Horsemen Trials, A Fantasy Story about Horses

Chapter 1

Today. Today was the day. The day I would leave my family farm and travel to the village of Greenspire to compete in the annual Horsemen trials.

I rolled over on my bed and stared at the ceiling, excitement twisting my stomach in anticipation. I had dreamed about competing since I was a little girl. Now, finally, my dream was coming true. It almost seemed too good to be real.

The sun was coming over the horizon as I peeled back the covers eagerly. It was a bit early to get up, but I figured if I got my chores done early, then I could leave earlier.

Quickly I dressed and reached for my comb to brush my thick hair. Thankfully it was there this morning and Torin hadn't hidden it from me. Quickly I grabbed a ribbon and braided my hair before tying it off.

Silently I stole through the house, trying not to wake anyone else up. Ever notice how when you're trying to be silent, you seem to make more noise than usual? The floor creaked and I froze. But nobody came out of their bedroom doors, so all was good.

Mother, however, was already up. Knowing that I would want a early start, she was in the kitchen making an early breakfast. She grinned at me as I tiptoed into the main room. "Morning Iris," she whispered, confirming my suspicions that the rest of the house was still asleep.

"Morning wonderful Mother," I replied back as I planted a kiss on her cheek. "I'm going out to milk Bella."

"Alright. You know it is a bit early and she might not be happy about that," replied mother.

"It's not that early, she'll be fine," I reassured. I pulled on my one pair of thick leather boots and laced them up, then stepped out into the quiet world of early dawn.

A low fog drifted over the landscape while the sun cast glowing rays as it rose. Birds were singing out their morning songs, greeting the new day as they had for thousands of years in the rocky country of the Hidor. Our stone barn lay not far from the house, and held two work horses, our milk cow, and sometimes sheep.

A pang stabbed my chest as I realized that I would be leaving all of this for four months. This had been my home since childhood. Over there was the apple tree I used to climb all the time. Then there was the meadow beyond the barn, where the sheep and cow grazed, while I used to pretend to tame wild stallions.

Now I was going to leave all of it.

I brushed the thought away. I wasn't permanently leaving it, I was only going away for four months. I would come back, a accomplished horsewomen, with the rank of one.

As I entered the barn, the two workhorses, Viking and Lancelot, turned to nicker at me. These two had been on the farm since I had been eight years old. I used to clamber up on their broad backs and gently ride them on Sundays when they weren't working.

I walked up to Viking and scratched his forehead. He nodded back and forth in pleasure. A sigh escaped me. "I'm going to miss you two."

Suddenly from the end of the stable came Bella's indignant "Moo!"