“Hello there. Here to see us off?”
The wolf woofed softly and stood up, wagging his tail once.
“Good. I don't expect you'll want to come along to Nottinghill, but I did want to say goodbye. Watch the place for me while I'm gone, would you?”
Grom barked again in agreement.
“Thanks. Now, let's see how this goes. I'll probably fall on my butt.”
She gathered up the reins and stood on Valiant's left side. His eye was on her and she smiled at him.
“Get ready. I'm wearing armor, you know, so I hope you're prepared.”
She slipped her foot into the stirrup, grabbed the saddle horn and swung herself up on to the stallion's back. The motion was amazingly smooth and easy and Valiant barely moved.
If I needed any more evidence of his strength, I just got it, she thought as she shifted her weight until her seat felt secure. He barely seems to notice my weight.
From atop the stallion's back, her view of her surroundings was suddenly greatly expanded. And she felt so much bigger somehow, stronger and more sure of herself.
So this is how a mounted warrior feels. Amazing.
“How are you doing down there?” she asked Valiant as she stared forward between his ears.
He shook his head and his bridle jingled like the ringing of tiny bells. She reached down and patted his neck, careful to avoid the row of spikes that ran up from the base of his neck to the crown of his head.
“Glad to hear it. Okay then, I guess we're ready to go.”
She waved at Grom, who was panting, his tongue lolling out in a lupine smile.
“Take care, my friend. I don't know how long we'll be away, but I'll miss you.”
The wolf threw back his head and howled, normally a chilling sound. But this time, Liliana knew that he was wishing them farewell.
She turned Valiant's head to the west and he began to walk along the riverbank.
“And we're off,” she murmured with a wide smile. “I hope this goes well.”
Several hours later, Liliana stopped to give herself and Valiant a break. Once she and the stallion had reached the more open forest trails after leaving the cottage, she had given him his head and the miles had flown by. As she was about to dismount, the paladin realized with a start that if they kept up their pace, they would reach Nottinghill Castle by noon. They were making amazing time.
She swung off of the horse and, as she reached the ground, her legs buckled and she sat down, hard.
“Ouch!” she exclaimed.
Valiant swung his head around in concern and stared at her.
Liliana giggled. She must look ridiculous.
“I'm okay, I'm okay,” she reassured him as he nuzzled her. “My legs fell asleep without my even realizing it, that's all. And my butt hurts. I'll be fine.”
She rolled to her side to get enough leverage to stand up. She grabbed the stirrup for balance and then stood still until she was sure that she wouldn't fall over again.
“Practice will make perfect,” Liliana told herself. “I'm too used to walking, that's all. I know that I'll adapt to riding as we go along.”
She winced as she walked around the clearing they had stopped in, trying to loosen up. Valiant watched her and then turned away, walking slowly into the trees.
“Hey, wait a second,” she called out. “Where are you going?”
She hurried after him as best she could, hobbling along stiffly. For a brief instance, Liliana was worried that the horse had deserted her, but a moment later stopped in relief as she found him drinking from a tiny stream winding through the forest.
“Oh, I'm so sorry,” she exclaimed. “We should have stopped for water at the last little river we crossed.”
Valiant simply snorted and kept sucking up the liquid.
“I'll be more mindful of your needs from now on,” she promised him. “And if I'm not, you have my permission to toss me off.”
He looked back at her and whinnied.
He's laughing at me, she thought in embarrassment. Serves me right too. That will teach me to be selfish. He's a living being, not a car, you foolish woman.
While Valiant drank his fill, Liliana walked upstream a few paces and splashed water over her face. She slaked her thirst and stood up, stretching out the kinks in her back.
The forest around them was ringing with birdsong. The air was warm but not hot, and rich with the scent of sap and damp earth.
It's like I'm in the middle of a fairy tale, she thought happily. But don't forget that every fairy tale has an element of danger at its core. Rather like life, come to think of it.
When the stallion was done, she remounted and set off again. A half hour later, they crested a hill and saw the castle rising majestically in the distance.
“Nottinghill Castle,” she said softly. “Still standing, thank the gods. What do you think?”
Valiant's left ear rotated back toward her and he dipped his head twice.
“Good. I like it too. Mind you, we will probably create a bit of a stir. No one in there has seen a horse in years. You'll be an instant celebrity. Please don't get too upset if you are surrounded by a crowd. I know that you aren't used to people, but biting or kicking someone will not make us very popular.”
He shook his head and snorted in obvious disgust, making Liliana laugh.
“Fine, I'll trust you. I just wanted you to be prepared, that's all.”
She took off her gauntlets and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she put them back on, took a deep breath and leaned forward.
“Okay,” she told Valiant. “Let's go.”
They cantered easily down the hill, crossed the wide fields where scattered crops grew, and then wound their way up the slope toward the castle. Even though it had only been a handful of hours since they had set out, Liliana was already feeling comfortable on horseback. She knew that she would be sore later, but the sensation had started to feel natural to her and she marveled at the years she had spent traveling on foot.
They approached the front gates and she heard a sudden chorus of shouting from on top of the wall.
Oh, here we go, she thought tiredly. I hope that Valiant doesn't trample anyone.
A voice from overhead called out.
“Lady Liliana! Welcome!”
She didn't recognize the voice but looked up and waved.
“Good afternoon,” she called back and gestured at the closed gate. “May I come in?”
“Oh! Yes, of course. My apologies. Open the gate!”
The stallion snorted and she laughed.
“I agree. But I did warn you that they would be surprised.”
The massive gate began to rise, creaking and groaning as invisible hands cranked it open. Liliana waited until it stopped and she heard the loud thunk of the locking mechanism; she didn't want the heavy gate to drop on her and Valiant. Then she moved the reins slightly and the stallion responded by walking through the opening, head held high, and into the courtyard beyond.
Several guards wearing chain mail armor were waiting there and, before Liliana reached them, a dozen other people appeared as if by magic.
Word gets around quickly, she thought wryly. Just as I expected, unfortunately.
“Liliana!”
She turned to look at the person who had called her name and smiled fondly. It was Tamara. She was hurrying across the courtyard with Sebastian in tow.
“It's so nice to see you back so soon,” the mage continued as she reached the paladin. She squinted up at her and gestured at the stallion. “Apparently you've been busy.”
“You could say that, yes,” Liliana replied with a light laugh. “I'll tell you and the others about it just as soon as I get my friend settled. I know you don't have a stable, so where do you suggest I put him? I'd prefer some place with access to water and grass.”
“Um...”
Tamara frowned in thought but Sebastian jumped in with a suggestion.
“There's an area next to the blacksmi
th's place that's just empty space right now. If you want to leave him there, I can arrange for water to be brought for him. And we still have a store of hay left over from last year. The goats and sheep didn't eat all of it.”
He looked around at the increasingly large crowd of spectators that was growing by the minute.
“Jason? Could you and Amy do our friend a favor and bring some hay for her mount? You know the spot next to the smithy?”
A young man with bright orange hair grinned and nodded.
“Yes sir, I do. We'll be happy to help. Amy?”
A pretty girl with huge brown eyes that was staring enraptured at Valiant gasped as Jason poked her with his elbow.
“Ouch! Oh yes, of course we'll get some hay. The poor thing must be starving.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes as the pair ran off.
“Don't mind her,” he told Liliana. “She just loves animals of all kinds. Plus she can be a little dramatic at times.”
The paladin chuckled and shook her head.
“I don't mind at all. Reminds me of my own daughters from back in the old days. Now, if you could just lead me to this spot, I'll get Valiant settled in.”
“This way.”
“I'll order something to eat for you,” Tamara told her. “Come in to the meeting hall when you're ready.”
“Thanks, I'll do that.”
It took a little while for Liliana to make the stallion comfortable. He didn't seem very fussy, but she wanted him well cared for.
The area set aside for the horse was a decent size, about twenty feet square and, once she had dismounted and worked out how to remove his saddle and bridle for the very first time, Valiant happily gave himself a tremendous shake and then drank deeply out of the water bucket someone had brought for him.
The blacksmith came out to watch the show and winked at Liliana after she had removed the horse's gear.
“Before you go looking around for a spot for that,” Daniel said, nodding at the saddle. “Don't fret. I'll stow it and the bridle for you in my smithy. It'll keep the nosy parkers around here from poking at them.”
The paladin laughed and thanked him.
“And you lot had better listen to me,” the smith continued in a gruff voice as he looked sourly at the gawking crowd. “I know horses, see, and that big lad is a stallion. And if you get too close and annoy him, he may just decide to take your head off with a well-aimed kick. So stay clear if you know what's good for you.”
The crowd stepped back several paces in unison and Liliana almost burst out laughing. She walked over to Daniel and whispered to him.
“I don't think he would do that,” she said under her breath. “He's quite patient, really.”
“Aye, I'm sure,” the man replied as he kept a weather eye on the spectators. “But they don't need to know that, do they? Let the beast rest, says I.”
“Ah. Well then, thank you. I'll be back to check on him after my meeting with Tamara and the others. If he actually does take someone's head off, let me know, would you?”
The smith rumbled a hearty laugh and assured her that he would.
Liliana went over to Valiant and stroked his neck as he tore into a pile of hay. The onlookers sighed in unison and she hid her smile.
“I'm going inside for a while,” she told him quietly. “But I'll check on you as soon as I can. All right?”
He whickered through his mouthful of hay and, reassured, she swung her pack over her shoulder and headed off for the main hall.
As she strode through the echoing hallways of the castle, her armor ringing musically, Liliana was passed by dozens of people rushing in the other direction. They nodded and smiled respectfully at her as they hurried by and she had a hunch that they were on their way to gawk at Valiant.
Oh well, let them have their fun, she thought. If it brightens up their day, what harm will it do?
She was trying to decide how to pass on her news to the leaders when a shout startled her.
“Lady Liliana! Hello!”
She looked around and grinned in delight.
The boy that she had met when she had escorted that small group of survivors from the coast was hurrying toward her. What was his name? Ah yes.
“Steven! Hello there,” she said to the child as he slid to a halt and stared up at her.
His freckled face was red with excitement and he was smiling from ear to ear. She noted that he had a few teeth missing, which she found very endearing.
“Is he yours, lady? The horse that everyone is talking about?” Steven asked breathlessly.
Liliana chuckled and nodded.
“You could say that. We're more like friends actually. How in the world did you hear about him so quickly?”
“People love to gossip even now,” a deep voice told her.
She looked up to see Harold Wagner, the man who had led the refugee group, walk up behind Steven and put a hand on his skinny shoulders.
“Don't harass the paladin, lad,” he told the boy. “She is a very busy person.”
“Aw,” Steven complained. “I'm not bothering her. She's our friend. Right, lady Liliana?”
“Of course I am. And it's good to see you again, Harold. How are you and the others getting along?”
The man extended his hand and she shook it warmly.
“We are well, lady. Thank you for asking. This place is a wonder and the leaders are very generous. We have all made a lot of new friends and we're settling in nicely. In fact, I believe that Steven has a girlfriend already.”
“Yuck! Do not!” the boy objected. “Girls are gross. Except for Mum; she's okay, I guess. And lady Liliana, of course.”
Liliana listened to the exchange with amusement. She was again reminded of her youth and of her daughters. Children would always be children, Changed or not, and thank the gods for that.
“It was good to see you again,” Steven said brightly and then he grabbed Harold's hand. “Can we go now? I want to see her horse. We're gonna be the last ones there!”
The man rolled his eyes at Liliana and she winked in return.
“I've apparently been adopted officially as an uncle now,” he told her as he allowed himself to be dragged off.
“Someone had to do it,” she called after him. “Have fun.”
Harold waved and then he and Steven were gone.
Liliana set off again, her mood considerably lightened by the meeting.
People like that, she told herself. That is why I protect the innocent. If I needed a reminder of that, I've had it.
When she reached the meeting hall, Liliana found Sebastian waiting for her at the entrance. He ushered her in and offered her a seat at the long table.
She dropped her pack next to the wall behind her chair, set her shield down on top of it and sat down.
“Why so formal?” she asked him, bemused. “I'm not royalty, Bastian. I don't need to be coddled.”
He smiled at the comment and then shrugged.
“Well, thanks to your new mount, the folks in the castle seem to think otherwise. Besides, I'm just being polite. So enjoy it. My sister would say that I'm not courteous enough.”
“I heard that,” Tamara said from the head of the table.
Liliana looked over at her and saw her frowning at her brother.
“A little less familiarity and a bit more manners wouldn't do you any harm, you know,” she told Sebastian.
He just waved off her observation.
“You see? Tammy, we're all friends here. You should be a little less distant with the population. They'd be more fond of you if you were.”
Liliana raised an eyebrow at Tamara, who smiled ruefully.
“I know, I know. But I'm just not a touchy-feely kind of person and I can't change that. I'll leave that stuff to you, little brother. Now, let's move on. How are you doing, Liliana?”
The three of them were alone in the meeting room, but even as she began to speak, the others began to trickle in.
“I'm very well, than
ks,” she answered as Malcolm and Aiden walked in.
She greeted the pair and they both walked over and shook her hand.
“You've stirred things up, haven't you?” the big man told her with a wide grin. “Your horse is beautiful, by the way. You wouldn't happen to have a couple of others up your sleeve for Aiden and I, would you?”
She snorted in amusement.
“I wish I did. But Valiant is unique, I believe. However, if you two do actually want mounts, I believe that there are still herds of wild horses on the plains to the north. They may be rare, but I think that there are still a few.”
“Really?”
Malcolm looked at his partner, who seemed intrigued.
“I think that we might be taking a long walk up north again soon,” Aiden said as he sat down across from Liliana. “But I think before we do, we'd better learn how to use a rope to lasso things. I doubt that a wild horse could be caught just by asking nicely.”
“Just like cowboys!” Malcolm exclaimed excitedly.
He sat down next to his partner and looked over at the paladin.
“I remember loving western movies when I was a boy,” he gushed, his eyes shining. “And dreaming of being a cowboy. Of course, for a black kid in a small Canadian town, that dream was even more out of reach than it would have been for someone else.”
“Good grief, the things I still don't know about you, even now,” Aiden told him. “A cowboy? You?”
“Sure, why not?” Malcolm asked defensively. “We grew up in the same small town. Didn't you have dreams like that?”
Aiden chuckled.
“I don't think that there were a lot of Korean cowboys back in the day,” he said with a grin. “No, I just wanted to be rich and move to Toronto. Instead I got you. Seems like a fair trade.”
The two big men stared at each other and then turned in unison as Sebastian began to make retching noises.
“Stop, I'm going to vomit from all this sweetness,” he said dramatically.
Everyone in the room burst out laughing, including Liliana and Tamara.
“You are definitely not a romantic, Bastian,” Malcolm told him.
“Good. I like the single life. Now, where are the others? The food will be here soon and Liliana shouldn't have to wait once it arrives.”
The First Paladin (The New Earth Chronicles Book 1) Page 24