was crazy each time he asked her a new question. It made her feel something that Lana couldn’t quite put to words.
Finally Henry found a beautiful dun colored gelding with a gentle temperament. Lana and Henry were talking about the gelding when Henry’s uncle and Rubus came back. Lana fell silent looking at the ground holding the gelding’s lead. The gelding leaned his head on Lana’s shoulder feeling her discomfort.
“Is this your choice Henry?” The lord asked. He looked over the gelding with expert hands, totally ignoring Lana. When he was done he smiled with satisfaction, “A very good choice Nephew.” Henry bowed to his uncle with a smile on his face.
“Thank you my lord.” Henry glanced at Lana but she was still looking down. Something about this girl made Henry want to help her. He looked back at his Uncle, “My lord may I have a favor? You as well Master Rubus?” Both men looked at each other then back at Henry. Both of them nodded curious of what Henry wanted to ask. “I would like to ask you Merchant Rubus if you would let me borrow this girl for awhile,” Henry glanced at Lana and saw that she stiffened with fear, “I will need help with training my new horse.” He clarified.
“Henry we already have trainers that can help you with that. Do you want to insult them by bringing in a slave girl?” The lord of Eagles