Lesser Prince (Guardians of Gaeland Book 1)

by Jamie McFarlane

  "Hiya," Amber's voice cracked as she greeted the nice looking ranch hand.

  The young man brought up his hand in a friendly wave, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Hi folks. Glad you are joining us." His eyes turned down to the door inscription on the side of the truck. "Elendahl Ranch. Ah, are you Amber then?" He covered the last couple of steps to the truck and placed his hands on the open window.

  Amber was taken aback. The gorgeous young man knew her name and was now right next to her. "Uh, yep… er, yes." It occurred to her that she might sound a little stupid and much to her chagrin she giggled out loud.

  Sam poked the back of her seat and teasingly mocked, "Aammber." It was, of course, loud enough for everyone to hear. Amber looked over her shoulder, shooting daggers at her brother, hoping he would leave it alone.

  Jessie threw her awkward sixteen year old a lifeline. "Can we just pull into any of the spots up here?"

  The young man looked across Amber, smile widening, "How about you follow me in? I'll help you unload, and then you can park your rig. By the way, my name is Traux." He offered his hand for Amber to shake. His demeanor was so relaxed that Amber no longer felt awkward. It was unusual for her to react like this, but then again, no one like Traux lived anywhere near her ranch, she was sure of that.

  "I’m gonna walk. You mind, Mom?" Amber had the door open and was hopping out.

  Before Jessie could answer, Sam mimicked in a high pitched girly voice, "Hey mom. I'm gonna walk, mind?" He finished with a mock primp to his hair.

  "Saam." Jessie's voice was light, as she tried to suppress a grin and yet reprimand her son. "Sure, Amber."

  Amber was just slightly taller than Traux, which she found unusual. He was still smiling and making a waving motion with his hand. "This way," he indicated, walking toward an open bay in the magnificent barn.

  As the truck pulled in, Jessie saw the tremendous woodworking detail that had been applied to virtually every square inch of the interior. On the right were spacious stalls for the horses, each with doors opening to exterior runs. On the left were a number of interior stalls, as well as tack rooms for storing the myriad gear associated with equestrians.

  Amber completely forgot about Traux as she stared around the barn, awestruck by the huge scale and considerable hand-crafted detail of it all. It was hard to take it all in. In one of the stalls, Amber recognized the beautiful black American Quarter horse that had thrown Ardt Fenhall earlier that year. It was calm, nodding its head as she walked by. She loved horses and was quick to check out each stall she passed. Wild Grey would not be royalty among peasants here. These animals were all beautifully muscled and well groomed. She smiled as a shiver of pride ran through her. She was sure none of them had Grey's fierce heart, even if they were some of the best looking horses she’d ever seen.

  The truck stopped in front of several empty stalls that were so clean Amber wondered if they’d ever been used. Jessie hopped out and surveyed the area. Traux walked up next to her and explained, "The tack room here is mostly empty and available for your use. You’ll find a shovel and a wheel barrow just inside the door. The four stalls next to your trailer are for you to use. There is a water spigot in each, just above the water trough." Traux continued explaining where items could be found in the barn and where the litter from the stalls could be piled. He offered to help them unpack, but Jessie turned him down saying they’d been sitting all day and needed to do something.

  "I’m always around, but anyone wearing one of these green shirts works here and will be more than willing to help."

  "Where would be the best place to exercise Grey and Tilly?" Amber asked as Traux started to head off.

  "We have a practice corral just out the north edge of the parking lot. Feel free to use it all you want. Otherwise if you’re just looking to run a trail, they are all safely maintained and well-marked. I have maps in the office."

  Sam perked up, "Ah, we got a map from the guy at the gate."

  "That would have been Dauxal. Great, then you’re all set." Traux turned and was off.

  The three of them unloaded the two horses and gear. It was nice to have a tack room. Their trailer had a reasonable amount of room for weekend trips, but given the couple of weeks they would be here, it was loaded to the hilt with everything they could possibly need.

  Having been in the trailer nearly all day, save for stops, Wild Grey was not excited about going into a foreign stall, so Amber left him tied to the back of the trailer while they unloaded. Tilly was equally uninterested in being cooped up again, but after a little coaxing headed in without much trouble, especially given that the three Elendahls were working in and around the stall. Within an hour they had everything pulled from the trailer and stowed.

  "Mom, do you mind if I take Grey out?" Amber hadn't ridden in a couple of days.

  "It's getting dark, how about we just walk them over to the corral? Let me park the truck first." Jessie untied Grey from the back of the trailer and handed the lead to Amber. After parking, Jessie headed back to the barn where Amber had placed a lunge line on Tilly and was walking out to meet her, a lead in each hand. Sam was walking along, engrossed in what Jessie presumed was the map of Helicon.

  Jessie grabbed Tilly's lead and folded the lunge line into her hand. Amber's instinct was right; both horses needed to burn off energy after such a long ride in the trailer. As Jessie and Amber led the horses into the arena, Sam located switches on the tall poles which had been strategically placed around the arena. The lights were bright and easily lit the area. The women started working with the horses, lunge lines extended, allowing them to trot in a circle. Sam climbed up and took a place on top of the fence, enjoying watching the animals work out.

  Traux walked up next to Sam, placing his feet on the lower rung of the fence and hanging his arms over the top rail. He, too, watched as the animals seemed to dance, tossing their manes and prancing energetically. "I can see why there’s such a fuss about that Arabian,” Traux said.

  Sam nodded, "Yup. Why are you guys all so short?" Sam didn't bat an eye as he asked his awkward question.

  "All us guys?" Traux was smiling, but not ready to give in too easily.

  "Yeah, I noticed that all of the men wearing green shirts around the barn are on average between 5'2" and 5'4". That's five inches below average for the continental United States." Sam studied the young man's face intensely.

  "I’ll have to think about that one, Sam." Traux was still smiling but returned Sam's intense gaze. Sam turned back to watch the horses. He knew his questions often freaked people out, but he was just curious.

  The girls finished exercising their horses and walked over to Sam and Traux, passing through the open gate.

  "Are you hungry?" Traux asked cheerfully. "Our guests are always invited to join us in the main cabin. They’ll still have something left from dinner." The group walked back, allowing the horses to cool down. This time Grey went happily into the stall and over to the fresh water in the trough.

  The Elendahls followed Traux toward the center of the barn where he pushed through a rustic door. The transition into the Equestrian Center’s guest quarters was surprising. It seemed impossible that a refined hotel could reside inside the barn. Amber looked around the huge resort style meeting space, complete with a fireplace. A number of people were grouped about the grand room, talking or enjoying a drink. Her eyes fell on Ardt Fenhall and her stomach sank. Up to that point, Amber had forgotten his presence.

  "The dining room is just back here." Traux led them forward. "I know your rig is set up for sleeping and if you prefer that, it is certainly okay, but two rooms here in the main cabin are set aside for you." Traux handed the keys to Jessie as they pushed through a couple of doors.

  The dining room was immense with twenty large round tables spread throughout the room. Several tables still had a number of people finishing their evening meal. "I've already eaten and have an early morning tomorrow, so I am gonna take off for now. If you need anything, pick up
the phone in your room and someone is always on the other end who will help you."

  Jessie thanked Traux for his help and after eating, the family headed up to find their rooms. Everyone was exhausted and no one could resist the pull of the very comfortable looking feather mattresses.

  ***

  Sam had no idea what time it was when he heard his mom trying to wake Amber. There was less than a week to the competition and somebody didn’t want to waste much of it sleeping. If the horses they’d seen on the way in were representative, Amber had quite a challenge ahead. He smiled at their excitement. He wanted Amber to do well even though it all seemed silly to him. He pulled the covers up and moved the pillow from under his head to a more noise-blocking position on top. His mom left the room and he expected Amber to do the same, leaving him in peace. Instead, she sat on him. "Shove off!” he grumbled.

  Her weight increased as she leaned toward his head, "I owe you pud-winkle. Don't think for a minute I’ve forgotten how you made fun of me yesterday." Even with the dire warning, her voice wasn't overly threatening. Wanting to sleep more, Sam pushed feebly back at his sister, trying to move her off. With one final bounce on his stomach, Amber got up and walked out. As she shut the door, her hand snaked back around the frame and flicked the room lights on, closing the door behind her.

  Samuel fought hard to keep his eyes closed and return to slumber, but found that the unfamiliar and now well-lit room made for poor sleeping. Moreover, despite his best efforts, Sam’s mind had begun to whirl with plans for the day. The map he’d received from the gatekeeper had several points of interest that really needed inspecting.

  Gathering essential items into his backpack: laptop, notebooks, map, crappy old binoculars and a water bottle, Sam threw on a hooded jacket and headed downstairs. This barn sure was big and how weird to have a mini hotel right in the middle of it. And really, what was up with all of the light haired, short people who worked here?

  Thinking of the cafeteria, he decided to see if he could snag supplies for the morning. He wasn't a big eater, but having something along would allow him to extend his trip. It wasn't until he was nearly to the cafeteria that he realized it was only five o'clock in the morning. Would a little more sleep have killed anyone? Pushing through the doors to the cafeteria, he noticed only a handful of people sitting at tables. The buffet had fruit and cereal on it, but little else. No matter, that would do just fine. He grabbed a couple of oranges, a banana and a single-serving sized box of sugared cereal. This would easily last through lunch.

  "Heya, bud. What are you doing up?" Jessie greeted him as he arrived in the barn.

  "Uh … couldn't sleep," Sam evaded. He and Amber had an understanding; don't involve the parents in their personal wars, it just gets messy.

  "Sorry, we tried to be quiet. Want to help us work the horses?" His mom always wanted to get him interested in the horses, but it just wasn't his thing.

  "Nah, do you mind if I explore? I have a really great map and I want to check out some of the trails." Sam was pretty sure his mom would be okay with this since she and Amber were now in serious preparation mode. They would be focused on the upcoming competition - fine tuning things, and wouldn’t have much time for him.

  "Don't go too far and check in at lunch and supper, okay?" Jessie was glad there was something here that had caught his attention and knew he was smart enough to find his way around.

  "K," Samuel shot his sister a look. She rightly interpreted it as "game on" which sent a wicked grin across her face. They both relished their private war. While still in the barn, he brought out the map. There were so many places he wanted to check out and most of them were a fair distance. He'd be walking a lot this morning.

  It appeared that the mountain gained elevation to the east of the barn, topping out around forty-five hundred feet. This was nothing compared to what he experienced in Colorado where fourteen thousand foot peaks weren't all that unusual. Heck, Elendahl Ranch was located at sixty-eight hundred feet. But having hiked enough at home, he understood that it wasn't the elevation that mattered anywhere near as much as the elevation change.

  Mount Heli was clearly marked and he could probably get to the top in a couple of hours if he got moving. The peak would be high enough to give him a bird’s eye view of the area, allowing Sam to make his own 3D picture of all the landmarks on the map. Flashlight in hand, he strode out the back of the barn. The trail was marked 'Mount Heli Summit' and the distance noted as two-point-three miles. It was further than Sam wanted to go, but the path was wide and well maintained.

  Twenty minutes into a gentle climb, the path forked. To the left was a trail marked 'Livery' and to the right was a sign denoting 'Heli Summit.' The sun was barely a glow in the sky, but Sam pushed on, choosing the trail leading away from the barn. In less than ten minutes, he saw the lights of a cabin set back from the trail at least fifty feet. Lights were on and with no drapes pulled on the front window, he saw movement inside. He recognized the familiar green shirt and figured this must be home to one of the workers.

  Every hundred yards or so he ran into another cabin - eight in total. That wasn't anywhere near enough housing for all of the people he’d seen working around Helicon. The path had become steeper, switching back on itself occasionally, but was still nothing like the crazy switchback laden paths of the Colorado Rockies. He was breathing hard, but kept going, knowing his body would recover once he crested the summit. Besides, no self-respecting Coloradoan would be caught resting at such a low elevation.

  Finally, after an hour and a half, Sam reached the summit of Mount Heli. The sun was just starting to glow in the east, still well below the horizon. He had at least an hour before full sunrise and his first real chance to see the terrain below. No matter, there was a rocky outcropping that looked comfortable. As he sat with his back propped against a large rock, the morning air cooled his body. It was such a peaceful place. Sam found himself starting to doze.

  ***

  The rising sun's light fell on Sam's face, waking him. Lazily, he sat for a moment collecting his thoughts and surveying the valley below. It was a great view. Now that the sun was mostly up, he could make out several structures and what appeared to be a small town or village. Reasonably close, he saw a large barn still in the shadow of the mountain. Instead of timber construction like the Equestrian Center, the building was bright white with a green roof. Checking the map, he decided this was the Livery. Sure enough, Sam scanned west and found the Equestrian Center. The map in his hand made sense now that he could see the overall picture.

  A mile or more beyond the Equestrian Center was a small village. The sun’s rays just barely illuminated the asphalt road running down the middle of a row of colorful buildings. His eyes caught something poking up through the mist - a castle. Sam pulled his map out, located the summit and traced his way down past the Livery, to the small town called Faire and then further up where the castle was located. The map indicated 'Main Residence.'

  The castle was far enough away that he had difficulty making out the details, so he grabbed his binoculars and steadied them with both hands. They were cheap, so what he gained in magnification he lost in clarity, but the castle still looked magnificent. Even from this distance he could see high turrets and a gated wall offering entrance to a courtyard. Sam knew where he was headed next. He stuffed the binoculars and flashlight back into his pack and threw it over his shoulder.

  Heading down the mountain in the morning sun was considerably easier to navigate than it had been on the way up in the dark. After a few minutes, Sam felt a prickly tingling on the back of his neck. He had a nagging feeling that someone was following him. He wasn't usually given to paranoia and tried to ignore the sensation.

  He progressed another hundred yards, but the feeling returned. Annoyed with himself, Sam couldn't imagine what caused this feeling. Then he caught it; a very quiet noise, a scrape on the ground and a breath exhaled. Sam didn't stop, but rather quickened his pace. If he’d stirred the curios
ity of a predator, moving calmly toward the noisy Equestrian Center was a smart move.

  This was a miscalculation. While he did catch a few more sounds from his pursuer, Sam had become less focused on what was in front of him. Too late, he saw a dark figure standing directly ahead. Next to the figure paced a very large black dog. Sam stumbled as he tried to arrest his momentum, falling to the ground just in front of the cloaked figure.

  "Out for a stroll, Master Elendahl?” The woman's voice was coarse and mocking. "Let me help you." She took a small step forward, reaching her hand toward Sam's prone body.

  Another black dog appeared on the path behind him. It was terrifyingly large. He felt the threat and knew instinctively that she meant him harm. "Uh, no, sorry. I must have tripped." He fought to keep his voice even, but it had become uncomfortably high-pitched.

  "I have need of your time, young master. Would you assist me?" The old woman's voice was cold. The group had him surrounded. Fear made the hackles stand up on the back of Sam’s neck. He’d been bullied before, but this felt much worse, like he was facing a mortal enemy.

  "I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else." Sam was hoping for an easy way out of the conversation and his eyes desperately searched for a direction in which to bolt. He instinctively took a step backward.

  "Oh? I see. Perhaps you are the one who is mistaken, however. Regardless, I am in need of your help. Please accompany me." The woman took another step toward him, reaching under her cloak. Sam glanced down the path and then to his left down the hill. The trail switched back and crossed directly below their location.

  Without warning, Sam flung himself off the path and down the hill. It was an irrational action. Later, with time to reflect, Sam would still have no idea why his reaction had been so strong. He just knew he was in mortal danger and had to flee. He was exposed and at least a mile from any help.