Page 31 of A Sea So Cruel
Asta, having grown up in the stables, rushed over to the horse despite Gyrial’s objections as he followed.
She had never seen such a wild horse. The mare was bucking, snapping at the air around her. When she spotted Asta watching her, she charged.
Asta didn’t step back, and didn't display any uneasiness in her posture. She simply held up a hand and let out a demand.
“Stop!” she bellowed at the horse.
The mare stopped charging a whisper away from Asta, ready to rear up, but the princess grabbed the golden bridle.
Asta walked the horse in a few tight circles before lightly stroking down the mare’s face, delighted that she was not head shy. She was definitely from the royal stables, then. Thehorse’s white mane was unkempt and she needed grooming, but otherwise, she was unharmed.
Gyrial approached Asta and the horse carefully. “Asta, back away from it,” he whispered, his hands held out cautiously as he lightly stepped in their direction.
“It?”Asta snorted. “She’s clearly a horse, Gyrial. She’s just frightened from the storm. She must have ran off from her handler in the stables. What has gotten into you?”
Gyrial shook his head, narrowing his eyes at the mare. The horse was fidgeting, stepping from side-to-side, but no longer showing signs of aggression. “Nothing. Let’s return her to the stables, if that’s where she belongs.”
Asta kept a hold of the horse’s golden bridle as she and Gyrial walked the mare back to the north wing. The horse seemed discontent, her ears slightly turned back, and Asta couldn’t help but notice the little tugs the mare pressed against the bridle.
The princess stopped abruptly and looked into the horse’s brown eyes as she spoke. “I know. I know how it feels to taste the freedom that you can’t have. But Orntali is too dangerous for a wild horse, do you understand? I will come check on you.”
The mare kept her ears back, but didn’t tug against Asta’s hold for the rest of the walk.
When they arrived at the stables, Asta approached the stablehand nearest to her, a young, black-haired girl no older than fifteen.
“I’m here to return this mare,” Asta said, holding the reins out for the girl to grab, “She seems to have escaped.”
The young girl looked the dapple mare up-and-down, circling around her. She reached a hand up to pet the frost-white mane and the horse side-stepped out of reach, keeping an eye on the girl. After she gave a long stare at the bridle, she shook her head. “Not one of ours, Your Highness. No idea what crest is on that bridle, there, but it isn’t the Enrathi family crest.”
Asta looked closer at the bridle and noticed the small crest engraved into a gold coin. It was a conch wrapped in kelp. She had never seen it before.
Frustrated, Asta turned to Gyrial for any type of advice but he only shrugged, his long braids sliding off his shoulders as he did.
Asta looked around at the well-kept stables. “Can we house her here until we know who has misplaced her?”
The girl bowed and took the reins. “Of course, Princess Asta. I will find her a stall.”
The mare tensed, every muscle of her powerful body visible. She turned her head back to Asta.
“Are they turned out daily? Will she stretch her legs?” Asta couldn’t help but ask. She felt like the mare needed to hear the answer, as if she understood.
“Yes, daily, Your Highness. So long as I can find her a herd she tolerates enough to be in her presence.” The girl gestured to the stalls around her, all filled with gorgeously groomed horses.
Even though the dapple gray horse was wildly stunning, Asta could see that it was not the same kind of beauty as the royal herds.
The mare finally allowed the girl to lead her down the hall. Before they left, Asta asked the girl if she could keep the golden bridle with her so she could research the crest that was engraved on it.
On their walk up to the castle, Asta ran a thumb over the cool gold token. She had never seen a crest so plain. She figured it was the symbol of a small coastal village somewhere nearby.
“I wouldn’t go visit that horse, Asta,” Gyrial said. He had hardly spoken a word since they caught the mare on the beach.
Asta’s head whipped toward her friend, her acid irises burning his golden stare. “I’m going to visit her. She trusts me. What is your problem with that horse?”
Gyrial sighed, scrubbing his face with his palm. “She’s wild. I don’t want you getting hurt. And I don’t want anyone in the stables getting hurt, for that matter.” He glanced over his shoulder, back toward the north wing. “Some horses can’t be fully tamed. I can tell she is one of them.”
So Gyrial is some master horse trainer now?Asta had never even seen him interact with one except for when he was on patrol.
“I’m going to see her, and I’m going to make sure she is safe if we don’t find her home.” Asta’s tone was stern and unwavering.
