Isle of the Faeries

A Houseful

I know that this update is really late, therefore I have made it rather long :) This week had been a complete mess of wonderful experiences and some of the lowest moments I can remember and because of that I will make up for the middle week update by updating twice this weekend!

Kean

      I nod my hello and excuse myself to go get Pandemonium's Surprise. The three horses we are showing are tacked and waiting by the track with two exercise riders and a groom. I take Surprise with a nod of thanks, Surprise looks at me with slightly startled eyes and I run a soothing hand over her forehead. She was, as her name suggests, a surprise; Pandemonium knocked down the boards of his paddock and got loose and eleven months later Surprise was born.

      Marissa walks over to Missy and takes her from the exercise rider with the claim of, "I'll show this one, I love this little filly."

      I grit my teeth and check my girth as the buyers flock to Marissa as she spouts off lies about how much effort she put into the filly that I trained. I swing up ready to get this run over with, we are just going the quarter mile and Surprise is amped knowing what is to come, she loves to run. When Marissa is on Missy and Jacob is on Card I signal for the groom and other exercise rider to bring us through the gate. When the groom grabs Surprise's head she prances forward shying away from a shadow in her excitement but goes easily into the gate, Card follows and Missy balks and shies from the gate that she has been through hundreds of times before, finally she loads as well.

      Allard calls a countdown, the gates snap open, the horses spring forward and their hooves are eating up the dirt. This is not supposed to be a race, the buyers are just looking to see how the horses run but Missy pulls up beside me and one glance in Marissa's direction tells me that this just got serious.

      She pushes Missy by us taking the rail, I bite my cheek before letting Surprise have more rein, allowing her to move out. Marissa is in front of us but I am not too concerned. The colt and two fillies are evenly matched however the riders are not; Marissa has not ridden the track in over a year, the rider Jacob is new and has only run it a handful of times and I have run on it almost every day for the last twelve years of my life. I know every divot, rut and shadow that they try to jump in the morning sun. I also know Surprise, Missy and Card; Card is the most consistent of the bunch through the whole run, Missy likes to tire herself out in the beginning if you don't hold her back and Surprise likes to act lazy and come from behind. I let the filly tail the other for a bit before leaning forward, throwing her head away and cracking her rump letting her know it was time to make our move. I keep her off the rail away from the telephone pole shadow that Missy balks at slowing then trying to jump as we sail forward crossing the finish line first by seven lengths.

      I slow Surprise to a canter and turn with a grin. Marissa thunders in behind me with a look of annoyance and is followed closely by Jacob.

Breena

      Last night when Declan had me invite Kean for supper I hadn't really thought about the implications of that request or all the work I would have to do. When the dust the truck kicks up in Declan's wake settles I look around the house with a bud of dread blooming in my gut. It had been a long time since housekeeping had been on the top of my to-do list and it showed. The sink was piled with dishes that we never had time to do – we simply washed what we needed when we needed it – the counters were a mess of papers, junk and boxes, the table was piled with bills we couldn't pay, the floor was dingy and coats and sweaters hung from the back of each chair and that was just the kitchen. A sigh rushes past my lips and I yell for Fiona, it looks like I will spend the day cleaning.