by T Nisbet
I had just finished dressing when someone knocked at the door. I strapped on my sword belt and threw back the bolt before opening the door.
Toby shuffled in alone, his face etched with concern.
“What happened between you and Ivy bud?”
I sighed.
“I’m sorry Tob, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
He nodded.
“You all right?”
“I just want to get hell out of here.”
“Sounds good to me,” he said, laying a big paw on my shoulder. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. I could use a little equine revenge right now.”
I felt bad for Toby, as we slowly walked back to the dining room and sat down, he was obviously sore from riding all day yesterday. We were alone for only a minute or two before Coach came in and sat down with us.
“You boys are up early, good. Let’s get some food in us and see to the horses and the wagon. I want to get an early start. Let the guardsmen get the girls moving,” he chortled.
We ate breakfast in silence, then followed Coach to the stables. I was thankful to be working, it helped take my mind off of my problems if only for a little while. We brushed the horses down while they ate some oats, even though the grooms complained we were doing their job. When we had finished brushing them all down, we saddled the horses. Toby didn’t say a word the entire time. He was my true friend and always had been. He knew when to push and when not to. He obviously recognized that this was one of those ‘not to’ times.
After helping Coach harness the plow horses to the wagon, we led the riding horses outside into the noisy courtyard and tethered them to a hitching post. The sheer power of the waterfall around the Inn thrummed inside me like an overload of energy. The sky had grown considerably brighter as the sun started to edge up over the horizon. Colorful swallows darted around the courtyard capturing insects. Grooms and porters hustled about preparing the inn for the coming day.
Toby and I helped Coach secure the provisions in the wagon that Falbo’s people brought out. While we were loading it up, Gill came outside with the girls. I ignored the dirty looks I received from Carla and Brianna and I didn’t look at Ivy at all.
When Toby and I had lashed in the last package, I jumped out of the wagon and walked over to my horse. I untied him from the post and tightened the cinch the way I’d seen Gill do it. Grabbing the horse’s reins I managed to mounted him without mishap, moved my bow into an easier position to ride with and started out of the courtyard. I had just crossed the wooden drawbridge when Gill caught up with me.
“I told them we’d scout ahead,” he shouted over the roar of the falls. “Horses have a bit too much energy this morning; let’s run it out of them.”
I nodded, and we took off.
