All the King's Horses

Chapter 2

It had been a couple of hours since she had heard any voices but her own. The High King's Orchard, a preserve of all sorts of fruit trees and plant life, was a lonely refuge dozens of miles around. A high crime to trespass into, the forested land was patrolled solely by the rangers who doubled as caretakers and law. On rare occasions, academics with explicit permission, or harvesters when the proper season came around, or denizens who flaunted the law and hid from justice could be found within as well. Gods bless them, it seemed the hawk had lost them a while back after the branches had become thicker and more opaque overhead.

"I recognize ... that." Annabelle pointed at a set of three saplings planted near one another. "I think. And that irrigation stream." She pointed to a trench filled with a crystalline, icy flow. The sun overhead was now only an hour or two from its zenith, and some semblance of tolerable warmth filled the land.

Verstarti brayed and picked up his pace to a purposeful trot.

"There we go!" Annabelle caught sight of buildings between the trees ahead. Their windows glowed with warm light beneath eaves of roofs which sloped low and near to the snow buildup off the ground. "Let's go boy!"

Verstarti's trot turned to a gallop, he charged a low fence and bound over it into a yard where a man hacked away with a small ax at some firewood beneath the cover of a shed.

"What's this now?" The man began, he turned and his eyes went wide. "Goodness me, my apologies Lady Annabelle. I-I can't say—that is you, right? Or do my eyes take me a fool?"

"I am she." Annabelle smiled. "You don't have to apologize, I caught you unaware. And normally one expects a princess to be in a flowing gown or dress, not—"

The man laughed, "in those leathers and cloak you look more a thief or rogue than royalty."

"I may suggest that sometimes clothing is the only distinction there. Is this Godslan?"

"'Tis." The man nodded.

"Where may I find the ... Tiny Lute?"

"Ah, tavern be right that way. A bit early for a drink though don't ye' think?" He smiled, one of his teeth noticeably broken, "if I may say."

Annabelle chuckled, "I am just meeting someone."

"Well right down that way. Three buildings such, just past the inn. If you follow the wooden walk you'll get there no problem."

"Thank you." Annabelle inclined her head. "Sorry for giving you a fright." She guided Verstarti toward a break in the fence which let onto a back trail that ran between the tree line and the buildings along the town's edge.

"Not at all. A few men're lookin' for you by the way. King's Guard I think. If I see them I'll let 'em know."

Annabelle's heart sank. How did they beat her here? "T-thank you, sir. That won't be needed. I'll find them myself.

"May I keep my horse here?"

The man looked to a hitching post where Annabelle was gesturing. "It's your land mi'lady. I'd be honored to care for him 'til you return. A beautiful Dannar that is."

Annabelle eyed the townsfolk passing by on the leeward side of the building, a sliver of the town square seemed just visible, and slipped down from Verstarti's saddle and let herself drop to the ground. Her boots squelched on a patch of muddy snow, and she moved carefully before she sank any further into the earth or lost her footing. Verstarti swiped at the ground and snorted, moving around the hitch toward a trough. "I know, I know. I'll be safe." Annabelle pat his muzzle and held the gaze of the black, glassy eyes for a moment, "I promise. Sir," Annabelle called to the man who, judging by the sharp splitting of wood, had gone back to his chores, "if you have any fresh fruit or feed for Verstarti here I'll be sure to repay you."