A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,46

moon had set, but she had no idea how to read the stars. Suppose she had missed an important turn off? Elena reined in the huge mare.

"Now what do I do, Breila?" she asked her mount. The horse snorted softly in reply. "Well if you hadn't let me fall asleep I might have a better idea of where we are!" When Breila remained quiet, Elena relented. "Of course, I had no idea where we were when we began this journey so I don't know how staying awake would have helped." Elena reached down and patted her mount's neck. "You're forgiven, Breila."

"Who's that?" a rough voice called out from the trees to her right. Elena froze, her heart lodged in her throat preventing a reply. "I say, who's been foolish enough to pass our lair in the middle of the night?" When the question was followed by thrashing about in the underbrush, Elena wrapped both hands in Breila's mane and dug her heels into the horses sides as hard as she could.

"Run!" she screamed. The tired horse sprang into a gallop, quickly putting distance between them and the voice in the bushes. Elena dared a glance over her shoulder and saw three figures stumble onto the road.

"Get the horses!" one of them shouted. "There's only one!"

Elena turned her attention back to staying on her mount. As they ran, Elena realized she must have slept longer than she thought for the sky was lightening behind her. She reined in abruptly as Breila crested a peak. Below she could just make out the road which zig-zagged back and forth all the way down the mountain. Elena hesitated for a second before sending Breila off the road and straight down the mountain. The horse nearly sat on her haunches as she slid down the steep slope, creating a landslide of rocks and dirt. They reached the next level of road and again Elena urged Breila across the road and straight down the mountain. Her strategy worked three more times before the exhausted horse could not keep her feet under her any longer. Elena screamed as Breila's feet went out from under her and she and the horse tumbled down the mountain. Elena tried to protect her head and face as she slid, but she did not see Breila's hoof as it grazed the top of her head, knocking her unconscious.

***

Elena awoke to a blindingly bright sun. She squinted as she sat up, partly from the glare, partly from the tremendous throbbing in her skull. She was coated in dust and for the first time in her life she felt the urge to spit. Slowly easing herself to her feet she closed her eyes when the world began to tilt dizzily. After a few moments it seemed to level out and she opened her eyes cautiously. If this is the thanks I get for trying to be a heroine, Elena thought, Joan of Arc can have it.

"Breila?" she choked out. "Where is that damn--" Elena froze when she saw the huge horse sprawled several feet away from her. With staggering steps she crept over to the horse and knelt down by its head. Breila whinnied softly, but did not move.

"Oh, Breila, I'm so sorry," Elena whispered. Although she could see no obvious wounds, the horse's awkward position left no doubt in her mind that Breila's back was broken. To Elena's surprise, tears filled her eyes and began coursing down her cheeks. She stroked Breila's face and the horse made a valiant effort to rise. Elena sucked in a breath, hoping that she had been wrong about the horse's injuries, knowing she wasn't as soon as Breila whinnied in pain and fell back against the ground heavily. Tears streaked Elena's dusty face as the horse's breathing finally slowed and then stopped altogether. A sob escaped her and she pressed her face against Breila's neck.

All her life, horses had been like servants to her. They had served a purpose and she forgot their existence the moment that purpose was accomplished. Unlike her friends, she had never seen her horses as pets, never felt more than a passing interest in what was carrying her. Now she was suddenly overcome with heart-wrenching grief for the horse she had ridden but a few days. What a noble animal, Elena thought. She kept going when I pushed her, when she must have been exhausted. Elena sobbed harder, her breaths coming in great heaves. After several minutes, her sobs diminished and her