62Thank you so much for reading! And thank you SO MUCH for all of your lovely, kind, and encouraging comments and private messages! Thank you for the favorites and follows! I am so flattered and encouraged by you! Thank you.
I appreciate your patience in the writing of this story, and because of the wonderful response, I have a few more stories in the works. Feel free to check back for new stories! Again, thank you so much. – E
A cool breeze played across Geric's face, followed by a soft kiss and quiet footsteps. He stretched and rolled over. Hearing muffled whispering, he opened his eyes slowly, sleepily. He reached his hand across the pillows, but no Isi was sleeping beside him.
Now? he thought, rather annoyed. Oh well.
Yawning, he got out of bed and fumbled around until he had found his coat. He yanked on his boots and headed to the royal stables.
Isi had been carefully observing an expectant bay mare at the stables for weeks. She wished to replace her beloved and long-suffering steed she had brought from Kildenree, and it seemed that the mare was to foal tonight.
Stars sparkled overhead as Geric left the palace. Gentle winds rustled the leaves of trees. A distant light glowed ahead from the royal stables. The paddocks were dark and silent except for the soft whickering of horses penned outside in the warm, late-spring air.
Inside one of the stables, Geric found Isi and the bandy-legged stable-master standing quietly outside the bay mare's stall. They looked up as Geric approached.
"My lord," said the stable-master, bowing.
"Geric," said Isi apologetically. "I didn't mean to wake you. Get your rest."
"I wanted to be here," Geric said. He reached them and wrapped an arm around Isi. He ruffled Isi's hair teasingly. "You know that."
"It's not that important," said Isi, blushing. She ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing mussed-up strands. "Just a horse."
"It is important," Geric insisted. "Have you forgotten that we met because of a horse? An embarrassingly unruly one – for me at least?"
"Of course," she smirked and gave Geric a surreptitious pinch. Ow, thought Geric, immensely pleased. Resisting the urge to rub his buttock, he instead inquired about the mare.
"She's doing well, my lord," said the stable-master. "This will be her third foal, so she knows what to expect. Not much longer now, I imagine."
Geric looked into the box stall. The pregnant mare was restless, sometimes pacing and sometimes nipping at her own swollen belly. Geric pulled over an upturned water bucket.
"Well, all we can do is wait," he said. "How about a seat, Isi?"
"Oh, alright," said Isi with a smile.
"And another for me," said Geric, finding another couple buckets. "And one for you, sir." Stifling a yawn, Geric sat on one of the upturned buckets.
The stable-master appeared uncomfortable to be offered a seat in the company of his crown prince and princess.
"Please do," Geric insisted. "We don't stand on ceremony – literally." He almost laughed at his own joke, but Isi silenced him with a look.
"Have a seat, Grisham," she said kindly to the stable-master.
He sat down, but he did not have long to feel awkward. Soon after, the mare laid down, and birth seemed imminent.
Isi and Grisham went into the stall. Geric watched, marveling, as Isi made soothing nickering noises. The mare responded with deep sounds from her throat and a few whinnying squeals of pain and agitation.
"Here, my lady," said the stable-master. "Just crouch here, and as the foal is born, you can help him breathe and stand. She is about to foal – I can see the hooves."
"Yes," Isi breathed, smiling broadly. She knelt down near the mare's side.
Within a minute, there was a gush of fluid and the mare stood up as she foaled a dark, gangly colt. Isi and Grisham gently broke open the birthing sac. As the stable-master rose to tend to the mare, Isi carefully cleaned the fluids from the foal's nostrils.
A soft, sighing sound came from the foal, and Geric watched as Isi softly whispered back, stroking the foal's wet ears.
Grisham handed Isi a cloth and both of them began to rub down the foal, revealing curly black fur. The mare bent down and began to vigorously lick her new baby, nudging him and encouraging him to stand. Eager to please, the colt rose up on his knees, before losing his balance and tumbling back into the straw. Isi and the stable-master steadied him and helped him in his next attempt to stand. The foal eventually succeeded, but was as wobbly as a cattail in a high wind.
Once the foal began to nurse, Isi and Grisham left the stall. They washed their hands in a soapy bucket hanging from a peg outside a tack room.
Bidding the stable-master goodnight, Isi and Geric began to walk back to the palace.
Geric gave Isi a kiss on the cheek. "You were wonderful, Isi. Did your efforts succeed?"
Isi beamed. "Yes, his name is Avlado."
"Avlado," Geric mused.
"He named himself," said Isi.
"Hmmm, sounds like a fruit I had once from Tira," said Geric. "An avocado it was called, I think. Avocado... Avlado..."
Isi elbowed him, laughing. "My new horse is not a fruit!"
"Well, if he becomes soft and green, I'll beg to differ."
A sudden playful gust of wind pushed at Geric's chest and caused his hair to stand on end. The force of the wind caused Geric to take a step or two back.
"Hey!" Geric teased, pretending to sound indignant. "No fair!"
A memory tugged at his thoughts, and he suddenly recalled his swordfight with Ungolad.
Ungolad had struck Geric with his shield. Geric was on his knees, stunned, nearly knocked unconscious... Ungolad was drawing back his sword for a blow – a deathblow... But, suddenly, Ungolad was stumbling back... stumbling back... cursing...
Cursing Isi, Geric realized. Isi had pushed him away from me with wind. Just like she did now, but stronger.
Ungolad stumbled back, cursing, giving Geric time to scramble to his feet and clear his vision... The throne room swung back into focus just as Ungolad attacked...
Isi's laughter broke into his thoughts. "I'm sorry," she said, trying to look sober. She caught sight of Geric's pensive face, and she blanched. "I'm so sorry, Geric," she said, concerned. "Are you alright?"
Geric looked down at her worried face and smiled. "I'm fine," he said gently. He held her hands and looked into her eyes. "Because of you."
"What do you mean?" said Isi nonplussed.
"I've just figured out that you saved my life," said Geric. "When I was fighting Ungolad. You pushed him away with wind just as he was about to kill me."
Isi froze in realization. He could sense her internal debate to admit or deny.
"I know you did it," Geric said calmly. "And I'm so thankful you did, Isi."
A smile began at the corners of her mouth. "You are?" she asked slowly, incredulously.
"Yes, Isi," said Geric. He caressed her face and tucked a loose yellow lock behind her ear.
"It – it didn't impugn your honor?" Isi stammered.
"No," Geric said, thinking. "It just reveals – confirms, rather – that we were meant to be together. What is a man's honor if not for his wife? She is everything – honor, love, hope – to him. A true partner in love and deed."
Tears welled up in Isi's eyes, and they stood silently, hands clasped tightly together, and Geric felt as sure as bones and deep as blood that he had found his place.
The End