Please excuse my short absence, for my laptop has been thoroughly cleaned out, so I already lost this chapter. But I am enjoying this story, and I wish to continue it. I just have to rewrite the chapter that all J

Racies POV

I never once doubted that falling from the balcony improved the relationship between Quin and me. She was a rather sweet young girl, and I admired her spirit and courage. It seemed only fair that I granted her one and only wish; a horse. After all, I had a stable full of the creatures, and only one particular one was so used as to being taken from the stable almost everyday; Staynes steed. I knew that Quin would be lovely atop a great steed. Its odd; she seems too familiar, as if she could benever mind.

When I awoke, I was still in the girls bed. She had been so kind as to leave me alone so I could sleep. I had woken up to a gentle breeze pouring through the open doors out to the balcony. The red satin curtains were twirling in the breeze, doing a little dance-thing. I quietly scanned the room, to find Quin asleep on a small settee. She was curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her. Its odd; I never realized how pale the girl truly is. She looked very nice in the nightgown that was provided to her. It was knee-length, and had pockets on it, with red hearts on them.

I quietly snuck from her chamber, careful not to awake her.

I walked toward my own chamber, my forehead in my palm, still trying to calm myself from yesterdays horror. As I went to turn round a corner, a voice stopped me.

"Your majesty, there you are," commented Stayne.

I stopped and turned to meet him face-to-face. "What happened?" I asked.

"We all were worried when you did not show up to dinner last night, "he replied. "I began to think that you had gone off."

I stared at him for a moment, taking in his features as if he were a warm drink of tea. I shook my head, for my mind began to wander a bit. "Stayne, I have a favor to ask of you."

He dropped to one knee, and placed a fist to heart. Ah, now we were getting somewhere. "Whatever it may be, I shall complete it willingly."

I took that there was to be no issue with the favor. "I order you to instruct Quin in horse-riding."

I was dead wrong on his reaction.

"Majesty, must I be the one to do it?" he asked. "Lady Beth is much more the horse-type. I just ride because I must."

"Lady Beth knows nothing of the sort!" I hissed. How dare he back-talk me, his queen. "You are my best mounted warrior! I command you to yield."

He became a tad downcast. "Yes, Your majesty. When shall such instruction begin?" He looked at me with fearful eyes.

I decided quickly. "Midday; on the marrow."

He nodded. "Yes, majesty."

"Good, now, leave me. I must bathe myself!"

After my bath and changing my gown, I searched the castle for Quin. I found her in the library, curled in an armchair with red velvet upholstery. A fore glowed warmly in the hearth to her left, and her head was bowed slightly, as if in prayer. But she was not praying; she had her nose buried in a book. I recognized the book as one that I had read often as a child. She was reading my old copy of Dominion over Living Things. I quietly was taken aback to the old summer seasons of sitting in the garden at Crims, reading solemnly under my favorite tree. The binding was old, and was torn in places, but I could tell that Quin was very careful in handling it.

She finally noticed me.

"Why, your majesty, my apologies, but I did not notice you."

I nodded. "Thats quite alright, Quin." I quietly took a seat in the vacant armchair aside her. "But I have an issue with how you address me."

She looked quizzical. "Your majesty?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"I asked you to call me Iracebeth did I not?" I asked calmly.

She nodded. "My apologies again, Your- I mean- Iracebeth."

"There, that wasnt so bad, was it?"

She shook her head, sending black hair everywhere. "No."

I looked at the book in her grip. "Are you enjoying it, the book, I mean?"

She looked from me to the book. "Oh, yes. Its very interesting. I cant believe all of the things one is capable of, if they decide to put their mind to it, she said." She gently cocked her head to the left. "I wish I could be able to do some of these things. Being able to tame animals just by connecting with them. Imagine all of the things I could do."

I nodded. "Speaking of animals. I have accepted your request for a steed. Tomorrow at midday, I wish you to meet Stayne in the stables. You will select a steed, and begin your lessons."

Her face lit up happily. "Thank you, Iracebeth, thank you! she cheered. You truly are the best queen in existence!"

I giggled. "Thank you, Quin."

"Oh, no, thank you! I really appreciate it." She began to calm down a bit. She glanced at the clock.

"Look at the time," I commented. "Come with me, my dear. We shall dine for midday meal, in my chamber."

She gave me a concerned look. "Please, Iracebeth, be careful and dont slip off the balcony," she said.

"Dont worry, Im okay as long as your with me," I said.

The next morning, I awoke late, just so I wouldnt have to wait long for Quins lesson to begin. And when the time finally came to advance to the stable, I was surprised to see Stayne already there, explaining to Quin the facts about all of the available horses. I watched from the doorway intently, as Quin silently scanned each of the horses. I could tell that she was going to be a natural on the back of a horse.

Quin stopped at the last stall, and peered in. "Whats wrong with this one?"

Stayne shook his head. "Nothing, hes just not very friendly is all. People are very discriminate against him because of his color."

"May I take him out?" Quin asked, reaching for a lead rope. "I want to see his color, but I cant because its too dark in here."

Stayne nodded. "If you wish."

Quin quietly entered the stall, and walked out backwards, with a very tall horse attached to the end of the rope. The horse was quite the looker. He had a white coat, covered in blue spots. He also had a long black mane and tail that gleamed when the light hit it correctly. Quite the charming horse. Quin gently rubbed a hand down over the horses back, whispering to him in Outlandish.

"Hes beautiful. Stayne, I think I have chosen my steed."

Surprisingly, the horse stood perfectly still, as Stayne showed Quin how to saddle him. Stayne helped Quin mount flawlessly.

"Now, Quin," said Stayne. "I understand that you are the speaker of the outlandish language. This here is an outlandish horse; captured in the Figgly Groggy Bog. I have a theory that he will be able to understand what you are saying to him. So, tell him to walk forward."

"Te Nah Nah, Zuh Zay," said Quin in outlandish. I had no clue on what it meant but, I guessed that it meant walk forward.

The horse perked up his ears, and began to slowly walk out from the stables, and into the riding ring. Stayne walked beside her on his own stallion.

"What exactly did you sat to him?" Stayne asked.

"What? Te Nah Nah, Zuh Zay? Te Nah Nah means Onward. And Zuh Zay means my pet. And altogether, Onward, my pet." Quin giggled when Stayne gave her a quizzical look. "I know, its confusing to learn at first, but when you get the first few words, its so much better to understand. Believe me; I learned how to speak Outlandish when I was only two years of age." She sighed. "The woman at the orphanage used to call me Zuh Zay all of the time."

Her outlandish began to pull at my heart strings a bit. How could something so terrible happen to such a sweet girl? I knew that I would have to look into her past, somehow. I am the queen, and I can pretty much have anything figured out.

The two circle the ring for a little while, and Stayne finally cleared his throat.

"What are you going to call him?" Stayne asked, gesturing toward the horse.

Quin curled her lips in a quizzical way. "Hmmm...I think Ill call himCharisma!"

What! Charisma?

"Why Charisma?" Stayne asked, kind of snottily.

"Because, he sure has a lot of it," Quin said, stroking her horses neck.

Stayne nodded. "Alright Quin, would you like to learn to trot, or would you wish to stop for today and pick this up on the marrow?"

Quin arched a brow. "Can we learn to trot?"

Stayne nodded. I knew he didnt want to continue, but he knew that I was watching.

"Pull him to a stop."

Quin did, and gently pulled back on Charismas reins. Stayne rode his horse to the opposite side of the ring. "Alright, Quin, watch me." Stayne urged his horse forward, until the animal was trotting round with quite the high step. I noticed the grace and beauty of the horse. It was much more graceful than I had imagined.

Stayne stopped his horse. "Give it a try, Quin. Go to the opposite of the ring, and bring him towards me."

"Okey-dokey, Eye-patchy," Quin teased.

Stayne suddenly looked angry at her.

I eyes Charisma intently. The horse looked different. Quin pulled the horse, and got him settled enough so she could trot him. The horse began shaking his head for a moment. When I saw this, I immediately knew that something was going to happen. Quin urged the horse forward.

Suddenly, the horse bolted forward in his full gallop. Quin struggled to hold on. Stayne reacted not-so-quickly, and finally urged his horse to the side, hoping to somehow grab Charismas reins. Then, I knew where the horse was going. The gate that was behind Stayne was about six feet high. Charisma galloped straight at it, and, within seconds, launched him and Quin off the ground. Quin let out a small scream. As they were in mid-air, she lost her reins, and grabbed the horse round the neck and held on for dear life. Once on the ground again, Charisma took off toward the drawbridge.

Stayne turned his stallion toward the gate, and they too, cleared it.

"HELP STTTTAAAAYYYNNNNEEEE!" cried a frightened Quin.

Charisma stopped before the castle, and I knew what was going to happen. The horse arched his neck, and reared up as high as he could. He began thrashing out with his front legs. Quin let out an ear-blistering scream, as her hands slipped, and she began to tumble backwards, off the horse, and towards the ground. Quins body hit the ground quickly, and Charisma bolted forward.

I bolted as fast as my big head would allow me to, and dropped on my knees before Quin.

"Quin!" I cried.

There was no answer.