The Backstories

Emberstone

I was thrilled to be in the summer program in the horse country of Jorvik. My first day was pretty great. I got to do many different things in the morning after I met Justin. He would be letting me pick out the horse I would be riding for the summer. I was helping a stable girl groom some of the summer ponies out in the paddock. One bigger and darker colored horse in the back caught my eyes. He was surrounded by little kids reaching over the fence trying to touch him. They were pulling on his mane and making a lot of noise. He seemed a little annoyed but calm about the situation. While I was lost in my daydream, Justin had come up behind me and smiled.
"Ready to pick out your horse? I have a few that you might like."
I followed him wondering if the black and brown colored horse was an option. I looked around and noticed another girl stroking a pinto that seemed to be Ruby. There were a lot of people standing next to me trying to pick out horses. I didnt see the horse I wanted though.
"What about that black horse in the paddock?" I turned to Justin.
"You must be referring to Emberstone. He had a lot of rejections when people wanted to consider him. I didn't want to keep letting him get rejected. He does good with little kids though so we use him for the younger ones in lessons and such."
I nodded and spoke up again.
"Can I try him?"
Justin seemed surprised and I followed him to where the horse, who was called Emberstone was.
There was a little girl there who seemed to act like she knew everything.
"And this is my horse Emberstone. He loves me very much." She forcibly pulled his head down toward her as she talked to some tourists. He was obviously uncomfortable and I pulled the reins from her hands and glared at her.
"Actually Emberstone is my horse." I looked at Ember as I called him mine and I coukd see a glimmer of hope in his eyes as I stroked his face. I looked at the little girl as she whirled around at Justin.
"That horse isn't hers! What are you talking about!? He's a barn horse!" The tourists looked very confused and looked at her.
"I thought you said he was yours?" One of them asked her and her face burned red and she stomped away as I pat Ember and looked at Justin.
"He's yours. Don't worry about her." In that moment, I looked at my summer horse and smiled. Before I knew what I was saying I smiled.
"Can I buy him?" Justin looked at me with wide eyes.
"If you want. I mean you haven't even tried him yet."
"I want him. I'll take good care of him. And he needs someone who will love him."
"Uhmm, okay. He's 500 shillings." I went through my wallet and payed in full for my new friend. And that's how I got my horse Ember.