A/N I said that I'd start posting on Fridays and Sundays, so here it is!
“Where you came from, you may have been the best, but now you have to work,” Linn shouted in the echoey arena. Her voice reverberated off the walls, making it difficult to understand. Although tired from the hours and the physical labour of mucking out the horses, I was really excited to do the lesson. Linn was an amazing instructor and had raised many an Olympic champion. Alka and I trotted around the arena obediently as Linn explained what we would be doing while we warmed up. I had really missed riding him and it felt safe to be back on his back. “Today we will be doing fifth leg training, does anyone know what the fifth leg is?” Linn asked. Elysia flicked her head of sleek black hair and said, “Huh, I thought horses only had four legs.” Choosing to ignore the comment, Linn asked, “Anyone?” A boy I didn’t know with freckles and red hair raised his hand, slightly nervously. “The fifth leg is the horse’s brain, making choices without the rider tell it to.” “Very good…?” Linn said. “Benny.” “Very good Benny. Yes, it is important in a competition for your horses to be able to make choices themselves when the rider makes the wrong one, or doesn’t make one at all. It can save you the competition, or your life, so that’s what we shall be practising.” Ah, of course. I’d know that the horse thinking for him or herself was important, I just hadn’t known the fancy name for it. It was annoying in some senses that I’d no longer be the top but in others exciting that there was so much knowledge out there to be learned. “So if you could all please line up in front of this jump. Notice that it’s a solid fence because this will encourage the horse to respect fence. I want you to try and guide your horse as little as possible over the fence, make them think for theirselves.” One by one the riders ahead of me jumped the jump. I need to impress them: this would be my first impression to everyone with my riding skill. I sighed as Liv finished up her jump before kicking Alka into canter. I steering him towards the fence before just letting him ride as Linn said. However, Alka had another idea, he started to go left - away from the fence. I pulled him back right, desperate to make the fence. Face burning hot in the knowledge that everyone saw my mistake, Alka hopped over the low jump. “Well done,” Linn spoke lowly like she had for everyone else so only they could hear their feedback, “Fifth leg training takes a while for the horse needs to develop it so well done for letting him do it all first go but maybe work up to it next time. Give him a pat.” I patted Alka, happy knowing that Linn didn’t think I was hopeless. The lesson continued with more people doing the jump. Linn slowly built up the jump, making it lighter. When it was finally the end of the lesson, she praised us but said we still had a way to go. Next on the list: school.
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Buzz! Buzz!
It was too early for me to even be tired. I pushed off the covers, exposing my body to the icy air, a contrast to the snuggly warmth of my bed. “Turn. It. Off,” Ali moaned from somewhere in the depth of her duvet. I slid my finger across the screen, silencing it. “It’s time to wake up Ali, Tyra will be mad.” My new friend snuggled down further into her bed, “Tyra can go to hell, which may as well freeze before my sleep gets interrupted.” I sighed, “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Changing into my riding clothes in the bathroom, I realised just how tired I was. I braided my hair and sprinted down the stairs for breakfast, which I had no time to eat. So I grabbed a banana and hurriedly pulled on my thin mac and tall boots. Before running (which was nearly impossible in the boots but I had to try) to the stables. I was the second to last to arrive with Ali still, probably, laying in bed. My heart pounding, I checked my watch. I did not want to get into trouble. Thankfully, it said “6:29” - I had made it, just. Trying to keep myself awake, I was hardly listening to Tyra but I realised that she was saying that we were going to be mucking out, grooming and feeding the horses. Each of us would have to do two horses, ours and one of the seniors. How was that fair? I bet the seniors were asleep in bed right now. Oh, that’s what Lily and Zak were sneering about last night. The little… I bore my annoyance in silence but one of the boys didn’t seem to know how to keep his mouth shut. “And how is that fair,? asked a smallish boy with hazel brown hair. “You’re Blake aren’t you?” asked Tyra. “Yes.” “Well, everyone put you hands together for Blake who has just earned the first detention of the year! Now, get on with it.” I did the senior horse first. It was a Morgan and seemed quite gentle. I mucked out before grooming him/ her and finally I went over to the feed room and read out its food amounts. After I’d deposited its measure of horse nuts and barley, I finally got to see Alka, my Dutch Warmblood. “Ah, I’ve missed you girl,” I spoke softly to her. She was my heart, my life. I hugged her big neck passionately and she turned her head to the side, nuzzling into me. Working on her stable wasn’t so much of a chore because I knew I was making her comfortable. When I was finished, I gave her a hug, hoping that we’d be riding later today. As I reentered the yard, I heard a loud shout. “HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN ROCK UP ANY TIME YOU WANT AUTUMN DIAMONDSON. YOU HAVE DETENTION EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK AND YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT FREE TIME.” I heard sniggers from the others. Honestly, I don’t like to say I told her so, but that’s a complete lie. I did tell her so. The 32 young riders had taken over the library to mark the start of the new year. When we arrived, the social statuses were clear. The older ones (who would have been in year 11 at school) sat at the tables and the boys (who had actually arrived on time) sat on the floor. We followed their lead and joined them on the floor (to much indignant muttering from Elysia).
Four girls/ women stood at the front. Oh my god! I could instantly recognise one of them, it was Reed Kessler. I screamed innerly at the honour of knowing that our show jumping would be taught by one of my riding idols. Reed had hazel eyes and long flowing hair and seemed such a contrast to the other three girls standing there. The other three girls all had bunches, two of them had brown ones and one of them had light blonde. They appeared the same size with the same stance. The ones with brown hair had matched expressions and appeared to be twins until you looked closer and saw one with brown eyes and one with green. Luckily, I recognised one of them as Tyra, the girl I had met previously. Tapping her foot, she waited for the other girls to sit down. As soon as Alex had poked herself down Try launched into speech. “For our first years welcome and to our second years, welcome back. I hope that you all had a good break and that you are ready to start up a new year here. For the first years, it is a particularly important term as each term the lowest scoring will be cut from the course.” I gasped although with the other first years. I did the maths quickly. Out of the current 16 first years (boys included) only 10 of us would remain. Tyra ignored us and continued. “As always, you have been split into groups based on your ability at each and level of schoolwork. Lily and Zak, can you hand out the timetables please and then you all can get to bed because I expect you up at 6 am,” Tyra finished with malice. Two people, I presumed Lily and Zak stood up. Lily stood first and you were blinded by her beauty. Off the shoulder top with leggings were in perfect keeping with her long waist length hair and perfect make up. Holding out her hand, she encouraged the shyer boy to stand. He messed up his already messy hair before pulling Lily into a tight hug as they walked towards Tyra. “Wow,” gasped Ali. Lily handed out the timetables to the boys and Zak to the girls. He smelt woodsy and… safe. His brown skin and brown eyes were soft and kind. “Don’t get any ideas,” Elysia hissed, “first, our Daddy’s know each other and second he’d never break up with Lily.” One of the girls standing near Tyra grinned, “OK enough fussing, off to bed it’s late and we need to talk to the second years. I’ll see you all in the stables at 6:30 tomorrow morning - sharp.” Lily smiled and whispered something to Zak who grinned back. What did they know that we didn’t? WELL HERE IT IS! It’s my birthday today so I wasn’t sure if I’d upload, but I did. Also what do you think about me uploading it on Friday’s as well? Let me know! A/N, hello it's me (as normal). Thank you very much for coming back and reading the second part of this - I'm very excited for it. Most of the characters that were made appear in this one although not all (the boys and older girls haven't appeared yet) so ya know. Thank you for the support with this so far and I hope that you enjoy!
I’d finally strewn my belongings neatly around the room. Having a photo of Jess, my adoptive Gran, on the desk really made it feel like home. I opened up my laptop and connected to the WiFI. I was worried that it would be slow and I wouldn’t be able to update my blog but it was probably faster than at home! I lay on my bed, reading a few of my friends posts from back home. I was really going to miss the UK but this had been my dream since I’d been to the Moorland Summer camp when I was 7. There was a rat-a-tat on the door. “Come in,” I called merrily. The door creaked open to reveal a sweet looking girl. “Hey, I’m Miya and I wa-th (was) th-ent (sent) to get you to meet everyone,” she lisped. “Ok, sure.” I followed her downstairs and through the door that I’d pointed out into the small living room which was covered in a disarray of two sofas, two chairs and two beanbags. Left with no other option, I plonked myself onto a bag and looked around at the seven other girls, two of which I’d met. “Hello everyone, I’m Olivia but call me Liv because my idiots of parents gave me a stupid name. So I thought we could all introduce ourselves so we ain’t living with strangers ya know? So ya, I’m Liv and I love riding and boy bands,” a girl medium sized girl with her hair in a ombre plait spoke. The next girl, sitting next to Olivia on the sofa started, “I’m Elysia Butterfield and I am from Epona and Daddy and Mummy work on the land there.” Ali and I exchanged glances at the girls sneering voice. Ali took up her turn to introduce herself and was quickly followed by Miya, the small girl with a lisp. Next, her room mate Isla introduced herself and based on her middle parting, simple ponytail and the way she spoke, you could tell she was very clever. It looked like she was sharing with Miya. Then it was my turn. “Hello, I’m Kate and I haven’t got a nickname,” Olivia grinned at me, “Oh and before anyone else asks, yes I am from the UK and yes, I have been to London.” Everyone laughed apart from Elysia who looked sulky that everyone had pretty much ignored her introduction. A familiar girl with waist length black dip dyed blue hair started to talk. “Hi, I’m Alicia Patterson, yes my Mother is Charlotte and I love riding and I hope that I’ll enjoy my time here,” she smiled unsurely. Elysia looked up and spoke for the first time since her introduction, “I like your hair,” she told Alicia smugly. “Oh… Thank you Elysia,” Alicia replied, keeping the warmth in her voice. Everyone remained quiet, waiting for the last person to start talking. When the small, flecked girl with a very short hair cut didn’t talk Olivia prompted: “Your turn.” Alicia, who was sitting next to me on a chair lent down and whispered, “I don’t know if she can talk, I haven’t got a word out of her since arriving.” Maybe Alicia was right because the final girl brought out her phone and started typing quickly before she passed it to Olivia who read it out: “Hello, I’m Alexa. Feel free to call me Alex. I like being me because it’s one of the best things I can do but I hate talking.” We all awkwardly smiled at Alex before Alicia broke the silence, damn how did that girl come across so lovely, “I’m sure it won’t matter, I think that our instructor Tyra will be very grateful to have one person at least who will be quiet in her talk.” And taking that cue, we all stood and made our way to the library where the talk would be held. Oh god… it’s time to meet the boys… So I've been working on this while I was away and I've already written parts one + two. It might move slower than some of my work in the past and will hopefully be a lot longer. It's about some people at Silverglade Equestrian center but I didn't make the characters - they were made by friends & followers so I hope that you enjoy and thank you very much to everyone who made a character. So full credit to the creators of the characters - Kate was made by me. (Not all characters will appear in the first part) Enjoy ESIT!
Finally, the van drew to a halt outside my new home - Silverglade Equestrian Centre. I hopped down from the truck. I’d come the scenic route, traveling through Golden Hills Valley on my way here from the docks at West Cape Fishing Village. On all of the post cards, West Cape looked lovely but what the photos couldn’t capture was the putrid stench of rotting fish. I thanked and paid the driver (I knew which one she’d prefer more) before I lugged my suitcase across down the lane and across the yard to where a girl with dark bunches sat at a desk. “Hello,” she said, in a heavy Jorvik accent. “Hi,” I replied smiling shyly. It was times like this that I wished I wasn’t 14 so that my parents could drop me off. The girl picked up a highlighter and poised its florescent yellow tip over the paper. “I’m Tyra,” she introduced herself, “and you are?” “I’m Kate Shawl,” I told her. As she highlighted my name she exclaimed, “From Britain then?” “Yes.” “Lovely. Now if you see the second house from the left, that one is the first year girls accommodation. You are the fifth here and will be sharing with Autumn Diamondson who has arrived already. I believe that your room is on the second floor to the left. I suggest that you get settled in before our introductory talk later!” I thanked her before I dragged my suitcase across the pavement towards the fourth small houses. I pulled the case onto the balcony area belonging to the house that Tyra had pointed out. My arms complained at the struggle. I finally opened the door into the small house. I slipped off my shoes and, as I did, I had the impression of a small - yet homely - area. There was a door to the left and stairs to the right. I followed the stairs up two flights (much to my arms’ annoyance) before reaching my designated room. Upon opening the door, I saw a reasonable living area. There were two loft beds with a futon and a desk residing underneath along with (I noticed) 2 big boxes under the futon. At the end of each bed was a combined wardrobe and draws. I stared out of the small window at the back as it had an excellent view of the working yard below. Alka, my horse, would be there after being sent ahead from England. I couldn’t wait to see him! Before I, however, had a chance to take in the room any further, a tall girl with shoulder length brown hair bounced into view. “Hi, I’m Ali. You’re Kate my roomie right?” she said very - too - cheerfully. “Yes, hi!” I held out my hand politely but she bobbled me into a hug before my fingers were even fully outstretched. She pulled away and started up an endless babble “I’m so so so excited to be here! I arrived super early because I only live in Valedale after all and I’m so grateful that I got in. I didn’t think I would because my parents are farmers and don’t really ride and the daughter of Charlotte Patterson is here… Like wow! I saw her at the tryouts of course. Imagine having Charlotte as your Mum! Crazy right… I have an annoying sister who came here two years ago and has told me all about it. She named my horse actually. Called him Smokeblood. Dumb name huh?” “I think so,” I laughed, Ali’s enthusiasm was catchy. “Hey, I’m just going to sort myself out and get unpack.” “Ok awesome!,” she nodded understandingly, “I can be a bit… full on… but hey! I’m going to go downstairs and make myself some grub before meeting the others who live here, see you then?” I agreed before looking around the Ali free room. This was going to be awesome! Hola! I was traveling down to my Aunt and Uncles house today and then when I arrived I went for a walk with my sisters (Bella and Eva). But oh well. Also exciting possibilities of possibly meeting some FR members but nothing it at all confirmed and I obviously need permission - sigh -. I’m have plans to write an SSO fan fiction tomorrow (I’ll post it over the weekend) but I have written a Harry Potter fan fiction on Wattpad and it now has three parts if anyone would care to take a peak. https://www.wattpad.com/story/104766492-the-girl-to-hide
Ok so recently I’ve been thinking about making a new fanfiction but I want people to help me make the characters. I’ve already posted this on Instagram and I’ve had a lot of people give me a character, but now I’m trying it on here. Get creative! This character will be a part of Silverglade Equestrian Centre. If you want to make a character then please fill out the details on the form below. MAKE YOUR CHARACTER REALISTIC. So many people have made someone who’s quite confident, not very arrogant, very kind and very clever and skilled. Like, no. They aren’t real people and everyone who’s given me a “perfect character” will have their character… modified by me. Also, some foreign character please? Here are the details to fill out on the form below: Characters full name: Nickname: Age (11 - 16): Birthday: Gender: Sexuality: Likes: Dislikes: Main area of riding (choose one from show jumping/ drama dressage/ cross country/ vaulting/ polo): Country + town of origin (can be on Jorvik): Childhood (include how they started to ride): Breed and name of horse: Confidence 1 - 10 (1 being shy and 10 being confident): Arrogance 1 - 10: Empath 1 - 10: Cleverness 1 - 10: Skill in main area of riding 1 - 10: Any other things you wish to add: Hello! Some people have been asking when I’ll get back to writing fan fiction on Sunday and the fact is that I won’t until I have one planned out. I know that I want it to be about Silverglade Equestrian centre and that I want people to send in characters to use but that’s all I know. But what goes into planning a piece of fan fiction? Well this is my planning process.
1. Get the initial flare down. Whatever my inspiration is I get it down. If it’s a photo, sentence, basic idea (“girls at Silverglade Equestrian centre”) I write it down so that I don’t lose it. I get a lot of flares so I need to be able to come back later and start using it. 2. Write out the basic plot line. I normally have this very long, over one and a half A4 pages. You just write what happens. E.g. “Kitty does the soul rider test. She sees Welsh and translates it into finding a door. She then meets Avalon outside”. 3. If I get any ideas for certain sentences in here then I just put them in inverted commas by the text. 4. I then make a character profile for each character regardless of how big a part they play. To do this I have a text thing I go through and answer the questions on and then I always find a photo because it helps me vision what is happening. 5. Next I start writing out the text. If it’s longer I do an expanded plan before I write it out but for SSO fan fictions I just write it. 6. I always stop if I have writers block - never force it. 7. I then use my mac speaker thing to check for most mistakes. 8. On more important things I leave it a few days before reading the whole story again. Doing this helps your stories make more sense and flow. However, sometimes it’s fun just to delve into the writing! Good evening! As you may know, last week I finished my last SSO fan fiction because, quite honestly, I got bored. I have started a Harry Potter fan fiction for real life which I’m very excited about because it’ll be the first thing I properly plan out. But here is a short story about Aideen (I was inspired by yesterday’s theory post).
Light, blinding light. It was everywhere. Burning me, consuming me. It hurt and yet it was beautiful and pure. Like daggers made from the softest ribbons, it streamed and stabbed it’s away across our bodies. Our bodies. I could feel another presents there. Another soul joined to mine and we rode forth from the light onto an island. We rode! It was a beautiful stallion, standing tell and proud on the shore. With a whoosh the light started to contract. Smaller, smaller, smaller. Getting brighter as it went until it could fit on my hand. I made to grab it with my dominant left hand when I realised that it was gripped something. A golden harp reflected the light of daggers. Experimentally, I plucked it. A soft clear note. The essence of life. Fumbling through the ground, a small plant pushed through the rocks and rose upwards. I laughed with joy and player the harp again. Another note. I turned to Stallion (which I creatively named the horse) as we rode laughing and whinnying to the singing off the harp, bringing life with us. Aideen. Yes Stallion? So my name is Aideen… You must keep this place safe. Make some trees all over the island to protect the rest of it from evil. You must creative a network of trees. I understood and knew how. I just pressed my hands to a tree while holding the light and became a part of it. i like by feet become roots growing into the ground and my arms shoot upwards and branch out. I made myself bigger and healthy to which the tree follow suit. When finally the work was done I let myself fall asleep under a newly made apple tree. Maybe today was done but my work was far from over. It’s strange how some people just click and Billie and I did just that. She with her short hair and freckles. The truck trundled towards the Dark Core base. Billie and Buggings had the honour of keeping an eye on me. There wasn’t any point. I wouldn’t run from the truck because I knew they’d all die. Simple as that. I was young, quick and skilled maybe, but inexperienced. But others were not so. Maybe they were scared of me but in comparison to the people who trained me, I was a spoiled 4 year old.
I sat back listening to Billie complaining about the quality of the wood. I wondered if Billie would die as well. Could I save her? Could I even save myself? Did I want to? After about 10 hours we arrived at the Dark Core base. I think the weather understands pathetic fallacy as it was raining. You could only feel as you could feel it: it was so dark that you couldn’t see your hands in front of your face. Finally, the raid started. JI8s men and women ran in with their guns screaming “It’s JI8, get on the floor”. From where Buggings had a hold of me I heard the last screams before a bang. Throw in a bit of begging and the sound of running and then you have the orchestra of battle. It took about 5 minutes for a Dark Core woman - I think it was a woman anyway - to find us. She raised her gun. “Drop your weapons,” she told us. Since I hadn’t actually been given the honour of having a weapon I stood still. Billie dropped her gun with a clatter but Buggings didn’t. He was shot. That sounds so remote but I had no feelings towards Buggings plus it wasn’t the first death I’d seen. Billie started sobbing but to her credit, silently. “Which one of you is Spectre ?” “Me,” I truthfully told her. She looked at me. Nodded before she aimed the gun at Billie and pulled the trigger. I gasped. Literal pain spread through my body. Not the pain of loosing someone, the pain of a bullet. My gasp had cost a lot. Would Billie and I die or would they spare us? I knew neither of us had been fatally injured if we had treatment. Well, you never know. Not every story ends happily. Our “little” chat lasted what I guess was about half the night. He wanted to know everything. How come I work for Dark Core? Who have I killed (too many to list)? How did I kill them (does it matter)? By the end of it I was s i c k of his voice and still neither of us had actually gained anything - so it was all a bit pointless.
Stanley came back into the room as Buggings finally walked out quite clearly looking in a sate of rage, apparently I wasn’t of the only to feel that it was a wasted conversation. Stanley smiled at me and sat on the floor just across the room from where I was. “My names actually Billie but Buggings doesn’t seem to be able to see that,” she said. I looked up and replied: “On the streets I was called Key because I could unlock any door>” “I’m guessing without a key?” Millie laughed. I liked the way she didn’t comment that I used to live on the streets. “Yes, without a key,” I agreed. “Owners don’t normally give you the key to break into their apartment.” “I was on the street here on Jorvik you know. Jarlaheim. You might have heard of it? It’s a town but there’s a lot of street people looking for work in the farms.” I didn’t reply to this. It was clear that she never found any work because if she had I doubted she’d be working for JI8. “I wanted to become a soul rider,” she told me. “My Grandmother was one and a new soul rider is born to replace one that’ll die. My Grandmother was close to death when my twin and I were born. She was called Alex you know - Mum thought that we’d be boys. I have a lot of brothers you know. You may have met James? He’s a business man at Fort Pinta now.” This came out in a rush, the words jumping over each other in their haste to be first. “Well being a soul rider would have been a lot cooler than JI8.” “Huh, well tomorrow we’re going to raid Dark Core and you’re coming with us>” Great. "Well, well, well. The Specter caught at last. You've had JI8's most elite forces looking for you," a man's voice said.
"Took you long enough, kept me looking forward to it I suppose." Maybe not the most tactical answer but I hate JI8 - Jorvik Intelligence. They're such idiots and spend their whole time meddling in private matters instead of ones that actually threaten Jorvik. This room was very boring by the way. It was a few metres wide with a chair in the middle and handcuffed to that chair by her hands and feet was a tiny 15 year old girl. Like an unseeable eye, the one way glass at the end of the room watched - waiting. Waiting for the tiniest movement of an eyebrow that would indicate lying. That's why it was so important that I kept my face relaxed as I spoke, using a semi meditation technique. "Who do you work for?" the voice asked, cold and determinedly ignoring my comment. I suppose it's not every day a 15 year old girl gets the better of his best fear inducing tactics. I roll my eyes in response to this. I mean honestly, it's sort of obvious. Martha Goldspere - CEO of Jorvik Steel inc and refusing to supply DC. John Hemp - x DC security man, now working for JI8, was anyway. The point is who I've disposed and when directly correlates to when they've upset DC. As I said, JI8 are idiots. "I work for the Dark Lord," I wittingly reply. "Who?" "He-who-must-not-be-named, Tom Riddle, Voldemort - whatever name you choose. I'm in the inner circle of death eaters you know. just haven't got the mark yet!" His reaction was priceless. Actually priceless. At first there was a sound that can be purely translated into "jnasdknjk" and then a slow clapping. "She got you Buggings, she got you good," a laughing voice said, clearly amused. This voice was a girls, younger, my age. "Y'know how most people get one phone call, do I get to send someone a howler?" I asked. More laughing from this new voice before the line cut dead. I really do know how to drive people up the wall - sometimes quite literally. Today I was going to do a monthly favourites but after the event SSO wouldn’t let me back on. Sigh. So today I want to write a short story called the Legend of the Dragon!
It was a time before Jarl, before Aideen, before even Jorvik itself. There was nothing but a volcano sitting alone in the sea. It was a barren place on the outside. Grey, gloomy and isolated. Appearances could be deceiving, for inside were dragons. It was a hive of life. Swooping in and out of rocks, the hatchlings playing in the waterfalls. You could hear a cacophony of calls as the dragons cried to each other in pleasure. The fiery orange lava danced on their rainbow scales, causing the light to scattering all around the walls. Happiness. Pure Happiness. One day, the dragons knew it was time to move on. They could feel the ground trembling in anger that they must fly. Dragons are fire proof, but if the lava was to set into stone they would be trapped. Down in the lowest cavern a mother nursed her child, too far away to hear the calls. The volcano gave one final rumble of warning before there was fire. The lava tumbled over each other in the race to make it down the mountain. It filled all the cracks, flowing into caves and down to the sea where is formed a sludge and started to cool - slowly. The mother looked up to see the lava racing towards her. Protectively she folded her wings around her hatchling. 4 years passed, the mother was frozen in time. The hatchling cried and cried but the mother passed away long ago, still frozen holding up the new cave for her young. The baby had survived on fish that occasionally came in on a spring tide. It wanted to fly again. 2 hundred years later a star fell on Jorvik and a girl on horse back appeared. I think you know the story from there. But the dragon cried on, knowing one day it would fly again… Lea held - half carried - me down the ladder to breakfast. I just couldn’t aim my hands quickly enough towards the rung. By the time I had a grip I would have fallen 10 times over.
It turns out Lea would take a day off school today so she could be with me on my first day home. Mum shook her head saying that on the main land they wouldn’t allow it, but here on Jorvik people are a bit more relaxed about school as many jobs here don’t require it. Everyone on Jorvik besides my Mum that is! “Mum,” I said in my slow monotone of a voice, “Could I go to the stables today?”. Mum looked across at me unsure. I too was nervous about getting back on a horse but I loved the sport. I couldn’t let one tiny fall stop me, could I? I mean I could. I could just focus on improving my muscle strength so I can walk properly (I currently use a wheelchair most of the time because it tires me too much) and school (I must be so behind). That’s the easy way out and I want to at least try. Horses used to be my life before the … incident. Lea looked up from the washing up: “Mum, Tasha invited Maya to come to the stables if she wanted.” “Oh very well, but I’m driving you,” Mum said wearily. I stumbled into the car and we drove through the marshes to the town. Lea helped me out of the car and into my chair. I hate being in the chair. Everyone looks at you and they don’t notice anything else. Just the metal. You become “the girl in the wheelchair”. Nothing else. They don’t wonder about where you got that top from, they’re too busy wondering why you can’t walk. I sometimes want to jump up and scream “LOOK I’M JUST LIKE YOU, I’M NOT BROKEN!” But of course, I’d never dare. “Look Maya, it’s Baylis.” I’m meant to be scared, I was riding him that day. But I’m not. I put my hand out and tentatively stroke his nose. Tasha strode out into the yard, “I see you haven’t lost your nerve with the horses, what about in the saddle?” Mum wouldn’t like it. Mum’s not here. I’m going back in the saddle… The car twisted and turned through the mountains. I held my head to the window, it was cold. I used it to calm my nerves of leaving the hospital for the first time in weeks.
“Are you okay honey?” Mum asked from the front. “I’m fine Mum,” I replied, not very honestly. Lea my older sister gave me a sympathetic look and started fishtailing my hair. I couldn’t do it myself but I liked the feeling of my hair being ruffled through her fingers. We passed mountain after mountain. Each one looked more beautiful and mysterious than the last. We started to twist onto the road to Fort Pinta, and then to the bridge and the Inn. At the Inn, Dad got us food. I ordered a veggie burger and fries - the same as Lea. I also copied her with drinks, a smoothie. We sat watching the water rush under the bridge. I could drink the smoothie through a straw but it was harder to man over the burger and fries to my mouth. I managed it (straying myself with ketchup) before we payed and got back into the car. “Mum, Dad, can’t Maya poke around Dews Farm with me?” Lea said. Dad was driving but Mum looked up from her phone and replied: “I don’t think so honey, let’s just get home. Another time maybe?” I wanted to look around Dews Farm but saying so would have taken too long. We drove through the marshes before arriving at Crescent Moon Village. Mum opened the door for me and held me under the arms, helping me into our home. Our house was near the river. We had a compositing toilet outside as most houses here did. Logs were piled against the front of the house for the fire in the living room. We ate, cooked and sat in the same room downstairs. Up a tight ladder was the bathroom and Mum and Dad’s room. Finally, in the attic Lea and I lived. Mum helped me into a chair where I sat stroking Church our cat. For now I was content. I was going to make this into a YouTube series, but I came to love the storyline so much that I had to write it. I see the start of a brand new fan fiction!
First there was nothing besides being. No time, space, thoughts. Just existence in its purest form. Then, after an unmeasurable period of time, a large, overly green field materialised. Horses stood all around me. They told me I’d wake up soon, that they loved me. The former confused me, but the latter made me want to reply. I wanted to hug the horses, tell them that I loved them. But I was a rigid board of card. I couldn’t speak; I couldn’t move. My eyes opened: I was finally awake. Four months after waking up, I sat on my bed in the Silverglade head trauma hospital. I starred out of the window at the cars. Red, yellow, blue, blue, red, yellow. After a coma you have to relearn everything. Everything from walking, talking, writing, remembering, chewing. At first even rattling a rattle was hard. It difficult to explain what it’s like. It’s as if you are writing with your non dominant hand. You can’t get your body to do what you want. It is big, clumsy. It is frustrating to the limit. I actually recovered faster than predicted. I had talk in slow short sentences and even walk a bit, but it’s so tiring that I normally use a wheelchair. I’m can write again now - even if it’s massive. The worst part is the inability to remember anything. I have a notepad that I write things down in to refer back to if I get lost. I know what you are wondering, what happened to me? I was out for a ride with my Baylis on the advanced Cross Country complex. We were taking the advanced route on the water complex when Bay’s show came loose. He caught it and stumbled so I grabbed the saddle to stay on - it was a cold January morning and I didn’t want to take a fall into the water. However, he didn’t find his feet and he started to falls so I used my training and pushed out away from him so that I wouldn’t be caught underneath. I hit my head of the edge of a fence as I fell. I was out cold for about 3 minutes. When I woke up I saw Baylis down by the river so I ran to him when (in my dizzy state) I fell into the river, smashing my head on the rocks. It was 2 hours until anyone found me. I was airlifted to the hospital barely breathing. I think my heart stopped twice. And here I am, starring our the window with one thought: “I want to go home”. I like life in the Valedale clan. I love the thrill of casting spells and don’t tell anyone I said this but I think I’m pretty good. Also, I finally understand what happened with my brother and why he left us. He had no choice.
My brother and I are closer then ever now. We both are in charge of monitor the trees around Jorvik and making sure that they remain happy and healthy. It was through oe of these jobs that I snuck over to say hello to my mother. The clans aren’t allowed to mix: it would confuse the system. But that doesn’t stop me loving her. I am just one young woman (for I am now of age) in one huge mass of good and evil. However, I have a greater part in the story then you may think. someone had to discover the legend of Jorvik after all… I know I shall never get the meet the girl who has the great honour of saving Jorvik. I shall never get to meet any of them. At least that was what I thought. One day Fripp came to me explaining that some soul riders stay on Jorvik as a druid. They never die but must serve Aideen forever. “It’s a long time to live for, so you will be in a state of being and not being. When Aideen thinks you are needed, you shall be and else you shall not be,” he told me. It was a hard choice, but I said yes only after it was offered to Faro as well. And thus our story continues. One day I shall meet an extraordinary girl. But what I really want to know is: Are you that girl? The stone circle felt very strange. It had a tension, a cold tension, like you were constantly waiting for something to happen. The harsh pink light was blinding as it contrasted so much to the foggy confused sky. Below a small white creature starred hard at 2 boys and a girl.
“So, Faro, you thought it would be funny to ask a new servant girl to try magic?” Fripp asked, danger in his voice. “Yes Fripp.” “But, this child is known to you. She is your sister?” “Yes Fripp.” “What is your name child and which clan do you originate from?” “I’m Cythia, servant of Valedale, ex member of Jarlaheim.” “What a long name for a small girl. Well Cythia, I must say I am surprised that you didn’t join our clan.” “Avalon, what do you think we should do?” “Well Fripp, it is clear to me that she has the power of lightning, like her brother and I don’t see why we shouldn’t put her to the test.” Avalon spoke. “Ah, the final test tonight with all of the other initiates?” Fripp replied. “Yes” I stood, feeling stupid next in line to do a challenge. I would be last but I felt at a disadvantage since everyone else had training. I think Faro must have been a natural for anyone to put this much faith in me. They called me up, but they only said Cythia thank goodness. I came out into the arena and a monster met my eyes. It was a swirling mass of evil. Red eyes flashed out, their lights digging into the deepest places in my soul. All I had was the wand. I waved it, something happened. My palms were sweaty, I was finding it hard to draw in breath. Focus. It didn’t stop coming. I feigned stepping to the left and then launched to the right, putting my life in my feet. It was slow and didn’t catch up. Over the other side of the arena I collected myself. I was off the lightning? Lightning. I imagined a shield. Slowly I pulled the strands together, forming a cone around me. There was a door marked “exit”. I laughed. That was all you had to do? Out I walked. I was finally home. It has been almost a year. Tomorrow I turn 15. You are wondering what has happened? Well I have been training to serve the Valedale clan as a servant. I know how to prepare cauldron and how to collect the tears of Aideen without spoiling them. I also know how to cook and clean. Today all the Overs leave for the clans and say goodbye to to Unders who will stay at the Fort forever. There are 6 of us going to Valedale and we are all given brown full length tunics.
The last time I traveled away from Fort Pinta I went West to the Wood, this time we are going North to Valedale. I can feel it getting colder as we go up Northi and the six of us have hugged together. We arrived, nursing frozen fingers, to the preparations for Greetings day. Most of the clans children will become full members of the clans tomorrow and will be able to work and marry. We can’t. I sit there, fiddling with my tunic whilst everyone else is given jobs to do. “You, girl, collect the rune wands from the stone circle. it’s up the hill,” a tall man cried. I found the hill and I found the wands, they were hidden under the rocks as we were taught they would be. I carried them down, careful to keep them in their velvet and resting on my arms: wouldn’t want them to snap. I stopped. I couldn’t resist it, could I? Waving a wand in front of a rune stone could tell if you had the talent. Not many do and so the Valedale clan have the most failures of people who shouldn’t have joined. It is myth that Aideen visits the right people in their dreams, but the only time I have dreamt about Aideen was in a nightmare. I pick a long one, a beginners wand. I carefully wave it around. Nothing. And then light. It hurts my eyes and it’s everywhere. Two people are already at the top of the hill. “What are you doing?” one yells while the other grabs me. “Calm down Faro, she’s new.” “In the name of Jor Avalon, the rune is lit up. Fripp needs to know.” “Who are you?” Avalon asks calmly, “I don’t mean your number, I want your real name.” “Cythia, servant of Valedale, ex member of Jarlaheim,” I trembled. Faro starred, “Cyth?” “Faro do you know her?” Faro was as white as a sheet and whispered something that involved “sister”. “And that would explain the rune wouldn’t it? We should tell Fripp but we told her to do it. I know siblings like getting each other in trouble but using a rune wand can result in serious consequences.” We walked up to the portal and fell through. It has to explain but it felt like time and space were changing and squeezing and then letting go, before taking the iron grip again. Then we arrived. For shook his head, “I cannot believe that you of all people failed your initiation on day one.”
I stayed silent. What can you say to that? I have tried telling him that there was a noise but he acts like he’s heard it all before. Maybe you think that this is an over reaction? Well 2 horses were killed by wolves and I wasn’t there is help Nina. So now I’m going to Fort Pinta, where all the failures go. Arrival at the fort was very different to a couple of days ago. The gates were closed and Fok pulled me out of the cart keeping a tight hold of my wrist. The sun was a beautiful gleaming red and I took a good look at it as I suspected I wouldn’t be seeing it again. A tall thin woman came to the door, she grabbed my hand a pulled me inside. We went into the basement. There was a small cold room with a bathtub. She pulled off my tunic and pushed me into the bath where she cut my hair, short, before drowning me is ice water. Dried and dressed in an old tunic, she led me through to a big room where hundreds of boys and girls were just waking up. “You’re 2234,” she told me as she put a robe with the number attached around my neck, “you live here now. I am sure you had plenty to eat last night so you won’t need breakfast or supper today.” Then she just left me in this room of strong children. “Hi. I’m Karlos. I was a initiate for the Silverglade clan but I didn’t get a spot, so I cam here,” a large 16 year old boy told me. “Where is here,” I asked. “The Fort. It’s where you go if you can’t fit in. You’ll spend your first morning with the Unders, that’s the people with the brown cords. At the end of the day you’ll have a test to see if you’ll be able to be an Over. We are going to go back to one of the clans and help out. I am going to the Firgrove clan, hence the colour of my chord.” It turned out a morning with the Unders involved a lot of cleaning the stone floors. The Fort was huge and there was a lot to clean and it so happened that we had to do it EVERYDAY. I hoped very much that I could become an Over. The Test. I stood in a room for ages while a group of men and women discussed how I had acted today. Slowly one of them turned to face me. Slowly she opened her mouth. Slowly she said “Here is your pink cord, you will be working towards being a servant for the Valedale Clan.” Valedale Clan. Faro. My brother. |
Li Silentland
Hello!Welcome to my little space on the large internet where I can share my thoughts, views and fanfics! I am you 'normal' teenaged girl, who loves writing, gaming and horses. I've played Star Stable online since 1st June 2014 and I am currently a level 20 player on Cupcake Valley where I hang about with Frosty Roses and my 18 pixel horses! Disclaimer: All images and anything else to do with this blog are taken in the game Star Stable Online produced by Star Stable Entertainment AB. I have nothing to do with Star Stable and own none of their graphics. But I can tell you it is a great game and you should play it!
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