Greenhorn: The Judge

Chapter 8: Lady La Luna

Isla tapped her foot rapidly as Maral did her hair in a half-up style, white and pale pink flowers interlaced amongst her curls. Lidiya had picked out her dress. It was a light, cool-toned pink velvet dress that was corseted tightly to her waist, with a straight across, off-the-shoulder neckline that concealed her breasts.

"Are you alright Mistress?" Maral asked, having listened to the non-stop tapping for the past 15 minutes.

"Yeah, uh, yes. I'm fine. Just a bit nervous I guess," Isla said, looking at herself in the vanity mirror. She'd spent the rest of the breakfast sitting quietly as the two sisters talked about things Isla had no idea about, with Lucius occasionally chiming in with a jab or a spiked question. She'd felt so awkward that all she'd wanted to do was go and hang out with Rita.

"Because of Prince Lucius? If it's not too bold of me to suggest," the servant said placing more flowers in her hair.

"Is it that obvious?" Isla said looking down at her fidgeting fingers, before looking up at Maral. She hoped that Maral would see her half-truth. She wondered if Maral knew anything about her, or simply what she had been told by others.

"I've been in the service of Queen Lidiya and the Crawe's all my life Mistress. I've seen Lucius grow up, and I have seen his effect on women, even the most resilient of our sex," Maral said putting the last flower into Isla's hair.

Isla contemplated what Maral said for a few moments. "All your life? Did you know your family?"

"No, mistress. My flock and I were taken at young ages. This has always been my life," Maral said with reserved contentment.

"Are you happy?"

Maral paused, clearly needing a moment to find an answer for a question she was not regularly asked. "As happy as one in my place can be," she said and walked to where Isla's dress was placed. "I'm a servant Isla, my future was decided long ago."

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"Eldred?" Rita whispered loudly as she walked amongst the stalls in the stables.

"I'm here," he said and walked out of a stall near the end with two horses. One was a very light grey with a pattern of darker grey on its hooves and nose, the other was a brown so dark it appeared black. Both were extremely large horses. "Rita, meet Sakaria and Miriam," he said giving each horse a pat on the neck when he said their names.

"Sakaria will be yours," he said and passed Rita the reins to the grey one.

Rita held the leather reins in her fingers as she admired the beautiful creature in front of her. She'd only ever ridden a horse once and decided she liked them. They were tall and strong like her, and the amount of kids that called her "horseface" growing up made her feel a sort of kinship with them. She ran one hand down the horse's light grey mane, feeling the simultaneously silky and coarse hair.

"She's beautiful," Rita said looking from Sakaria to Eldred. She was always surprised by how much bigger they were in real life.

"Yeah," Eldred said patting the horse on the stomach. At that moment the horse snapped its head back and bit Rita in the hand.

"Ow. What the hell?" Rita said pulling back from the mane and yanking on the reins.

"She's also a little temperamental. I thought you two would get along perfectly," he said with a laugh as he finished backing a few last things in his saddle.

"Gee, thanks. How sweet," Rita replied, arching an eyebrow at the man, a bit surprised at his comment. She had to admit she never really thought Eldred had much of a sense of humour or range enough to be snarky.