Knight Devoted by R. K. Thorne

Author:R. K. Thorne [Thorne, R. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Iron Antler Books
Published: 2024-03-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Red Fields

Although they could hear shouting in the distance as they rode, no new barks or growls reached them. If there were more dogs, they were remarkably quiet. Iseris could only hope that there weren’t any more, but dogs she could handle, the same way she’d talked the others down. Reasoned with them.

Men, however? Alekur? Reason would have no chance with them.

At every distant shout that reached her ears, her heart jumped in her chest, and she wanted to urge the mare on faster. But with two of them… Even if Jav hadn’t told her it would be hard, she could feel the mare’s growing weariness. The slow pace was all they could manage right now.

She did her best to shower the girl in gratitude and encouragement, in spite of the nagging fear in the back of her mind. Thank you, thank you, pretty horse, she’d chant.

Eventually, the mare huffed in response. I do have a name, you know.

She blinked. She… hadn’t known. Red Squirrel and Owl had never had names, other than what she’d given them.

Squirrels and owls. The creatures you compare me to. You’re lucky you’re so grateful.

What’s your name, sweet horse?

The one before called me Mist. Another called me Cloud. There were others. I have not one name.

Which did you like the best?

Which rider? I think I liked the one that called me Pearl the best. He was kind. His beard tickled.

Then I will call you Pearl too. You’ll have to forgive my lack of beard.

That may be difficult, but I suppose I’ll try.

Smiling, she glanced at Jav over her shoulder. His eyes were on the distance, watching the shadows of the forest. “She says her name is Pearl.”

He raised an eyebrow. “She… told you that?”

“Yes.”

“Nice name, Pearl.” He patted her flank gently, and they rode on.

The low rolling hills of the forest grew more dramatic and steeper as they went, and the forest grew wilder. The path narrowed to little wider than Pearl, brushing them all with branches as the pines began to mingle with maples and oaks, some of them younger saplings with lower limbs.

Iseris barely dodged one such branch. Her sudden movement caused Jav to jerk slightly; he blinked like his tired eyes had been closed in sleep a moment ago.

“Sorry,” she murmured.

He just frowned at her. “For what?”

“Never mind. Why is the road so narrow here?”

“Because this isn’t a road. It isn’t even a path. It’s a deer trail. Maybe some foxes take this way too.”

“The deer cut trails?”

He smiled. “No. It’s just made naturally by the animals following paths softened by the ones before them.”

“Ah.” She tried not to blush but felt herself failing.

The forest seemed to wrap around them—dense, dark, close. Jav had to duck his head more than once.

Eventually, it started to thin a little, but instead of the young upstart trees, a long, red grass, which would have come to her waist if she’d been standing in it, took over.

“What’s this grass?” She looked around them as she spoke, then turned to catch his eyes.

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