My Turn

The trees began to thin about an hour later, and the sky could be seen through the branches, no dark blue and filled with small sparkles of light. It was getting lighter and faster than I had hoped. Noelani seemed to sense this too and would constantly look around the forest to make sure we weren't be followed.

Windsor seemed to be at home. He trotted around the forest like it was his own personal kingdom.

Without warning, the trees stopped and opened into a small meadow. I froze where I was and followed Windsor with my eyes as he continued through the meadow all the way across to a small hut. It looked new, half a completely open wall. It reminded me of a barn.

Noelani gasped and tugged Kelani's reins back away from the clearing. "Someone's out there!" she hissed in my ear. "Windsor's going straight for him."

I took a few stumbled steps toward the clearing, but didn't go any farther. I had no idea who this person was, nor did I know if he was safe to show myself to or not. What I did know is that all the horses were heading toward him like they knew him. And maybe they did.

I could hear the person talking, but didn't know what he was saying. I began to run. Not into the clearing, but around it. The trees were spaced far enough apart that I could run through them pretty efficiently, but could also hide from any thing if I had to.

The man's voice got clearer as I keep running. I soon realized it wasn't a man at all, but a boy, about my age as well.

"Where did you find this guy, huh?" he said in a playful tone. The boy's brown hair was cut shorter than most, hanging just above his eyes. He brushed it away with his hand to look at Windsor who was standing so close.

I stopped running.

Too close. The boy crouched down to look at Windsor. He reached out toward his hind leg.

"Don't!" I screamed. I jumped out from behind the trees into the clearing. I took a few steps toward the group, then stopped.

The boy stood slowly, his hands in the air as if to surrender. "I was just checking his leg. He's hurt."

Another step toward them.

Windsor turned his head to me, his eyes gleaming. He trusted them.

"Windsor," I whispered to him. He blew through his nose. Being stubborn.

I couldn't stay here, and yet, I took a few more steps forward until I could reach out and touch Windsor. The boy studied my clothes, his eyes getting wider. I waited for guards to be signaled, questions to be thrown at me, or accusations tossed into the air about who I was. None of that came. Instead, the boy patted Windsor's neck. "This your horse?"

"Yeah."

He nodded. "He's amazing. Lina has been missing him though."

"Excuse me?"

The boy went to the female Devoncore and rubbed his palm over her nose. "This one, she's missed her baby for a while. My father had to give him up for a little money. Lina was upset for awhile, but now look at her."

I couldn't help myself. This was not what I expected. "Who are you?"

The boy's lips curved into a half smile. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" He looked me up and down, then met my gaze, holding steady.

I was the one to break it. I looked back to the forest, making sure Noelani hadn't appeared. "I wouldn't answer," I warned him. I couldn't think of anything else to say.

The brown haired boy went around the cluster of horses to stand in front of me. The boy's eyes were a bright green and alive with wonder and humor. His clothes were just the opposite. Dark green and black were the custom colors for men of the earth territory. His eyes held my gaze. "Harlan," he said holding his hand to me.

I willed my eyes to look into his face even though they strained to turn away. I took the boy's hand in mine. "Maya."

The name seemed to place a sparkle in his eye, but he didn't say anything but, "Nice to meet you Maya."

I took my hand back and placed it around Windsor's reins. I tugged him toward the edge of the trees.

Harlan stepped after me. "Do you want me check him out for you? I usually help out when a horse is in need."
I stiffened, not bothering to turn around. Noelani approached the edge of the trees, stepping into the dim light of the sky. Kelani was just behind her, his head up high surveying the scene I was in the middle of.

The Devoncore female and the male Trotter seemed to always be close together. They trailed next me, both making eye contact. What was going on here?

"Maya?" Noelani called out.

I couldn't answer.

"Look," Harlan murmured, "Windsor right? He's hurt pretty bad. And it should really be cleaned and checked out.."

"I shouldn't be here."

Harlan pushed aside the horses to get to me. "I get that but the horse is my priority here. Just let me look at him. You can come inside the barn with us if you have to. Your friend can come to."

Noelani was coming closer step by step. I kept my gaze on her, trying to think while everything was spinning off into its own plan and idea. "Alright, but I'm coming in."

Windsor greedily ate the pellets Harlan had set out for him, not bothering with the boy who was examining his leg. I could only imagine what he was thinking. Harlan had said that the Devoncore horse was Windsor's mother, and it seemed as though Windsor knew it. It also looked like he knew where he was. He went straight to the empty bucket the moment we got inside and waited for Harlan to fill it.

Kelani was tied up outside the barn, looking out at the other horses who were grazing the small clearing. Noelani stood by the door, leaning against the wood with the sun shining on her back.

The barn was smaller than the one I had at home, but was built pretty much the same. Five stalls lined one wall, and the other half of the barn seemed to be a home, more likely Harlan's.

I trailed Harlan wherever he went. Harlan was at ease even with us strangers watching him like a hawk. He hummed a tune while he got a rag wet and started to clean the dried blood from the wound.

"How did he get this?"

I stared down at the boy crouched at my feet, crossing my arms over my chest.

Harlan forgot the question, getting up and grabbing a small bowl filled with green paste. It dabbed it over Windsor's cut and took fresh cloth from a pile to wrap it with. "As long as he relaxes for the next few days, he should be fine."

Noelani approached holding a small pack. "So we can take him then?"

Harlan eased himself up. "I wouldn't advise it. Taking him into the woods or a place where he could trip isn't going to help much. He needs to relax."
"You expect us to stay here?" I questioned.

"Of course not. You can stay in the city if you like."

I went to Noelani and dragged her out of the barn and ear shot of the annoyingly nice boy. "We can't just stay anywhere. The earth people don't seem to like anyone but themselves and will do anything for their kind. We don't know if we can trust him." I looked over my shoulder to see him staring. "Besides," I continued a little quieter, "We need to get to the earth castle so I can talk to the royals there. We can't just hide out in a hut somewhere."

Noelani nodded. " I know, but I think it makes sense. We can't just go waltzing into the kingdom and say 'Hi, I'm here without any orders to tell you that I'm sorry and wish you were still on our side for the future war. Forgive me?' It doesn't work like that!"

"That's not what I was going to do!" I argued.

"Then what was your plan for doing this? I would really like to get clued in."

"You ladies okay?" Harlan stepped out of the barn, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun that was working its way over the sky. "Hey, are you hungry?"

I gazed back to Noelani. She nodded once, then answered Harlan. "Starved."

"Great, I'll go make something." Harlan disappeared back into the barn. A door could be heard opening from inside.

"Maya," Noelani murmured in a whisper, "Do you know what you are doing?"

"I hope so."

"And you can't tell me your plan? You can't clue me in to what we are doing here, or where we are going to end up?"

"I can't Noel." I murmured back. "I just can't."

"But I'm your best friend!" she protested.

I took her hand and squeezed it once. "That's exactly why I can't tell you."

"I hope you like it. My mother showed me this recipe and I've tried to make it a few times." Harlan sat across a small wooden table. “She made it a lot better than I can.”

As it turned out, the other side of the barn was a house. Everything was compacted tightly in every nook and cranny. The table was surrounded by three small wooden chairs and counters supporting various pieces of paper. Most seemed to be unopened mail.

Noelani sulked in the farthest chair, spoon dipping into the bowl of soup in her hands every few seconds.

My eyes were pulled away from my surroundings to the boy standing tall by the last chair. “Where’s your mother?”

His face stayed light and fresh, a smile still on his lips. “She died a few months ago.”

My mouth popped open to say my apologizes, but he started again. “No need to be sorry,” he murmured, “really. I never got along with her all that well. Besides, I hadn’t seen her in over three years. And well, my dad doesn’t seem to mind either. He lives a few miles out by himself, and never really leaves his home. It’s not like it was the end of the world.”

I glanced to Noelani for help. All she gave me was a shrug.

Silence filled the room, making it even more constricting. The windows kept the heat and smells from cooking inside. My head began to spin. I dropped the spoon into the bowl of soup I hadn’t yet touched, splattering soup onto the clean table. “Excuse me,” I gasped, rushing outside into the sun. It didn’t help. Ripping the cloak from my body, I bathed myself in the air around me, letting it dry the sweat that had started to form on my forehead.

What was I doing here? I had left my home, my family and friends, and everything I knew for what; so I could get myself into a load of trouble? And I let prisoners go? My parents were going to kill me! And they couldn’t possibly blame it on the prisoners…they should have known it was me that did it. Right?

This was not the time to have a complete meltdown about my idiotic choices. I raised my shaking hands and twisted my hair on top of my head, holding it with my fingers. My chest rose and fell with deep exasperated breathes. What was happening to me?

Cool fingertips touched the back of my neck. “Maya, are you okay?”

I jerked away, letting my hair fall back down past my shoulders. “What?”

Harlan brushed his own hair away from his face. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m not…nothing. Why?”

His forehead creased with little wrinkles of concern. “You’re hyperventilating.”

I steadied my breathing to just small gasps. “No I’m not.”

“I’m no healer, but I’m sure your sweating too. A lot.”

I whirled to face him, stepping closer. “Excuse me?”

He stayed tall, but his face relaxed into an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. What I meant is, you look ill.”

“I think I would know if I’m ill or not.”

“Maybe you’re regretting coming here.”

My chest stilled, breathing no longer an option. My eyes grew wide even though the sun was shining right at them. “What did you just say?”

Harlan stepped back, letting his eyes trail down my dress. I looked too. I looked at the blue satin skirt, the sky blue ribbons tying the front together, and the light blue bodice with a ribbon bow below my collar bone. All blue…and expensive. I searched the ground for it and found it just behind Harlan. I snatched my cover dress up, flung it over my shoulders, and closed my eyes.

“We don’t get people like you around here you know. And colors give your origin away. Even if you hadn’t been wearing what you are now, I would have thought it because of your hair—and your eyes. You look…like you don’t belong out here.”

“What do you want?” I asked through my teeth.

“What do I want?” he repeated.

“Yes. To keep quiet about this. What do you want?”

There was no response, only his breathing close by. Finally, the silence getting to me, I opened my eyes. Harlan was staring at me. Not in an accusatory, blaming sort of way, but in a way that made my shoulders sag in exhaustion.

“I don’t want anything from you. And I won’t tell anyone that you are here. I’m not part of the city’s guard.” He looked out to the horses behind me. His face scrunched in on its self from the sun’s fierce rays. “Besides,” he whispered. “We all have our secrets we wish to keep quiet.”