Angela Dorsey’s Blog
Our New Story
Many thanks Rachel, for this interesting and unique story start!
There once was a beautiful princess named Larra. Her father was the sultan of Bali. Joshua was her groom, and he cared for her gray Arab stallion, Baldore. Also, he had a horse of his own named Adda. Larra adored her Baldore as much as Josh loved his little bay Adda.
Larra was superstitious and Josh did not approve of it. He remarked once that what she called ‘important’ was really ‘rubbish’. However, a thrashing followed his bold words and after that, he rarely spoke to the princess. Still, at her request, he would accompany her on her rides.
Even though he knew it was forbidden, a part of him couldn’t help but admire the princess from afar. She was the most beautiful girl in the world when she took to the land on her gray stallion. At first Josh denied himself any and all thoughts of the future queen, but he could not tear her from his mind, and at last he gave in. He was sure it couldn’t hurt to admire the horse loving princess - many young men did - just so long as he kept it to himself and the confiding ears of Adda. She would never let it be known that her beloved master had fallen for the princess. Plus, she found herself falling for the royal steed, for he was a very handsome young stallion.
Horses often feel it when something unexpected was to happen, and Baldore and Adda felt sure boring life at the stable was about to change.
Okay, my avid readers and writers, write this story!!!
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May 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Josh had been Larra’s groom for many years, and was quite accustomed to her routine. The princess, to the despair of the many around her who fought to drag her thoughts from horses, enjoyed riding daily. To her constant disappointment, however, she had so many duties to attend to as a princess (such as practicing her dancing, her posture, and numerous other commitments that Josh could hardly begin to imagine) that she was left with only two opportunities to ride per day. One was immediately following lunch, and if her Highness hurried, she often had almost two full hours to ride. Her other opening to ride was in the evening, before the Sultan’s, and therefore her, customary late supper.
Josh was, himself, rather relieved that Larra had but two chances to ride each day (although he DID wish he had more time to admire the beautiful girl), because the Princess expected Baldore to be fully tacked up and ready to go whenever she decided to leave for a ride. If she was able to flounce into the stableyard and expect Baldore, Adda and Josh to be waiting at her beck and call…well, Josh didn’t like to think about it. Luckily for Josh, who knew the horses wouldn’t stand such nonsense for long, Larra’s schedule had stayed pretty much the same for as long as he could remember. This way, the horses and Josh only had to wait two times a day.
Although Larra claimed to be absolutely thrilled to be riding at any time of day, Josh preferred it when she rode in the evening. On the occasional time he had ridden with her after her noon meal, he had been forced to silently endure listening to melodramatic complaints the entire time of how dreadfully painful her stomach cramps were. He knew that if she waited for a bit and let her stomach digest her meal before riding, she would not have to worry about anything. Instead of saying this aloud, he found himself needing to literally bite down on his tongue to prevent sour words of annoyance from erupting out of his mouth.
One night, Josh decided that the princess was not coming out to ride at all - which was strange, because she had never missed a day since the day he had arrived. As he led Adda and Beldore outside to their paddock for the night, he searched his mind in bewilderment for clues as to what could have held her back, but nothing came to mind. In fact (apart from the regular stable boys), Josh had seen no one all day - not even the ones who often came outside to criticize everyone’s work. Something was up.
May 18th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
She didn’t show up the next day, either. Or the next. Or the next. A week later a manservant came to the stable with instructions for Josh to exercise Baldore. The manservant, Alexander, wasn’t supposed to tell people where Larra was, but with Josh’s protesting, he told him.
She was in a group with three other girls around her age, 15, going to ’school’. The four girls were living in a castle a three day’s carriage ride away with two tutors. They were learning how to be proper ladies. Their courses included: violin, dancing, posture, manners, along with a little reading and arithmetic. Alex knew it all. They were getting up at 8:45 every morning and were dressed with thick books on their heads by 9. They spent all day with the books on their heads. Breakfast took a whole two hours, with the books on their heads and a tutor walking around (book-less but still straight as a board) with a small crop to tap anyone who slumped even a millimeter. She actually did that all day. Then an hour of arithmetic and reading before a two and a half hour lunch. 2:30 brought a two and a half hour dance lesson. Before the two and a half hour supper was the two hours of violin training.
Josh thought that was bad. Until he learned the other two things. One, she was forbidden from seeing a horse. And worse, two, her father was arranging for her to marry as soon as the two month training was over. The sultan and some of the menservants would be interviewing prospective grooms for about a month. Larra wouldn’t be meeting her groom until the day of the wedding, though.
A couple days later, when Josh was riding Baldore, he got an idea. He was a groom, wasn’t he? The next time he saw Larra’s little brother he took a close look at the clothes he was wearing. He saved every penny he made until his next day off and counted the money he had been saving to buy a new blanket for Adda. He saw many, many men ranging from 16 - 40 going to interview the sultan and the menservants before his next day off when he went into town. He spent his every penny to get an outfit pretty similar in style but a little tiny bit less expensive than the prince’s. By this point there was only three weeks until Larra’s schooling would be finished and she’d be getting married. Josh wondered if she had any idea what types of people were coming. Or what type of person her dad would pick, for that matter.
One evening he got cleaned up more than any groom ever had, put on his new clothes, and went to see the sultan to ask for Larra’s hand in marriage.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
It seemed like the longest walk he’d taken from the stable up the ever lasting stairs to the grand sparkling palace throne. There he waited nervously for his chance to be considered. Josh watched as the Sultan asked questions and studied a man at the front of the line. The man was well dressed and look very wealthy. Really, he was quite handsome for what looked like a man at the ripe age of sixty.
From behind the line, for the day had started to lengthen, two men were talking about the princess. Josh leaned in to listen, they were young, one quite good looking, the other a trifle over weight.
“The charming princess, I hear, is a wee feisty” the heavy one commented.
“Ahh! But beautiful down to her toe nails… I hear” the other said. “And dripping in wealth!”
“I suppose most of us have never had the great pleasure of meeting her.” The heavy one, then took out a little metal box from his waist pocket. “Would you like a chocolate, Gastero?”
“Thank you.” Gastero popped one into his mouth, and rubbed his now chocolaty fingers on an extremely white handkerchief. “Ohh, these are surprisingly delicious! Where ever did you get then, Ugan?”
“You won’t believe this, but a fantastic young maid, who actually works here, has taken an unexpected interest in me.” Ugan explained “They were made yesterday, right here!”
“Fantastic!” Gastero replied “And to think, when one of the LUCKY gentlemen who gets the dear princesses hand in marriage enters this life of ease, he will eat tasty morsels such as those all the time!”
The slimy laughter from the two men behind Josh filled the room. Something about them seemed very wrong. They were whispering now, which made Josh even more uncomfortable. If he could only get a word of what they were saying…
“…all taken care of.”
“…kidnapped…”
“…desert…”
“…soon now.”
And that was all he could make out.
Suddenly a booming voice sounded in Josh’s ear. “Your name, young man!?!?!”
It was time.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:50 am
“P-Prince Josh,” he stammered, startled.
“Come this way, Your Highness.”
He walked uncertainly into the throne room, where a smug looking young man was just leaving. The sultan looked him up and down, and motioned for him to come forward which he did with slow, falterling steps. “Prince Josh, is it? I’ve never heard of you. What is your Kingdom?”
Josh felt his stomach turn over. If only he’d thought about this first! “B-Brahm, Your Majesty.”
The Sultan looked thoughtful. “Bram? I don’t recall any Bram.” He looked hard at the young man in front of him.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Hello Aunty Angela! I am simply adoring your books! I cannot wait to see you again! Love, Amanda
May 20th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Josh’s mouth was dreadfully dry as he spoke to the Sultan in a croaky voice, “Yes, your Majesty, Bram is my-y kingdom. Lovely place, Bram!” Josh was trying to speak without stammering, a difficult task in his opinion. He wondered how the Sultan’s servants and wives did it everyday! There was a long pause, then the Sultan began to chuckle ever so slightly. Josh wondered if this was good or bad. He chuckled with the Sultan, even though he had no idea what they were chuckling about.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I’m glad you found my blog, Amanda!
May 21st, 2008 at 6:40 am
Suddenly the sultan clamped a firm, meaty hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I like you, boy.” he said with a gruff laugh. “You must have come a long ways if you live in Bram, since it is not in this realm.”
Josh nodded. “Yesss, ssir, a very long ways.” He bit his tongue, wishing he could stop the stuttering.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:54 am
“And so you love my daughter, eh, Prince Josh?” was the next question, sharply put.
“Yes, sir, I do. And I’d make a good life for her! So, if it’s all right with you,…”
The sultan shook his head till the tassle on his turban swung back and forth. “It’s not that simple, son. There are hundreds of other men to interview, and you must prove certain things. Such as how much wealth you have, that sort of thing.”
Josh felt all the blood drain from his face. “Oh.”
May 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Josh now felt stupid and cross. He should never have done this. What was he thinking?! He was asked more questions. Josh lied in every one.
“How much wealth do you have?”
“Great amounts sir.”
“How many wives do you have?”
“Three sir.”
“Their names?”
“Jesabelle, Seeta and Mutmaz sir.”
“Have you any children?”
“Six sir.”
There were at least one hundred questions similar to those. Josh could only stand there and wait for the Sultan to command his gaurds to seize him. He was surprised that the Sultan hadn’t done so long after the questions had been asked.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Josh began to feel quite comfortable after a while. He figured he would be all right after all. Those lies he told were only white lies. Even Princess Larra would agree, especially since she was superstitious. He, with all the other princes who had come for a possible bride-to-be were to stay in beautiful rooms and eat with the Sultan at his table. Josh was thoroughly enjoying himself. He drank wine until was drunk, and ate wonderful foods until he was so full he could hardly move.
Just two days later, he was ordered to the Sultan’s rooms. Josh was very nervous. He felt himself weakening with every step. By the time he approached the Sultan’s rooms, he was a nervous wreck! The Sultan smiled warmly to Josh. It had been obvious to all that the Sultan favoured Josh, making some of the other princes, including the two mysterious princes, pathetically envious.
Josh was sweating horribly. When the Sultan told him to sit down, Josh fell into the chair with a THUDD. The Sultan chuckled. “You are nervous, I see,” he said mysteriously, “and you have every right in the world to be nervous. This “Bram,” this kingdom you say you rule and speak about so much? The ‘beautiful, peaceful kingdom of Bram.’ I like you Prince Josh IV, (IV was another one of Josh’s “white lies”) and I have decided to visit your kingdom. Will you acompany me?”
Josh’s hand turned icy cold and his face went white. He stood up feeling dizzy. He couldn’t see clearly. The last thing he saw was was the floor meeting his face. Josh had blacked out!
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:41 am
He awoke with a servant splashing cold water on his face. He spluttered and sat up, his panic rising. The sultan wanted to visit Bram! And there was nothing he could do. Or was there?
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 am
The servant chuckled. He looked up to see a maiden who used to draw water for the horses.
“Bram, huh, Josh?” she asked.
Oh no. “You didn’t say anything?!” He gasped sitting up straight.
“To the Sultan? Nah, but tell me, when you go back to Bram, may I be your royal servant and sit in a palace all day eating chocolate, oh great Josh IV?” she said jokingly.
He slumped back down. This was awful.
“What have you done to yourself?” she asked. “Are you so obsessed with the princess that you’d lie like that? And I saw you when I was serving in the palace. You were drunk! Princess Larra is my friend Josh.” She looked at him with suspicious grey eyes. “Do you really love her?”
“Yes!” He exclaimed standing. “You think I’d lie to the Sultan otherwise? Oh, just wait until I’m found out! Susan, you’ve got to help me.”
“Help you?!” she asked indignantly.
“You said Larra’s your friend,” he said slyly.
She paused, musing. “Well, won’t Jesabelle, Seeta and Mutmaz be jealous?”
He moaned.
“There isn’t a man in that room with less than three wives, and Larra, she wants a man who will marry only her. Can you give her that Josh?”
He nodded. “How could I think of anyone else?”
Susan thought, her grey eyes dancing. “Alright then, I’ll help you.”
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Josh was so thrilled he sat up and gave Susan a kiss on her left cheek. He had help!
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Before she left, Susan suggested that Josh take a walk in the beautiful palace gardens. “You will feel better,” she had said. He thought the idea was wonderful and got ready quickly. He took long strides and thought about the days events; how splendid and awful they had been at the same time. Suddenly something interrupted his thoughts. Voices! He wondered who else was out here. Probably just a gardener pruning bushes. But as he got closer to the voices, they seemed vaguely familiar. And they were not in the garden. The voices were coming from inside the palace, from an open window. He crept toward them. He gasped when he realized the voices belonged to the two suspicious princes he had heard talking on the first day! Gastero and Ugan, and someone else.
“Does she know we’re behind this?” Gastero asked nervously.
“Not a clue, Sir!” answered the other voice, which belonged to a female. Susan!
“What about the other princes?” Ugan asked.
“Let me take care of them. You two just stick to the plan! The Sultan knows nothing of this either. Now, I must leave. Prince Josh IV needs my assistance.”
“You mean you really are going to help the fool?!”
“Of course not! Josh is our only threat! The Sultan cares nothing for the rest of the princes. But Josh is not what he says he is. In fact, he is just like us. A commoner. I am simply leading him into a set and baited trap.”
Josh, without thinking, lept up and yelled, “Susan! What were you thinking!”
In a flash, Gastero and Susan jumped out of the window (which was low enough to do so) and chased Josh around the gardens leaving Ugan struggling to catch up with them. Josh knew he had to hide or he would surely be caught. The stables! Ugan had caught up and was making it even more difficult to dodge and duck and get away. Suddenly Susan dissapeared. But it was still two against one. Josh found it easy to get rid of Ugan - he tired easily - but Gastero was an athletic young man. Josh ran toward the little pond in the garden. He lept over it without getting a drop of water on himself. Gastero wasn’t so lucky. He was running so fast he couldn’t stop.
Josh, who was still running, smiled to himself when he heard a noisy SPLASH! He slowed to a jog and made it to the stables where his precious Adda would be. He opened the door quietly and shut it. When he turned around he gasped. Susan was sitting on Adda, three guards surrounded her, and in between all of them stood the Sultan!
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Josh hesitated for only a second. His only thought was that he had to get away, and fast. Thinking quickly, he glanced around and took in his surroundings. He couldn’t go back the way he came - on foot, at least. Gastero would be even more angered now that he had been tricked into getting thoroughly drenched. His best chance of getting away would be to escape on horseback. Unfortunately, his first choice would have been Adda, but obviously that was no longer an option. His gaze swept over the stalls to land on Baldore. Perfect. The horse was accustomed to him and was one of the fastest horses in the Sultan’s stable. Now he only had to wait for the right moment to make his move.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
That moment was now, and Josh flew out of the stables. Knocking one of the guards down in the rush, causing Susan to scream loudly. Ahead, Gastero caked in mud, was stumbling towards the galloping Baldore, He seemed to have something in his hand, possibly a weapon?
Josh didn’t know where, but just knew he had to get out, and quick. Maybe in the village he could find a place to stay while he thought up a kingdom, or maybe he could…
“Stop thief!” yelled Gastero in a pleased tone “That man’s trying to steal the princess’s horse!”
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
The sultan looked puzzled, and so did the guards, but Gastero’s face was gleeful and Susan’s that of someone who was doing fast thinking.
Gastero yelled, “Sultan! Hurry, or he’ll get away!”
Josh squeezed Baldore’s sides and urged him on. He swerved down a secret trail he and Larra had found. The entrance was under two willows that covered it completely. Josh remembered riding it with Larra and holding the natural curtain aside to let her ride through, but now he urged Baldore through, ducking to avoid the branches.
Inside, the trail was silent and peaceful, but rocky. Josh had to make a split second decision. Either he would go at a walk to save Baldore, or he went at a trot, to get away faster. It would be risky, but by now they would be on horseback and galloping towards him - even that traitor Susan.
She’d been on Adda. All his senses and thoughts drained away. Adda. If Susan injured his mare, he would…
Another shock hit him. Adda would catch his scent and want to go after him. No, Adda, no. Please. Don’t.
The willowy curtain would hide the trail at a glance, but if she heard hooves, or if Adda caught the scent, they were dead. There was only one thing to do. Josh dismounted from Baldore and arranged the robe he was wearing on a stick, which he fastened to the saddle. Then he slapped the big horse’s hindquarters and Baldore tore away.
Josh continued on foot, trying to make as little noise as possible. Suddenly, the trail came to an end. All that remained was Josh, the path back to the people waiting, and a few trees. It was all over. All he could do now was wait for them to find him.
May 24th, 2008 at 4:56 am
His mind began to race. No, he would not give up! After all, he was doing this because he loved the princess! He pulled a small, flute like instrument out of the pouch he wore, put it to his lips, and played a high, simple tune. A whinny answered, and in a moment Adda tore in, hooves sliding on the rocks and Susan hanging and shrieking wildy from her slipping position on the saddle.
May 24th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Adda stopped in front of Josh. He quickly pried Susan off - she was to weak to fight with him - glared at her, and rode away just in time. He didn’t know where he was going. To Bram perhaps?
May 24th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
As he sped along, kicking up clouds of dust behind him, his mind whirled with thoughts. What now? Surely he would be hunted, maybe even killed if a bounty hunter found him. He couldnt’ believe he had gotten into this mess in the first place!
May 25th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Josh was furious with himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he chanted. What had he accomplished? And Baldore was probably hurt or worse. He wished life could go back to normal, back before Larra went to school…
He heard hooves coming towards him in the opposite direction. “This is it, Adda,” he whispered. “We’re finished now. They’re coming.”
She whinnied softly, and the rest of the world faded away. If only it could stay like this forever, him and Adda, in their own little world.
But the approaching hooves penetrated the walls of the bubble of happiness, and it burst. Josh looked up, waiting to be arrested, shot, and knowing he deserved it.
“Josh?”
It was Larra, on Baldore!
For a moment Josh was too startled to speak. Finally he stammered, “Larra! Where did you come from?”
“I ran away from school. It was awful. There were thirteens all over the place! The most unlucky number ever! And we didn’t get to stay in bed on Fridays. I was always breaking things and getting whipped, and they wouldn’t believe that it was because Fridays are unlucky. Foolish! Then I found Baldore running loose in the woods. Were you riding him, Josh?”
“Yes.” He stared at her, lost in the moment, then started. “Larra, they’re coming. I pretended to be a rich prince so I could - um - well, never mind, but they’ve found me out. I’ve got to get away.”
“Explain that again?” she said. Josh started to begin again, but then more hooves, and Gastero came cantering up.
“I’ve found him!” Gastero said happily. “Guards!”
Suddenly Larra, Josh, Adda, and Baldore were surrounded. The Sultan puffed up. “Larra! What are you doing? Smart girl - you’ve captured the villain!”
“No!” cried Larra, as the guards moved in. “Don’t hurt him!”
“Larra!” yelled Josh, as they dragged him off Adda. She replied, but Josh couldn’t hear over the snorts of the horses and the guards’ shouts.
May 26th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Ohhhhhhhhhh… he was going to be shot! He thought he had troubles before, when his biggest fear was getting whipped, or perhaps missing a meal, but NOW, he felt sick.
“Father no!” He heard above the shouts. “You don’t understand!”
May 27th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Everything stopped. “What is it, my daughter?” the Sultan questioned.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Josh wondered if anyone else had noticed the pounding of his heart. The silence was so sudden and complete that he wouldn’t be surprised if they had.
“Father, that young man…he is not who you think,” Larra said calmly, her beautiful voice strong and loud in the quiet. Josh swallowed anxiously as he wondered what the princess was about to say and how the Sultan would react. He tried to soothe himself with the thought that his situation couldn’t get much worse.
May 29th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
“He-he…is, um…”
Oh, great, thought Josh. Now even the princess is at a loss for words.
“He is one of my friends I told you about. Yes, a very good friend.”
Josh looked from the Sultan to the Princess, who was trying to look sure of herself. “Hmm. Do you think he is really in love with you?”
Larra’s large eyes glanced quickly from the young man to the old. “Well, I had an idea…”
Josh nearly gasped. Had she actually known all along, or was she bluffing?
May 30th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Larra slipped off Baldore, let his reins dangle, and looked at her father, Josh, Gastero, and the soldiers. “He -”
Adda could feel Josh’s tension. She could barely take any more of it. Suddenly a horse scraped his hoof impatiently on the ground - the last straw. Adda reared, forgetting her boy on her back. Josh fell to the ground. Adda galloped past Baldore. Hearing the call of freedom, Baldore charged away after her.
The other horses were excited. They pranced, reared, whinnied, snorted, and pawed the ground. A couple lost their riders. Other riders clung to the horse’s back as he took off. Josh and Larra crawled towards each other in the midst of the stamping hooves and moaning riders who had been tossed.
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
A few other valuable horses started running too. All the riders still aboard went after them to catch them, breaking off Larra’s sentence. Soon everybody was mounted on a horse, trying to catch the loose horses. If you listened closely to the babble you would have heard things like “This is the hostler’s fault”, “Josh should be catching them”, “…and he works with horses…”, and “He was hired because he claimed to be trained.”
Josh pulled his piccolo, a small flute like instrument, out of his pocket and played a simple tune. Adda raced back to him, followed by Baldore and the other horses, because he was the alpha stallion with the stable’s horses. With that the babble became more of, “Wow”, “Did you see that”, and “Maybe he knows horses, after all.”
June 5th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Larra jumped aboard Baldore without her usual check for curses on the saddle. Quickly, Josh followed. They urged their mounts on. The fallen soldiers’ horses followed.
June 9th, 2008 at 7:11 am
With the wind whipping her dark hair, the princess laughed merrily as they raced along. She turned in her saddle and called back “How did you do that?”
“Do what?” Josh yelled, the wind of their speed nearly blowing his voice away.
“Call the horses. I would love to be able to do that with Baldore!”
“I could teach you if you want!”
The princess nodded and galloped on.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Josh felt light and happy as he galloped beside the princess. At last he felt like this was going to work out.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Finally things seemed to be going his way. Larra seemed as if she liked him. Maybe he could have a happily ever after. If he did marry Larra it would not be because she was a princess with wealth, but because she was beautiful, and he loved her.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Suddenly a trumpet sounded, filling the woods. Josh nearly jumped straight up into the air. A voice called out, “Stop that boy!”
“Oh my!” Larra was gaping at something behind him. Josh turned in the saddle and saw hundreds of footsoldiers and calvary coming towards them, bearing a white flag with golden coat of arms.
Then a beautiful woman wearing a crown stepped forward, crying, “Josh!”
Who was she?
“My long lost son!” the woman cried. “I’m Queen Lillianmariebellerikki, your mother, queen of Bram.” She pulled him off his horse and hugged him and kissed him, nearly drowning him in her tears.
“You’re my mother?” Josh was shocked.
“You’ve inherited my love of horses,” Queen Lillianmariebellerikki said. “And who is this young lady?” she said, pointing to Larra
June 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am
“She’s the sultan’s daughter,” Josh said, still a little shellshocked. “I… I didn’t know I was prince.”
June 14th, 2008 at 12:41 am
“Of course you did!” Larra said, as the sultan rode up beside them. “Isn’t he funny? Father, this is Josh’s mother, queen of Bram! What happened to the king?”
June 14th, 2008 at 12:42 am
“He is still looking after Bram,” Queen Lillianmariebellerikki explained. “It’s a long way away from here. He’ll be so happy when he hears that I’ve found our son at last. As soo as we get home, we’ll have you properly crowned, Prince Josh.”
June 14th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Josh was happy - for a moment. Leave? Leave behind this place, the horses, and, most importantly, Larra?
“I…” he faltered.
Queen Lillianmariebellerikki patted his shoulder. “If we can impose on the kind sultan’s hospitality for one night, we’ll leave for Bram first thing in the morning.”
June 14th, 2008 at 12:47 am
What could he say? He had a country that would need him someday, and he knew nothing of being a prince. Still…
Larra said cheerfully, as if the thought of his departure didn’t faze her at all, “I want your flute, Josh. You can make another one. I want to call the horses like you did.”
“It takes a special kind of person to call the horses,” Queen Lillianmariebellerikki said wisely.
“What kind of person?” the sultan said, thinking that Josh was exactly that special kind.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Adda, who could of course understand what they were saying, could not help thinking the same thing. She could feel that Josh didn’t want to leave Princess Larra, and that Larra was only pretending not to care.
In horse talk she asked Baldore what they could do to bring their people together.
June 16th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
“I…” Josh stammered.
Suddenly, one of the footsoldiers gasped. “Sultan!”
The Sultan turned. “What?”
Adda walked slowly and purposefully towards Larra. Baldore strode to Josh.
“A special person like Josh,” the Queen of Bram said. She hadn’t noticed the horses.
“A special person like Larra,” said Josh. “Adda never comes to anyone but me.”
“Larra is a special person,” agreed the Queen.
“I have an idea,” said the Sultan. “I’ll need to talk to you in private, Lillianmariebellerikki. And have you any way of contacting your husband, fast?”
The Queen and the Sultan walked a short ways away from the rest of the group. Josh could barely breathe. What were they saying? Deciding?
They returned. “Josh, Larra,” said the Sultan. “We have a proposal for you. Why don’t we give you your very own kingdom, a part of Bram and Bali each. We will call it Equindi, after the word for horse, ‘equine.’ We will do this because of your great gift with horses, and because of your love of each other. Will you accept?”
June 16th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Josh was stunned speachless, he couldn’t seem to move. Larra had a strange expression on her face, a mixture of confusion, happiness, love, and awe.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Josh’s ecstatic ‘yes’ almost got out, then he stopped. Larra hadn’t spoken. His happiness was replaced with apprehension. What would she say?
June 16th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
“I don’t know what to say,” Larra said. “Josh?” She looked at Josh with a question in her eyes.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Josh longed to say yes, but should he dare? What if she said no, what if? His head began to spin with all the things that could go wrong.
June 17th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Larra took a step toward Josh, threw her arms around him and cried, “How could I possibly refuse?!”
June 17th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
“Josh?” the Sultan asked.
“Of course I’ll accept!” Josh hugged Larra back, feeling like he was going to burst from happiness. How quickly his life had changed from only days ago!
June 19th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“I’ll contact your father at once,” the Queen said. She smiled happily at the Sultan. How smoothly everything had turned out!
“He’ll be very happy to hear this, I’m sure,” the Sultan said.
But now that the Queen thought about it, she slowed. What would the King say? He was often very grumpy and disagreeable. But surely the news of his newly found son would put him in a good mood, right?
The Queen could not help the worry that settled in her stomach like a cat curled up and prepared to stay.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Baldore and Adda were the only ones who noticed the worry on the Queen’s face. They decided they needed to do something immediately.
Baldore was a clever horse and he realised the cause of the Queen’s worry was from the comment the Sultan had made. Quickly he made a plan.
“Hey, where’s he going?” Larra said in surprise, as Baldore whirled and galloped off. Adda burst into a gallop and followed him.
“Catch those horses!” the Sultan cried.
The mounted soldiers took off after them. Baldore and Adda ran side by side. Their hooves barely touched the ground they ran so fast. Sparks flew when their hooves touched stone. The soldiers were quickly falling behind. They could not help but wonder, Where were the horses running to with such purpose?
June 20th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Far, far away in the country of Bram, King Abraham was standing on his balcony, looking over his kingdom in the valley and wondering where his Queen was.
The palace was very quiet because the King had had a headache earlier and everyone was going around on tip toe, afraid to make him blow up again. Now the King regretted sending the page boy to the dungeon just because he dropped a goblet and he was considering giving him a pardon when he noticed a dust cloud on the distant road.
June 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm
The King furrowed his brow in concentration as he watched the dust cloud approach the winding road that led to the palace. What, or who, could it possibly be? He had thought himself at peace with most of the surrounding kingdoms, and no one had forewarned him of any threat or possibility of an attack! Already thoroughly irritable because of his headache, the King left his balcony to summon another page. He had hardly stepped inside when one of his royal advisers hurried up to him, wringing his hands and wearing an expression of pain and panic.
“We…we really don’t know what it could be, Sire!” the short adviser said quickly, glancing up at the King as if scared he might bite. “It is too small to be an army of any sort, but too fast to be any royal procession.” The small man hesitated for a fraction of a second, then continued. “Someone mentioned that he thought it looked like a team of horses, but there is no carriage to be seen!”
The King looked out his balcony and frowned again wondering aloud who had suggested this. “Imagine, a team of horses without a carriage!” he muttered. “What an outlandish idea. Whoever thought of that must be a fool, and I won’t stand for fools in my kingdom. Certainly not in the palace.”
Glancing briefly at himself in one of his full-length mirrors, the King left his rooms with a flourish and descended the closest spiraling staircase down to the main doors. His adviser, nearly soaked with nervous sweat, wrung his hands once more before rushing down after the King, praying as he ran that whatever was about to happen would be good.
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:26 am
Baldore and Adda came up to the palace in style, in the middle of a cloud of dust.
“What in the world is this?” cried the King, who’d just gotten dust on his clothes. “Who do these horses -?” his voice died off as he took in how beautiful the horses were. The King was a very avid rider and he needed a new horse.
“Would you like me to catch them, sir?” the adviser asked, then flinched and waited for an answer.
“Yes. Yes I would,” the King said decidedly. But then the adviser reached for the reins of Baldore, he leaped away.
For a few minutes there was a jumble as pages, the adviser, and a few other people tried to catch the horses. Each time, Baldore and Adda would jump just out of their reach but wouldn’t run entirely away.
“It seems,” the adviser puffed, quite out of breath, “That the horses want you to catch them.”
“Preposterous. A king doesn’t catch horses,” the King retorted. But he couldn’t help noticing that the two horses were looking at him expectantly.
The King reached for the reins of Adda and the mare stood still for him to take them.
“Ride her,” the adviser suggested.
The King put his foot in the stirrup and swung up. The next moment Adda had broken into a gallop and was nearly flying over the ground. The adviser, having no idea that the king didn’t want to be galloped with, just waved and cheered with everyone else.
Meanwhile, Baldore and Adda charged towards Josh and Larra.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
Josh felt like he was standing in the middle of a hazy gray cloud. How could everything go so right - and then so wrong? In the midst of his worries he found Larra’s hand and clutched at it.
If something happened to Adda…
Suddenly, she charged up, with Baldore at her side. Larra’s cry of relief and the soldiers’ shouts of astonishment didn’t reach Josh’s ears. He was so happy she was all right.
Then he remembered the other matter at hand: his future with Larra. What would his father say? The king’s face was bright red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment. What would he do to Josh? To Larra?
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
The Queen stepped forward as the king dismounted and spoke before he could. “I found our son!” she said excitedly. “He has been living as a stable boy all this time.” Josh had been telling her about his life as they had waited for Baldore and Adda to return.
“You?” the King looked in disbelief at the tall boy standing in front of him. “Who’s that?” he added disdainfully, pointing at Larra, who looked a little bedraggled from her escape from school.
“My daughter, Princess Lara,” the Sultan said, disgruntled. He didn’t like how the King looked down his nose at his daughter.
“What is going on here?” the King demanded.
“Our son the prince,” the Queen said, “Would like to marry Princess Larra. Her father has agreed and, if you’re willing, each of us will give them a part of our kingdoms to rule.”
“And then?” the King said, still giving Larra a careful onceover.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
“You’re forgetting the most important thing here,” the Queen said. “And that is Josh and Larra’s happiness - and your own happiness, that we’ve found our son at last.”
“Yes, of course,” the King said. He really looked at Josh for the first time and noticed how tall and clever-looking his son was. He was dirty from his wild ride through the woods but the King could see that his son had kind eyes and it was obvious he loved his horse, who was standing protectively by his side.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
“You love this girl?” the King asked, deciding that Larra was pretty under the mud splatters and looked like a nice enough girl.
“Yes, sir,” Josh said quietly.
“And you?” he asked Larra. She nodded, almost too frightened to say a word, the King looked so fierce.
“It’s obvious your horses trust you two,” the King said after a long silence. “And I always say horses are the best judge of character. Very well. If everything’s been decided, who am I to say no?”
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
—
Josh taught Larra how to play the piccolo while their parents prepared the wedding, built their castle, and arranged the kingdom built especially for them. Eventually they’d take over Bali and Bram when their parents died.
Adda and Baldore shared a paddock right behind the castle, so Larra and Josh could see them from their balcony. In a while, Adda and Baldore had a smokey-gray foal named Conquerer.
Larra didn’t stop her superstitiousness entirely. At least she stopped checking for curses on her saddle, so she and Josh didn’t waste a second of the long, long rides they took every single day.
THE END
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wow - Awesome Story!!!
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Gabriella and Gabrielle are the same person, so nobody gets confused. Somtimes I say Gabriella and sometimes I say Gabrielle. But for now, I’m Gabrielle.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Which name do you want to use for the credits for the story?
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Gabrielle.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
They’re both such pretty names.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:58 am
thank you
June 24th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Wow! Great ending Gabrielle!
June 24th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Also, great job for everyone else that wrote in! I LOVE it!
June 24th, 2008 at 11:04 am
I love it, too, and I can’t wait for the next story.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Great story! I couldn’t go on the computer for a while, and was DEVASTATED to find out it had finished! The ending was great, though. :’(
June 25th, 2008 at 10:35 am
You’re right, it is a great story, with a great ending!
Maybe you’ll get to end the next one, Mirriam. I’ll try to have it on the website by next Monday, okay?
June 25th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I’m sorry I ended it before you got to write more, Miriam
I can’t wait until the next story!!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Who names the story? Is it Angela? Or does everybody work together?
July 7th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I think Angela does but I’m not sure.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Sorry for taking so long to answer this question.
We’ve done it both ways in the past. Does anyone want to make a title suggestion?
July 8th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I was so sad to see it was already finished! I have almost no computer access.
July 8th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
We’ll be starting a new one soon, Rachel. Was your computer access at school before?
July 19th, 2008 at 7:04 am
How about A girl, a boy, and two horses?
Very original!
July 26th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I think that is a great idea. I loved the ending of the story Gabrielle!
July 28th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Here’s a few! (They’re kinda…iffy, they’re just for inspiration.)
The Prince from Bram
The Princess and the Plot
The Unknown Prince
The legend of Equindi
Maybe next story could be about Conquerer? Just a thought.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:29 am
or The Prince and the Plot.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Some great suggestions! How about we go with The Princess and the Plot?
July 30th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Okay, thanks! I’m so glad you like it! I actually thought that title up years ago, when I was writing a play, but it stayed with me.
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
I like The Prince from Bram or the Legend of Equindi too.
I thought up the name Equindi and I already forgot what it was!!!!
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:42 am
I really like The Legend of Equindi - well actually I like all of your suggestions, Mirriam, but The Legend of Equindi is my favourite.
It seems like so long ago that we were writing this story!
August 4th, 2008 at 4:24 am
Ha ha, that’s funny