Falling Shadows (The Ellocea chronicles) [#Wattys2016]

Twelve

 Her feet had barely left the box when the horse's front legs lifted off the ground, displacing its rider with a harsh grunt. It let out a great whinnying sound and took off in a sprint. Time seemed to slow as it crashed through the startled people and galloped straight past her outstretched hand, strands of its mane touching her fingertips.

She didn't think abut what she was doing, she simply acted on instinct. Grabbing a rope tethered to a nearby post, she waved off a few shouts of protests, leapt onto the back of one of the village mares and sprinted after the startled horse. Adrenalin was shooting around her body like liquid fire rushing through her veins, she'd never felt as alive as she did then with the wind tugging at her hair, her cloak trailing behind her, billowing in the wind, gripping onto the horse's ebony mane to stop her from slipping off its bare back. She barely noticed the beautiful scenery shooting past her as she zoned in on the frenzied horse that was tearing through the countryside about ten yards in front of her. The black mare she was riding was starting to tire but she made it give one last push and managed to come parallel with the rogue horse. Leaning over whilst trying to stay in tune with the rhythm of the mare she was riding, she picked her moment and leapt.

Straddling the startled pony who almost reared again at the unexpected weight of her, she stroked its neck and managed to soothe it into a trot and then a walk. Its heavy breathing coming out of its flared nostrils in great white puffs. She murmured calming words into its ears as she leaned forward and drew gentle circles with her finger into its strong shoulders.

"Shhh, there we go. Come on, lets calm down now," she scratched the patch behind its ear that Liyla always loved to have scratched and was pleased to see it had the same effect on this horse.

The black mare was standing grazing to the side acting as if it hadn't just been involved in a high speed chase. She could still feel her heart thumping in her chest but lying on the horses back she closed her eyes and let its heaving breaths calm her heartbeat. She felt the sun warm her shoulders where her cloak was lying askew and hummed along to the birds that were singing in the trees above her.

When her breathing had returned to a normal pace she decided it was time to return the horses to the village, turning to coax the mare from her new found feeding spot she saw its ears prick upwards as she noticed a shadow at the corner of her vision. Her head snapped round to see what it was, afraid she'd been caught by her father, squinting her eyes into the blinding sunlight.

"May I have my horse back please, miss," a deep smooth voice came from the looming silhouette, it sounded as if the voice was smiling struggling to contain a laugh. Relief flooded through her as she noticed the voice was too well clipped to be Papa's but it was soon replaced with a nervous apprehension as she suddenly realised she was in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger.

She moved the horse under her so she could see who the silhouette belonged to. At first the caught sight of the hazel coloured hair, then the rich midnight blue jacket closed with shining golden buttons that glinted in the sun. She could tell by the clothes that the man wore, which were decorated with thick swirling patterns, that he must be important but it was only when she noticed the royal seal on his saddle that she realised just how important.

"My Lord, I'm so sorry, I was just trying to stop it from hurting itself. I know how dangerous startled horses can be and..." She trailed off as her cheeks filled with rose embarrassment. She looked up into his beautiful eyes and her breath caught in her throat, his smile almost too bright to look at.

"No need to apologise, I should be thanking you for saving him, Stod's always seeming to get himself into some kind of trouble!" She said the name a few times in her head but not once did it stop sounding strange. She was going to ask him where it came from but just as she opened her mouth to speak he beat her to it.

"May I have someone lead you back to the village, I would do so myself but they'll probably be coming for me soon," He seemed hesitant as the words left his mouth as if he didn't really want to say them. The butterflies had returned to her stomach and flipped at the warmth in his voice. She dismounted from the horse and led it over to him, handing him the rough piece of rope, a shock passed through her arm as they're hands touched for the slightest moment.

She looked up into his swirling golden eyes and paused, a sad smile on her lips as it dawned on her that they'd probably never meet again. His face reflected hers and a warm feeling spread into her stomach as she saw he was as effected by this thought as she was.

"There's no need for me to go back but if the horse could be returned then I shall be very grateful." A crease formed in his forehead showing his confusion and she couldn't help but laugh at his expression. When she regained control of her giggling she looked up to see him smiling at her. A warm feeling spread through her as his eyes seemed to gleam in the sunlight. "I don't live in the village, but just over that hill there" pointing to the hill that covered their cottage from view.

She saw his mouth form a question but just as he was about to speak, a shout came from behind him, someone calling his name, "I should let you go, you have festivities to return to and I would hate it if I were to blame for keeping the Prince from his people." She gave him a bashful smile and as he turned to look at the approaching men, she took to the hidden path in the nearby woodland and started the walk home a sinking feeling in her stomach.