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Quick recap: Jot and Chance have decided to bring Ryder along with them as their guide to the kingdom Rale. Ryder's told them that he knows where they can obtain some horses, and so they set off.
Here There Be Dragons
Chapter Five, part one
It turned out that, to get these horses, we were going to have to visit a lonely little farmhouse on the outskirts of the village’s boundaries. Ryder had regained most of his assured, swaggering manner in the short time it took to walk to the place, and he bragged aloud to Chance, “Oh yes, Daria is a fine lady indeed! And I know her very well.” Then he winked knowingly and laughed.
I was riding invisibly in Chance’s pack once again, and I sighed. “All it takes is one gulp,” I whispered.
“I cannot break our promise,” he replied softly, as Ryder continued on about the fine qualities of the lady.
“You wouldn’t be breaking any promises. I would, but it doesn’t matter to me because I’m a dragon, not a knight who’s bound by silly codes of chivalry.”
Chance didn’t respond; he didn’t have time to, as we had arrived at the farmhouse. Ryder was already knocking on the door. It was small, old, and rickety, and the stable on the side of the house didn’t look much better.
“I hope the horses are as good as Ryder says,” I whispered, peeking over his shoulder, and at that minute the door opened.
I’ll never forget that moment; I saw Chance’s eyes widen considerably in surprise, and then a wave of blood rushed into his cheeks before he dropped his gaze to his boots.
My own gaze was then naturally turned towards the door, wondering just what could have caused such a reaction from Chance.
A young woman stood there, maybe a year or so younger than Chance, with light brown hair, sparkling green eyes, and a snub little nose that I bet Chance just found adorable. She looked inquisitively from Chance to Ryder, and I felt the boy’s heart speeding up. I chuckled quietly to myself. This was going to be an interesting time.
“Is the good lady Daria here?” Ryder was inquiring of the girl, whom I had originally assumed was Daria herself.
But the girl nodded and said, “Yes, she’s inside. I’ll get her.”
The door closed, and I felt Chance relax suddenly.
“Ooh, she’s a pretty one,” I said with a dreamy sigh. “What’s her name, Ryder?”
“Don’t know,” he replied with a shrug. “Haven’t seen her before.” He eyed Chance sideways and a knowing smile spread across his mouth. “She is a pretty little thing.”
Chance was blushing like an idiot, and he had just hissed the words, “Shut up, both of you,” before the door opened again. He started, face flushing again in anticipation of the girl.
This time, however, the formidable Daria was standing in front of us. She was a good deal taller than Ryder, and had a very strong look about her. Her attired was different from the usual rags; she wore tight leather breeches and a matching leather tunic over a cloth shirt. Her arms and legs were toned perfectly, and I started to salivate at the thought of the wonderful muscles underneath. Her hair was long and shining brown, her eyes flashed a brilliant blue, and her mouth was clenched in a firm way.
Altogether, I bet she could have taken on both Chance and Ryder and sent them crying back home without blinking an eye.
“Ryder.” Her voice was deep, steady, clear. Definitely the strong type. “What are you doing here?” Judging by her tone, she had about as high of an opinion of him as I did.
“Ah, Daria.” Ryder seemed to have lost some of his confidence. “We are here to rent your horses for a journey to Rale.”
Daria turned her gaze to Chance, and for the first time I felt like hiding back in the pack; I dared not move now, or else she’d notice the pack’s flap sliding around on its own, so I kept still. Her eyes seemed to see right through me, as if she knew I was there. Finally, she turned her attention back to Ryder.
“And you expect me to just lend you my horses, not knowing if I’ll ever get them back?”
“Well—”
“What happened the last time I did that? I never saw them again. And you never paid me sufficiently for their value.”
“You see—”
“I don’t trust you, Ryder. Nor your friend who looks like he’s seen the shock of his life.”
I had to hold in the chuckle.
“Surely we can come to some kind of an agreement—”
“I can pay you,” Chance interrupted, straightening up a little bit.
Daria looked at him down her very straight nose. “Let’s go inside, and we’ll talk,” she finally said.
Without another word, she turned and disappeared inside the house; Ryder followed eagerly, and Chance took a deep breath as he trailed behind. No need to wonder what—who—he was thinking about.
There was a nice little couch at one end of the room we had entered, and Daria gestured to it.
“Sit down.”
Chance did, removing his pack and resting it gently on the floor next to the couch. I peered out; from my viewpoint, there was a table and chair in one corner of the room, a broom in another, and a nice soft rug covering the dirt-packed floor. Another doorway led out of the room, and through this I was sure I heard movement coming through.
“Now,” Daria said, pulling the chair over and positioning it at an angle facing Ryder and Chance, “let’s hear your proposition.”
Chance quickly spoke, to prevent Ryder from doing so. “M’lady, I am Chance of the Woles, and I am here on urgent business. I must get to Rale as soon as possible; my associate, Ryder, said he knew of a place where I could acquire steeds suited to my purpose. I can only hope that they will be swift enough. I have eight silvers—” here I glanced up at him in surprise; where the money had suddenly sprung from, I hadn’t a clue, “—which should be enough for the rental of your horses.”
Daria didn’t let anything slip past her. “Show me this money.”
Chance reached into his belt; there was a clever little seam on it that had missed my sight before, and out of it he brought eight shining coins that he held in the palm of his hand.
Daria reached out and took one, gingerly. She inspected it closely, sniffed it, and then returned it to Chance’s palm.
“Eight silvers would pay for one of my horses. Certainly not two, and certainly not when one of the riders is…” she paused, “Ryder.”
“Your lack of trust in me is disappointing,” Ryder sighed.
“But rightfully given,” Daria replied archly. She looked thoughtfully at Chance. “Do you have anything else to offer? Do you even need this man to accompany you? I will easily give you one horse to use for those eight coins.”
Chance shook his head. “I will not be able to pay that much for another horse, and yet I do need one. Ryder is my guide to Rale.”
Daria shot Ryder a glance, halfway between surprise and disgust. “Then we seem to have come to an impasse,” she declared.
Chance looked beseechingly at Ryder. “You don’t happen to have any money, I suppose?”
“Of course not! And I wouldn’t pay for my horse anyway if I did. You’re the one who’s paying me,” he added huffily.
Daria eyed Ryder distastefully, then turned to Chance. “I have a proposition,” she said firmly. “If you choose not to take it and not to rent a horse, then I will ask you to leave.”
“I’m listening,” Chance said, leaning forward as if her words would come faster if there was less space between him and her mouth.
“Let me accompany you. That way, I can personally assure the safety, wellbeing, and return,” she shot Ryder a dirty look, “of my horses. Your eight silvers would get you the two horses for you both, then.”
Chance mulled it over, then nodded. “I’d be fine with that.”
I almost poked my head out at that time to berate Chance for not consulting me first, but was able to hold it in and wait for a more private moment. Instead, I sulkily watched.
Ryder had a very hopeful, yet cautious, expression on his face as Daria glared at him. “And I will have you punished if your conduct fails to meet my approval,” she hissed.
He merely looked affronted.
Chance cleared his throat. “I’d like to see the horses now.”
“Of course,” Daria murmured, rising elegantly. “This way, please.”
he he
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