The horse of Abandoned Light

The Horse of the Abandoned Light

By Christine Kat Wang

"May I give you a lift up?" Dan asks with a lovely delight.

"No I'd rather do it on my own!" Daphnia snaps as she mounted on Petite Bell'e and cantered off to the queen's castle without saying another word to Dan.

 

Pretty much, Daphnia Roeselle and her lovely horse, Petite Bell'e were abandoned from a rough and tough village when Daphnia was only two months old. She couldn't remember a thing now in a kingdom, Lavenia where she learns new things…saddles, bridles, stirrups… and tack. But a man who serves the queen called Dan Flapper has been suspiciously kind to Daphnia and Petite Bell'e. What is going on? Why is Dan so eager about Daphnia's horse?

Chapter 1

Daphnia Roeselle grew up in a tiny rough village in the North Wests. She was then abandoned from her family when she was about 2 months old with her one and only Palomino Arabian horse, Petite Belleainstarable which was shortly called Petite Bell'e. She was then transformed and forced to live in a carefree kingdom called Lavenia. She is now in her teenage years, living in the castle, becoming the king and queen's ward with Petite Bell'e, who was put in the royal stables. At first, she did not know why everybody was staring at her as she rode sidesaddle on Petite Bell'e's back. For one thing, she was wearing a violet dress with light purple frills at the bottom. Secondly, her hair was neatly plaited in a sidewards ponytail plait. Oh no, she suddenly pulled Petite Bell'e into a halt. It was the shoes. Shoes. She did not have any one. She looked all over the place at the people who were also riding horses, collecting vegetables or fruit and saw that their horses all had strange strings and a big lumpy thing on the horses back. And the people had their feet (With shoes on!) in something. Daphnia thought that this was very strange. But she gave nothing away. She cantered beautifully across town to go back to the castle to ask the queen for some shoes. Or surely ask the maiden. She could feel her dark hair flowing in the wind. Most people in the town recognized her being the queen's ward. Now, those made Daphnia laugh sometimes.

 

"But surely I need new shoes?"

"Mm. I'm not sure. You seem fine, I bet. Just fine. You will live, darling Daphnia, don't be so daft, dear,"

The queen was in no agreement. Daphnia was very disappointed when Dan Flapper, a man who serves the queen interrupted. "Excuse me, your majesty. Daphnia surely really needs shoes. You can't go walking in a dirt road one day and come back to the castle mats with dirty feet, honestly!" Dan shot back at the queen. The queen immediately agreed and sent Daphnia's maid to get some new shoes. When Daphnia and Dan left the royal court room and Daphnia was back in the royal stable, Dan followed her. Daphnia was in the stables to see Petite Bell'e. He was a beautiful grey horse with a sudden light grey runny mane. Daphnia sighed and stroked him carefully on the forehead, when she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She spun around quickly enough to see Dan standing there. Dan smiled cheekily and grinned. "Nice to see you there, milady!" he said happily. Daphnia was not pleased. "I told you not to call me 'milady'! And who says that you can come around, stalking other people!" she snapped, clutching to her violet gown angrily. Dan's smile quickly disappeared. He nodded, still calm and bowed down at her. "Your highness…" he started and looked up at her. Daphnia had enough and grumbled. "Will you mind?!" she yelled. "Do you mind if I can spend some private time with my own horse?!" each tone was getting louder and louder. Dan backed away from Daphnia and took his hands up to mean that there was no harm. Daphnia glared at him dangerously, with a harmful glint in her eye. I might have to make my maid make a potion, she joked to herself. Or was it?