The armory was massive and deserted. Riley’s footsteps echoed off the walls. The rows of helmets stared at her accusingly. Her only light was a candle off her nightstand, held in her hand. She sheltered the flame as she walked toward a rack of swords.
Another light was approaching in the opposite direction. She relaxed when she heard her brother’s voice call out, “Who goes there?”
“No one you need to concern yourself with, Gavi.” Riley grabbed a sword in a scabbard without checking the weight.
Gavin closed the distance to her, “Riley, what are you doing? Ugh, you skipped your bath.” His nose wrinkled.
“I needed to work out some frustration and I thought I’d just get sweaty again. You seem like a good option, want me to work it out on you?” She strapped the belt of the scabbard around her riding pants.
“You’re only supposed to use the training swords!” Gavin also reached for a sword on the rack, and weighed it carefully, before putting it back.
“So are you! Why are you here, then?”
“I’m leaving with L’Marc in the morning. I need a sword to take to Kalden.”
“You seem like a king slayer. You’re going to take a soldier’s sword? To the capital?” Riley smiled when she saw him pull back from the next sword he was reaching for.
“Well, the better swords are in Father’s gallery!”
“You’re right, Gavi. Those swords have jewels on the hilts. Some of them even have names. Are you going to go meet the king with a sword with no name?” Riley laughed.
Gavin’s skinny frame squirmed. His shoulders seemed to try to escape from his body. “Well, I can’t ask father. He and mother went to their quarters. I don’t think that they want to be disturbed.” Riley shared a rare moment of camaraderie with her brother as they both cringed.
“Then take a common one. Maybe you can name it on the way. I’m sure L’Marc would have a suggestion.”
Gavin’s feet turned away, then back, and his body started to follow them. “Maybe I’ll just ask Father in the morning if he would like to gift me one from his gallery. I’ll need to talk to him anyway, to tell him about you raiding his armory!”
Riley shrugged. “Tell him what you like. I know who Father trusts with a sword.” She turned to walk away. She could still hear him fidgeting in front of the rack as she left the hall.
When she made it to the stables, they were empty. She breathed deep the smell of hay and musk. She breathed in her favorite memories like a last keepsake.
As she walked down the aisle of stalls, she said goodbye to each horse in her mind, until she reached Sugarsnap. She wondered how long she would have to wait for Cora and Lissie, but they were already there. Cora had a huge pack over her shoulder, and Lissie had sacks with glittering pans dangling in the moonlight.
Lissie said, “Are you really going to make me ride with you? I can walk all day.”
Riley went over to Sugarsnap and pet her nose. “Of course you’re not riding with me, you’ll have your own horse.”
The blood drained out of Lissie’s face. “You know I don’t know how to ride.”
Cora scoffed, “It’s easy. The horse does all the work.” Lissie frowned.
Riley took her by the hand and led her to the next stall. “This is Peach. He’s as gentle as a firefly.”
The horse in the quiet stall barely twitched an ear as they woke him. Riley patted the old gelding’s flank, and said, “He’s palomino and he’s beautiful. A bit swaybacked, but he has solid feet. I’ll get him saddled up for you. While I do, Cora, go get yourself a strong horse saddled. He’ll need to be able to carry a load. I know you usually ride Peach.”
Cora sniffed, “I’ll get the best horse.”
Riley set to work gathering the blankets, saddles and a bridle for Peach. The horses were a little miffed but patient. Cora had disappeared to the far end of the stable. Riley got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She wouldn’t.
When both horses were tacked up, Riley offered a hand to Lissie. “Here, I’ll kneel and you can use it to step up.” She knelt on the ground and slapped her thigh. “Come on.”
Lissie stepped lightly, having to fiddle her foot to get it in the stirrup. When she tried to swing her leg up over the saddle, she almost fell. Riley put a hand up and pushed her. Lissie sat and wrapped her arms around Peach’s neck.
Riley walked to the other side and put Lissie’s foot in the stirrup. “We will go slow. We need to be really quiet getting out of here anyway.”
Cora, mounted on a giant black stallion, rode through the aisle. “I’m ready when you are.” Riley’s mouth hung open.
“Anvil? No! You didn’t. Oh, Anvil!” Riley tried to keep her voice down, but struggled.
Cora looked nonplussed. “You said to get a strong horse! There is no horse stronger. Or better trained.”
Riley stared at sixteen hands of warhorse. Her father’s warhorse. “Cora, you have to get a different horse.”
“If you want me to waste time tacking another horse,” Cora said, tossing her hair. “I will.”
“How are we going to get over the moat?” Lissie asked from behind Peach’s mane.
Cora said, “What about the servant’s bridge?”
Riley thought about it. She had used it before. It was a loose collection of planks the servants laid across the moat. There were two narrow doors that led from the back of the stable to the moat. “Alright, let’s see if we can get past.”
They led the horses through the back paddock, and Riley hopped off to work the gate. On the other side, leaning against the outer wall was a collection of planks.
She laid the first one flat, and pushed it out. It sank into the mud opposite. She looked up at the wall and saw no archers. They always smoked cigars, and she saw no red spots against the sky. She worked the second plank across.
Riley smacked the line of smaller planks between the first two to make a bridge with no nails. It sagged in the middle as she walked across.
“Cora, will this hold Anvil? And you?”
“Let’s find out!” She kicked the warhorse, and he charged. He took only a single pace on the springy wood and launched over the distance.
Lissie did not look up to say, “There is no way I’m doing that.”
Riley called to Peach, took his reins and clicked her tongue. He walked over the planks sedately.
He’s a good sport.
Riley crossed the bridge again and mounted Sugarsnap. As they rode away from the castle, she looked up at her parents’ window. The light outlined the massive form of her father. Riley was panicked, and she couldn’t be certain, but it seemed like he saluted. She decided to take heart from that.