Dearest Evelyn

-chapter 5-

(to the right is Terrin)

I fed Geraldine and put her to play with new toys as I prepared for my little trip. I had told Mother I would go for a ride this evening, and she offered to come with me. I declined- as much as I hated it, and promised her a ride for another day.

I met Terrin down at the stables, were he had already prepared both of our horses- his being a beautiful bay mare, while my horse (that I received for my sixth birthday from Father) was a buckskin stallion. I had named him Lance after the famous Lancelot. Terrin had gotten his horse right before I did, so in honor of mine, he changed his mare’s name to Guinevere. Lance and Guinevere had always been friends, just like Terrin and I.

After we set out, we waited until we were out of the small eastern forest and over the river before we spoke. We were just coming to the entrance of Barkley Meadow. I never rode like a woman properly should when I was around my friends. I didn’t mind riding like a boy, even in my dress. I think it secretly amused my friends.

It was a lovely meadow, with wild poppies, wisteria, roses and sunflowers sprinkled all about the swaying, emerald-green grass, the tall oak and ash trees, as well as huge patches of red clover and blackberry bushes. Mulberry and pear trees lingered over the powerful-smelling honeysuckle bushes.

It was a secret little place we discovered when we were little.

We dismounted and let our horses graze. They especially loved the clover.

We spread out a blanket that Terrin had brought under the red oak. We sat down against the tree trunk and gazed out over the meadow.

Terrin sighed. “You know, there are rumors going around.”

“Oh?” I hadn’t heard this. Usually Joanna came to me first whenever some news was spreading around.

“They say a war is near.”

“Well, you’re closest to the king, you should know.”

“I asked Uncle Harold. But all he said is ‘son, the only war started by worry is the war of upheaval nonsense’.”

I almost smiled. “Are you training anyways?”

“Mother insists. She says if Father were here, that’s what he’d want. So Gwindire’s Father happily took me under his wing. Luckily I already had most of my training done anyways.”

I nodded. Terrin was the type of person who loved a good listener, more so than a responder; not that he was arrogant or anything- he just loved talking.

“It worries me though,” he sighed, watching Lance and Guinevere. “If we do go to war, or even a small battle, I fear leaving everyone behind.”

“I think that’s in every man’s mind as they go to war. But that doesn’t mean you’ll die.” I recalled Hector’s words from the day before. He was also fearful of leaving.

Terrin looked to me, and nodded in agreement. “I’m not afraid of death, I’m just so attached here that I don’t want to leave. I already had to leave my homeland; I don’t want to leave here as well.”

Terrin and his mother had come here to live with his uncle, King Harold, after his father died in a tragic accident. He had to leave everything behind, which is why he then became under the protection of the king, for safety.

I lay my hand over his, reassuring his worry. He glanced down at my touch, then back up to my eyes. His ebony eyes shone with luster and his raven-black hair was tied back with a scarlet ribbon. So far his hair was the longest, reaching to his shoulder blades, but Gwindire had told me he planned to grow his hair longer than Terrin’s.

“Terrin, we will always be here for you. You’re a part of our family now. Everyone here in Harold’s castle is your friend. You have nothing to worry about.”

He took in my words for a moment, then spoke. “Thank you, Eve. That means a lot to me. Mother had feared I wouldn’t get along with anyone after we moved . . . but then I met you- and you introduced me to Hector and Gwindire. And I felt I belonged.”

I only smiled to him. He returned my grin and our attention went back to gazing over the meadow.