Jeremy Laszlo - The Choosing

Reaching down to the belt that held her small quiver, Sara released the small pouch of coins that had been given into her charge. Rummaging her fingers through the coins she brought forth a single gold coin, the exact amount due to the barkeep. Pressing it firmly into her palm she placed her hand on the bar, keeping the coin shielded from view.

“Thank you Whalen for your hospitality, you have a lovely inn.” Sara said to the grinning inn keeper, a smile on her face.

With her words she released the coin onto the bar and slid it across the polished surface with her fingertips towards the man. If Whalen had been surprised that such a young woman possessed such a coin, his expression had not betrayed it. His grin still on his face, he snatched the coin from the bar’s surface and deposited it into a pouch on his belt without even a second glance at it.

“Thank you M’lady.” Whalen said in response to her prompt payment.

As Whalen spoke a young boy walked around to join him behind the bar. The group realized it was the same boy that had poked his head through the door earlier and had stared at them briefly. The boy waited patiently to see if the conversation had ended before speaking to the inn’s owner.

“They’re all set grandpa.” The boy said in his young, high pitched voice to Whalen.

“Thank you Sedrik.” Whalen replied to the small boy. “Now run along and see if your mother or grandmother needs any help in the kitchen.”

The boy did not hesitate nor complain as many other children might have. Instead he rushed quickly through the door to the room beyond, eager to help.

“Well folks, your horses are loaded with your supplies, your breakfast is finished, and your tab is paid.” Whalen stated the facts as if checking off a list mentally as he did so. “So if there is nothing else I can get you…” He paused briefly waiting to see if they would voice any new needs, and seeing they had no intentions to speak he continued. “Well then, I shall bid you farewell and good luck on the remainder of your journey.”

The group told Whalen good bye each in their own way, and thanked him appreciatively for his services. Before letting them leave Whalen told them there were several stables, once within Valdadore, they could return the horses to. He also gave them a small piece of folded paper sealed in wax to give, with the horses, to the stable master at which ever stable they returned the horses to. Their instructions completed, the group picked up their belongings from beside their stools, and slung their packs across their shoulders. Sara too slung her crossbow over one arm, and adjusted it for a comfortable fit. They turned together and walked out of the inn, feeling ready as they ever would for what awaited them next.

Outside the inn were four, very large white horses. The same breed of horse, both Ashton and Garret noted, they had seen knights ride before. The horses were tied to an iron bar that ran for some length across the front of the inn, secured into the bricks of the inn itself. Aston regarded the horses impatiently. He was ready to get back on the road. He had ridden several horses in his life. His family owned a pair back home, though those horses had been much smaller than these. Garret and Seth had each ridden a few times as well, though the horses they had rode had been labor animals belonging to the farms in Vineleaf. The twins were a bit nervous, but each assumed one horse was much the same as any other and so they approached the horses with nothing more than a slight pause. Sara on the other hand was terrified. She had never so much as touched a horse let alone rode one. She had seen horses of course, and thought them beautiful creatures, but had never actually approached one before. These too it seemed were no ordinary horses. They were monstrous. She had never seen an animal so large before, and the thought of trying to ride one frightened her to the core.

Seth approached the horse he had decided he would ride and realized suddenly that Sara no longer was at his side. He turned on his heels, looking back to see why she had stopped, and froze. She stood only a few paces away from him, her face twisted in horror regarding the massive beasts before them. He had not even taken into account the fact that she had possibly never ridden a horse in her life. Why would she have ever ridden a horse? She had lived in a town, unable to leave, living in fear, imprisoned by a man who intended to sell her body for profit. Seth walked back to Sara’s side, thinking of the Brothel owner John, angered him still, but what angered Seth the most was the fact he had not anticipated Sara’s reaction to the horses. He wrapped his arms around her, standing between her and the horses, and hugged her close to his chest.

“Everything is going to be ok Sara.” Seth reassured her. “They are gentle animals, trained well to carry us safely. Riding is easy enough, and I am certain you are more than capable.” Seth spoke the words as reassuringly as he was able.

Sara only nodded in reply and hugged him tightly before letting him go. If Seth believed in her ability to ride one of these beasts, then that was enough for her. She would not let him down. They walked together, hand in hand, back to the horses. Garret and Ashton had already mounted the horses they had chosen and watched Seth bring Sara to the nearest horse without a rider. Seth instructed her to place her foot in one of the stirrups, and helped to lift her into the saddle. Once seated comfortable Seth instructed her to hold on to the beast with her legs, and use her hands to control the animal with the reigns. He showed her how to control the animal’s movement as well as its speed using the reigns. Sara quickly committed everything Seth told her to memory, not wanting to disappoint him by being a poor student. Seth then released the animal, and Sara was able to easily guide it around the narrow street without much trouble. Satisfied, Seth then mounted the remaining horse, and nodded to his twin, acknowledging that they were ready to leave.

They rode slowly through the city, careful not to trample anyone walking in the streets. The streets were bustling with activity, but even so the horses were able to maneuver easily through the crowds. Garret led them in single file through the streets, heading a circuitous path to the south wall of the city and through the gate onto the open road. By the time they emerged from the city wall, Sara had become comfortable enough upon her mount where she no longer squeezed it so tightly with her legs that her knees would tremble from the effort. She realized then that her fear had been unfounded, a fear that was only due to ignorance, and she felt ashamed that she had reacted so badly before.

Clear of the narrow city streets the four rode abreast, taking the entire width of the road. Ashton rode to one extreme side, and then Garret. Sara rode between the twins, in case one of them should need to come to her rescue. They rode slowly at first, gradually picking up the pace as they each began to feel more comfortable atop the large animals. Before long they were galloping down the road at a break neck speed, smiles upon all their faces, wind roaring past their ears, enjoying the freedom of speed.

They rode hard and fast the entire day stopping only once to eat, and allow the horses to rest and drink from the river that had snaked back to parallel the road closely. Their stop did not last long though, each of them wanting to feel the wind on their faces again, they hurriedly ate, and remounted the horses kicking their flanks once again, driving the beasts to resume their amazing pace. They passed several people on the road that day, waving in greeting as they thundered by. They did not stop to speak to anyone, did not even slow for that matter, yet the horses were able to maintain the pace through the entire day without as much as a sign of tiring.