Hidden in the Body of A Horse

Chapter Four

Aria: 

Oh lord what have I just done? I thought to myself as I picked my body up from the ground. And I couldnt even stay in the other form. It was so foriegn to me I couldnt even hold my original form. 

Shifting had made me weak so I tried to walk out the shakes. Breathing deeply through my nose I caught the horses scent they called Todd and followed it to where it was strongest.

Todd had lain down beside Alex, the old gelding dozed his lower lip hanging low and his eye lids drooped. 

At the sight of me Alex shuffled backwards, his eyes as round and wide as saucers. "Stay away you demon." He tried to cover his cowardlyness with harsh words, but i needed my point to get through. As he continued to share, I shifted again. This time it wasnt as bad but standing was difficult. 

"P-please dont r-run." I stumbled forward and landed on my hands and knees. 

Anger replaced Alex's fear which he shown alarmingly as he stood up.  

"Witch, devils spawn." He spat towards me, in a way his hatred scared me and wrecked my nerves. I just couldnt hold on to my human form any longer my body wretched this way and that and once again I was standing as a horse.

I was unsure what to do next so i took a step towards him. He however had other ideas. I watched him straddle Todds back and with a swift kick to the flank the gelding jumped up quicker than a horse his age should have. 

Sighing in defeat I wearily walked to a large willow tree, laying down beneath the swaying branches and fell asleep.

*******

Alex:

"A girl who turns into a horse....a horse that turns into a girl!" My mind was spinning with the sight I had witnessed early. No one else had known or seen what I did. Heck maybe I was even going crazy. But if what I saw was real then,  I had to make sure she didnt escape. As a horse she was beautiful. A great piece of work. As a girl she made others pale in comparison. 

I may have been greedy. But something that valuable could not be thrown away.

After I had collected my self enough I saddled up one of the knights horses and grabbed a lariat.

It wasnt too hard to find the mare...well horse girl. She had fallen asleep under the shady willow. I guess going from one form to another took its toll because her ears didnt move a hair as we approached. 

She stood up in two seconds flat her body strainged against the rope.  Now the horse I rode was sturdy but I dont think any of us were expecting what happened next. She shifted and the rope slipped off, she grabbed my horses nose and stared into his eyes whispering something. Dudley, the horse I was riding, whinnied

It couldnt have been a pleasant conversation because Dudley threw a fit when Aria let him go. She collapsed back on the ground and right before she touched the billowy grass she shifted back. If I say it looked like she hit softly I'd be lying. Dudley Screamed a challenge, which I suppose was directed at me because he bucked and twisted his body unlike anything i've seen before.

"Damn you horse." I tried to get him back under control but it was a failed effort. I slipped my boots from the stirrups and with the next buck I used the moment to roll off. Dudley took off as soon as he felt my weight slide from the saddle.

The crazed gelding took off like a bat out of hell, his tail flagged high as he raced off through the field.

I stood there with my hands on my hips watching the exhausted mare...er girl in front of me. She shook from exhaustion. I picked up my lariet rope from which I had dropped. Once again I slipped the rope around her neck. Although this time she looked like she didnt have fight left in her. I tugged hard on the lariet Aria first stretched her neck, not wanting to get up.

A couple more tries and she groaned loudly and stood. Aria stumbled and caught herself but by the looks of it she wouldnt be able to stand much longer.

This time I would stall her next to my horse. The horses in that side of the stable were heavily guarded even more so then the regular ones.

Next to my horse Skipper, the stall was empty. I led her in and her legs folded underneath her. No more then three minutes after I shut the stall she was asleep, her body shaking every couple of minutes.

"What the hell." I pinched the bridge of my nose. It was time to go talk to my dad.

**************

"What do you mean where I got the appy mare?" My dad look slightly irritated.

"How do you expect me to remember where I got every piece of horse flesh?

"Dad, shes a mixed breed and shes different then the other horses. I need to know where you got her from." The king didnt look pleased with me. My dad Stephen was a hard man to get along with.

He scowled at me and crossed his arms. "If that is the mare thats only half appy then we found her and another in the woods over by the Stormclocks farm years ago. What the hell does this have anything to do with you. Its a horse, who cares where the damn thing came from." My dad grumbled at me and took a sip of wine from his chalice.

"Why did you take her?" I wondered aloud.

He stared at me with a pained look. "Your mother thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world. She used to watch them before she passed. Listen sell the mare keep her hell if I care." he paused to take a long drink from his cup. "Just dont bring that beast around me."

I stared at my dad long an hard for a moment. He was still so affected by the death of my mom. He had remarried to a woman, who was nothing but a lying bitch taking advantage of the king.

"Oh dear someone put that beast in Gingers stall," Tahiti whined.

"Speak of the devil," I murmured under my breath.

"Dear Ginger will be fine in another stall it will make no difference." His voice held a note of irritation.

She pouted and looked at me. "Oh its you Alex. Do you know who put the godly beast into my Gingers stall." The sweet and innocent voice she used was the biggest coverup of all time. She was a devil hidden as a woman.

"I put her there." I made sure that there was a snap to my tone. "Aria will stay there your Ginger doesnt need that one specific stall." Glaring at her I turned my back and began to walk out.

"Did you say Aria?" One of the kings servants asked polietly from the side. He was holding onto a jug of wine.

"Why do you ask?" Giving him a puzzled look I slipped my hands out of my gloves. "I have a sister named Aria," He returned his gaze down. "We havent seen her in years."

"Oh god" I stared at him wide eyes. "Are you a horse too!." I whispered loudly.