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"Kruug," I yelled at my stablemaster, "get the other horses out of here."
Vespa's hooves pawed at the ground behind me, and I half turned to soothe my stallion who had been trained to defend me against any threats. "Down, Vespa."
A sharp pain in my shoulder made me turn, and I barely threw myself to the side before Samju struck me again with his sharpened hooves.
"Gods be damned," I cursed, pressing against a wall, while Samju galloped out into the courtyard.
Warriors holding on to their horses' reins rushed their beasts back, while guards readied their spears and swords. I was instantly out of the stable. "Do not harm him."
I felt the warm rush of blood down my bicep. The beast got me good. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought Bertram had given me the horse to assassinate me.
Rearing and kicking, Samju turned in circles with his eyes rolled back, going into a frenzy I had only seen on battlefields where sometimes, driven by the noises and smells, the horses went into a state of agitation that not even their owners could tame.
"Get back," I yelled at the guards, warriors, courtiers, and servants who dashed out of the agitated horse's way.
"Samju," I heard her voice and watched a vision in a yellow dress rushing down the granite steps leading to my stronghold's main entrance.
Her hair flew behind her like a flag, her skirts were held high, exposing long, muscular legs. My nostrils flared at the realization that every person here would see her thus exposed, but I tempered my flaring rage. There were bigger things at play than her exposed legs. Besides, just this morning many members of my court had seen most of her delicious body.
"Samju," she cried again, and I was about to yell at her to stay back when she slowed down, proving she knew exactly what she was doing and the kind of agitated state her horse was in.
Still, my hand moved to my sword even though I had warned my guards not to harm the stallion. I would slay him where he stood, should he show any aggression toward her.
She put her hands up. "Easy, Samju. Shh. What's wrong, boy?"
My grip on my sword's hilt tightened the closer she got. The horse's ears were pinned back, and he snorted in warning.
"Shh." She kept advancing and in addition to the blood running down my arm, I felt sweat running down my neck and hoped to the gods the kallini truly knew what she was doing.
The stallion's feet came down. He snorted and his ears were still laid back, but his nuzzle moved forward toward the kallini. Her hand reached toward him, and I pulled my sword about a quarter out, ready to strike, holding my breath.
And then the giant stallion, who towered over the kallini by heads, nuzzled into her hand before his giant neck wrapped against her in greeting.
"That's my good boy," she praised, stroking his nose.
His ears rose, and I released my breath and the grip on the hilt simultaneously, to stare awestruck at the kallini.
One hand was still stroking the horse's face up and down its long nose and between his eyes, while her other hand petted his flank and her entire body snuggled into his side. "Good boy, Samju, good boy."
I approached the two of them carefully, not wanting to spook her stallion.
"He won't hurt you," she said in a quiet, melodious voice.
The notion of her protecting me was utterly ridiculous, and yet, it elicited a smirk from me. This kallini was different from any I had ever met.
"Samju, this is Brogan. He's a big warlord. Can you be nice to him? He's your new master."
I heard the pain in her voice and so did the horse, and I swear his eyes challenged me as I reached the two.
"Here." She took my hand and moved it to the horse's muzzle before making me pet him, and a deep chuckle moved through my chest.
"See? He's a very good horse. Aren't you Samju?" she cooed.
Her green eyes seemed even larger as her pupils dilated in honest love for the animal.
"He will take good care of you," she whispered to the horse, who snorted again and moved his head so my hand lost contact with his muzzle, an obvious sign of him rejecting me.
"I don't know. I don't think he likes me."
