Secrets of Royal Blood

Episode 2

“You broke the law” a young boy in his teenage years scolded her in a cold voice.

“I tamed a horse” Alaia replied, her tone just as cold and rude.

“That’s not enough, the others have gotten their horses more than a month ago.” Another rider chided.

“I tamed a savage horse” Alaia grinned and the circling horses stopped immediately. Their eyes moving to the horse under her. They had wondered why she would be sitting on such a young horse but they didn’t ask because while they did not like her, none of them saw her as a fool.

“How many stripes?” The third rider asked.

Alaia glared at him and tapped the neck of the young savage horse with her palm riding away from the three and towards the large group in the distance.

They were mostly elderly riders and shirtless soldiers with primed muscles and armed with spears and bows. Some nodded at her while others ignored her.

“She is found,” the leader announced to the others and his word was echoed through the group.

The riders turned around and in full speed, they returned to the tribe.

The tribe was a nameless one like many of the nomad tribes in the grasslands. Nine years ago, Alaia was brought here by a young wealthy and beautiful woman named Serenity. That woman who called herself a slave raised Alaia alone all these years.

Alaia had only just gotten down from her horse when a soft had gripped her ears and pulled her away. However, the savage horse Alaia just tamed snorted and charged at the woman who was gripping her ears.

“Ha’fier!”

“Ha’fier!” the men who brought Alaia back already learned that it was a savage horse so they all screamed when they noticed the murder that was about to occur.

Alaia also raised her hand to stop the horse and it listened to her but was still restless.

“Ser, let me tie it up first” Alaia looked up at the woman who was holding her ear. She felt really amused in her heart because Serenity was just holding her ears and her grip wasn’t even tight at all. Alaia had to act like she was being pulled out of respect for the woman.

“Why did you run off?” Serenity let go of Alaia’s ears and opted to scold her instead.

“I didn’t, the tribe arranged for us to get our own horses. I went out to find mine” Alaia explained herself.

“You went off to find a savage horse alone?” Serenity squinted. She was furious in her heart, not only at Alaia but at the blood running in her veins. Serenity tried to ignore it many times but she was reminded every day that the child she was caring for and raising was of royal blood. And not just any royal blood, she had the blood of a conqueror! Ambition and desire for power flowed through her veins and everyday she revealed a bit of her true nature.

Two months ago, the tribe arranged for all children above the age of eight to go out and hunt for their own horses. Aside from savage horses, there were still the normal grazing horses in these lands. They were of the same blood as the savage horses but too weak to keep up with the herd causing them to be left behind. Over time, they would lose their edge and become normal horses. They made their own herds and were at the bottom of the food chain in the grasslands. But no one likes horse meat, not the nomands, nor the lions or the rabbits. Thus they were left alone and hunted by nomads to tame and ride.

However, Alaia didn’t want those defected horses. Though stronger than the horses of the civilized kingdoms by many times, it was still a fundamental truth that they were defects! Alaia wanted the real deal and she knew no one would help her get it so she decided to go herself. No one would help anyone get a horse, nomad tribes were strict on that. They found and cared for their horses themselves.

Serenity glared at Alaia for a while before bowing and returning to her tent. Alaia turned around to her new horse and stroked it when it came close.

“I’ll name you Jiornoi.” She said to it, “In these parts it means dragon of the grasslands. That’s the title for the chiefs of big tribes, bear it with pride ha’feir” she gently tapped it and chased after Serenity. As for whether the horse would run, a bound horse would never run from it’s master unless of course, the master mistreated it was made a mistake in the bonding ritual. A true nomad would never make such a mistake.

“I’m sorry Ser” Alaia apologized to Serenity once in the tent.

Serenity ignored her and continued to sharpen the tip of a small spear. It was Alaia’s spear.

“Don’t be mad at me please” Alaia stepped closer and took the sharpening stone away from Serenity’s hands.

“How could a servant be mad at her Mistress?” Serenity glared at her and snatched the stone back.

“But a mother can be mad at her daughter” Alaia bit her lips and replied in a low voice.

Serenity paused for a moment before continuing.

“I am not your mother, I dare not” she replied.

“Then tell me about my mother”

“Feed your horse ha’fier!” Serenity scolded Alaia. She just brought a horse back but she was already ignoring it. It was not done.

Alaia angrily left the tent to find Jiornoi, she took it to the closest stables and paid the watchmen to register her horse with them, then she paid for some sugar cubes and hay.

The nomad tribes was a nameless one but it was a medium level tribe. There were about ten thousand people in it, all of them living in tents. Although they were nomands, they had no livestock, there were hunting groups formed by the warriors. They would find game and sell it to the merchants who would then sell to those who couldn’t hunt for themselves. While they were all warriors, they didn’t all fight unless there was a war with another tribe or there were savage horses they couldn’t escape. Under normal circumstances though, they made camp and lived in peace and quiet like a small village with everyone doing their own thing.

Alaia spent the rest of the day with Jiornoi and when darkness came she returned to the tent to find that Serenity had made dinner.

“You went hunting?” Alaia asked with a frown when she noticed the new animal skin by the side of the tent.

“Hmm” Serenity replied arranging dishes on the fur cloth spread on the ground.

“That’s a savage meat?” Alaia asked again still frowning.

“It’s a mule, I found a herd of them” Serenity was calm now and she even flashed Alaia a smile.

“Who went with you?” Alaia continued asking this time Serenity ignored her.

“So you can go out hunting alone but I can’t?” Alaia asked and Serenity shrugged in reply leaving the young girl speechless.

“Well then, since you are my servant, I forbid you to go out hunting alone” Alaia wasn’t done with her yet.

“What a cute child you are.” Serenity smiled at Alaia’s attempt.

“I am a servant but not yours. I am the servant of a traitor who wants your father’s throne. Do you think I would listen to you?”

This was the first time Alaia was hearing this and she was speechless at Serenity’s shamelessness.

“Let’s eat, I’ll tell you your story” Serenity said to her.

She had been raising Alaia all this time but she had no intention of hiding Alaia’s past from her. Of course, to prevent the girl from doing anything rash, she wouldn’t tell her real names or which kingdom she truly came from. It wasn’t public knowledge so no amount of investigation on Alaia’s part would reveal those information she planned to hide.

“It all began when your father who was getting advanced in years refused to take a second wife. The Queen was barren and could not bear him a child, but he loved her too much so he was determined to stay loyal to her.” Serenity started to talk when Alaia obediently sat down and began to eat.