Envoys Of The Vow

Chapter 16

Closing the door to the cottage behind her Sara drew a deep, ragged breath into her lungs.  She allowed the cool, damp evening air to soothe her skin as she walked slowly down the path.  She concentrated hard on not thinking about all Thomas had said.  She drove any thoughts of Jonathan or Blaise or whoever he was from her mind as she walked towards the stables. 

 As she approached the stable block, the two hooded figures, she had seen earlier were at the doorway deep in conversation.  They were in the same floor-length hooded cloaks that Blaise wore. They drew themselves up to full height and allowed her past with a hint of a bow as she did.  As she passed, she noticed the gleam of silver eyes under the hoods.

 Sara headed for the stable where Misty had been.  Breathing in the familiar scent of straw and hay she stopped to stretch her tired aching muscles.  Seeing the stables properly for the first time, Sara noticed the gilding work around the doors.  There were four stables in the barn along one wall and a lower alcove where the straw, hay and bedding was stored opposite.  Again she noticed that not a blade of straw or hay was out of place.  Steps led up to what looked like rooms above the storage alcove a warm light drifted through windows down onto the stable block.

 Walking towards the stable misty had been in she could see through the wrought iron grills that separated the stables.  Through the grilled partition, she could not see the mare so she guessed she must still be lying down.  A flicker of nervousness fluttered across Sara’s heart.  As she opened the door she almost tripped over the Palomino and white stallion she had ridden earlier, he was lying next to Misty just inside the doorway.

 Shock hammered through Sara as she saw her horse.  She was still Misty but changed to the point that she was almost unrecognizable.  Her soft bay coat now glowed in the lamplight.  The colour of her coat instead of a flat brown it had been was flecked through with a deep ruby colour making her glow.  Her dark black mane and tail fanned out around her sleeping frame, now had golden metallic streaks through it that flickered softly. 

 “Oh not you too.” Sara sighed softly,

 As Sara approached the mare opened her eyes that were as soft and melting brown as always.  Leaning forward she allowed the necklace to fall away from the skin of her neck.  There was a slight flicker and shimmer almost like a blurring of her vision but the mare remained changed just the same.

 The mare gracefully gained her feet and stood before Sara.  Shaking the last blades of straw from her coat Sara could see the mare was bigger.  Her chest was wider, her back was heavily laced with muscle that followed the powerful but graceful line over her quarters.  Stepping forward Sara ran her hand down Misty’s neck feeling the silk of her coat that covered the obvious strength beneath.  As Sara moved towards her, the mare stepped forward with a soft knicker until Sara’s shoulder was against the mare’s neck.

 Tears spilled down Sara’s cheeks as she held her arms around Misty’s neck.  Relief coursed through her that her friend was ok.  She had been so convinced she had lost her earlier, even the changes took second place in her consciousness to the relief she felt that she was healed.

 Letting go of Misty, she moved to her quarters where not a sign of a scar marred the perfect coat.  Sara ran her fingers through the mare’s tail letting the cool silk run through her fingers.  Watching the glitter as the golden streaks shattered the light as it fell through her fingers.

 Looking up, she got a better look at the stallion.  He was beautiful.  His white body was flecked through with strands of silver.  There were patches all over him of a slightly paler gold colour than the streaks in Misty’s tail and mane.  His mane was a lavender sooty colour, streaked with silver the same as his muzzle that was all she could see of his face under his flowing forelock.  Bigger than Misty and immensely wide and powerful he had a regal stance about him that made her look in awe.  He stood before Misty in a way that was both adoring and protective.  Misty held the same adoring look for him.