A Fleeting Eternity - Chapter Three

Ky un-hitched the carriage in the small shed next to the stable, then led the geldings into empty stalls. The one that’d been hitched to the left was ever so slightly taller, and had a heart-shaped splotch on his right shoulder. He was by far the most affectionate, nuzzling Ky as she thoroughly wiped him down. The one that’d been hitched to the right was also sweet, though he kept falling asleep as she brushed him.

Her work was as meticulous as ever, but her mind was far away. She didn’t like Aleth. The exchange with him left her feeling unsettled, and she still couldn’t seem to shake the vague sense of danger that still clung to her as she thought back on his threat of seeking her out after their ride. She desperately hoped that he didn’t actually intend to make good on that promise.

His interest made no sense. High-born men didn’t care about stable boys.

And yet it almost seemed as if he was making a game of figuring her out. She didn’t like it. There was far too much at stake for anyone to begin prodding at her assumed identity. She had to be careful, if she didn’t want to risk a quick date at the gallows.

She grabbed a shovel and began mucking out the stalls, putting her anxious energy to work. Soon sweat beaded on the back of her neck and trickled down into her tunic, and her breathing became labored. Her arms burned slightly from the effort, but she enjoyed the work out, and welcomed the distraction.

“Excuse me?”

Ky looked up in surprise at the voice, shovel in mid-pass towards the wheelbarrow, and turned to find a barracks boy standing in the door. Zivyn stood behind him, waiting obediently. Ky raised an eyebrow in surprise. “They’re back already?”

“Yes,” he answered. “They’d like both horses to have a bath.”

“Alright,” Ky answered, dumping the shovel into the wheelbarrow and then propping it up on the wall. She stepped forward and took the reins from the boy, then reached out for the reins to Aleth’s horse as well from the second barracks boy who stood a few steps away.

Ky led each horse to an empty stall, quickly unbridling and unsaddling both, then put a halter on Zivyn and led him out to the wash bay. She enjoyed giving the horses baths, even though she always ended up just as soaked as they did.

She doused Zivyn with the first bucket of water, worked up a later with the soap, and then used a curry to dislodge the dirt that hid deep in his goat. She undid her braids from earlier in the morning and washed his hair as well, then rinsed him off and used a squeegee to dry him off. She grabbed an old towel and gave him a quick rub-down, then put him back and went for Aleth’s horse.

Aleth also rode a large stallion, his gray and white coat sleek and gorgeous, despite the sweat lathered on top. Ky repeated the bath process with him, being just as thorough to wash away every speck of muck. She finished the quick wipe-down with the towel, then pulled a small metal comb out and began working on the knots in his mane.

“Ky!”

Ky started, head snapping up. Aleth stood just on the other side of his horse, eyes locked on hers, still filled with the same dangerous gaze he’d given her earlier. His voice was just a bit too cheery. It filled her stomach with butterflies.

“Sir.” Ky hesitated a moment. “May I help you?”

“I just wanted to see how you were getting on with Kalrey.” Aleth patted the horse’s neck affectionately. Ky was silent, turning her eyes back towards his mane as she resumed running the small comb through it. Aleth nodded approvingly. “He looks nice.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ky murmured, keeping her eyes fixed on her work.

“Where’d you learn to tend horses?”

Ky looked up suspiciously. Aleth’s eyes were fixed on her, critical, as if he were evaluating her answer before she’d even given it. His pale skin was slightly pink from his time in the sun. She looked down again. “On my farm, sir.”

“In the Mountains, right?”

“Yes, sir.” Ky took a deep breath, mind racing for a way out of this mess. What she wouldn’t have given in that moment for Broer to step out of the stable to bark an order at her. She’d muck a thousand stalls if it meant getting away from Aleth.

“And how old were you then?”

“Twelve, sir,” she answered reluctantly.

“I see,” Aleth answered. “So, you’re what, fourteen, fifteen, now?”

Ky’s eyes snapped up again to meet his challenging gaze.

“Suspicious little lad, aren’t you?” Aleth mused, smirking slightly. He trailed his hand down Kalrey’s back as he walked around to the side where Ky stood. “I asked Makata about you, you know?”

Ky tensed as Aleth’s hand landed on her shoulder, breath catching. His touch was gentle, but the threat was clear as he looked down the length of his nose at her. He put his hand on hers to stop her combing, smirking at her discomfort.

“You know what he said?”

“No, sir,” she answered breathlessly.

“He said he had no memory of you whatsoever,” Aleth said. Ky nearly snorted. That sounded about right for Makata. “But he did recall that the last time he brought children to the palace it was from sectors nine and twelve, which was about two years ago, as far as he recalls. Does that sound about right to you?”

Ky swallowed hard. Her heart was racing so hard she wondered if it’d burst free of her chest and go running down the cobblestone. Her mouth was so dry, chest so tight. “Yes, sir.”

“So, does that mean you’re fourteen? Fifteen?”

“Nearly fifteen, sir.”

“A fun age.”

“Yes, sir.” Ky barely resisted the urge to bite her lip, staring straight ahead of her at Kalrey’s partially-combed mane. She didn’t know what he meant by “fun” but she was certain she didn’t care to find out.

Each moment seemed to last an eternity. Aleth’s hand resting on her shoulder, his other hand grasping her hand and the comb, his breath warm against her neck as he looked down on her. She could feel the hardness of his chest against her shoulder, and desperately hoped he couldn’t feel her binding through her tunic.

“You’ve got a beautiful horse, sir,” Ky said, hoping to divert the subject away from herself. “Where’d you get him?”

“Atraya,” Aleth answered, smirking slightly, as if he recognized her game of trying to deflect his attention and found it amusing. He removed his hands from her, taking the comb, still standing a bit too close. “They breed the best war horses I’ve ever seen in that country. Princess and War Lord Ainsley are both excellent equestriennes. Have you ever met them?”

“No, sir.” Ky untied Kalrey and began leading him back towards the barn, carefully positioning herself so that the horse stood between her and Aleth.

“Pity,” Aleth answered. “You and the princess would make quite the pair.”

“I doubt she’d take much notice of me, sir,” Ky said, wishing she could also point out that he also should not be taking notice of her. “I’m just a stable boy.”

Ky led Kalrey into his stall and took the lead off of him. She stopped short as she turned back to the door, and found Aleth taking up the entire entrance. He leaned casually against the doorframe, brushing his thumb across the teeth of the comb. “Take me to the tack stall.”

“Yes, sir.” Ky stepped forward, hesitating slightly to see if Aleth would move out of the way. He stepped back slightly, but still stayed squarely in the way. She turned away from him, back brushing across his chest as she slid through the doorway in front of him.

Ky briskly strode down the hall, Aleth trailing close at her heels. She stepped into the room and hung Kalrey’s halter and lead rope on the hooks on the wall. She hesitated again as Aleth once again blocked the entire entrance with his body. He was silent for a long moment, his eyes flicking around the room, before he slowly nodded and looked back towards her. “I assume you know how to care for saddles?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent!” Aleth said brightly. “I have a special cream in my room I’d like you to use on my saddle.”

“Yes, sir,” Ky answered, eyes fixed on his face as she continued nervously. “If you send it down with a palace boy, I’d be more than happy to use your cream on your saddle.”

“No, I’d like to supervise, what with it being your first time with this cream,” Aleth answered. “You’ll bring the saddle up to my room and do it there.”

She wanted to scream. Her entire body was tensed, each breath a battle to draw past the knot in her stomach. She wasn’t allowed to decline the requests of anyone who outranked her. And yet, she would have given literally anything to do anything but go up to Aleth’s room with him again.

“Bring it now,” Aleth instructed tersely.

“Yes, sir,” Ky answered, turning and walking to the far wall where the saddle racks were lined up. She grabbed Aleth’s saddle and put it on her right hip, grabbing the cantle with her hand. Saddles weren’t particularly heavy, but they also weren’t light, and this was the easiest way she’d learned to carry them.

Aleth nodded approvingly, then stepped into the hall. Ky followed close behind him, eyes darting around the stable in a desperate attempt to find something – anything at all – that she could use as an excuse for why she couldn’t come with him just then. And yet every door was closed and every stall tended, just as it should be.

“Makata has a bit of business he needs to attend to before he and I can meet,” Aleth explained as they walked. He led her across the courtyard and into the palace. “Which should give you and I plenty of time to chat.”