Rune Stealer

Story

The sleek black coat of the horse was so soft underneath my palm, it was almost unnatural. I furrowed my brow as I petted her round cheek and moved to her side. While the rest of her body was black as night, her mane and her tail were white as snow. I lifted my hand from the mare's cheek and entangled my fingers into her hair. Once again, her mane was fine and sleek, yet coarse like normal horse hair. When I trailed my fingers through her hair, the light caught it in a certain way that it seemed to glitter. I looked closer and I could see that the mare's hair wasn't white at all.

I pursed my lips and took a step back from the black horse. The sunlight that glowed through the stable window and enveloped the horse in a warm light and bounced off her glittering gold mane. A giggle rose from my chest and I pointed at the horse.

"Is this a joke," I asked Kian as he saddled another brown horse.
Kian hardly even glanced at me.

"Hm?" he grunted.

"The horse's hair," I scoffed."It is gold."

"Yes ma'am," Kian responded still not looked at me. "That's the way we found her. She's really one of a kind and our best horse. The King thought it necessary that she be given to you." If I wasn't mistaken, he seemed a little bitter.

"Oh he did, didn't he?" I scoffed again and let my hand fall back down to my side. My eyes narrowed as walked around the horse taking her in from head to toe. A black horse with a gold mane issued to a black haired girl with a golden rune. Convenient enough.

"What's her name," I asked stopping at the head of the horse. She looked me in the eyes almost daringly and I stared back.
"One of the stable servants named her Story," answered Kian as he came back over to the black horse and began to tighten the straps.
"Story," I repeated quietly. I placed my hand on her nose again. "She must have an interesting story."
"Found her at the top of Gjin Break Mountain when she was a foal." Kian shoved me out of the way to fit the bit in Story's mouth. "You've ridden before, right?" Kian asked me condescendingly.

"Yes," I said matter-of-factly.

"How long ago."

I quickly did the math in my head then added quietly, "Fifteen years ago." Kian took his eyes off the horse to glare at me. "It was when my parents were still alive," I explained.

"Just try not to fall off," Kian growled as he handed me the reins. I grumbled as I hoisted myself up onto the black horse's back.
Story whinnied underneath me and shifted on her hooves. I could tell she was restless and just wanted to go out on a ride. I slipped into the horse's mind and held on just as tightly as I gripped the reins and clenched my legs on Story's sides.

Okay, go easy on me, I commanded Story.

No promises.

"What," I gasped.

"Excuse me?" Kian looked over at me scowling.

"She-the," I stuttered, pointing at the back of Story's head below me. "The horse just talked to me."

I have a name you know. The mare's voice echoed in my head. Now can we go, she asked impatiently.

"Ah!" I screamed covering my ears. "Stop, get out of my head!"

A giggle sounded deep within my thoughts. Once you are in mine, I can access your mind too. This thing is a two way road.

"What is going on?" asked Kian obviously annoyed with the crazy show I was putting on.

"Story's inside my head," I yelled. "She's talking to me! In my head!"

Would you stop freaking out, Story groaned.

"No," I proclaimed climbing off the black mare's back. "No, I will not stop. You are inside my head and I would like to know how!" I went around to her front and glared into her dark glossy eyes.

How are you doing this, I thought furiously. I swear I saw her smile.
Let us just say that I am unlike other horses, grinned Story. One of a kind!

"Does this happen normally?" growled Kian still perched atop his brown horse.

"No," I said frowning. Story and I bored into each other's eyes, scrutinizing one another.

Can we go now, Story finally asked, stomping a hoof.

"Fine," I grumbled, throwing my hands up into the air in a surrender. "I have a talking horse," I mumbled as I made my way around to Story's side. "One that talks to me in my head!" Story giggled at me as I struggled to heave myself back up onto the saddle. "Stop laughing at me!"

Then Kian coughed which sounded oddly like he was trying to stifle a laugh. "You too," I bellowed at Kian.

Now can we-

"Yes go" I sighed and Story hopped into a trot and trotted out of the stables with Kian, on his brown horse, followed closely behind.
Just be nice, I thought pleadingly.
Like I said, sneered Story, no promises.

We trotted out of the stables, down the trail that led to the trader's trail in the forest. Once we had gotten onto the trail, Story bolted. I yelped and flung myself forward and clutched Story's gold glittering mane to keep myself from being catapulted off.

I said be nice, I shrieked.
And I said no promises, laughed Story.