More Secrets and the Horse Race - Book 8 - The Frencolian Chronicles

Chapter 1

...continuing from Secrets, Book 7 of The Frencolian Chronicles...

Darkness fell like a guillotine as dark clouds billowed over the face of the full moon. Wolf howls caused Jobyna's horse to shy in terror.

Jobyna grabbed at Lightning's mane, gripping hands full as she was flung up and backwards. As Lightning's feet landed back on the path, she dug the heels of her boots into his sides, urging him into a gallop.

After such a rush of adrenaline, Jobyna felt relieved to see Tod, alone, ahead of her, waiting in the trees behind the sign, mounted on a horse that appeared to be a smaller, finer built version of Lightning. Its silver-white coat glowed in the light of the now clear moon.

    Scanning her eyes back along the road upon which she'd ridden, Jobyna did the same to the road ahead, then the one turning off with the sign 'Samdene' engraved into it. There was no sign or sound of other people either in the clearing at this Y-junction, or in the trees surrounding it. Tod had spoken truly; he was alone.

    "Ignore any signs you see, Princess. We'll ride on paths taking us north-east-north," Tod called as she drew in front of the sign. "For the next ten forks, choose the middle path if the fork has three. After that, do the same, only, if there are only two paths at the fork, take the right one." He turned his horse.

    Frowning at his diverse directives, doubts about this venture flooded Jobyna's mind —it seemed complicated and needed simplifying. Shaking her head, she sought to concentrate on what he had said, but could not, so she shouted, "Say it again?"

He repeated his long directive...

Simplifying it, she called, "Middle path —or right." She urged Lightning to follow him.

    "Right!" he shouted over his shoulder.

The path seemed to fly under Lightning's feet, yet Tod kept his horse far ahead. Exhilaration from such a fast pace lifted her spirits as she felt Lightning's strength and speed.

    Thoughts of her parents —alive! — caused her to laugh aloud... Father, dear Papa, so wise... and Mama, oh how I need her in my life!

Thoughts of marriage and those new 'suitors' entering a horse race dampened her spirits as much as they had been enflamed; such was the mixture of narcotics still in her bloodstream but now past their zenith.

    "I need you, Mama," she whispered.

    They're alive! I long to see them, but I don't want to ride too far and I don't want to lose Lightning. I'll have to think and plan while I ride. If I dismount and abandon him, will he go to Chanoine, or to Kings Castle? I must send him back before we stop at any changing post...

    Tod turned his horse around, calling, "Follow me if you still want to come, Princess! It's your choice —I'm going anyway!" Using his whip, he yelled for his horse to gallop.

    Glistening in the moonlight, the white horse grew smaller and Jobyna flicked the reins, calling, "Go Boy!" Lightning moved into a canter then to a gallop. Stifling a giggle, she mused that this was a good rehearsal for the horse race. And another giggle as she thought of marriage. Marriage will slow me down. Especially if I have children.

    Her spirits were high as she thrilled with thoughts of her parents; Alive! I'd go to the end of the earth to see them again! This path is great, it's wide and well-formed and there are no travelers so far...

    As much as her spirit had grieved in the past, Jobyna's spirit now soared as she envisioned seeing her mother and father again. It was like a vision to her mind.