Legend of Labri.

Chapter One.

"I will not marry him Father!" I shouted.

"Nemeria! I am your Father not your friend I know what's best for you and what's best for the village!" My father raised his hand, not allowing me to speak further.

I was abousulety furious with my Father. He is the chief of our village Labri. He has arranged a marriage between me and the chiefs son of the village Kotra. To somewhat bring the two villages together. I did not want to marry a man I did not even know.

I dismissed myself from the dinner table. I headed to our stables, because I knew I would find him there. Yasitu. My best friend. He is our stable boy, he works with our horses. My father took him in when his father died, giving him a decent paying job. 20 Gold coins a day was enough to look after himself and his mother. Yasitu was like a son to father. He even joined us for dinner some nights.

Yasitu had the most unusual look for men in our village. His skin was white and pale, as if the sun had never touched his skin. The other men, like my father had dark, tanned skin from working outside all day. Yasitu has the most beautiful blue eyes, that complement his dark brown hair.

I found him tending to my horse, Petaine, hooves. His hands carefully held the hoove, removing the gravel and dirt stuck under Petaine's hoof. I watched him until he finished. He stood up, stretching his arms above his head. When he saw me his face lit up.

"Nemeria! " he jogged over to where I sat. "I thought you would be out with your mother picking strawberries for the harvest festival?"

Harvest festival. I had totally forgot about that. I was supposed to be out in the fields picking fruit and plants for the harvest feast, with all the other woman and young girls.

"I wanted to take Petaine to the stream south of Labri. Get some fresh air." I said. I grabbed some fresh hay from the stall. I walked over to Petaine. He ate the hay out of my hands.

"You don't have to lie to me Nemeria." He said, laying a hand on my shoulder. " I can tell when your lying. Just tell me the truth."

"How can you tell?" I asked, now turning to face him.

"You rub your hands together ferociously and you don't make eye contact." he said in a almost laughing tone of voice.

"Yasitu, my Father has arranged me to marry Turak from Kotra, to unite the villages." I said in a light whisper. He sucked in a breath. I looked at him waiting for a response. At first he tensed at my words. His eyes trained on the ground. His face changed almost instantly.

"Well, Congratulations." he said pulling me into an awkward hug. His arms, strong and muscled wrapped around my back was more than comforting. But the way that he strained his voice in his answer I could tell he was unhappy of my marrying a man from another village that i did not know. I some how felt that was not the only reason he was unhappy.

Yasitu helped me saddle up Petaine. He kept silent, scrunching his nose in thought every now and then. I wanted to ask him what he was so deep in thought of, but breaking the silent between us was more than hard.

I hitched up my skirt, and heaved myself up onto Petaine's back. His soft brown fur lightly dotted with white. I stroked his neck. Yasitu lead me out of the stable into the green paddock across from the forest clearing.

"Ride safe." he said, leaving me be. I watched him walk away back into the stable. I understood that the news I had shared startled him. I had always imagined myself marrying Yasitu. Never a man I didn't not know and did not love. Mother had said she was arranged to marry Father by her father and that she learned to love him. Even if she didn't love him at first.

I jerk on the reigns, making Petaine dart off into between the trees. I could feel the power of Petaine's legs beneath me. His stride was perfect. Horses had always fascinated me. Their speed, agility, power. My Father had bought Petaine as a young foal, i was young too. It was if we had grown up together. I trained him, I was the first to back him. When Yasitu became our stable boy, Petaine did not allow him to ride. He would buck and refuse to move. I had to gradually get Petaine to like Yasitu, eventually Petaine liked Yasitu more than me. Yasitu is four years older than me. Back then it really made it difficult for me too talk to him. As I got older it got easier.

I slowed Petaine down, in order to jump a fallen log. Yasitu helped me train him to jump. He was a natural at it. Petaine made the jump perfectly.

Not so long later I was sitting beside the stream, watching Petaine drink from it. I lay down on the soft green grass that had grown over the forest bed during spring. Purple and white flower sat in small groups. I wish Yasitu was here with me. So i could share this beautiful moment with him.

A twig snapped, and I sat upright to scout the area. A few feet away stood a man. He had dark blond hair, and blue eyes. Not of the same colour Yasitu ' s eyes were made of. But a softer blue. In his hands he held a delicate red rose.

"Who are you?" I questioned, standing up, brushing the dirt off my skirt .

"I am Turak." he said, his voice so soft yet powering.

"What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

"I went to visit you, but your Father told me you had left, I saw you leave on horseback, so i followed you here." he said.

Why me? Why was it him I had to marry, he was easy on the eye , and he seemed very nice but I see no way of me ever loving him.

"Okay." was all I managed to say.

"I uh... brought you a rose. Your mother told me you like them so I uh..."

"Thank you." I said taking the rose out his hand. Our fingers merely brushed. He sucked in breath. I felt nothing, maybe he did but I did not.

"I have to go now." I said walking towards where Petaine stood grazing.

"Atleast let me take you home." he offered

"Fine." If I was going to marry him I would have to be nice to him. He helped me up onto Petaine's back, even though I needed no help. He swung himself behind me grabbing the reigns, his arms around my sides. We rode back to Labri in silence. This was going to be really hard pretending that i like him, when my heart clearly belongs to someone else.

*****
Okay this is my first book (well one that's actually working) and please just keep reading. It's not amazing but if you have ideas or ways I can improve my write PLEASE DO TELL ME! I really want people to get involved and help. I am still in school and English writing and literature is not my best friend. so I will try my best to make this good. Please comment even if you just say good or bad, because then I can fix my writing, I am not American so the spelling of my words will be derived from UK English. I do edit my chapters but if there's a spelling mistake please tell me.
I would love to read your stories but please send me msgs and we can even chat a little. :)
Please vote. I won't update according to votes but if you don't vote, I don't think people are enjoying my book and then it makes me feel bad. so Please VOTE. you will make my day.
Lots of jellybeans and skittles
jolene. ♡