A Slip Of Darkness

Chapter VII

We ride through the valley of kings, following the river that winds through the rolling hills. We move in silence, only the sound of thundering hooves and whistling wind to accompany us, and I watch carefully for any signs of life. But soon it becomes obvious that the valley is deserted; no people live there, only the dryads with their beautiful, misleading voices, sitting high up in their trees, dewy, nude skin glowing in the moonlight.

Tensions are high as we race in the shadows of the hills, staying hidden in case we come across townsfolk. When we pass by fields of blooming angel's trumpets, I think back to Sapphira. Already I miss her, an ache in my heart, but we trudge onward with bated breath, cloaks and hair rippling in the wind.

I try to memorize every ridge, every flower and hedge and blade of grass, trying to burn it into my brain. As we ride through a throng of cattails and foxgloves growing at the river bank, I let go of lady's reins and let my hand skim their heads, trying to remember their feel against my skin before I enter the steel and marble world of Xeoria.

Finally, we emerge from the valley of kings, now in an abandoned field of tall, unkempt grass. A couple willow trees lie off to the side, their drooping branches swaying melancholically in the breeze. Father's steed, a powerful white stallion with piercing eyes named Milktrot, comes to a stop, skidding hooves sending dirt flying.

"Why did we stop, your majesty?" Silas asks, eyebrows furrowed.

"If we ride into the village with our horses, we'll be attracting unneeded attention to ourselves. It's better that we leave them here to graze until the three of us return." Father explains, gesturing to caspian and Silas.

    I swing my feet over Lady's back and hop off with ease, my feet landing softly on the grass. Everyone else follows suit.

I stroke Lady's mane. "Be good for me, will you?"

She snorts and stamps the ground with her hoof, throwing her head side to side. When I try to follow Caspian, Father and Silas towards the village, she follows after me, trotting along slowly.

I place a hand on her flanks and guide her back towards the other horses, who are grazing in the field. Their white coats gleam in the moonlight like pearls, iridescent and smooth.

She looks at me with huge, unblinking eyes, as if she can tell that I'm leaving for good. I put my forehead to hers and hold the sides of her neck with my hand.

"I'll be back soon, I promise. Please, Lady, don't make this difficult. Go, go back to your friends."

She whinnies softly, swishing her tail back and forth with vigour. When I walk away, she doesn't follow me, but she doesn't move either, standing unmovingly in the same spot until she fades into a tiny white speck, like a fallen star from the sky.

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It's been a while since I was last in the village but it hasn't changed one bit, still the same white-walled huts and vendor markets cramped closely together, leaving hardly a finger's space between buildings. The streets are narrow and made of mossy cobblestone, and I'm suddenly glad that we left the horses behind. Their hooves against the rocks would be loud enough to wake the dead.