The Magic Lands

CHAPTER FOURTEEN • VALERIE

I was awoken early by the sound of horse neighing and shuffling around. I yawned and stood up as the sounds continued to go on. I saw a bunch of people with silver armor on their chests and helmets on, some were carrying horse tack around and others were already tacking up.

Even though it was sort of dark in the barn I understood what was going on.

It was time to face Harlina.

I let out a neigh to one of the people walking by and the turned around to me. "Hey, I see you're up." He said to me and came over to my stall. He touched my nose and I snorted him, I backed away slightly and he gave me a quick smile. He went back to his work and then Carter appeared.

He was in some teal shirt that was different from what he had been wearing. At least he changed, his old shirt was starting to get a little dirty. He had on some brown pants that looked to be made of some soft material. His shoes were the same and they were still covered in dirt and dust.

"Morning Valerie." He said and walked in my stall. He propped himself up against one of the walls of the stall and left the door wide open. "Are you ready to go home?" He asked and I gave him a neigh in response. Of course I was ready! I really want to get this dumb curse over with. I just hoped that we could actually pull off what Carter had in mind.

"Should you bridle her?" A voice came from the stall next door, the General stood inside getting his horse ready. The same horse that was interested in me when I had first come. He pricked his ears at me and I flattened mine.

"Oh, I don't really think at that is necessary." Carter said and the General shrugged.

"Might need a bit more control, but apparently by the look she is giving me you might be better off leaving it alone." He said and it was true. My ears were all the way back and I huffed are him as I turned away. If you look like live stock, that's how people will treat you.

Carter decided on no bridle and he let me walk out. "Ladies first." He said as he stepped out of the way. I stopped once I was in the isle way and he joined me. "If it all plays out, this will be the last time you are in that stall." He said and I gave him a little neigh in return. I troted down the isle way and Carter had to run to keep up. I stretched out my wing and flung him up onto my back. He barely held on and gripped my mane tight. Finally once he was secure I looked back at the barn and saw that the men on their horses were coming out.

I heard a thunderous neigh come from the herd of horse and I let out a neigh just as loud. I raced past the cottages and saw Katie just putting on her shoes. She was in a similar outfit to Carter only her shirt looked more like a blouse. "Watch out!" Carter called as we approached her and held out his hand just in my view. Katie held out her's and Carter grasped it tightly pulling her up into me. She landed hard on my back and I tripped from the sudden weight. This brought me back down to a trot and a waited for the rest of the horses, men, and women once we got to the town square.

They all came trotting down in one big cloud. Their sliver chest plates shined in the sunlight that had just barely come into the sky. They stopped a few feet away from Carter, Katie and I. The General was in front and he pointed to the village's entrance. "You go to the back and once we get there, go through the woods to the back of her house. We will have her come out and then once she is far enough forward you will hear a trumpet. That will be your cue." He said and started trotting to the back. "Onward! For Elicta!" He shouted and the rest of the army called it out too.

"For Elicta!"

We started off trotting down to the orange forest. Trees surrounded us on all sides and you could only wonder what was lying ahead.

•••

We reached Harlina's house soon and we went to the woods. I went fast but was careful not to make any noise. Finally we got to the back of her house and waited. A couple seconds past then a minute. Just when I thought nobody was going to come running footsteps came from the side of the house. I stood alert and Carter's hands tightened around my mane.

But it wasn't Harlina, it was another boy that looked to be around 12. He held a piece of rolled up paper and gave it to Carter and Katie.

"She isn't here, she has fled to the floating islands. The General has taken the army her way. I stayed behind with a few others. We have to catch up." He said and Carter's grip loosened.

"Ok, come on Valerie." He said and patted my neck. I trotted off around to the front of the house. There were a few other boys on horses and one held a horse's reins that didn't have a rider. The boy that gave Carter and Katie the note hopped on from the ground.

"Alright let's go, they shouldn't be far ahead so we will probably catch up soon." He said making his way to the front. We headed off, moving fast and it turns out they were farther ahead then planned. We finally caught up to them though. And there they were, the floating islands.

"Meet me where the floating islands meet the cliff," Carter said on my back.

"Challenge me if you dare." Katie added in and I extended my wings, ready to fly to the other side of the island.

"Good luck." The boy that handed us the note said.

Carter spoke up from my back. "Thanks Peter." He said and I took off letting the wind catch my wings.

It was now or never.