Victoria smiled as a puff of hot breath blew against the back of her neck. She finished latching the barn door closed and turned around. Riven had unlatched his stall door yet again. The mess of hay strewn across the floor proved that he’d escaped to help himself to more food. He bumped his muzzle into her chest, nickering softly in greeting. She shook her head as she scratched his nose and his cheeks.
“You’re driving the stablehands crazy, you know,” She scolded him halfheartedly. As she turned to retrieve his bridle and saddle, she noticed that all of the other stalls were open, and the main door to the paddock outside was ajar. Riven pawed at the ground indignantly when she stopped scratching his cheeks. She scowled at him and ran to investigate where the rest of the horses had gone. Thankfully, the other ten horses were busy grazing on the grass. Now, though, she had to figure out how to get the draft team and the other horses back inside on her own. Riven trotted out into the pasture, seeming to delight in being the only stallion amongst a herd of mares.
“He only let out one of them. The rest have figured out how to open their stalls from watching him.”
Victoria jumped in surprise. Jean was sitting on the fence just outside the stable, watching the horses graze. He was dressed in his sparring clothes, with his blond hair pulled back out of his face. “What are you doing out of bed at this hour, Little Lord?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” He shrugged. “Your horse really likes my sister’s mare. It started with just the two of them getting out at night. Then the others wanted out too.”
“I’m sure the stable master is just thrilled about this,” Victoria sighed. Riven made his rounds, greeting all the other horses before beginning to graze himself, swishing his wavy black tail happily.
“Should we round them up?”
“No, leave them. Riven will keep them safe tonight. Not much can come between a stallion and his mares.” Victoria pulled herself up onto the fence to sit beside him. She gave Jean another look over, noting the troubled expression on his face. “You’re too young to have problems sleeping. Anything in particular keeping you up?”
“My fourteenth birthday is in six months,” He said. “I’m going to be a man soon, but it doesn’t really feel like it should. Everyone still treats me like a child, especially my sister. If they would just give me a chance, I could prove that I’m more capable than any of them realize.”
“When I was your age, I was already slaying monsters.”
“That’s the point I’ve been making!” Jean threw his hands up in the air, clearly delighted that someone saw it his way. “I’m not afraid to die for my country if needed. But my sister is.”
“I think she’s more afraid that you’ll die than if she’ll die,” Victoria said. “You’ll go on to carry the family name and pass it on to any children you may have. She won’t.”
“But she’s the head of the family! She’s still a Labelle! I have as much of a right to serve and protect our family legacy and our empire as she does.”
“There is more to serving your country than needlessly putting your life on the line. Sometimes, staying alive does more for your people and your legacy than being in the thick of things.”
“But you said—”
“I know I was already doing it at your age, but that’s irrelevant, Little Lord. Tell me why it’s so important to you that you be out there hunting monsters with your sister rather than focusing on your studies until you’re older.”
“Because everyone thinks I’m a joke! How can I claim to be a Labelle—a world-renowned beast hunter—when I haven’t ever done anything or proven my skills?” Jean said. In the moonlight, Victoria could see tears in his eyes as he looked up at the three moons together in the sky high above them. “I feel useless here, like a little doll on display. I want to help, to avenge my parents, to show I’m capable of great things.”
“Jean, if there is one thing I’ve learned about you while I’ve been here, it’s that you’ve already shown you are capable of great things. Very few apprentice-level mages your age could have any hope of standing up to the magic I’ve thrown at you during our lessons. Even if it hurts, even if you struggle, or fail, you get back up and try again.” Victoria nudged him with her fist to get him to look at her. “You’re almost a man, but you’ve got a lot to learn still, Little Lord. Appreciate the people around you trying to keep you safe.”
“I guess you’re right. Thank you, Miss Valerie.” Jean forced a smile. “No one’s ever really talked with me the way you do. Maybe that’s my own fault. I haven’t been the most open about the way I feel….”
“Being open about pain takes guts, Kid. And you’ve got more than most.” Victoria looked over at Riven again, happily grazing on the midnight dew and grass. She whistled for him, and he eagerly came trotting up to her. In his excitement for attention, he almost knocked her back from the fence. “Have you gotten a chance to say hello to him yet?”
“No, I took your word on him not being keen on strangers.” Jean scooted a little closer to look at him, but still kept his distance. “He’s the most beautiful horse I think I’ve ever seen.”
“Come closer. While I’m here, he won’t be too fussy if you let him sniff your hands.” Victoria patted the fence beside her. Jean scooted over more, tentatively holding out a hand to Riven. Curiously, he sniffed Jean’s hand for a few moments before tickling his fingers with his lips. “I think he likes you.”
“You think so?” Jean asked. He kept his hands outstretched. Riven bumped his nose into his hands, seeming eager for attention. The stallion wasn’t used to being on his own for this long anymore. The two of them had been together almost all day every day for the last five years. The sudden separation was surely stressful for him.
“You’re the first man he’s ever let touch him in years. Count yourself lucky.” Victoria smiled as Riven leaned into Jean’s scratching. His big head was larger than Jean’s whole torso, and he almost knocked the boy off the fence. She laughed as the stallion backed up to pull Jean upright again.
“Were you a noble in your kingdom?” Jean asked her. “These horses are some of the most expensive ones in the world, and he’s the finest one I’ve ever seen.”
“I was not noble myself, but I was employed by one of the Bouchers as a guard, as were my parents before me. I would go out on hunts with them. For my service, and that of my family, I was given Riven. Mostly because he was an unruly young stallion and they were considering having him castrated if his behavior didn’t start to improve. I managed to tame his fire, I guess. The two of us have been together for the last ten years.” Victoria reached over to scratch behind one of Riven’s ears. His head snapped up suddenly, ears forward as he listened to something. Victoria caught Jean before he fell off the fence and sniffed the air, curious to see what had caught her horse’s attention so suddenly. A shiver went down her spine.
There were undead nearby. Quite a few of them.
“Get back to the house, Jean. Wake your sister and get the guards ready.” Victoria jumped from the fence and drew her sword as she turned to face the main gates a few hundred feet behind them.
“What is it?”
“You need to go now, Jean. You have no weapons and no armor on. We don’t have much time.”
“You don’t have armor either.”
“I can regenerate. You can’t. Go!” Victoria slowly started walking toward the gate. Klen was not with her, so she was on her own. She could hear Jean sprinting behind her, and Riven began to protest loudly as he tried to escape the paddock to be at her side. Hopefully, his fussing would rouse any nearby guards.
Two blood-curdling shrieks pierced the peaceful night air. As they fell silent, she knew the guards along the road had been killed. A bell somewhere on the estate started ringing, echoing into the night. She could hear people shouting all around the estate.
Everyone knew the cult was at the gates now.