Daybreak’s air was cool and shadowed by the fog rising from the lush plains that made Taengea so distinctive. Evangelina took a deep breath, trying to taste its greenness. The taste was crisp and clear, slightly sweet with just a pinch of the ocean’s salty wildness that lingered in after taste. Eyes were half-closed, her legs dangled out of the stirrups as she draped herself backward over the grey stallion’s back and hindquarters. It was the only place she truly felt comfortable in the world. Vasiliádon was nice but it was not, nor would it ever be her home; Acharist had been home but she felt in the months she’d been away from it that she’d outgrown it just enough to prevent it from being her home ever again.
A sigh escaped. There was still a lavender tint as the sun had yet to make its gracious appearance, but the stars were mostly gone. She’d slipped out that morning, unable to sleep and needing to just be away from all things confining. Guards and maidens were left in their beds. Maybe it was reckless for her but what she knew that they did not, was that if trouble arose she could out ride it. Had she been on foot or in a boat, she wouldn’t have hesitated. But on a horse…she could have led Hermes himself on a merry chase if she’d sought too.
The grey stallion quietly snatched at the grass under the great oak tree as Evie peered upwards through the branches. Despite her presence, the birds flew in and out of the tree. A fox was sniffing the ground a few hundred paces away. Somewhere in the time she’d been under the tree she’d become a part of the scene instead of a trespasser. Altair seemed to be enjoying the openness of this morning as well, he’d long grown tired of her uncle’s stables. They were beautiful, immaculate, and something to stare in awe of but like most things they were confining and designed to control rather than comfort.
Altair’s fate had once been a prince among horses. The perfect example of what the Leventi’s bred… what they sold. He’d been sold to become a circus horse, but Altair hadn’t wanted to share his success with another. He was not a team player and had suffered in turn. He’d ended up back at her father’s estate a rather wicked little hot mess. As it happened, Evangelina was drawn to wounded creatures and was forever bringing something home with her. She was a sucker for has-beens.
She was lost in her thoughts when Altair’s head lifted and he stared off at something in the distance. Evangelina didn’t immediately go on alert, her eyes fluttered softly closed again but it only lasted for a moment. Altair’s body turned so his attention could be entirely focused on the newest trespasser. With ears up and nostrils flared, a powerful bugling sort of welcoming nicker vibrated through him, shaking her as he did it. That drew Evie’s attention. It was the tone in the stallions nicker, there was another horse.
With a fluid grace not seen often from the pint-sized Leventi, she rose back up into sitting position. Her legs still dangled loosely near the horse’s belly. She sat relaxed in the saddle, her darkened honey eyes meeting the most unexpected eyes. A faint smile touched her lips in silent greeting. Her hands gave a single, gentle tug on her reins in a reminder that she was still there.
“My lord.” She acknowledged. She licked her try lips and cleared her throat softly, “I thought it was the general practice for men of consequence to remain in bed until past the hour of almost noon.” Evangelina’s dimpled smile formed on one side of her slightly too wide mouth. “Business and schemes to see them to bed in the wee hours of the morning.”
Gavriil of Dimitrou
A sigh escaped. There was still a lavender tint as the sun had yet to make its gracious appearance, but the stars were mostly gone. She’d slipped out that morning, unable to sleep and needing to just be away from all things confining. Guards and maidens were left in their beds. Maybe it was reckless for her but what she knew that they did not, was that if trouble arose she could out ride it. Had she been on foot or in a boat, she wouldn’t have hesitated. But on a horse…she could have led Hermes himself on a merry chase if she’d sought too.
The grey stallion quietly snatched at the grass under the great oak tree as Evie peered upwards through the branches. Despite her presence, the birds flew in and out of the tree. A fox was sniffing the ground a few hundred paces away. Somewhere in the time she’d been under the tree she’d become a part of the scene instead of a trespasser. Altair seemed to be enjoying the openness of this morning as well, he’d long grown tired of her uncle’s stables. They were beautiful, immaculate, and something to stare in awe of but like most things they were confining and designed to control rather than comfort.
Altair’s fate had once been a prince among horses. The perfect example of what the Leventi’s bred… what they sold. He’d been sold to become a circus horse, but Altair hadn’t wanted to share his success with another. He was not a team player and had suffered in turn. He’d ended up back at her father’s estate a rather wicked little hot mess. As it happened, Evangelina was drawn to wounded creatures and was forever bringing something home with her. She was a sucker for has-beens.
She was lost in her thoughts when Altair’s head lifted and he stared off at something in the distance. Evangelina didn’t immediately go on alert, her eyes fluttered softly closed again but it only lasted for a moment. Altair’s body turned so his attention could be entirely focused on the newest trespasser. With ears up and nostrils flared, a powerful bugling sort of welcoming nicker vibrated through him, shaking her as he did it. That drew Evie’s attention. It was the tone in the stallions nicker, there was another horse.
With a fluid grace not seen often from the pint-sized Leventi, she rose back up into sitting position. Her legs still dangled loosely near the horse’s belly. She sat relaxed in the saddle, her darkened honey eyes meeting the most unexpected eyes. A faint smile touched her lips in silent greeting. Her hands gave a single, gentle tug on her reins in a reminder that she was still there.
“My lord.” She acknowledged. She licked her try lips and cleared her throat softly, “I thought it was the general practice for men of consequence to remain in bed until past the hour of almost noon.” Evangelina’s dimpled smile formed on one side of her slightly too wide mouth. “Business and schemes to see them to bed in the wee hours of the morning.”
Gavriil of Dimitrou