The Chronicles of Anwen

The Chronicles

  of Anwen

  Tales of Shalock Stables:

  Short Stories 1-4

  By

  VICKI V. LUCAS

  Fiction on Fire

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2016 Vicki V. Lucas

  No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, posted on any website, or transmitted in any form or by any means—digital, electronic, scan, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without written permission from the author, except for brief quotations in printed reviews and articles.

  For more information, visit www.vickivlucas.com.

  Book 1

  Anwen’s Invitation

  Chapter One

  Geona’s Assignment

  Geona groaned. But not even her audible agony changed her school assignment on a rough wooden table in front of her. A map of the world of Eltiria was crudely drawn on parchment. She slid her feet back and forth on the rough floorboards of the small kitchen.

  The fire in the cook stove cracked and popped behind her. She shifted on her stool as the flames warmed her back a little too much. On the other side of the room, Robet and Myriam played on the floor with toys. Even though Myriam was two years younger, she gave her four year old brother all sorts of trouble.

  Good girl! We girls have to keep our brothers on their toes!

  She snuck a glance at Tristan, a year and a half older than she was. Now twelve, she could keep up with Tristan, no matter how hard he tried to get away.

  Mother looked up the rocking chair in the living room and stopped darning Papa’s socks to clear her throat. Geona got the message.

  Get back to school work.

  The fire warmed her back too much. She leaned forward and picked up the paper in front of her, but it was so hard to concentrate.

  Spring was slowly arriving. The snow melted a bit every day while the sun felt warmer. The brooding mares would be having their babies soon, and then the days would be full of visitors of the highest rank coming to purchase their new horses. Papa would be busy night and day, especially if the king decided to visit again.

  Maybe this time she would be one of the hands who led the horses ready to sell for the king to examine.

  She sighed.

  No good asking Papa for that. As foreman, he had to do what Melchior Turow, the owner of Turow Barns, said. Master Melchior was nice, but she didn’t think he would let a twelve-year participate in something as important as sales.

  Besides Melchior’s daughter, no other girl ever was in the barn. The other hands liked Geona, but they didn’t think she could handle the horses like they could.

  Geona rolled her eyes.

  It’s all so unfair.

  Papa said she was a natural when it came to horses. He even said she had real potential and ability. But she was stuck here with school. And if it wasn’t school, it was the fact that she was a girl.

  Will I ever get a chance to train horses and spend my days doing what I love?

  She glanced out the window. The houses with their thatched roofs sat in neat rows. The massive barn used for the mares waiting to foal was further down the large meadow. Beyond that were the rolling hills that led to the large pastures.

  Papa was riding in those hills to round up and bring back the two year old horses for their training while she was stuck here.

  If all was going as it should he probably had already rounded Shiel Lake, the prettiest spot in all of Eltiria, and had turned north to where the steep hills surrounded large meadows.

  She glanced at Mama’s instructions.

  World Knowledge

  Choose one of the two: Make sure your writing shows the differences of the regions of Eltiria, the government system, your beliefs, and the culture.

  1. Write an essay. It must follow the format that we have previously studied.

  2. Write a short story that shows the topics outlined above. It must follow the pattern of stories we have studied.

  Her older brother, Tristan, glanced up from his paper. “If you keep staring out the window, you’ll never get done,” he whispered.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she whispered back. “Papa’s already gone. What’s your hurry?”

  “Mama said I could leave as soon as I’m done.” He turned back to his paper. “I’m not spending all day indoors!”

  Geona frowned. It was unfair he got to do what he wanted to all the time. Tristan got to hike in the hills. He spent the time tracking animals, looking for wolves that didn’t exist anymore, and doing other things in the woods.

  She glanced at the assignment again. She wasn’t doing an essay. She needed a story.

  But what?

  She shifted on her stool again until the barn came into view, but she couldn’t see anything happening.

  At least she got to live on a horse farm and spend every day in the barns and corrals. She was too young to remember her first ride. Most girls dreamed of what she had. But she never stopped thinking of racing, and adventure, and a horse of her own.

  “Got it!”

  And she dipped her quill into the ink to begin writing.

  Chapter Two

  Anwen’s Adventure Begins

  Anwen threw a lead rope over her red tunic and strode out of the barn to catch the next horse to train. Working at Shalock Stables was a dream she had worked for her whole life. Ever since she was a little girl, horses responded to her better than anyone. The wildest stallion calmed at her touch. The fastest horse ran even more swiftly at her urging.

  Shalock Stables found her and requested her to train their horses. She eagerly accepted because everyone knew the best horses were bred and trained at their facility.

  But after being here a year, Anwen found it hard to find joy in her work. She was the first woman to ever work at Shalock Stables! The victories of seven race horses she had trained were more than she had hoped for, but there was something more she wanted.

  She didn’t even know what it was. She loved Shalock Stables, but it didn’t seem like this was where she belonged. It wasn’t home yet.

  To take her mind off her troubles, Anwen studied the corrals and the barn. Shalock Stables was a bustling barn with race horses being trained and conditioned for the hardest tracks.

  She couldn’t stay in a bad mood when she saw the horses stretching into a full run on the track, the few foals trotting in circles around their mothers, and heard the nicker of welcome of horses close by.

  Shalock Stables! Set just outside of the big city of Northbridge, it was the largest horse racing stable of all time. It had produced the greatest of race horses like Fyrestorm and Thundercloud.

  Some thought it was the line of horses they bred that produced champions, but others thought their success was due to their training grounds. Surely the exercises through the majestic mountains, the Razors, created winners.

  No one ventured too deeply into the mountains. Those who did rarely came back. Tales were continually surfacing of the monsters called Seekers, large three-fingered creatures, who dragged their victims to the Evil One. Even if they didn’t exist, the mountains and wild animals killed anyone who entered.

  Anwen adjusted the lead rope over her shoulder and headed to the corrals further away from the barn.

  This is the greatest place in all of Eltiria!

  There was nothing in the east, only the great Black Sands Desert. In the center of Eltiria lay the capital in the city of Medora. The King and Queen lived there with their young son, Aric, in the royal castle.

  On the other side of Medora, the land flattened with tropic plants until it met the sea. In the west was Shiel Lake, an area filled with rolling hills and m
any types of farms.

  As Anwen studied the woods below the Razors, something large and brown flashed through the trees. She squinted but was unable to figure out what it was.

  Could it be a Seeker? A wolf?

  But Seekers weren’t real. And wolves didn’t exist anymore.

  Anwen paused on the dirt track. She had to find out what was in the woods.

  She jogged over the bridge that spanned the foamy water of Shammah River. Her divided riding skirt caught between her legs. She paused on the bridge to straighten it.

  The freezing water came fresh out of the mountains with a force as it fell down steep cliffs. She could travel to the southern edge of Eltiria if she followed the river, for it brought water to the whole country.

  She left the bridge and slipped into the woods. Trying to move quietly, she crept through the trees and strained to hear something. But she didn’t hear a thing. Not even a bird singing.

  She studied the dirt. Tracks of a horse led into the mountains. She swallowed. It wasn’t safe to go much farther, but the tracks looked like the horse was limping on its right front leg.

  Just what I need. Some horse got out. Probably Lightning Flash. It’s always the most valuable one that gets into the most trouble.

  Anwen took a deep breath and crept further in the forest.

  Why didn’t I bring my bow and arrows?

  She fingered the long knife she always wore on her belt but didn’t draw it. If it was what she feared, a knife wouldn’t do much damage.

  Anwen walked until the sun was overhead and hot. The tracks continued to lead into the mountains, but she never caught sight of the horse. Just about the time she was ready to give up and go back for help, she heard a branch snap.

  She swallowed and tried to make her heart beat quieter. She couldn’t hear a thing over its thudding.

  Branches broke again to the right of the deer path she was following. She paused, unsure if she should run or hide.

  Anwen snuck into the shadow of a big tree and tried to hide in the grass. For what felt like forever, she heard nothing but her heart.

  Then something pounded the dirt in a soft, rhythmic pattern. She squinted through the grass. The sound was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

  She risked a peek around the tree. The trees ended to reveal a large meadow dotted with large boulders. Standing in the sun was something she never expected.

  “Well, you’re a long ways from home,” she whispered.

  Chapter Three

  Anwen’s Catch

  A light grey horse walked to the big tree she hid behind and stopped in front of her. He held his head high with his ears pricked forward. His dark gray mane flowed like a lady’s hair released from a braid. It cascaded into his eyes and down his thick neck.

  It looks like he’s been dusted with starlight. Stardust! That’s what I’ll call him.

  Red streaked down his right front leg. Blood! He held his hoof off the ground as if it hurt him.

  Anwen eased to her feet. She barely breathed in fear of spooking him. A branch broke under her feet. She repressed a bad word and froze. When she could bear it no more, she peered around the tree.

  Stardust snorted as she appeared. His well-chiseled head sat on a long, thick neck that sloped down to a strong, muscular back and long legs.

  But then she saw a halter on him. This was no wild horse. Judging by the look of the rope, he must have broken free a while ago.

  The stallion snorted and pawed the ground at the sight of her.

  She held out her hand slowly and said in a soft voice. “It's okay, Stardust,” she whispered. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

  The horse jerked back at her words. Anwen grinned as she studied him. His mane and tail rippled, and his coat shone like he had just been groomed.

  “Where did you come from, boy?” She kept her voice soft and low. She wanted him get used to her voice. “Somebody must have lost you. I hope they don’t mind if I take you home.”

  Stardust snorted again, but this time he dropped his head as a signal of relaxing. She took a small step forward and placed one hand on the lead rope she had on her shoulder. She needed to get close enough to get it around his neck. Then she could fasten it to the halter while controlling the stallion.

  He reared slightly, but she paid him no mind as she continued a steady stream of chatter and walked closer. He took a step back while breathing forcefully through his nose.

  She stopped. Stardust needed a little more time to get to know her. From the way he was acting, he knew what humans were, but he hadn't been around them for a while.

  Anwen pulled the lead rope from her shoulder. Her hands trembled. She never had a horse that was her sole responsibility. If she could catch the stallion and take him home, he would be hers. And what a horse to have!

  The ground would shake from his pounding hooves when he ran. They would fly over the mountains as fast as the winged horses, the mythical Archippi! They would race the clouds and win!

  And just maybe she could find a way to enter him into the races where she would win the Celeri medal from the king after placing first in the endurance, speed, and cross country races!

  Anwen was almost to the stallion now. When he snorted, his breath warmed her hand. He sniffed her hand and snorted loudly again like her scent offended him.

  She grinned. He was acting like a king, and she had entered his domain.

  “Easy now.”

  The stallion shook his head and then stilled at her words.

  “Now listen. You are going to come with me. We are going to be friends. And you will get yummy food and a warm barn on cold winter nights.”

  Her hand was at his nose. This time Stardust didn't jerk away, but he sniffed it thoroughly. She wanted to stroke his glossy gray coat and kiss the velvet nose, but she didn't dare yet.

  Instead she held the rope out and stepped to his neck. When her hand touched the thick coat, the stallion snorted again and jumped away.

  She didn't react, although she desperately wanted to scream with frustration. The stallion knew people. He wasn't acting like a wild horse would. He was cautious, but he wasn't frightened of her.

  She started again, holding out her hand and walking as slowly as a decrepit horse. She talked about everything, trying to remind him of the good things that people gave horses like oats, fresh hay, grooming that got all the itchy places, and dry barns in the icy rain.

  Stardust didn't seem all that impressed.

  She reached him again and felt his warm breath on her hand. This time he didn't jerk away as much as he did before. She smiled. Now she was making progress.

  Anwen repeated her actions and moved to his neck before touching him. She placed her hand on his long, silky mane and petted him cautiously. He tossed his head a few times but then calmed when her touch remained gentle and soothing.

  She tried to take deep breaths and stay calm while she looped the lead rope around his neck.

  He snorted as the rope touched his neck, but he didn't pull away.

  “Easy, Stardust,” Anwen said. “I'm not going to hurt you. I have a feeling that you know how it feels to have a person on your back.”

  Holding onto the rope around his neck, she cautiously tied it to the halter. The stallion snorted with a slight squeal and reared into the sky. The rope around his neck slipped through her hand with a shot of pain.

  She ignored it and hung on when he leaped to the side. Seeing her stay with him, he stopped with front feet spread wide.

  “I’m still here,” she said. “And I'm not going to hurt you.”

  Stardust shook his head like he didn’t believe her.

  “Where did you come from? And why did they let you go? And what did you do to your leg?”

  Anwen leaned over to study the wound. It was a fresh, but it didn’t look like it was bleeding a lot. A bit of doctoring, and the stallion would be as good as new.

  Stardust blew out his nose like he wa
s warning her of something. She stood up and glanced at him. The stallion froze with his ears pricked forward, studying the trees around them.

  Anwen turned, keeping a tight hold of the lead rope, and squinted at the woods. There was nothing she could see. But as she peered into the shadows, she realized again that silence surrounded her. No birds sang. No wind stirred the branches.

  She stepped closer to the big gray horse. He didn’t jump away from her. Instead, he seemed to lean closer.

  She continued to search for what the horse was looking at. Then a chill swept through her. Goosebumps rose on her arms and neck as it felt like it was suddenly in the middle of winter. She glanced at the sun to see if a cloud had blocked it, but the sky was clear.

  She carefully laid a hand on the horse’s neck to feel something warm and alive. His skin twitched under her touch, but he didn’t jump away.

  The branches stirred. Stardust snorted and pawed the ground. Then a tall, pale creature stepped into view, although it stayed in the shadows.

  Anwen gasped. The monster towered over her. Its skin was flaky and pale. Three fingers wrapped around the handle of an axe with a blade that was stained with blood. Yellow eyes paralyzed her with fear.

  A Seeker! The monsters of the Evil One.

  Chapter Four

  Anwen’s Orders

  Anwen gripped Stardust’s lead rope tighter and stepped away from the Seeker.

  Tales said that Seekers never stopped hunting when ordered to capture someone. They would search until they seized their prey and dragged him back to their master.

  “That horse,” the creature spoke. Its words sounded strange, like it wasn’t used to talking. “Our master desires it.”

  Anwen was able to grip the rope tighter. Her voice cracked as she stammered “I... I found him. I caught him.”

  “You foolish girl!” the Seeker laughed. “Its owner turned him loose because my master desired him. Do you think he’s some wild horse? Do you think you can stand in my way? Hand him over, and I might spare your life.”