Serenity Valley Read Free Page A

looked at me with his defiant blue-black eye.
I said, “It’s good, really!” I even turned up the bottle and
allowed some of the milk to pour into my mouth. The colt watched me
with his ears trained on me as if I were trying to trick him. To my
surprise, it was quite tasty, as Fulk had doused it with honey. I
then felt the rumble in my belly and remembered how hungry I was. I
latched on to the bottle and drew mouthfuls with vigor. The next
thing I knew, the colt had his lips on the bottle and was trying to
take it away from me. I asked, “Oh, you want it now, do you?” The
colt bent his ears back and nickered demandingly. As I placed the
nipple in his mouth, I said, “You know, we really need to work on
your manners, young man!” The colt totally ignored me as he
greedily sucked the bottle dry in record time. As soon as I removed
the first bottle, Fulk handed me another. Soon the colt was full
and yawning, like the stuffed youngster he was. He stumbled over to
a corner and collapsed in a heap, placed his chin on the ground,
and promptly went to sleep.
    “The honey was a great idea, Fulk.
Thank you,” I said.
    “No problem, anytime.”
    I did not know it at the time, but
this moment marked an important turning point in our relationship,
which would mean so very much in the future.
    “Could you keep an eye on him? I
suddenly feel the need to bathe and change,” I said.
    Fulk stifled a chuckle. “Go ahead. I
will watch the youngling while you go get cleaned up.”
    Without any hesitation, I bolted for
my quarters and suddenly realized sunrise was long past. I grabbed
a change of clothes and headed for the nearby brook. I stripped,
jumped into the water, and started rubbing my arms, face, and neck
where the dried gore clung. Where the crud was resilient, I used
sand as an abrasive to rub it off. I rolled my soiled clothes into
a ball, tucked them under my arm, and started walking back to the
stables.
    I was passing the kitchen when I heard
someone drop a cooking pan with a loud clatter. I heard a
high-pitched, annoying female voice. “You there, Gamel, hold right
where you are!” Through the kitchen door ran pretty Basilea, with
her bright gold locks trailing close behind her.
    “You, sir, did you forget something?
Are you rude or just daft?”
    I couldn’t help but stare at her, her
beautiful golden hair, high cheekbones, and full lips. “I’m so
very, very sorry, Basilea! Whatever I have done to injure you and
put a frown on such a perfectly beautiful face, I am truly
repentant for such a crime!” I could see a small smile start to
form on her lips.
    From the kitchen, I could hear someone
say, “God save us from the smooth-talking, fancy men such as that
one!”
    Unfortunately, Basilea had also heard
it and soon snapped back into her attack mode. With a forced frown,
she said, “Sir, you obviously don’t even remember you were to take
me for a walk last night. You send no word, nothing. Just leave a
girl standing in the doorway broken-hearted!”
    Again from inside the kitchen, “That’s
more like it!”
    I had no idea I had made such a date,
but I probably had and then forgotten all about it. I immediately
decided to turn this situation around to my advantage. “My fairest
lady, I did not mean to slight you and humbly beg your forgiveness.
I would rather poke a sharp stick in my own eye than see worry upon
such an, an…exotic and beautiful face as your own!” Now she was
smiling and fighting back a laugh as best I could tell.
    From the kitchen again: “God save us
all; spent too much time listenin' ta the guards that one
has!”
    Ignoring the interference of the
voice, I continued, “I ask only that we sit for a moment while I
tell you some most tragic news, my lady, as I feel a bit faint from
lack of sleep and food.” I maneuvered Basilea to the kitchen
doorway steps and waited for her to sit. I almost collapsed upon
the steps next to her. In perfect position to be heard through the
open kitchen