Falling Shadows (The Ellocea chronicles) [#Wattys2016]

Nine

"My Lord the horses are ready for you," Ziri, his dark-haired squire said as he poked his head around the heavy, mahogany door with an excited grin. He smiled warmly in reply and followed the boy as he bounded down the hallways, keeping up an enthusiastic conversation all the way to the sunlit courtyard. A cheer erupted as he descended the steps into the higher terrace of the courtyard, he walked through the upper level of the shadowed cloisters, shaking hands and exchanging greetings with all the families friends and the respected Vallele's, as he did. Zahni glanced down to his side and saw Ziri smiling up at him with a look of pure admiration that squeezed his heart. The whole of the Vallele court had assembled in the cloisters of both levels of the courtyard. He saw his siblings sitting in the central north balcony that loomed over the archway marking the entrance to the inner Palace at the opposite side of the square structure. Taavi was struggling to calm a bouncing Halina, as she jumped up and down, squealing excitedly on one of the chairs that had been set out for them to spectate his departure. He steadily made his way down the Southern steps, unable to hear the clicking of his boots against the white marble above the cheering and whistling. He realised with a wry smile that his ears would be ringing by the time he returned to the Palace in the twilight hours.

The Ceremonial carriage had been led into the Great Square and he saw his parents' proud faces peeping out from behind the crimson curtains. The great laurel tree stood in the centre of the cobbled square casting a dappled light over the white and grey stones that were decorated with murals of the history of the Valley. His stallion stood just in front of the carriage held by one of the Palace boys, waiting for him to mount it so he would begin his day long ride. The lengthy walk to the centre of the square felt as if it passed in the blink of an eye and before he knew it he could feel the warm breath of the ivory beast that proudly stood adorned in his traditional Vallele tack, used only for the most important occasions. He stepped up into the strong leather saddle in one swift motion and readied the horse to walk on. Ziri, lacking the well practised grace of Zahni, wriggled his way onto the back of Stod, who stood fidgeting just like his rider had been only seconds before. Zahni gave Ziri a look to ask him if he was comfortable, as he knew that Stod could get a little jittery when he was overexcited, but Ziri showed no signs of discomfort. Satisfied, Zahni turned and nodded to Kahlil, the head of security. A signal was passed up the snaking trail of people, horses, floats and carriages that twisted their way through the gardens past the outer gates and to the fire towers, to leading riders, showing that the Prince had mounted his horse and it was safe to proceed. Zahni only had to wait for a couple of seconds before they were being led out of the glistening square into the emerald green of the gardens.

The sheer magnitude of people living in the Valley never ceased to amaze Zahni, he'd been riding for a good while as the sun now lay above the second turret of the Palace but not once had he seen a gap in the flood of people that lined each of the streets he rode down. His cheeks were beginning to ache from the wide grin he'd had to keep plastered on his face but even he was surprised when he couldn't stop and he realised he was actually enjoying himself.