‹ Prequel: The Pauper Princess
Status: Currently undergoing renovations.
The Game
Eighteen
We walk out of the building with me still lacing up the vest. Once we reach Mehta, she tells us that one of the guards had said we would be leaving soon.
“Try not to get into too much trouble,” Kahlin says, backing away a few steps before turning around. He walks back toward the dining hall without looking back, so with a halfhearted smile to Mehta I walk up to one of the horses.
“Don’t throw me off,” I mumble to the dark brown… mare, I deduce. She snorts in response, which I interpret unfavorably.
“Do you need help?”
“No.” Yes, help is one thing I would love to have more of, but not from Ekohl. I grab the front of the saddle with one hand and put my right foot in the stirrup, aware that he’s still standing there watching me. I hoist myself up a bit too enthusiastically and nearly tip over the other side. Ekohl grabs for my arm, but I pull it out of his reach.
Unfortunately, the movement caused me to let go of the saddle and, consequently, the reins. I try to lean forward far enough to reach them, but give up when I realize I was again coming close to falling. Before I could think of a way to get them without having to dismount, Ekohl takes the reins and leads the horse away. I lurch forward at the sudden movement and cling to the saddle.
“Calin,” he calls when we approach the gathered men. One of the men- presumably Calin- turns to face him and Ekohl hands off my reins before continuing to his own horse. Calin looks after him for a moment then turns to me.
“Do you have much experience riding?” he asks. I consciously loosen my grip on the saddle and relax my legs, trying to look less terrified.
“Not a lot,” I answer with a weak smile. He nods and gives me a few brief instructions. Just as he finishes the General calls for us to move out. My horse follows along with the others, not waiting for, nor seemingly wanting, instructions from me.
“Try not to get into too much trouble,” Kahlin says, backing away a few steps before turning around. He walks back toward the dining hall without looking back, so with a halfhearted smile to Mehta I walk up to one of the horses.
“Don’t throw me off,” I mumble to the dark brown… mare, I deduce. She snorts in response, which I interpret unfavorably.
“Do you need help?”
“No.” Yes, help is one thing I would love to have more of, but not from Ekohl. I grab the front of the saddle with one hand and put my right foot in the stirrup, aware that he’s still standing there watching me. I hoist myself up a bit too enthusiastically and nearly tip over the other side. Ekohl grabs for my arm, but I pull it out of his reach.
Unfortunately, the movement caused me to let go of the saddle and, consequently, the reins. I try to lean forward far enough to reach them, but give up when I realize I was again coming close to falling. Before I could think of a way to get them without having to dismount, Ekohl takes the reins and leads the horse away. I lurch forward at the sudden movement and cling to the saddle.
“Calin,” he calls when we approach the gathered men. One of the men- presumably Calin- turns to face him and Ekohl hands off my reins before continuing to his own horse. Calin looks after him for a moment then turns to me.
“Do you have much experience riding?” he asks. I consciously loosen my grip on the saddle and relax my legs, trying to look less terrified.
“Not a lot,” I answer with a weak smile. He nods and gives me a few brief instructions. Just as he finishes the General calls for us to move out. My horse follows along with the others, not waiting for, nor seemingly wanting, instructions from me.