Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Violet
Ilied to my mother when I said I had two men I trusted. I have no one and no idea what to do about it. But I am exemplary at research, and so I research everything I shall need.
It is quite a list, and no small amount daunting, but I feel better for making it. I have clear targets now on which to set myself. I like checklists. They are very structured and provide a sense of achievement for the steps along the way to a greater goal.
Some points are reasonably easy to achieve. Some not so much.
My focus settles upon one of the larger obstacles: riding a horse.
I am average at best with a docile horse, but if I want to go on an adventure, I need to select the best and become proficient.
No one pays me any heed when I go to the library and fill the old wooden cart with every book I can find on horses and horsemanship and take them back to my room.
There, I neatly stack all the books onto my table and work my way through, listing pros, cons, and considerations.
There is a lot of information. None of it is remotely magical or mystical, and I soon find it hard to maintain my interest. But it becomes clear quickly that a mare is not a good choice for long travel.
They can distract or provoke stallions I might meet on the road, and absolute chaos would ensue if they went into season.
Not so different from omegas, then… managing myself in that regard is plenty enough.
Next, I go through the strengths and weaknesses of stallions and geldings.
Stallions are stronger, faster, and have more stamina; that sounds like it would be beneficial for a long journey.
They have more ‘spirit’ than a gelding, but that is a minor point.
I just need to skill up. If I’m going on an adventure, I need to prepare myself and arm myself with the best.
I skim a few passages that indicate stallions are for ‘experienced’ riders. But by the time I’m done, I will be experienced too.
Satisfied, I load all my books back into the wooden cart, don my riding clothes, secure my scarf over my hair, and leave my quarters to return them, determined to begin my training immediately.
I have barely gotten the awkward cart out of my quarters when a familiar, grating drawl comes from behind me.
“Going somewhere, Violet?”
I spin around to find my sister, Queen Elisa, flanked by two of her simpering attendants.
I drop into a deep curtsy because my sister is a bitch and expects me to. “Morning, sister.”
Her eyes narrow, but she lets my tone go, sweeping past me and selecting the top book from my cart.
“Horses?” She gives me an up-down look that takes in my riding attire and arches one brow. “Did you fall and bang your head, sister?”
Her attendants giggle with false frivolity.
I take the book from her and stuff it back into the cart. “You’re an excellent horse rider, sister. You have inspired me.”
Her lips tighten. “Careful, Violet, lest your snippy tongue get you into trouble.” She smiles nastily. “Still, if you fall off and bang your face, it’s not like it could make you any uglier.”
Bitch.
She sweeps off, her attendants’ laughter following her.
I stand there fuming. Then I straighten my spine and remind myself that I am virtually ready for the adventure to top all adventures and continue on my way.
I drop the books off at the library and head out to the stables.
Which is where I am presented with obstacle number one.
“I want a stallion, please.”
“A stallion, my lady?” The young stablehand, Colin, sounds confused by this request.
I straighten my shoulders and think adventure to let him know I mean business. “Yes, what choices do we have?”
“Well, there’s Argile,” he says, rubbing absently at his jaw and still eyeing me doubtfully. “He’s a fine horse and has a steady disposition.”
Steady? None of my research mentioned steady as a useful trait in a stallion. “Any others?”
“There’s Raven, but I wouldn’t recommend him—”
“Why not?”
“He’s very spirited, my lady. He comes with a lot of… energy.”
Spirited? Energy? “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m looking for. Please saddle Raven.”
“But—” Colin looks like he wants to make a bolt for it, his gaze wandering over the courtyard like he’s hoping someone will come along and rescue him from this task.
“Thank you. I don’t have all day.”
“Yes, my lady.” He dips his head and goes off to prepare my horse.
It’s only when he brings forth a black behemoth with wild eyes, snorting like a dragon over a gold hoard, that I question my choice.
Think adventure. Think, I can do this.
“Excellent… Ah, how does one get on?”
Getting on proves to be the second obstacle. I am short and can barely reach the pommel. Raven dances about and flattens his ears back like he senses it’s an incompetent bookworm daring to mount him. High, guttural sounds exit his frothing mouth like the battle cry of a banshee.
“Put your boot into my hands, my lady,” Colin instructs as the two of us go in a circle chasing the dancing horse.
It plays out like a damn comedy—the stablehand trying to hold the horse steady and help me up. Somehow, I end up sprawled over the saddle with his shoulder wedged under my ass. He is puffing with the strain of trying to heave me up and control the horse at the same time.
“Almost there, my lady!” His hands are now on my ass, pushing. “Get yer leg over him. Atta girl!”
My cheeks are in flames by the time I manage to right myself. Colin is flushed and looking everywhere but me.
“Ah, sorry, my lady.” He makes a gesture in my general direction.
“No bother,” I squeak. Damn, this horse is a giant, and the ground is alarmingly far away.
He adjusts the stirrups for me and checks the girth while I question my enthusiasm for adventuring.
Then Raven performs a little skip that nearly unseats me from the saddle.
My smile is shaky. “I’m just going to…”
The words are cut off as I accidentally squeeze Raven’s belly with my heels, and he takes off.
I cling for my life as we charge out of the courtyard and past the gate, where the guards’ heads swivel to follow us. We shoot down the lane and into the sweeping meadows beyond, passing startled farming folk. I lose my scarf, ripped away in the rushing wind, and giggle.
It feels like I’m flying. Like I am already on my adventure.