Iridescent

Chapter 6

Stasia

"Hey Misses' Stasia, where've ya' been?" Cillian asked, dusting off some saddles with his signature rag rusted with dirt stains and probably everything known to man. His salt and pepper hair was barely combed under the hat he refused to part ways with—even though it was falling apart all on its own.

When I walked into the barn, it was as dusty as I had left it a few days before—but still lively with hands preparing this horse and washing the other. The day seemed to shine a little brighter when I started to make my way down here—after changing into something a little looser. There's no way to enjoy a trail ride when I am just fighting the green, satin material the entire time.

I smiled towards him and worked the braid out of my hair, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." He laughed heartily towards my comment and turned to take a swig of the whiskey he hid behind the feed bags.

"We let Liath out in the field for a few hours this mornin'—he was stirrin' so much, he woke us up," He nodded towards his stall and I looked over to see Liath push his dark head through the opening with perked ears at my arrival. "He's missed ya'."

My pace quickened to meet the raven muzzle of the giant head that greeted me with a soft nicker and I rubbed up to his ears as he pressed his head into my chest, "I am sorry, Liath—duty calls."

"I'll get the tack, Misses' Stasia," Cillian offered, and I continued to rub on Liath as I thanked him and reached for a halter. He dropped his head for me as I looped the rope halter around and fastened it into a loose knot. By the time Cillian came in, tossing the black leather up on the opened stall door, I was brushing Liath down.

His coat shimmered against the afternoon sun that trickled in and it looked like someone had already groomed him, so I did not spend much time with it. "Did you already groom him, Cillian?" I asked, and he spit on his towel, rubbing down a spot on one of the saddles. He just looked up and gave a toothy grin as he bobbed his head up and down. I gave him a thankful smile as I mentioned, "You didn't have to."

"I figured you were gonna' come around, so I just went ahead and did it for ya'—no trouble," He shrugged.

I threw a saddle blanket down and smoothed it across his back, lifting it to meet the necessary spot on his withers. He stamped his hoof, more eager to get out than anything, so I padded his neck, saying, "Just a minute, Liath." Picking up my saddle and throwing it over the side of him, I started fastening his girth. Once Cillian was satisfied with the saddle he was cleaning, he came over and slipped Liath's bridle over his head and I thanked him. With another shrug and smile, he handed me the reigns and I made my way out of the barn, loving the sound of Liath's hooves pounding into the ground behind me.

A few guards nodded towards me before I mounted and started towards the path I knew too well. When I was younger, it was some sort of wonderland to me—my own place to get lost in. The mouth of the trail was a cave-like entrance to the forest since they trimmed back the trees and vines just enough for Liath and I to make it through. The ground was worn from past hooves—mostly Liath's—but also from the morning rides my father would plan every blue moon.

I adjusted my seating and pulled the loose skirt of my riding dress to fan over his hind and let my eyes soak in the greens that were breathing their last breath in Fall. Some of the newly fallen leaves crunched under Liath's eager pace, leaving me to close my eyes and appreciate the certain silence nature provided through noise. The birds that remained this late in the season called to each other and I could hear the small feet scatter at the sound of our presence below. Everything else—the wind speaking through the leaves and the distant sound of a stream rippling somewhere—gave me the fulfillment I yearned for within castle walls.