Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Twenty-eight ~

When my dad and Alacor were satisfied, we headed out of the house and round to the stables. They were full to the brim with horses now, one for each of us that would be going and I spotted Ulric looking for me from his stall. I walked over and led him out, he was saddled and ready to go. I gave him a pat on the neck and then climbed up, careful to hide my sword under my cloak.

I smiled when I looked around from the new height, I had missed riding and couldn't wait to get back out there. The lesson had been great but getting out onto open roads would be much more challenging and fun. Ulric snuffled at my leg, at first I thought he was enjoying my anticipation but I got the unusual sense that he knew I was carrying a sword.

I patted his neck and shushed him as we waited for everyone else to be ready. It took a few more minutes to clear things up and then everyone was moving into formation again. I lined Ulric up beside Emy's horse, she didn't look as happy as she had when we left the house and I leaned over.

"What's wrong?" I tried to whisper but it was difficult with the noise of horses and conversations around us.

Emy leaned in and crinkled her nose, "I don't think this horse likes me, it keeps nibbling at my leg and neighing."

I laughed lightly and glanced at her horse just as he did what she said, he fixed one eye on me and I smiled with a side glance at Emy.

"It's the sword," I whispered. "He can tell you have it, just stroke him and reassure him you're not planning to use it on him."

Emy arched an eyebrow at me but she did as I said, she stroked her horses neck and explained everything was alright. The horse eyed me again and I got the uncontrollable urge to nod, he slowly raised his head, ready to go.

Emy's eyes widened slightly, "I think you might actually be a horse mind reader."

I laughed it off, my dad had just turned around from the head of our group. He looked very unassuming in his everyday clothes but I knew he was wearing some kind of armour underneath. Emy and I had been made to wear the same thing under our outfits, it had been waiting for us when we'd gone to pack our bags. I knew it wasn't chain mail, it was light and felt like silk, but according to my dad, it would stop arrows and some sword attacks.

I had been so happy when it had been time to get ready, just so we didn't have to talk about being attacked every ten seconds. I would have thought travelling at night would've been safer but Alacor had shot down that theory pretty quickly in the lecture that morning. Travelling at night would give attackers a much better advantage over a group of our size. They could attack from any side and we'd have more trouble seeing them coming. It made sense but the success of our journey with Merkell played in my mind while they discussed routes and contingency plans.

My dad called for everyone to be ready and I sighed in relief when we finally began to move. I barely needed to nudge Ulric and we were off, Emy was beside me and I could see she was already disliking the bumpy ride.

"Move when he moves and sit up straighter, it won't be as uncomfortable," I called over to her and she scowled.

"I know, but it's easier said than done, for most of us anyway," she raised a brow at me. "I guess we found something here that you're a natural at."

I hadn't thought about that, we'd only had one lesson and I hadn't found it difficult at all, it felt like I'd been doing it for years. Maybe Emy was right, maybe I did have a connection with the horses. We wound through the streets of Dumair and I barely had to nudge Ulric for him to go where I wanted. Then again, he could just be following the four horses already in front of us. I shrugged at Emy and turned my attention to our surroundings.