Battle Horse

Chapter Thirty Three

Muttering awoke Ena the next morning. Tossing in her little nest of hay, she sat up, glancing down at where half the village was congregated around Dancer's stall. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stood, lightly climbing down the ladder to meet them.

"Morning, Milady." A young man around nineteen called her way. Jeanette's dress she was borrowing was wrinkled and hay stuck to her damp hair.

"I'm not a lady, but morning to you as well." She said. His face blushed and he turned back to Dancer. Ena climbed over the stall and began to tend to her horse. The man hung his arms over the fence and watched as she grabbed the pitch fork.

"So you arrived at Jeanette's last night, right?" Ena nodded.

"Yes, my friend and I. She was injured, so she's still in the house." Ena explained. He gave her a small smile.

"My name is Corbin. By the way." He said.

"Ena." They shook hands and she smiled at him. She glanced over at the others who were watching from a distance, looking scared of the new arrival.

"We don't get visitors much. Sorry they're a bit wary." She shrugged.

"I understand." She said quietly. She quickly finished up, and opened the gate. "Well, nice meeting you, Corbin. I need to go check on Evanlyn now." He gave her a winning smile and bowed his head in her direction. She blushed and hurried towards the house.

Ena entered the house quickly and shut the door. Jeanette gave her a grin as she entered.

"Met Corbin, did you?" She asked, seeing Ena's flushed face.

"Yes, and?" She retorted. Jeanette gave her a quick knowing smile before leading her over to where Evanlyn lay by the fire. The wounded girl gave her a small smile when she saw Ena.

"Morning, En." Evanlyn croaked. Ena knelt besides her friend and played with her wild red curls that Mama had washed the night before.

"Morning. Feeling any better?" She asked quietly. Evanlyn nodded slightly.

"I fed her broth right before you came, so she feels better." Jeanette told Ena.

"Thank you for everything. We'll never be able to repay you." Ena said gratefully. Jeanette shook her head.

"No need. Stay as long as you need. Where will you head after Evanlyn is healed?" Ena shrugged.

"I dunno. I can't go back to Redmont, but Evanlyn should go back. She will have to continue on without me."

"No." Evanlyn said stiffly. "I will not leave you Ena. We'll stay here if we must. We can settle in the village." Ena bit her lip at the thought.

"But Araluen is your home." Ena said, biting back tears.

"It's yours as well. If you cannot return, then how can I?" Evanlyn reasoned. "We can make a life here, En. You can get married and I can look after your children." Evanlyn smiled warmly at the thought. She hesitantly reached up and traced the bandages covering half of her face. Ena took Evanlyn's hand, gently pulling it away from her face.

"If that's your wish, Evanlyn."

***

Jeanette set out immediately to tell the whole village of the new comers who would be staying. Travis took Ena by the hand and pulled her around the hamlet, showing her off to all of his friends like she was some show pony. Dancer on the other hand was being treated like a literal show pony. Every time Ena tried to spend time with him, there was a new batch of villagers waiting to catch a glimpse of her horse. Once most villagers were gone, the light was dwindling as well. Ena began to create her nest in the hay once more and lay out her bed for the night. She paused, hearing the quiet patter of someone climbing the ladder to the hay loft. A head full of brown messy hair appeared followed by that ever so winning smile. Corbin climbed into the loft and settled down into the hay next to her.

"Good evening, Milady." She rolled her eyes at his introduction and continued to adjust the hay until it was just right to preserve her heat that night. "A little bird named Travis screamed at me earlier that you and your friend would be staying indefinitely?" Ena nodded, settling into her bed.

"Evanlyn wishes to stay here." She replied simply.

"Well I'm glad. I hope we can be friends, Milady." He said.

"Corbin, no need to call me that. I was simply a stable girl before I came here." Ena said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Can't a man call a girl by what she truly is? A lady?" Corbin said innocently. Ena fluttered her eyes sarcastically.

"Try all you want, but your charm will not work on me." She retorted. His face fell slightly.

"Huh, that tends to work on most girls." Ena gave him a smirk.

"I'm not most girls. Now leave before I push you into the battle horse's paddock."

***

The next morning Jeanette found Evanlyn and Ena a house for them to live in. Several months before a family had moved to the Celtica castle in hopes of better employment, they had left their house with the elder of the village, requesting he looked after it. After Jeanette had spoken to the elder, he allowed Evanlyn and Ena to move in free of charge. They were moved in by the afternoon. Corbin helped by carrying Evanlyn to the new house and starting a fire for the two girls, after which he proceeded to bring Dancer and his tack to their new lean to they would keep him in. Once Corbin saw they were all good, he left them to get comfortable.

As Ena made the two of them dinner, Evanlyn watched in amusement.

"What?" Ena asked hotly, noticing Evanlyn staring for five minutes.

"You like Corbin, don't you?" She smirked. Ena shook her head, pursing her lips together.

"No." Evanlyn glanced at her, waiting for an explanation. "He is rather good looking, but something happened back home before I left. I'm still not quite sure what to make of it." Evanlyn shifted, patting the seat next to her.

"Tell me." Ena sank into the seat next to her friend and let out a pent up breath.

"After Duncan had banished me, my friends and ward mates came to say farewell to me in my cell. After everyone had left, only George remained."

"George? The scribe student who accompanied you to Castle Araluen several months ago?" Ena nodded.

"Yes, that George. Well he seemed fidgety, and before I knew what was going on, he was kissing me." Evanlyn smiled widely before wincing, than relaxing again to relieve her raw face.

"Was he a good kisser?" Ena glared at her.

"Yes, but that's beside the point!" Ena scoffed. "The point is, is that since he kissed me, all these feelings towards him won't go away. I can't think of anyone else because I'm still mourning over the fact that'll I'll never see him again." Evanlyn stared at Ena for the longest time, not saying a word.

"But you still love him." Evanlyn clarified. Ena nodded stiffly.

"The thing is, I think I loved him long before, but I didn't realize till he kissed me. Now I just wish we had the time to be together, not as ward mates or friends, but really together." Ena let out a defeated sigh. "So yes, Corbin is nice and cute. But I can't go down that path. Not when I just so recently discovered my feelings for George." Evanlyn nodded her understanding.

"Take some time. Who knows, you may come around to him someday. For now, take a break. We need to get settled first."

***

So I have finally gotten over a writer's block! Any who, please comment and vote if you like this chapter! Love you all!

~Avis