Page 5 of Wind Rider

“Hold still—I’m almost done!” River’s mother reprimanded her as she fidgeted.

“Mother, I look great. I have too many ribbons in my hair already.We’re going to be late!”

“You can never have too many ribbons in your hair,” said River’s Aunt Heather as she ducked inside their tent. “But River is right. Those being Presented are circling. The rest of the Herd is already there waiting to cheer our arrival. Time for us to go.”

“Take the girls and go ahead. River and I will follow shortly. They will wait for all the Riders of the Lead Mares to arrive, especially when oneof those Riders has a daughter being Presented,” said her mother, completely unfazed by the nervous excitement that filled the air.

“Mother, please. Let’s go. Now. My friends are already there.”

“The last thing on your mind this morning should be what others do or think.” Then her mother smiled, softening the admonishment. “Theywillwait. Cinnabar has a daughter of their Lead Mare Rider to Present as well. You can bet she hasn’t arrived yet either.” Her mother stepped back, studying River. “You are almost perfect.”

“Mother—almost?” River paused, trying not to whine or bolt out of the tent.

“Yes,almost.And I know how to make you entirely perfect.” Her mother went to the worn wooden travel box that doubled as a table. She moved aside the purple cloth draped over it and opened the lid, easily finding what she sought in an inside drawer. Then she straightened and approached her impatient eldest child, holding the sparkling necklace out before her. “Thismakes you entirely perfect.”

“Oh! That was Grandmother’s necklace. I thought it was entombed with her.”

“No.” River’s mother paused, touching the necklace reverently. “She asked specially that this piece not go with her to the Otherworld Plains. She wanted you to have it on your Choosing Day.”

“But don’t you think Grandmother meant for me to have it onlyifI’m Chosen?” River blinked away tears as she stared at the necklace she hadn’t seen in the five years since her Grandmother’s death. It was just as beautiful as she remembered. Silver beads that had been carved with tiny images of horses were interspersed with the most exquisite amethyst stones River had ever seen anyone wear. The purple was the shade of spring lilacs. Each stone was the size of an unshelled walnut, but flat and faceted to catch and play with light.

“No. Your grandmother told me exactly what she meant. She said,Give this to River on the morning she is to be Presented, and give her my love in a kiss that morning as well.Now turn and let me fasten this on you.”

River wiped tears from her eyes as she obeyed her mother. The necklace hung heavy and reassuring around her neck. River reached up totouch the two largest amethyst stones that dangled from the main part of the necklace. They were smooth and cool at first, though after just a few moments she could feel them heating and syncing with her heartbeat.

Her mother turned her and studied River again, this time with tears pooling in her eyes. Then she lifted a polished piece of precious glass, holding it so that she and her daughter could gaze into it together.

River touched the center amethyst stone, thinking that her grandmother’s necklace looked extraordinary against her smooth, dark skin. Her mother always had been exceptionally good at braiding the Herd’s ribbons into her hair, and this special morning Dawn had done a spectacular job on River’s mane of black curls, weaving ribbons throughout in an intricate braid pattern that hugged her scalp, but allowed her hair to cascade freely down her back to mingle with purple ribbons embroidered with silver horse hair from her mother’s precious mare. Even River, who rarely gave much thought to how she looked, had to admit that the effect was striking against her burnished shoulders.

“Is that really me?”

Dawn wiped a tear from her eye and put her arm around her beloved eldest child. “It is, and you are magnificent.” She kissed River on the forehead. “This is from your grandmother.” Then she kissed her daughter softly on the lips. “And this is from me. Remember that I will always be proud of you. All I ask is that you behave with kindness and honesty, and that you always do your best.”

“And if I’m not Ch–”

“No!” Her mother cut off her words. “We are not speaking of weanlings now. We are speaking of my daughter, of whom I am now, and always will be, proud. Today be calm. Be present. Be open. Be yourself. That is all I, or any weanling, can ask of you.”

“I’m nervous.”

“I am, too!” Dawn gently touched her daughter’s cheek. “But not because I doubt the outcome of today. I do not. I am nervous because my eldest child becomes an adult today, and that makes Echo and me feel very old.”

As if on cue, the Lead Mare’s head pushed aside the curtained doorway and she blew through her nose impatiently.

“I know!” River laughed, wiping away the last of her tears. “Tell Mother. She took forever with my hair.”

River’s mother went to the mare and stroked her wide forehead. River thought the mare looked particularly beautiful today with the specially decorated purple ribbons braided into her silver mane, which fell in graceful drapes over the mare’s spotless coat—a coat so perfectly white the Herd often described it as silver. Her muzzle, a velvet charcoal gray, lifted and lipped her Rider’s shoulder. Finding the strap of her heavily decorated purple tunic, Echo tugged.

“Okay! We’re ready!” Dawn laughed at her mare.

River followed her mother from their tent and her stomach fluttered as she glanced around at the empty tents.

“My precious daughter, do not look so nervous. Remember who you are and what you represent. Hold your head high. You carry within you the blood of a famous line of Lead Mare Riders—something no one can deny.”

“I’ll remember,” River said solemnly, shaking off as much of her nerves as possible.

“Echo, my beauty, let us show the Herds how the daughter of Magenti’s Lead Mare Rider is Presented.” Echo went to her knee and Dawn turned to her daughter. “Go ahead—mount her.” She gestured to the silver mare.

“But, um, aren’t you…” River stared at the magickal mare. It was a rare thing for Echo to be ridden by anyone except her mother, and even rarer for her to be ridden in front of the other Herds by anyone except her mother.