Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Two ۞ Takes One to Know One

Corvan stepped down from the carriage as Charles lectured him. "Valeriana, I assume you are planning on talking to these horses." He said.

"Yes, that's what I'm planning to do. I wanna give this communication with animals thing a try, since I've been working on it during the whole trip. I've gained a little bit of control over it really, so now I can choose to hear or not hear. Which is very cool, don't you think?"

"With the current temperature, I'm perfectly contented with how it is."

"That's not—-well, whatever."

"I meant to jest."

Valeriana gave him a stare. "When it comes from you, it doesn't sound like it." Instead of pursuing the conversation, she made her way towards the panicking animals, unsure of how to approach them.

Sure thing was that they were needlessly throwing their hooves all over the place as the driver tried to calm them down to no avail. Their unrest was starting to get to the other horses nearby, which made the man increase his effort into cajoling them to a state of tranquility.

"Please, madame." Said the man to Valeriana as she approached. "Do not come nearer if you do not wish to get hurt."

"It's alright, sir. I wanted to try something, if that's okay?" She said.

He hesitantly stepped back, but remained gripping the reigns of the horses to prevent them from lashing out. "If that is what you want . . . but please make me take no responsibility should you obtain any injuries."

"Sure." She nervously answered, her hands gradually numbing from the cold.

Focusing on her newfound ability, she called forth the 'openness'. Although she told Corvan that she gained a little bit of control over it, there was still something. Sure, she could block out the voices until she wanted to, but when she listened to them again, there was this annoying 'ringing' that would bombard her ears. It was as though the voices had built up to some degree and would directly overpower her senses, creating a huge headache of some sort. Fact was, she could choose not to block it out, but she found it hard to sleep at night without doing so.

And that was when it occurred to her. "Oh, dang. Maybe I could do it before sleep and just open it up at the morning instead. Stupid. Why the hell didn't I think of that before?"

The man stared at her as though she was some sort of weirdo so she gave him a grin and decided to get into work instead. The ringing was uncomfortable, yes, the pain made her eyes burn. She tried not to let it show on her face though.

When it came to pass, the voices of the horses came softly to her ears and she couldn't help but smile.

'Oh, seriously, that man is just rude!' The other horse started. 'I still cannot believe he would just fall out of the sky like that, he is not a bird! I almost mistook him for a demon.'

Valeriana could not help but laugh. "Zion's annoying everybody, even the horses."

Corvan quirked a brow at this. "That is not really a surprise."

She approached them.

'And who is this child?' This horse had a longer mane, with beady eyes, a stockier build, and shorter legs. The one beside her was taller, sturdier and had a stronger frame. 'She isn't going to try and calm us down like Harris? Seriously, nobody in here understands!'

"I was going to try and calm you guys down because they said you were scared, but that isn't the case, is it?" She told them.

'Oh, how weird.' Said the male one. 'This one seems to somewhat get it. Well, dear child, the only way you can please us is to remove that blue-haired mongrel from our sights! Perhaps then we'll feel better.'