CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter Nineteen

As they rode along the forest edge and past farmlands with villages harvesting fruit from their trees, Remi started to see the pointed tips of the castles towers. Her stomach did a little flip at the realization that very soon she would be in the presence of nobility. Her current understanding of how to behave and the small nuances that accompany day to day conversations, she suddenly felt very illequipt.

The towers were breathtaking, as they approached Remi could see homes lining the streets before the castle gates. Rounded terraces with beautiful stonework melding into a colassal structure, it was daunting and breathtaking. The top of the towers were ordained with Elorician flags. A tall stone wall surrounded the castle, with one point of entry just past the rows of homes.

"Most, not all, of Eloricia's nobility reside in these homes." Huxley explained as Remi attempted to refrain from looking like a mouth breather, her jaw had dropped open without her realizing. The homes that lined the streats here did not look like the houses in Anna's village. These homes were multi-level'd. They had more decorative details, each was clean and manicured. Not a single flower out of place. Each home had a crest carved into the large, wooden front doors. Remi assumed these were to distinguish the different bloodlines that made up the members of the royal court.

The little village was polished and prestine and once they approached the castle wall, Remi understood why. Huxley nodded to the soldiers by the entrance to the castle grounds as they passed through the stoney threshold into a large landscape of manicured grass and fruiting trees. Women with woven baskets were collecting the fruit, while soldiers patroled the grounds. Remi had never seen manicured grass before. 'What a silly thing to waste time keeping.' She thought.

The long stone staircase that lead to the main castle doors was very busy. Merchant's with their carts full of goods were in line to speak with the men and women organizing their deliveries. It was clear this castle was more of a palace than a defensive fortress at this time. Remi wondered how soon it would change from beautiful and ornate to defensive and war torn.

They surpassed the line of merchants, heading straight to a wooden hutch where a man sat next to several horses grazing at a troft. He nodded as Huxley approached.

"Gabriel." Huxley gave the man a nod in return. "Remi, Gabriel manages the stables, he will take our horses."

Huxley didn't have to explain that to Remi, but she appreciated his guidance. Something in the way he looked at her made her feel as though he knew that.

Remi's right foot lost grip on the stirrup as she dismounted her horse. She held onto the saddle, her legs floundering around beneath her as her feet tried to catch hold of anything they could to keep her from falling flat on her ass.

"Oh! Let me help you, miss." Elios' voice came from behind Remi, making her feel uncomfortably anxious. She was now drawing attention... great.

"No, I... I can do it. I just..." She kicked her legs and her horse took stepped forward. Her hands slipped and she felt her body sliding off the horse. Two large hands wrapped around her waist and set her feet on the ground.

Remi turned and pressed her lips into a flat line, embarrassment heating her cheeks. "Thank you." She mumbled to Huxley.

"Not at all, miss." He smiled and picked up her horse's reins.

"Do you need a hand, Anna?" He called behind her and Remi watched as Anna dismounted gracefully from her horse. Removing her riding gloves and pulling the horses reins, she walked towards them.

That made Remi feel even more ridiculous. Anna was so small, so short, but she had no trouble getting off her horse. Remi was taller, her legs longer, but she felt a fish out of water. Anna handed off her horse to Huxley who gave Remi a wink before leading them away.