Riley went forward and Osmond struggled to keep up. The bags and the armour sank him to the ground and he felt his arms getting torn.
"It's at that turn," Riley pointed at a junction ahead.
They reached the turn and Osmond saw a stable, which felt out of place in the middle of town. Riley opened the door and Osmond entered behind. The smell of manure and urine made him gag.
He saw a man brushing a chestnut horse. The horse snorted closing its eyes in comfort.
His lapis eyes spilt love. His long wavy black hair fell over his forehead. The horse licked on the small stub of beard he had.
"Ronnie..." Riley called.
Ronnie turned and saw Riley, then smiled at him. He placed his head on the horse's mane and kissed it.
He came to Riley, wiping his hands on his blue robe. "Back already?"
"Yes we are leaving for a job and the kid needs a horse. Can you show him one," Riley said tapping Osmond.
He looked at Osmond and nodded. "I think Blaze will be a perfect fit for him. By the way, Dante is on the last stall," Ronnie said pointing.
Riley went to Dante and he snorted in happiness. "I will be right back," he said, scrubbing Dante under the neck.
They exited the door at the end of the stable and came to a small ground. Horses of chestnut, amber, cream and black grazed and moved. Ronnie moved towards the ember horse and scrubbed below its neck.
It was an ember horse with cantaloupe-coloured hair. Its mane had shades of ginger which it licked and moistened. It snorted and took two steps back.
"Don't worry Blaze, they won't hurt you," Ronnie whispered to Blaze.
"This is Blaze. He is one of the youngest, just turned five. Don't worry, he is smart. Want to try giving him a carrot?" Ronnie pulled a carrot from his pocket.
Osmond walked to Ronnie skittishly. He looked to the carrot and at Blaze. Blaze chewed and swallowed the grass he had in his mouth and looked to the treat. Osmond grabbed the carrot with his hand shaking.
He brought the carrot to Blaze's mane. Blaze came close to the hand and Osmond felt his breath on his palm. He was afraid that his fingers might go flying. He closed his eyes and pulled his hand, with Blaze biting into the air.
"Don't pull your hand like that," Ronnie was angry.
"Try again," Ronnie said and pulled Osmond's hand.
This time, Osmond mustered up all the courage he had. He brought his hand to Blaze and looked into his eyes. 'Don't bite me,' Osmond whispered.
Blaze slowly came down and snorted. He felt his breath on his face. Osmond's heart races. 'I won't pull my hand,' Osmond thought. Blaze came down and opened his mouth.
And, he slowly took the carrot from his hand. Blaze looked at Osmond and chewed on it. Osmond stood there elated.
Ronnie looked at Osmond and smiled. "Want to go for a ride?"
Ronnie went inside and brought back a saddle, a bridle, a rein, and a pair of stirrups. Ronnie placed the saddle on Blaze's back and tightened it from below. He placed the bridle on the mane and tied it behind the ear. He tied the reins to the bridle and held them.
Osmond came to the left side of Blaze. Blaze shaped his head. He took the reins from Ronnie. He placed a foot on a stirrup, climbed and moved the other foot over.
He remembered his earlier lessons and straightened his back. He looked ahead and saw men and women walking through the tall wooden wall. He was not a short boy anymore.
Osmond pressed the stirrups back slightly and Blaze started walking. He moved the reins left and right and moved him. Osmond was smiling from ear to ear now.
Ronnie came from behind and pulled on the reins to stop Blaze. He then helped Osmond to get down.
"It is hard for me to part with Blaze. But I want him to find a new family," Ronnie's eyes were downcast.
Riley took the pouch that was given to Osmond and took five pemphros out.
"Here is the advance. The kid will pay the debt back later," Riley said giving the coins to Ronnie.
"I trust you," Ronnie smiled.
Osmond held on to the reins and walked Blaze through the stables to outside. Shortly after, Riley came outside riding Dante. Osmond saw two large bags hanging from the sides of the saddle. He looked at them curiously.
"My gear and clothes. Did you think I was going to fight a monster naked?"
"But you said to travel light," Osmond frowned.
"Travelling light is not the same as travelling stupid, take that as your next lesson," Riley grinned.
Osmond tied his bags to Blaze as Riley did. He climbed over Blaze and moved forward. Their destination was Greenflower; a village in Arag.
The horses walked through the crowds to the outside of town. They went to the road in the east towards Arag. The horses went on a trot and the wind flew past Osmond.
Riley went past tall oak and other trees that he did not know of. His mind went floating and he remembered about Tanya and Tony.
'Protect the saviour,' they said.
Riley looked back at Osmond. He was riding with his hands tightly held on the reins. He was breathing hard.
Will a boy who gets scared from riding a horse be their saviour, he wondered.
Back in the ward mansion, Melinda was sitting with Connor in his office.
"The boy left yesterday. Chadwick and Christopher should be leaving the day after tomorrow," Connor said.
Melinda hated the thought of sending his children to danger, but she hated the fact that Osmond was getting a head start. She knew that Chadwick also hated it.
"I am saying this again. If something happens to my children, I will not forgive you."
"Harper will stay close to them. But I can't promise that there won't be any injury. But they are boys and they will survive that."
On the next day, the Ward mansion woke to a scream.
"I am going with my brothers," shouted Marigold.