Derog glanced her way and forced the bay stallion to sidestep closer to them. Stardust pulled out of her hold and snapped at Asra’s neck, almost drawing blood.
“Foul!” Derog yelled. “This girl is unable to control the horse.”
The old man didn’t react to the horses’ antics. Again he stood between the stallions, showing no fear. Anwen wondered what this old man had done in his life to gain so much respect from people and horses.
I’d like to hear his story some day.
The old man pulled a red cloth from his pocket. “Derog, move your horse away from the other stallion. Anwen, when I let go of this red cloth, the race begins.”
The crowd seemed to hold their breath. With Derog and Asra farther away, Stardust allowed her to straighten him out. Between his ears, she found the first two white markers. She rose in her saddle to put her weight over his withers, where he would carry it best, and waited for the signal to go.
The stallions stood still for a minute. Her heart pounded in her ears. The cloth dropped. The crowd roared. She yelled at Stardust to run. The stallion burst into action, pushing off his back legs and throwing himself forward in a sudden explosion of speed.
Asra leaped forward after them. Anwen leaned over Stardust’s neck, allowing him to settle into his run before urging him faster. Asra stayed beside them, not able to gain the lead.
Anwen grinned. The bay isn’t able to go any faster than Stardust. We already have him beat!
The crowd continued to roar as the horses swept passed the people to the first marker. Anwen ignored them as she focused on the pointing Stardust in the right direction. If she missed the white markers, the race would be over before it began. Stardust settled into his long stride, and his mane whipped her face.
Asra edged closer to her. She leaned away from him, and Stardust responded to her request. But the bay stallion continued to run almost on top of her. She asked Stardust to angle to the left, and again he did as she asked.
She glanced ahead to the white markers. She found one on her left that was exactly where it should be, but when she tried to locate the second one, it was gone.
In a panic, she sat up on Stardust’s back and scanned the area. It sat on the other side of the first marker. With a gasp, she realized what Derog had done. He had pushed her out of the markers so that she would either miss going through them or slow down which would give him the lead.
She had to make the choice now. They were almost to the markers. With a yell, she pulled on the reins. Derog laughed as Stardust shook his head and fought her. She grabbed the right rein and pulled his head to her knee, hating herself as she did.
Stardust slowed as he was forced in a circle. She straightened him out and shot through the white markers. Derog was dropping down the first hill. Even his dust had settled to the ground.
Derog’s tribe cheered with victory while Teilo’s tribe booed and hurled curses at her. Her face flushed, and she wanted to kick herself for falling for such a dirty trick. Not only that, but she had to treat Stardust in a horrible way. Now they would have to run even harder just to catch up.
She took a deep breath and petted Stardust’s neck.
“Sorry, boy,” she said over the wind. “Now let’s fly!”
She knew one thing. The race was long. It crossed hills and mountains, streams and meadows. There was time for Derog to make a mistake, for Asra to run out of breath, for a million things to happen.
Stardust settled into his long run, eating up the ground. Anwen decided to let Derog lead for a bit while they worked on catching up without straining too hard. At least she wouldn’t have to spend time finding the way to go.
The time slipped away as she followed Derog. She watched every marker to make sure she didn’t make any more mistakes, and there wasn’t much for Derog to do to her with them behind.
Not knowing how long the course was, she decided to risk taking the lead before Stardust became too exhausted to run any faster. Anwen leaned forward and urged the stallion faster.
Stardust responded as if he was just waiting to run faster. Anwen patted his neck in praise. All the struggles and fighting had ceased with this race. He was born to run. She grinned, betting herself that he would be a handful when they returned to the stable.
But she had to focus. She chose the time to urge him faster according to the terrain. One slip could wreck his legs forever. If the ground was too rocky, she made Stardust slow down. But when it was flat and smooth, they ran with the wind.
They slowly closed the distance until Derog and Asra ran in front of them. Derog turned around in his saddle and leered at them. Anwen ignored him. She wasn’t falling for any of his tricks again.
They topped a hill and below them lay the meadow with the finish line. Anwen was surprised to see that they made a complete circle and had returned back to the starting line where the tribes waited for their return.
Stardust gained on Asra on the descent. When they made it to the flat of the meadow, they were running side by side.
Anwen watched Derog for more tricks. She remembered what Paden said.
If you’re ahead of him, he can’t hurt you or Stardust.
She leaned over Stardust’s neck. Her legs ached from riding so hard for so long, and she could only imagine what the stallion must be feeling. His neck was coated with sweat, and there was white foam where the reins lay on his neck.
Stardust responded to her gentle urging. Derog saw them pulling ahead. With a roar, he whipped Asra hard. The bay stallion surged forward but couldn’t maintain the speed. Derog beat the bay harder but with no avail.
“Now, Stardust!” Anwen shouted. “Run!”
The big white stallion reached somewhere deep within himself. His stride lengthened as he ran faster than ever before. Anwen clung on, fighting to breathe and stay somewhat in control.
They inched passed Derog. Asra’s head was at Stardust’s shoulders. Then the bay’s head was by her feet. As they left Asra behind, Derog yelled. Anwen saw his whip raise, but before she could react, it fell onto Stardust’s back.
The white stallion screamed with pain. He stumbled. Asra plunged forward. The last white marker flashed by. Anwen yelled in horror as the race seemed lost.
“Come, Stardust!” she shouted. “Run!”
The stallion regained his stride and speed. Pushing forward, he matched Asra. She leaned over Stardust’s neck.
“Now! Run like the wind, and I’ll take care of Derog!”
Stardust surged with a great burst of speed and surged ahead. As they passed Derog and Asra, Anwen saw the whip rise again.
Before it could fall, she leaned over. Balancing precariously on one stirrup, she reached to Derog and snatched the whip out of his hand. He grabbed for her, but she flicked the whip at him, trying hard not to hit Asra.
Derog pulled back with a strong curse. Anwen straightened back into her saddle. She threw the whip on the ground with a vengeance and looked up to the finish line.
We’re almost there!
She urged Stardust even faster, risking one last glance to Derog. The bay stallion had slowed considerably without the harsh whip to spur him on. Stardust crossed the line while Teilo’s tribe’s cheers echoed in her ears.
“We did it!” she shouted to Stardust. Leaning over to pet him, she said softer, “No, you did it, my wonderful stallion. You did it all!”
Chapter Six
Geona’s Answer
Geona watched Mama put the last piece of parchment down on the table Papa had made. Mama took a deep breath and sighed.
“Whew!” she said. “I wasn’t sure what Anwen was going to do there, and I loved how she stole the whip from that awful Derog.”
Geona laughed. “I wanted her to use it on him more, but I was afraid that old man wouldn’t let her win the race if that was what she did.”
“That old man was interesting!” Mama said. “What’s his story?”
“I don’t know,” Geona admi
tted. “But he’s really good with horses.”
“You’ll have to write his story next, and I want to know what happens with Anwen and Stardust. Will she stay there with Stardust or take him back to Shalock Stables? And what about Paden? It seems like he likes Anwen.”
Geona grinned. “I guess you’ll just have to read the next stories.”
“You’ve done your assignment very well,” Mama said. “I’d still like to see more history and more about the religion, but you weaved your tale well.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Geona said.
“Now Papa said for us to meet him at the barn when we were finished,” Mama said. “It seems that Master Melchior has made his decision.”
Geona nodded. Suddenly she couldn’t talk. Now she felt like Anwen did right before the race. If Master Melchior agreed to let her work in the barn, she could start saving money for her very own horse.
They walked to the barn, not talking. As they approached the corrals, she saw Papa and Master Melchior talking by the fence.
“Ah, good!” Master Melchior smiled. “We were just talking about you!”
Geona swallowed. “You were?”
Papa stood by Mama. “Master Melchior has something to ask both of you.”
Master Melchior nodded. “Listen, Geona, I know Frolic is a difficult horse. Her mother has been trouble since she was a foal, and her babies have continued the tradition. I think you’re right in that Frolic is the best of all her foals, but she still is a handful. I think we gave you an unfair trial by asking you to test on her.”
Geona nodded, not trusting her voice. He was going to say no. She had failed because Frolic had been so ornery. Mama squeezed her shoulder.
“I know Frolic did poorly today,” Master Melchior admitted. “But I wasn’t really watching her. I was watching you. I was watching the way you handled her.”
Geona held her breath until her lungs almost popped. She just knew he was going to say that she couldn’t work in the barn.
“I liked what I saw,” Master Melchior smiled. “You handled all of her antics calmly and with a great amount of patience. The situation had to be very frustrating for you, with so much hanging on how she performed, but you never once showed that, and you never once reacted with anger to Frolic.”
Maybe he was going to say yes. Geona couldn’t tell now.
“Patience, self-control, and determination are marks of a true horse trainer,” he continued. “You handled yourself better than a lot of men I know. That is why I’d be pleased and honored to have you working in my barns. If your father and mother agree, you can start work tomorrow!”
“Oh, please, Ma and Pa,” Geona shrieked. “Please say yes!”
Mama and Papa smiled at each other and made a decision without talking to each other first.
“Of course, sweetie,” Mama said. “You can start tomorrow!”
Geona jumped in the air with another shriek. Then she remembered the horses and quieted down. “Thank you! And thank you, Master Melchior! I won’t let you down. I promise!”
“I know you won’t,” Master Melchior laughed.
“Now run back to the house and help your mother get dinner on,” Papa said. “You have a big day tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir!” she replied.
As Mama and Geona walked back to the house, Geona couldn’t stop the stream of words in her excitement.
“And maybe I’ll earn enough coin that I can buy my own horse after we move to Shalock Stables!”
“Now, Geona,” Mama said. “I don’t want you to get too excited about that. Shalock Stables will be a lot different than here. We don’t know what it will be like until we get there.”
“But, Mama,” Geona protested. “All the best adventures start there. That’s where the Archippi are normally first seen. And there’s bound to be plenty of horses, even one for me! We’ll be on a great adventure!”
“I think it will just be normal life,” Mama said. “Shalock Stables isn’t going to bring you great adventures like Anwen.”
Geona didn’t want to argue, but she didn’t agree with Mama at all. Soon they would be moving to Shalock Stables, and she just knew something great was going to happen. Their move wasn’t the end but the beginning of some great adventure.
And she can’t wait for it to begin.
* * *
Who do you think is right? Mama or Geona?
Find out when Geona arrives at Shalock Stables in Flashes of Ember!
Horse Hints
If you were reading these stories carefully, you noticed that both Anwen and Geona tried to calm their emotions before working with their horses. They didn’t want to be too stressed or nervous around them because that would cause the horses to become nervous or stressed too.
But is this true, or is it just something fiction writers like to use?
YES!
Not only is it fun for us fiction writers to use, but horses are quicker to sense emotion than we are. They are highly emotional animals. When they feel another horse in their herd become worried or nervous, their quick response to this emotion may save their life if it’s a mountain lion stalking them.
If you’re having problems with a horse, check your own emotions first. Are you stressed about something? Perhaps you’re nervous.
I had an Arabian for over seventeen years. I was amazed at how connected she was to my emotions. When I realized that, I used to play it with some to see what she would do. I would act like I was nervous while riding her to see her prance and snort. It was fascinating to see how quickly she mirrored my emotions, both in becoming nervous and calming down.
So what should you do while working with horses?
1. Slow down. We are very concerned with time, but horses are not. You may go to the barn with a list of things you want to do, and if it doesn’t get done, you get stressed. The horses may act up because they feel that something is wrong. So just take it easy and enjoy the day. Your list can wait.
2. Enjoy your horse. If you’re having a bad day, there is nothing better than the barn. But instead of trying to accomplish some great feat, take some time to enjoy each other. Groom your horse until he is spotless. Bring out the treats. Let their calm spirit soothe yours.
3. Laugh. Horses don’t laugh like we do, but they know what we’re doing. They know there’s nothing to worry about when we are laughing.
Questions and Answers
1. Stardust recognizes Anwen by smell. Could a horse really do this?
It has been proven that horses have better noses than humans, but they’re not as sensitive as a dog’s nose. They can identify horses, people, etc, and even smell medicine when we hide it in their treats. The smell of a person, especially one who took care of him or her, will be remembered for many, many years. Make sure to let a horse sniff you as introduction and a reminder of who you are.
2. Teilo, Paden’s father, calls Stardust a troublemaker, and he is unable to even touch the stallion. Yet Anwen is able to ride him without much trouble. Would horses change this much for people?
Absolutely! I have seen many well-behaved horses act up with different people, and I’ve seen wild horses calm with the right person. I am convinced that you need to match personalities to horses. I have ridden many horses that I didn’t connect with, and I have ridden many horses I loved from first sight. I believe one key to success is matching the correct rider with the right horse. A person who is calm and easy-going may not like a horse that is filled with energy, preferring a quieter horse instead.
If you have a question you’d like answered, send me an email at
[email protected] But be warned: you may just see it in a future book!
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
People
Geona: Gee-on-ah
Places
Eltiria: el-TEAR-e-a
Shalock Stables: Sha-lock
Shiel: she-ll. Like shield without the d.
Beings
/>
Adoyni: add-DA-nigh
Other
Archippos: arc-HE-pus
Archippi: arc-HE-pi
Don’t miss The Tales of Shalock Stables!
In Flashes of Ember, Geona She can’t wait to explore Shalock Stables on her first day there, but her dreams are crashed when she finds out the rules. But when she sees a chestnut filly being abused, she has to do something. Geona risks her life to save the filly, but the dangers are greater than she had imagined. Is the filly lost forever, or can she save them from disaster?
The story continues in Ember’s Choice. Master Meyrick believes Ember will never be trained, but Geona is more worried that Ember wants to leave forever. As the filly stops eating, Geona begins a fight to keep Ember with her, even though she may have to say goodbye.
VICKI V. LUCAS
Vicki V. Lucas gave up her career teaching English as a Second Language at a university to wander in unknown worlds with her husband and two young daughters. Now she records the stories she hears on the wind while she wanders the mountains and rivers of Central Idaho. She has published four fantasy novels for teens and tweens, a young adult supernatural novel, a nonfiction book called The Truth About Angels: What the Bible Says, and a short story series titled Angel Warrior Files. Explore further at vickivlucas.com.
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