Settle

Daniel Anzaloney

Daniel Anzaloney

(Chapter 2)

The building turned out to be three storeys tall, with a large fireplace on the far side of the lower floor and a Persian rug spread out in the centre of the room. There was a tall thin man curled up on an armchair that I'd missed upon my first look around the room. He hadn't noticed my presence until I'd walked into the centre of the room. Once he had, he demanded I tell him my name and business for being within his home. As soon as I'd relayed the information, he apologised for being blunt and informed me that he was Daniel Anzaloney, although I didn't really need to be told I put the pieces together for myself. I informed him that I was in need of a horse. He immediately informed me of the rules attached to obtaining a horse from him. Either I could offer him a premium of twenty gold pieces which could go up if I choose an award winning steed or challenge both him and Luke to a race across the surrounding area which would require skill, speed and stamina. Knowing that I didn't hold anywhere close to twenty gold pieces within my bag I had no choice but to opt of the cross-country race. Pretty soon I was following the Anzaloney's to the main stable. The stable was situated nearest the entrance. It was made from wood; huge logs had been cut in half and stacked on top of one another, to create the four joining walls. The ceiling was crafted from a single canvas sheet, which had been stretched to keep the place somewhat watertight. Although the somewhat shabby roof didn't need to be sophisticated as not much rain tended to fall this side of the Mercy Valley.

Choosing my horse was easy, at the far end of the stable stood a proud, dark as the night Standardbred stallion. Walking closer to him, he bowed his head slightly allowing me to stroke his muzzle. Standing about 16 hands he was taller than your average Standardbred, which made me all the more confident in his abilities. Taking a saddle, blanket, bridle and reins and got him ready to race. Leading him out of the stable I noticed he walked with purpose and I became all the more pleased with my choice. I spotted Daniel and Luke sat atop a pair of Anglo-Arabian horses. I carried on leading my horse towards them until I was directly beside them. Daniel warned me that no one had ever been able to tame my chosen horse. Trident was his name and he was both the most powerful and troublesome horse he'd ever brought.  Both pair of eyes housed within the Anzaloney's heads went wide when Trident allowed me to clamber effortlessly onto his back and walk him steadily to the place in which the race would start. We stopped on a gentle slope on the lower ground below the waterfall of spirit. Planning a route up the rocky inclines that littered this landscape, lopping around the ranch, trailing along the boundaries of Gothgorra and finally charging to the wooden arch which marked the territory of the ranch.

As the race began I could feel this mighty horse's power beneath me. He truly deserved to be named after a god. As a child my father had taught me to ride, I'd never been outstanding but I could get from a to b without hitting the deck too frequently. But riding Trident was a different story even though my horse riding skills have improved over the years, he seemed to do a lot of the work for me. It was as though he wanted me to succeed. I relaxed the reins a bit but he still kept on course. Calmness fuelled my being as the wind was battering me relentlessly pulling my hair every which way. Before I knew it I was reaching up to grasp Sloth berries from the bushes surrounding the edges of the Gothgorra forest. We began darting towards the wooden arch which marked the finishing line, Trident galloping tirelessly. Arriving there I noticed the absence of Luke and Daniel. This surprised me as while circling the rocky inclines Luke had been ahead of me, and I couldn't think of where I'd pasted him. Climbing off of Trident, I fed him some of the sloth berries, petting him and whispering the same three words over and over "you did it". He bowed his head slightly, allowing me to look him dead in the face without looking up and I truly felt privileged that this magnificent creature had chosen me.