The Early Chronicles Book Five: By Desert Divided

Chapter 1

Swanwhite hit the ground hard and felt the wind knocked out of her.  Struggling to regain her breath, she rolled to her side and pushed herself up to her knees.  Kismir tossed his head and trotted back to her, nuzzling her with his nose.  Sir Ethan trotted towards her on his horse and raised the visor on his knight's helmet.

"Are you all right, your royal highness?"  Ethan said with a smile in his voice.  Swanwhite retrieved her broken lance and raised the visor on her helmet.

"As well as I can be after just being knocked from a horse by a pole."  She panted and rose to her feet.  Jousting was the one area of her combat training she had not been well-versed in.  Captain Rufus and Sir Ethan had suggested she learn.

"You'll become accustomed to it."  Sir Ethan laughed.  Rufus walked over with his increasingly slowing gait.

"Swanwhite!  Remember to raise your lance at the last minute so you catch your opponent off-guard and off-balance.  This is the most successful way to un-horse him."  Rufus grunted in his familiar scolding voice.  Swanwhite nodded and swung herself back up into Kismir's saddle.

"Do you wish to stop for today, my lady?"  Sir Ethan asked.

"No, one more try."  She turned Kismir back towards her end of the temporary lists that had been built for training.  Rufus handed her a new lance and she lowered her visor.  Steadying Kismir, she adjusted her grip on the lance.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rufus raise his arm up, then drop it sharply.  Kismir shot forward and she dropped her lance.  Steadying her hand and balancing the lance underneath her elbow, she took aim slightly lower than where she planned to impact.  Sir Ethan and his mount grew closer, and Swanwhite felt her muscles tense right before she raised her lance at the last second, and felt an enormous weight slam into her, but this time she kept her seat.  She recovered herself as Kismir slowed to a canter, then a trot, then a walk by the end of the lists.  She turned around and to her amazement she saw Sir Ethan hanging from the side of the saddle with his hands clinging to the pommel, attempting to hoist himself back on.  She felt a great sense of satisfaction that she had un-balanced Sir Ethan even if she didn't completely un-horse him.  

"That's more like it!"  Rufus shouted and laughed.  Sir Ethan raised his visor and saluted to her.

"Well done, your majesty."  He called.  Swanwhite beamed and saluted in return.  Holding her own against a seasoned knight like Sir Ethan was no small feat.  

"What say we break for today, gentlemen?"  Swanwhite asked as she handed her lance to Rufus and dismounted.

"I see my agreeing to one more match has cost me some of my honor in defeat."  Sir Ethan joked.  "But yes, I daresay I would like to get out of this sun."

Swanwhite was grateful to change out of her dirty trousers and tunic that she usually wore when training and into a simple grey chemise with a red overdress.  As she rushed downstairs she turned the corner and nearly bumped into General Goran.

"Pardon me, my lady."  Goran's face was strong and firm but a hint of a smile graced his lips before he bent and kissed her hand.  She felt the butterflies swarm in her stomach as they always did when he touched her hand, and her palms began to sweat.  "Have you any urgent business this afternoon?"  He asked her.

"Nothing pressing.  I was going to look over the horses and have Kismir re-shod."  

"Perhaps I will join you."  He said.  "Until then."  He bowed and continued on his way.  Swanwhite felt her face flush with anticipation but she shook her head and told herself not to act silly.  She had seen too many ladies around her completely lose their heads when courting a man.  They seemed to lose interest in anything except planning their engagements and marriage.  She was queen, and there were many things she had to think about.  But despite her best efforts, there were days when she lay in bed thinking about becoming Goran's wife.  Would he ask her soon?  Would he ask her at all?  They loved each other, didn't they?  She told him as much very often and he told her just as often.  Perhaps the timing just wasn't right.  

Swanwhite spoke with Rufus about Narnian patrol before she went down to the stables.  Ever since the incident where Narnia had harbored a Calormen spy for several days, they had been vigilant and careful to watch for any sign of oncoming trouble.

"Perhaps it's time to consider that there is no reason to worry anymore."  Rufus said calmly.

"No.  There was harm done and I am sure of it."  Swanwhite turned and crossed her arms in thought.  "As much as I wish it weren't so, I feel that something is coming."  The statement was true, there were many nights that she dreamed about a large red cloud engulfing the sky and consuming the land in an eery red glow.  Perhaps it was her great fear of the South that had arisen from so many threats, but she felt certain there was good reason to be nervous.

"Very well, but we must stop defending at some point and be proactive."

"I have considered that."

"What do you propose, your majesty?"

Swanwhite paced back and forth as she spoke.  "I suppose a trip to Calormen is inevitable.  Give me a few days to think about it."

"As you wish."

"I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."  Swanwhite called to the stable hand when she arrived.  She retrieved Kismir from his stall and held him steady while the shoer bent over and lifted his front hoof up and rested it on his knee.  Then he began picking the mud out of the hoof and then pried off the old shoe.  Very few horses tolerated this work, so Swanwhite stroked Kismir gently to keep him calm.  

"Afternoon, Horace."  Goran called when he entered.  The old shoer waved to him and continued hammering at the new shoe for Kismir.  Swanwhite turned and smiled at Goran but then turned her attention back to Kismir.  Goran snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her temple gently.

"Goran!  Not in front of other people."  She whispered sharply.  Goran released his grip and held his hands up in defense, but there was amusement in his eyes.

"It's just Horace!"  He said in that fake arguing tone.  "He doesn't mind, do you Horace?"  

Horace didn't even glance their way but waved a hand over his shoulder. 

"There, you see?"  Goran said with that sideways smile that made Swanwhite's butterflies return.  Not wanting to show her amusement, she rolled her eyes and placed her hand back on Kismir's neck before Horace picked up his hoof once more.

"I have had a letter recently from Laurel."  Swanwhite said pleasantly to change the subject.  "She and Thasian fare wonderfully, and Laurel has told me she is expecting a child in four months!"

"I'm very pleased to hear it."  Goran said with a warm smile.  "They will be wonderful parents."

Swanwhite nodded and then pulled on Kismir's bridle when the horse tried to go forward. 

"Swanwhite, I have heard we will have a visitor this night."  Goran said quietly.  His serious tone piqued Swanwhite's curiosity.

"Indeed?"

"Yes.  King Rynard."

Swanwhite looked at him in surprise.  "The king of Archenland?  How do you know this?"

"A messenger delivered the news just this morning."

"What does he want?"

"I'm not entirely certain, but it must be more than just a diplomatic visit."  Goran's forehead wrinkled and his face clouded slightly.  Swanwhite looked down.  Deep down she wondered if this had something to do with the trouble brewing in the south that she felt would soon reach them.  "Don't worry about it yet."  Goran said and squeezed her shoulder.  She reached up and placed her free hand over his gratefully.  She knew that would be difficult.