Bryn turned toward Angie's shop, but stopped herself. She had forgotten about Angie's trip. There was a glint of metal from a booth to her right. She walked toward it and smiled. The entire surface was covered with daggers, swords and various other weapons. Bryn fingered the blade of one of them, her eyes glowing with the beauty of it. It was simple in design. The hilt was covered in soft brown leather. The sheath, which the dagger rested on, was made out of the same leather.
"Are you looking for a gift for your husband, miss?" the bladesmith asked.
Bryn looked him over. He was a handsome man of around thirty-five with a mess of brown curly hair that touched the tops of his ears. "How much is it?" she asked.
"This one is far too feminine for your husband, miss. Perhaps one of my long swords would be better for him?" he suggested with a wave of his hand.
Bryn's eyes narrowed. "I would like this dagger for myself."
The bladesmith nodded. "Do you know how to use a weapon such as this? Someone could get very hurt if they didn't," he said as he eyed her over.
"I have had instruction," she said under her breath.
The man heard her, despite the volume of her voice. "Very well, miss. Would you like anything else perhaps? I have many fine things for sale today. My wife bakes wonderful bread. I have some here if you would like to try some." Bryn nodded. "Would you like some fresh milk to go with your bread?"
Her eyes lit up and her mouth began to water. "You have milk?" she asked.
The man nodded.
"Fresh milk?" she asked again, not believing her ears.
Again he nodded. "Would you like some?"
She smiled at him. "Yes, please. I would like some very much. What's your name?"
"Christopher," he replied as he pulled a small jar of milk out. "Will you be wanting anything else, miss?"
She shook her head and began pulling out a small bag of coins. The bag, of course, belonged to Mariah, but she doubted that she would mind if she used it once in a while. Besides, it's not like she had been able to find her to ask permission to take it in the first place.
"What's your name, miss?"
"Bryn," she replied softly as she brushed a blonde curl behind her ear.
His eyes went wide and his mouth fell open slightly. "Mariah's Bryn?"
She nodded. A light breeze fluttered the tarps that hung over the booth. It was then that she saw him. His coat was blacker than the blackest night. The anger in his eyes sent chills through her body.
"How much is he? The black horse?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Christopher looked her over and shook his head. "For your own sake, I cannot answer that. I am sorry, miss."
Bryn's face twisted into a scowl. "And why is that?"
The man looked sadly to the horse before turning his hazel eyes back on her. "I do not wish to incur Mariah's wrath should this horse kill you," he replied quietly. The fear was evident in his voice. But it wasn't fear for her safety; the man was genuinely afraid of Mariah. Bryn couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. This man thought Mariah cared enough about her to go after a man for selling her a dangerous horse. She didn't know if Christopher was right about Mariah's level of feelings for her, but she hoped he was.
"No harm will come to me, and if any does, then you do not need to fear Mariah. What she does, she does for a reason," she replied calmly. Bryn really had no idea why she wanted the horse. She could barely ride a fully tamed one, let alone one that was so obviously wild. The look in his eyes had convinced her, though. Bryn needed to have this horse, if only for a moment. She reached a trembling hand to his dark nose. He jerked his head away from her touch, the rope around his neck going taught as he pulled as hard as he could on it. His nostrils flared violently as he glared down at her.
"I will buy him. Name your price," she said. Her eyes did not stray from the stallion's intense gaze.
"But miss…"
Bryn's eyes fixed into a glare as her gaze settled on the man. "Name your price," she repeated as calmly as she could manage.
"For just him?"
"For all of it."
Christopher sighed. "Two silver," he replied reluctantly. Bryn pulled the coins from her pouch and let them fall into the man's outstretched hand. "Thank you, miss." Bryn nodded and bundled her purchases together. "Would you like a sack?" Christopher offered.
She nodded again and took it without looking at him. Her eyes were still fixed on the stallion. The bread, milk, and her new dagger all fit in the sack. She slid it over her shoulder and took the stallion's rope from the man. His big black eyes glared down at her, but he did walk when she gave a slight tug.
"What's his name?" she asked as she continued to watch him.
Christopher shrugged. "He doesn't have one as far as I know. I bought him off a trapper a few weeks back. He was only too happy to get rid of a horse like this. You will be careful with him, won't you?"
Bryn nodded and led the horse through a side street out of town. He was already prancing and striking angrily at the ground as they walked. Some of the children wanted to pet him as she led him past, but their mothers thankfully pulled them all back. She didn't want anyone getting hurt by her new horse. If there were a way to leave town without going past the people, she would have taken it. The last of the small buildings were finally left behind, and Bryn led the stallion up a short hill. She sat down in the warm grass and tugged on the rope, pulling her stallion closer. "Would you like some bread?"
The horse continued to ignore her. Bryn tore off a chunk of the loaf and put it on the ground next to his hoof. "What's your name?"
After getting no answer, she sat the bread on a rock nearby and took off her white cloak. The horse looked at her, for the first time really, her skin glowing in the sunlight. Bryn knelt down next to him and continued eating her meal.
"Well, well, I've never been owned by a Strytas before," he spat once he had caught his breath. He began nibbling the bread that she had given him.
"You still aren't," she replied as she took a drink of the cow's milk. It was unfortunately warm in the afternoon sun, but it was still a treat to have milk again. Franklin only gave her milk after she had been especially good.
"What?"
Bryn looked up into his big black eyes. "I don't own you. If you want, you can come live with me. But I will not make you."
His long black mane fell into his eyes as he nodded. "Will you hurt me, little Bryn?"
Her eyes met his. "Of course not." She reached a gentle hand out to touch his shoulder, but he instantly pulled away.
"Do you wish to ride me someday?"
Bryn shrugged. "If you don't want me to, I won't."
He nodded. "Why did you buy me then if you do not wish to ride me?"
She played with a piece of grass in her fingers. "Being owned made you angry, didn't it?" The stallion nodded. "I was too scared to become angry when I was." Again, he nodded but said nothing. She looked up into his eyes and tried again to move toward him. The stallion glanced at her and put his ears flat back against his neck as a warning. He kept one keen eye on her and continued grazing. "May I touch you?" she asked softly. The muscles in his neck and shoulders rippled softly as he considered it.
"Bryn?"
"Yes?"
He turned to her, his eyes full of pain and anger. "You may touch me. But when I say stop, you must stop. Will you do that for me?"
Bryn's heart was racing as she nodded and rose to her feet. She moved in front of him, his nose almost touching her stomach. "What's your name?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper as he sniffed her cautiously.
"I don't have one."
"Well, that won't do. Would you mind if I gave you one?"
The stallion pressed his nose against her open palm. His wide nostrils flared as he breathed in her scent. "Does your Mariah have horses?" he asked as her fingertips brushed his long, untrimmed whiskers.
"Sort of, but not how you are thinking. You see, Luca… tha
t's her horse's name, and his herd live on the property, but he and Mariah are more like friends than master and horse."
The stallion snorted and shook his long mane. "Preposterous. No human would befriend a horse."
"I would like us to be friends," Bryn said quietly.
He shot a hot breath of air into her hand. "As I said… no human would befriend a horse."
"I am human enough," she retorted.
The stallion looked her over and nodded. "You are Strytas, but you were sired by a human. That, though, does not make you any more than a half breed." Her face flushed as her anger rose. She was about to start yelling, but he quickly cut her off with a sharp look. "We are all mixes though, Bryn. I have not met a pure anything, ever. We each come from the crossing of many other things."
"How do you know my father was human? I have never told anyone," she said as she fought to get her anger under control.
"I can tell a great many things about you, Bryn," he replied with a playful grin.
She raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
He shook out his mane and went back to grazing on the patch of fresh grass at his feet. "Just… things, really. Animal senses are better than yours are."
Bryn nodded and sat down on a large stone. Her temper had cooled to a dull numbness just below the surface. She hated that it could be brought forth so easily. Franklin had often scolded her for feeling her emotions too intensely.
"I have a name for you, I think."
He lifted his head. "Oh?"
"Would Blackberry be okay?" she asked hopefully.
The stallion watched her carefully as he repeated the name.. "Yes, that is a good name, Bryn. I thank you."
She smiled at him and tossed the last half of bread at his feet. "You can have the rest," she said as she drank from the milk jug. Blackberry nodded and lay down next to her in the tall grass. He seemed more at ease around her now. Bryn studied him in the afternoon sun. His features were not as fine as Luca's, but he was larger. Blackberry was well-made for labor. Luca was a riding horse, built for speed and grace.
Bryn closed her eyes and dreamed of going on long rides with Mariah through the forest. She knew that it would be an even more beautiful place after the snow came. In the winter, they could bake pies and have hot cider. They could go for long walks through the bare trees and frozen fields.
With sudden realization, she was brutally knocked to her senses. Bryn had not meant to dream so far in the future. At any moment, Mariah could decide that she had overstayed her welcome and send her on her way, to be alone in the world. The thought of that terrified her. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Mariah. She was all Bryn had. She was even growing to love Mariah. She realized that now. Bryn thought that she should tell Mariah how much she cared for her, but she didn't know how.
She hadn't even been able to tell Sage, although he had told her often. She wondered if telling Mariah that she loved her would convince Mariah to let her stay.
Blackberry nudged her with his nose. Bryn blinked and met his gaze. "If I do decide to come with you, will this Mariah of yours be riding me?" Bryn shook her head. "Will I be kept in a stall?" She shook her head again. "Then where will I live?"
"All of the horses are wild, so you would live outside," she said with a shrug.
"And if I decide to go with you, and I do decide to let you ride me, where will we go?"
Bryn was pleased that he was still considering her offer. "To town and back and through the property."
"No long, hard rides or work?"
She shook her head. "I don't travel and I don't transport anything. I was just set free less than a week ago."
Blackberry's ears twitched forward. "How did you get away?"
Bryn went silent. That was still something she was unsure of how to answer. "I was living with someone that was not very nice. Then Mariah came and bought me, sort of." It was the simplest explanation, but it was the one she liked the least. Bryn only hoped that he would understand.
"So you are her slave?" Blackberry asked.
Bryn bit her lip. "No, not exactly. Mariah owns me like I own you. I'm free to go wherever I want, whenever I want to. Just like you. Mariah bought me because the man that I was with wouldn't have let me go any other way."
He turned a keen eye on her. "I can leave if I wish to?"
Bryn nodded, "Of course, you can. I'd like it if you came to live with me. But in the end, it is your life and your decision to make."
"Could I stay for a while, then leave, and then come back?" he asked as if he was beginning to fully consider her offer.
Bryn smiled warmly at him. "Of course, you can." He tenderly touched her bare shoulder. It was a sign of his appreciation for giving him a choice he had never been given before.
Blackberry nickered softly to her and softly thanked her. Bryn blushed and gave him a delicate pat on his neck. He didn't shy away from her, so she let her fingers wind into the thick mass of hair that was his mane. Blackberry watched her with seeming apprehension, but she could tell he was starting to soften. She removed her hand and leaned back, letting the sunshine wash over her.
"It's so beautiful out here," she said as she kept her eyes closed.
"Will this other stallion accept me if I go back with you?"
She smiled peacefully and shook her hair, allowing her long blonde curls to fall down her back. "He's good. You'll be okay if you come back with me. I won't let anything happen to you there."
Blackberry snorted. "I wasn't asking if you would protect me. I have done my fair share of fighting through the years. I only asked if he would accept me."
Bryn shrugged and opened her eyes so that she could look at him. "I honestly don't know. He's a good stallion, of course, but he is still a stallion." She wished she had a better answer for him, but the truth was better than a lie.
Chapter Eight
Mariah wandered through the crisp, green grass of the field, recalling her recent travels. The sun was midway in the blue sky and wispy clouds tried to hold their form despite the intense, golden rays. A small fawn scampered through the field without fear of the tall figure traversing closely to it. The animal need not learn of fear in this garden, much to Mariah's intentions. All creatures were provided with sufficient food, water and shelter so they never had thought of quarrel over these necessities. The entire garden was a lush and magnificent place, but this Mariah could not enjoy at the moment. Unpleasant thoughts scrambled though her head, but soon all that was changed when her eyes befell the sight in front of her. Upon a small hilltop, Bryn sat with her Strytas wings draped over her lap.
Apparently, she was conducting a conversation with a horse that was resting beside her. Mariah could not recall seeing this horse with the rest of the herd that lived in the garden, so she wondered what mischief Bryn had been up to now. She had not noticed her yet so Mariah considered sneaking up and goosing her, but thought better of it since it might scare the horse. Mariah approached from a distance and greeted them.
Bryn returned Mariah's hail in kind and the horse immediately sprang to its feet. The stallion reared slightly and flared its large nostrils at the stranger. Mariah figured the horse was young and fairly inexperienced with humans since he was so startled by her when most animals weren't.
"Who is your handsome friend, Bryn?"
*~*~*
Bryn quickly ran into Mariah's arms, happy to finally see her after almost an entire day of missing her company. Her wings wrapped tightly around Mariah's broad shoulders for a quick embrace before she went back to her stallion's side. Blackberry nuzzled her open palm, all the while keeping a cautious eye on Mariah. Bryn rested a calming hand on his trembling shoulder. "Mariah, this is Blackberry," she said. Bryn could scarcely believe how much seeing Mariah made her heart flutter. She finally had to force herself to look away from her as she felt her cheeks flush.
Blackberry snorted angrily and pawed the ground as he continued to stare at Mariah. Even Bryn's gentle reassurances were not enough to
calm his temper. She softly spoke to him, hoping to ease his discomfort. He slowly relented and lowered his head. Blackberry pressed his forehead to her shoulder before returning to the patch of grass at his feet. Mariah's hand went to the hilt of her sword. It was a gentle movement, but Bryn caught it and so did the stallion by her side. He screamed loudly and pawed the air as Mariah's hand tightened on its hilt. Blackberry took a few steps toward the woman, his ears flat back against his long neck.
Before he could reach him though, Bryn was between them, the point of her dagger pressed firmly against the stallion's heaving chest. His nostrils flared as he watched her. Bryn held his eyes as she twisted the tip against him. Blackberry took a step away from her, submissively lowering his head as a small red drop of blood formed on her blade.
"Move," he snorted at her.
"I don't want to hurt you, Blackberry, but I will gladly kill you before you can harm Mariah," she replied coldly.
The stallion nodded and took another step away from her. "I will not hurt your human," he said under his breath.
Mariah released her grip on the hilt of her sword. The horse retreated from her a few paces in seeming fear as Mariah approached. "Bryn, your friend appears quite wild. It is lucky he has not brought any harm unto you."
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