A Chosen Love - Book 1 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter One

The runaway girl halted her horse on the rocky verge at the summit of the steep hill. Her heart raced with apprehension as she viewed the lonely path ahead, winding uninvitingly down into dense woods. Turning the horse, the beautiful fifteen-year-old gazed with misgiving back along the miles to the distant castle from where she had fled.

A deep sigh of guilty relief escaped from her rose-pink lips as she saw not a soul in sight, no one in pursuit. Am I glad? —she wondered. Do I want to ride on? It looks so lonely ahead. Danger could lurk in the shadows of the trees. But, I've done it! I've escaped my dread foe, if I can call my brother a foe.

But no, Elissa mused, I haven't escaped him. This is just a reprieve. 

Shivering in the late winter sun, she tugged her horse around, hoping to gain her destination before dark. The air she inhaled was chill, matching the numbness she felt within. Patches of melting snow lay in bleak, barren fields and along the deserted roadsides.

Women did not ride alone in Frencolia and Elissa fervently hoped she wouldn't encounter undesirable characters. Having achieved an undetected departure from her castle home was an incredible triumph!

She had not expected to get this far.

At home safe in the castle, the perilous journey from Leroy to Samdene had not seemed formidable at all but now Elissa realized the danger of her reckless actions. Sensing her fears, Red Boy trembled beneath her. Gazing once more toward Leroy, the runaway almost hoped her brother was in view —or someone who would command her safely home. But the road was clear.

Elissa's brother, Dorai, had ridden north with a company of his soldiers for a rendezvous at the border castle and he was not expected home until the morrow.

That dreaded day loomed all too fast. Tomorrow must be delayed —at least her part in it. The runaway knew she could not ultimately escape her brother's plans, but she could at least spend tomorrow in sympathetic company. At this thought, Elissa reined Red Boy around and urged him to canter towards the dense woods. Both needed warming and she flicked the reins, pressing her boots into the horse's sides, encouraging him to gallop, faster and faster. Trees flew by.

They exited into milky sunshine and she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Majestic Frencolian Mountains still paraded heavy white winter coats and Elissa did not wonder that Red Boy balked at the sight of the turbulent stream ahead.

She had ridden this way last summer when the stream was no more than ankle deep but now the agitated snow-fed waters swirled and foamed, warning with a fierce roar. The girl imagined, in some places, the water would reach Red Boy's girth.

Drawing a deep breath as if preparing to dive beneath glacial waters, she spurred her horse forward. Red Boy shied, almost throwing Elissa off backwards but she clung tenaciously to his back by grabbing at his mane.

"Come on Boy, we're almost halfway to Aunt Jane's," she urged —then, fiercely —"I'm not turning back now. Yah! Move!" The determination thrown from his mistress' mouth forced Red Boy to obey and he reluctantly stepped forward. Hastened by the feel of icy water, the horse quickly made the crossing.

"There you are. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Elissa soothed, leaning forward to administer reassuring pats to his sleek neck. "Now the worst is past. Just the cross-roads ahead and we'll be more than half-way to Samdene." Sighing, she flicked the thick black hood of her cloak back on her shoulders revealing her mass of long coppery curls. Hot now from the intensity of the ride, Elissa wished she could remove the concealing, masculine cloak but she fought the temptation.