The One Knight Stand

.: Needs :.

26 | Needs

Horseback riding was a fucking farce.

Windsor was far too proud to share a ring with the other steeds, preferring to nip after the cute fillies in the stable.

"Windsor, no!" Blue shouted at the black beast. "The Playing Circle is over there!"

In typical Khmaw fashion, the horse flashed its square teeth at her throat. Windsor growled at Blue like a stranger, blinking furiously, neighing in rage. Being housed and inspected by unfamiliar pages left him in an ornery mood and no carrot could coax him into his reigns.

And with Blue in full armor, she could forget about it.

The squire fumed. Her helmet rattled her skull. Somewhere over her shoulder she heard tittering laughter.

It was oddly warm for a fall day.

This event tested technical skill, speed, and strength, the latter two Windsor could easily win, but nooooooooooooooooo that blasted horse had to have a mind of its own.

"Windsor, please. You're better than this. I'll feed you a pound of sugar if you cooperate just this once."

The Khmaw's ears twitched, as if considering the offer.

"Fine, a pound and a half! Fucking highway robbery!"

Windsor nodded his head and snorted, agreeing to her terms.

Blue exhaled and wondered why negotiating with a horse wasn't the weirdest thing to ever happen to her.

She scrambled into the Khmaw's saddle and galloped over to the other suited up squires.

"Ah, welcome Sanlanh." Prince Rowan licked his lips. "I thought you'd never tame that monster."

"Hey, lay off Rowan. The only one who can insult Windsor is yours truly. Get back to me after you tame that cheap ass hair piece."

Prince Rowan's smile didn't falter. He did, however, reach up to make sure his scalp extensions weren't exposed under his helmet.

Blue pat the Khmaw's broad neck. "Don't listen to him, buddy. Drag that boulder from one end of the field to the other before all these other jokers and you can go back to chasing tail. Fair?"

A snotty snort.

Blue tied Windsor's harness to the stone slab. Hope straightened her spine.

It was for naught.

"Goodness! What a turn of events!" Lady Asger gasped on the amplifier. "I've never seen anything like it!"

Windsor's brute force was unparalleled. A violent force of nature.

But that damn demon horse drug his rock in the opposite direction of the finish line.

"Windsor! Turn around! Reverse!" Blue's stirrup flailed at the Khmaw's flank in vain. Windsor neighed, congratulating himself on a job well done, and cantered back to the stables for a bale of hay.

The audience was beside themselves with laughter.

The squire had no choice but to ride along, face burning. Sir Pilar would tan her hide after that embarrassment. Blue always wanted to be a pair of leather shoes. Or a decorative belt, even. Maybe a cute pair of arm braces, if she was lucky.

Princess Hadwisa and her chocolate Twiglet won all categories. She accepted her brother chord with a winning smile, waving very queenlike to her fans, and the Twiglet tossed its braided mane over its shoulder with pride.