The Dying Rose (Completed)

Chapter 25: Well Aren't We Having a Brawl?

 I had lead Selah deep into the trees beside the crossroads just outside of the village. He stood grazing, a few feet from me. I had spent the day trying to rest, but it was impossible. Every rustle in the leaf litter, every twig that snapped, and every traveler on the road was someone coming to find me, coming to arrest me for stealing the horse, and throw me in jail. Someone who would make me fail Galien.

Finally, around mid afternoon, two hooded riders came up on the road, and stopped. The rider on horse leapt down from its back, and strode over to the woods edge. Even though I suspected it was Rixenda, I still held my breath.

"Are you coming or not?" she hissed into the woods.

I took Selah by his rein and walked him from the woods. I swung up onto his back, as Rixenda, too, remounted. I glanced over at Petronille, whose petite little face could barely be seen for the deep recesses of her cloak.

"So, off on our grand adventure, huh?" she said, her voice a little pitchy. She looked nervous.

I remembered she'd never ridden a horse before now; at least, not seriously. "Yep, but we'll take it slow to start off."

On my other side, Rixie asked, "But shouldn't we spur the horses now, and rest them later; you are riding a borrowed horse."

"I doubt anyone would stop us. We appear as two women and their guard, traveling to the city. Why would anyone be looking at our horses?" I replied, noticing that what little I could see of Pet's face had paled even more dramatically.

"Good point. We are rather defenseless; two maidens are prime for an attack, and no offense, but you aren't much of a guard. What should we do if we are attacked?" she asked.

Oh in the name of the realm Rixenda, be quiet, before you terrify Pet to death.

"Well, I doubt that will even be an issue; we are a rather civilized, well policed realm," I came back quickly, praying my little sister didn't immediately turn her horse around.

She didn't say anything, and then suddenly, her horse took off at a gallop.

"SABLE! Stop!" I yelled after the horse, praying it would. Of course, he didn't. I spurred Selah on, and the young warhorse easily caught up with my older horse.

I grabbed at the reins, nearly falling from the horse, before Pet suddenly cried, "Arabella, what are you doing?"

I looked over at her, from where I was practically pinned to Selah's neck, and saw her hood had fallen back, and she was grinning. She slowed Sable, and I slowed Selah in response.

"I thought you had lost him; I was trying to get him to stop. Since when can you ride?" I panted, out of breath with concern, amazed at my little sister's nerve.

"Since now. I decided I would see if I could ride him. There's no sense in me coming if I'm only going to slow you down. Right, Rixenda?"

I turned to look at Rixie, who was catching up to us. "You make a valid point, little one. I'm proud. My sensibility must be rubbing off on you," she said, grinning at me.

I shook my head, "Well, when you peas in your proverbial pod are ready, shall we proceed?"

We rode on for hours, and we rode the horses relatively hard. Finally, we came to an inn, around where the Continental River forks. We decided that we would rest there for the night, and then we would travel on, sleeping in a tent, until we came to Itacya. I went inside and spoke to the landlord, and rented two rooms for the night; one for my lady companions, and one for myself.

I went back outside, and escorted the ladies inside so that they could freshen up, before our dinner, downstairs with the other inhabitants of the inn. I went back outside, and tended to the horses, brushing them down and putting them in stalls to rest up for the next day's journey. There wasn't any freshening up I could really do, as I didn't have many sets of clothes, so I just stayed down stairs and waited for my companions. I realized that the inn I had booked us in wasn't the most elegant place. The floors were filthy, and the air reeked of sweat and grease. The fireplace was thick with ash, and would frequently flutter in puffs of smoke. There was only one window, and it was covered in grime; very little light came through it into the dining rooms, which gave it a shroud of mystery, and also a disgruntling air.