*Isabella*
Steppin’ out into the sunlight, I squint against the brightness, realizin’ it’s later in the mornin’ than I thought.
“My goodness, we must’ve slept late,” I murmur to Chet just as a pony races by, nearly knockin’ me off my feet.
“Hey, Izzy!” Robert hollers, grinnin’ from atop a gorgeous Appaloosa filly, his small hands tight on the reins.
“Hey, Robert! Look at you go!” I call back, my heart lighter seein’ him safe and happy.
Pa strides over, his expression unreadable as he takes in the sight before us. The Chyara settlement is alive with movement. Everywhere, people are workin’ in harmony, tendin’ to the land and each other.
Shepherds guide flocks through open fields while other men tend to their herds. Women kneel in gardens, their hands skillful as they pull weeds and ha
