Pawn (The Pawn Series Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  "It's Muranna's fault entirely," I said. "That one suits you, Princess."

  "No, no," said Juleena, removing the hat and returning it to the stand. "Hats are Muranna's passion. I don't care to worry they will fall from my head." But she nodded to Muranna. "You know you're going to get it."

  Muranna turned to the milliner. "You won't get that price from anyone else."

  "Perhaps not."

  Muranna turned to the mirror and tilted her head this way and that for another minute.

  "It's a fair price," she declared. "I presume there is a box."

  "Of course."

  When shopping, Muranna was always easy, in a way. She always knew what she was shopping for, and the trick would only be to find the right hat or right boots, or whatever it was she wanted. But that day, neither Juleena nor I had anything in particular we wanted. Perhaps it was foolish, but I simply wanted to buy myself a little treat, and I was sure Juleena had come along to continue to mend our damaged friendship.

  But there was nothing I needed, and I didn't want to spend my money entirely frivolously. And so we wandered the streets.

  Muranna was getting a little frustrated. She liked to see me spend money, gaining almost as much joy as she got from spending her own. In this we couldn't have been less alike. Oh, I appreciated her joy in acquiring something new, but I didn't have the same emotional needs and preferred to husband my resources. I thought perhaps Juleena and I were more alike in this regard.

  We'd been wandering the streets for perhaps an hour or more when I realized I wasn't going to find something that said, "You must have me," and that was when I remembered the conversation from earlier. And so I said, "Your Highness?"

  "I thought you were using my name," she complained.

  "This is a 'Your Highness' moment," I explained. "Would the queen sell me one of the Arrlottan fillies?"

  "Is something wrong with Zana?" she asked, concern in her voice.

  "No." I explained about my concern for when Zana grew older.

  "Oh," Juleena said.

  "I don't want to ride one of your monsters," I said. "I-" I paused. "I'd let her use Hamper as a sire."

  "You know she's gifted or sold half the herd, and we've been breeding the others into our stock."

  "You haven't been breeding them together, though," I said. "And I haven't been impressed with what you've been getting out of them, either."

  "Frankly, no one is," she agreed. "Yalla-"

  "I know you took them not because you wanted them," I said. "But for the treaty. You had to take something we valued, just like you traded things we valued. And we didn't have anything else to trade."

  "They are fine, fine horses, Yalla."

  "Of course they are!" I said. "They were from our best. And you're going to let them die out."

  "Yalla-"

  I turned away. "They're a novelty here," I said quietly. "I can't ask the queen to maintain breeding stock just so I have something to ride. Zana has another ten years before she'll slow down. I guess I'll solve this problem then."

  Juleena stepped up behind me and set her hands on my shoulders. "How much do you know about breeding horses?"

  "You mean in selecting the stallions that will cover the mares?" I clarified.

  "Yes."

  "I know the men would talk about it at length. I know it's not enough for the stallion to be an excellent horse. If you are trying to maintain certain characteristics, you can let it go too far. If you wish a small, agile horse like ours, then you do not necessarily want to breed in your largest stallions."

  "Our top breeders study for years," Juleena explained. "And they work long, long hours making these decisions. But there are others who are more casual about it, and they get good results. They don't necessarily produce winning racehorses, but even horses left to themselves can maintain good, solid stock."

  "They're a novelty," I said. "And I don't know how to breed them. The clans were always trading horses. Grandfather would talk about 'good breeding stock'. I think I heard those words out of him more than any others. Breeding our horses held as much priority as following the herds. Grandfather wouldn't have worried about trading with other clans if it weren't necessary, and we don't have enough breeding stock here, do we?"

  "No, probably not," Juleena said. "But there are simple solutions, Yalla." She turned me to face her. "How many horses would a box of knives buy us in a trade?"

  "You're going to go get more?"

  "No. I'm suggested when Zana is a little long in the tooth, you won't have to ride one of our monsters."

  I didn't like to think about something happening to Zana.

  "But we can also get a few generations out of the horses we have, Yalla. They are very good horses, and if you helped the breeders, we could get good foals of them."

  "I don't know anything about breeding," I said.

  "No, but I bet you know everything there is to know about what you want," she replied. "You can explain why Zana is so special. Even after watching you, the breeders don't understand why your horses are so small. It's not just for the agility."

  "Life on The Hippa," I said. "Big horses need more food and more water."

  "Well, that's obvious, isn't it?" said Juleena. "Is it that simple?"

  "They need to be just right," I said. "Big enough but no bigger. Zana would be small for a man, but she's perfect for me."

  "And Hamper?"

  "I wouldn't want him any bigger," I said. "But would the queen breed a few fillies if I offered to buy them?"

  "And if we get colts instead?"

  Colts were good for riding, but the value of the herd was in the mares. "I don't think I can afford to keep more than one or two stallions, Princess."

  * * * *

  Over the next week or so, things returned largely to normal. I returned to my studies. Muranna returned to staying overnight. I returned to calling the queen and princess by their names. And I'm going to jump ahead just a little then come back.

  It was perhaps a week or two later that over dinner, Ralalta asked, "What do you two have planned tomorrow?"

  Muranna and I glanced at each other. "Oh, the usual, I suppose. There's a merchant passing through from Balstead to Alteara. His daughter doesn't seem to have heard of Yalla's reputation.

  "A daughter this time?"

  "It's an Altearan merchant," Muranna said.

  "Someone you know?" Juleena asked.

  "By reputation." She grinned.

  "Well," said the queen. "As amusing as it might be to live vicariously afterwards, I have a task for Yalla. You are welcome to ride along as well, Muranna, or find other pleasures."

  "A task?" I asked. "What task?"

  "I don't actually care to say, but this time I think you'll be a little happier with my surprise."

  "Hmm," I said. "We'll see."

  "We'll leave right after breakfast," Juleena said. "Wear riding clothing."

  "Don't I always?" I asked.

  * * * *

  Muranna spent the night but begged off to pursue other interests, leaving even before breakfast. I wouldn't hear from her for two days, so I decided her pursuits were profitable.

  Juleena had little to say except, "I want you to ride Hamper, but we're bringing Zana as well. I want you to be prepared to help manage several horses."

  I thought that was odd, but I dressed for the weather, and together we collected our horses. The grooms already had Hamper and Zana ready for a ride, although Zana was nudging Hamper as if to say, "What are you doing with a saddle?" And she complained a little as we left, but she'd be more than satisfied soon enough.

  Juleena didn't say a word where we were going, but she led our little party to a horse farm just outside town. As we rode into the yard, we were met by several grooms and a smiling woman of middle years.

  "Zorelada, this is Lady Yallameenara. Yalla, Zorelada oversees the facility here."

  She and I clasped hands, and I said, "Everything looks well managed, Zorelada," I said.
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  We exchanged another moment or two of pleasantries, and then she said, "The paddock is this way." Grooms stepped forward to see to our mounts, and then we followed Zorelada. She and Juleena talked about the operations here, but I only paid a modicum of attention. "The paddock" seemed a strange thing to say, as there were paddocks everywhere, each of them holding several of the Framaran monsters like Juleena's Daggarwind. I shook my head. Poor horses for The Hippa, but the land here was so rich and bountiful, they could afford to keep such mounts.

  But then we came around a barn, and I knew which paddock that served as our destination. This one held the remainder of Queen Ralalta's herd of Arrlottan horses.

  "What are we doing here, Princess Juleena?"

  "I need your help, Yalla," she said. We moved to the paddock fence and leaned on it. "Zorelada, what do you think of the horses."

  "I wouldn't think much at all if I never saw Lady Yallameenara upon hers," the woman replied. "Oh, they are fine horses, but small, and the proportions are odd besides."

  I looked the horses over. They were actually acting a little skittish, avoiding us, some of them kicking up a fuss besides. I wasn't happy.

  "You aren't exercising them properly," I said. "They're all getting fat."

  "They are not fat," Zorelada said.

  "Compare them to Zana," I said, "my mare. Even she is not ridden as much as an Arrlottan horse should be ridden." I gestured. "I wasn't paying attention last summer when we dealt with that little issue, but I should have seen it then. No wonder I won so easily."

  Juleena scoffed.

  "I'm serious," I said. "They're fat."

  "They're healthy," Zorelada insisted, and sounded put out besides. But then she added, "We try to exercise them, but no one likes riding them."

  "Wait. They feel foolish upon such a small mount."

  "Just so," she said.

  "Your Highness-" I started to complain.

  "Yalla," she interrupted. "That's not why we're here today. But I might have a solution to your concern, anyway. I need you to pick out the four gentlest. Age doesn't matter. None of them are old."

  "We don't breed for docile mounts, Your Highness."

  "Are you suggesting these are all as spirited as a stallion near a fertile mare?"

  "Well, no, of course not." I looked them over. "I'll need to separate them out, and then I'll need to ride a few."

  She gestured, and there were two grooms standing near a gate to a second paddock, this one currently empty. One of the grooms held a training stick, and another had a bridle. "Do you need a saddle?"

  "No," I said. "They've got what I need." I slid through the fence and moved to the horses. I spoke softly in Arrlottan, and while they may not remember the specific words, then remembered the tone, and I thought perhaps they remembered me.

  They were skittish at first, but then one came over and nudged me with a nose. I held her underneath her chin and blew into her nose, speaking quietly. She tossed her head lightly just once then settled down.

  Then I stepped aside, patting horses that let me near, and made my way to the waiting grooms.

  "I'll take that," I said, pointing to the training stick. "I need to separate out the leaders, and then I'm going to take the rest for a little run. Where can I do that?"

  One gestured. "We have a field through the next paddock," he said, gesturing not through the one they were guarding, but the one opposite where we stood.

  "All right," I said. "If I send some to you, can you put them there." I gestured. "And then I'll need the gates opened. Is the field fenced?"

  "Yes."

  "And no one else out there right now."

  "Right."

  "Perfect."

  "I'll get a saddle."

  "Just the bridle is fine," I said. "It will be a short ride."

  I was impressed they didn't argue with me.

  A training stick is a long stick with a leather whip on the end. It wasn't used to whip the horses. That was a foolish thing to do. But it served as an extension of my arm and made it easier to herd the horses the way I wanted.

  It was easy to tell the most spirited, and I remembered some of them. I separated out one and brought it over to the grooms, who opened the gate for me. Several wanted to follow, but that's why I had the training stick. I sent two more over, then looked over the ones who seemed a might standoffish. I moved over to Juleena, watching the others.

  "Will you tell me what we're doing, Princess?"

  "Do you need to know?"

  Remembering the conversation from a week and a half ago, I asked, "Are we selecting breeding stock?"

  "Oh. No. Gentle riding stock."

  "No one is going to want to ride these horses. Zorelada can attest to that."

  "Find me four that would be gentlest to ride, Yalla."

  I shook my head. Gentle. What a ridiculous idea. But I decided the skittish ones weren't a good choice, and they went into the next paddock, the grooms lending a hand.

  That narrowed the field to about twenty remaining mounts. I exchanged the training stick for the bridle then eyed my choice, the one who had first greeted me. She let me set the bridle in place and didn't complain when I jumped atop.

  I almost missed, and I was glad my family wasn't there to see! I'd gotten soft. But I was in place, and if anyone else noticed it wasn't as easy as it should have been, she didn't comment.

  It wasn't hard to get the other horses to follow me, and by the time we arrived, the gate was open.

  I was pleased. The horse remembered how to speak Arrlottan, responding to my signals well. Oh, not as well as Zana did, but well enough. And so we moved into a trot, and we moved around the field, the others trotting along with us. I considered a run, but I didn't want to tire them out.

  So we did two easy circles before looping back to the waiting grooms. I called out to them. "Put the black and the bay back," I said. I pointed to the ones I meant. The grooms knew their job and had little trouble. "We're taking this one," I said. "And I want to ride the dapple."

  Two more circles around, and I was able to narrow my herd to eight. One more circle, and I had picked out my four. One of the grooms handled the rest, and the other helped me with bridles for our four. When I lead them to Juleena, she was smiling.

  "What?"

  "I just like watching you ride," she said.

  "You're at least as good as I am," I observed.

  "It's different. You're so free when you ride, even that little trot. I saw it right from the beginning, and I was so afraid you would lose that once we arrived."

  I didn't respond to that. Instead I said, "If I were choosing for myself, I wouldn't have picked these four." I paused. "Well, maybe that one. She seems sweet." I pointed to the chestnut I'd ridden first.

  "They're not for you," she said. "How much help do you need managing them?"

  "How far are we going, and are we going to town?"

  "Not to town, and about two hours."

  "It would be easier if I rode Zana." Hamper was easier to manage, as he was happy to follow Zana anywhere.

  "I want her fresh, Yalla."

  "Fine," I said. "I can handle all of them."

  We rode out five minutes later. Juleena still refused to tell me what we were doing. Instead she asked, "Yalla, do you hate me now?"

  "No."

  "Why did you agree to so many suitors?"

  "I didn't. The queen did."

  "I think it was more than that."

  "Maybe it was," I said. I didn't comment any further, and Juleena dropped it.

  It was a pleasant country ride, even in the cold winter air. The horses seemed pleased to be going somewhere, and I didn't mind being out, either.

  It was so different here than where I'd grown up. Most of what we saw were farms, but even with those vast fields, there were so many trees. Trees were rare on The Hippa, and here they grew absolutely everywhere. And there were farm houses and barns and fences, and...

  So many differences.
r />   But in a way, it was pretty.

  Juleena once told me, "Life is hard everywhere." And that was probably true, although I understood I'd lived a coddled life myself for the last four and a half years. But life on The Hippa wasn't just hard; it was grueling. And while I'd been so frightened when I had arrived, I'd never go back now. Never.

  Oh, I wouldn't want to be a farmer, either. I supposed if it was a farmer or life on The Hippa, it might be hard to decide. Although life for a woman of the Arrlottan wasn't necessarily pleasant. Here in Framara, at least a woman wasn't ruled by her husband.

  But my main point, I suppose, is just that it was a nice day traveling through beautiful country, even in the starkness of winter.

  I think I partly recognized when we arrived. We'd spent several minutes with a tall, white fence on our side, and then we turned down a lane, and it was clear where we were going.

  "What is this place?"

  "It is a riding school."

  "Why is it so far from town?"

  "There's a small town another three miles along the road," Juleena explained. "And there's a boarding school here."

  "What's that?"

  "A school where families send their children to live. It gets them away from the distractions of the big city. It's something that might happen if a particular child has fallen in with the wrong crowd."

  I didn't fully understand, but I didn't ask.

  We rode into the yard, the princess of Framara, a woman of the Arrlotta, four guards, and five extra horses, somewhat on the small side. We must have expected, because a young girl hurried out of a barn and ran to a gate, opening it for us. I led the horses in then dismounted, leaving all the Arrlottan horses in the small paddock before slipping back out the gate to rejoin Juleena. Two other grooms had come forward to help, so she was already divested of Daggarwind, and the guards were similarly unencumbered. Juleena was talking to a man and woman when I stepped up.

  She turned to me. "Lady Yallameenara, this is Racine and Kend." I clasped hands and exchanged niceties.

  Then Racine turned back to Juleena. "Your Highness, your note was somewhat cryptic."

  "Are the students here?"

  "And some of their parents," Racine said.

  "Well, let's see what they have to say," Juleena said.