Serenity Valley (21 page)

“Oh, that’s just grand!” “What a smart
horse!” “Gamel, did you tell him to do that?”

“No, ladies. He is acting totally on
his own. He knows what to do for attention. He soaks up praise like
dry sand in the rain. Well, ladies, I hate to leave such a
collection of beautiful doves, but we have a few errands to
complete. I regretfully must bid you our goodbye.”

After I left, I walked along the path
encircling the main house. When I made the corner at the front of
the complex, Lord Goodwin and Lady Bella were outside welcoming
guests, noble families no doubt. When we were spotted, Lord Goodwin
called out, “Hoy, Master Gamel. Come here, please.”

We altered our direction to come over
to the front of the great hall. A crowd was starting to gather.
People were pouring out of the great hall in small herds. Demon
walked by my side in his most regal pose. Mildred was at her
queenly best also. As we neared the crowd, I heard a lot of
whispering from the group. I asked, “Yes, my lord, what might I do
for you?”

Goodwin said, “Lord Hamond wished to
see the Sirates colt.”

“Of course, my lord. We were just out
on a walkabout on some errands.” Demon felt he wasn’t getting
enough attention, so he trotted back and forth in front of the
group a couple times. To my surprise, the group gasped. They all
took a step back.

At my surprise, Goodwin said, “Lord
Hamond was Hades's old owner when things went amuck. I was
explaining about your bond with Demon, and that the situation that
occurred with Hades should not repeat itself.”

“Oh no, Lord Hamond. Demon is very
smart and sane. He is the smartest horse I have ever handled. He
doesn’t understand why everyone is nervous; he shows off in order
to get praise.”

Hamond said, “Well, he is the finest
stud colt I have ever seen, by far, and it seems that you have good
control of him, young Gamel.”

“Thank you, my lord. Would you like to
meet him, sir?”

“Is it safe?”

“Perfectly safe, my lord.” Lord Hamond
walked to where Demon and I were standing. I said, “Demon, this is
Lord Hamond. He thinks you are a fine-looking fellow.” Demon
nickered and bobbed his head up and down.

Hamond said, “He acts like he can
understand you.”

“Demon senses tone of voice and mood
changes, probably a few words, even.” Lord Hamond came closer and
began to relax with Demon. I said, “Now he can tell that you are
relaxing, and he is more comfortable.” I asked, “Do you like Lord
Hamond, Demon?” Demon bounced his head up and down in agreement.
Everyone in the crowd started cheering and clapping. Demon just ate
up the praise and came to his best princely pose. More applause was
heard from the crowd. That was all Demon needed to go into his
antics.

He pranced in a parade step around the
group while his subjects applauded and bestowed praise upon him.
After his parade prance, he stopped in front of Lord Hamond and
knelt as he had at the kitchen. I couldn’t believe he was doing it
again. What a show-off. Of course, the crowd went wild. Demon got
his accolades.

Lord Hamond was smiling from ear to
ear as he asked, “Did you tell him to do that just now?”

“No, my lord. Demon just naturally
shows off without any prompting from me.” Lord Hammond and the
group went wild with laughter. Lord Goodwin and Lady Bella were
smiling wide and laughing with the rest. Demon rose to a standing
position now, and I said, “My lord, if you scratch behind his ear,
he really likes it.”

Soon Demon had his head on the lord’s
chest and was leaning into the scratch. Lord Hamond stopped
scratching and started to talk to him after a moment. “You are a
smart one, you are.” Demon nodded up and down, yes. More praise
from the crowd.

“My lord, he wants to hear about his
braids, sir,” I told him.

Hamond, following my prompting, and
said, “Well, Mister Demon, you sure look grand with your braids and
shiny ribbons in your mane.” Demon took off on his prance again,
shaking his head back and forth playfully, and then stopped in
front of Lord Hamond again and resumed his regal stance. Hamond
asked, “Young Gamel, who is the mare? She is a fine-looking horse
also.” Sensing that the conversation had switched to her, Mildred
immediately flagged her tail and assumed her best stance of
attention.

I said, “She was Demon’s milk mother.
Now she is his companion.”

“Fine-looking mare indeed!”

With that last praise, Mildred
couldn’t help herself and took off on a pretty parade trot around
the group, flagging while she did it. Everyone went nuts. Even Lord
Goodwin and Lady Bella were amazed.

Hamond said, “It appears the mare
shares Sir Demon’s intelligence.”

“Yes, my lord. I have found Mildred to
be very intelligent. What you just saw, she learned from watching
Demon. I’m afraid he has corrupted her with his appetite for
attention.” Everyone roared in laughter, although I didn’t think I
had said anything funny. I had simply been stating the facts. I
guess they weren’t used to humor.

“Well, thank you very much for the
demonstration, Master Gamel. He is a fine animal. Thank
you.”

I looked to Lord Goodwin to see if I
was excused. He just nodded with a broad smile. I said, “My lords
and fine ladies, it has been a pleasure. We will be off on our
duties now.” I turned and headed for the festival grounds. Demon
and Mildred walked with me, Demon on my right side and Mildred on
the left. I couldn’t have asked for any better performance from
either one of them. I said, “You both are really great horses!”
Both horses whinnied in agreement. I could hear all of the excited
people behind us talking and praising us to Lord Goodwin and Lady
Bella. Good for them. I said, “You two made our lord and lady very
proud today. What fine horses you are!” I was answered with two low
nickers.

We continued on our way to the
festival grounds. Great numbers of vendors had arrived and were
setting up tables and tents. People were stopping their work to
stare at the three of us as we passed. I guess we made an
impression. The conversations I could hear were indicative of just
that. “Look at those fine horses.” “The lord raises some good uns
here, he does!” “Look at the pretty ribbons in their hair.” “I
think that might be the Sirates colt.” I couldn’t help but feel
pride in the horses.

“Mildred, Demon, do you hear that?” I
said. “You two are famous now!” Both horses whinnied loudly and
bobbed their heads up and down while flagging their tails and
holding their heads high. Demon bent his neck at the poll to make
himself look even more stately. I wonder if he could actually see
better with his nose down. We made our way over to Basilea’s bakery
tent. “Oye, fairest princess of all the known lands,” I
greeted.

Basilea cried, “Oye, would you look at
you two? Demon, Mildred, you look so pretty with your hair in
braids and with beautiful ribbons in your manes.” Both horses
hopped around a little in place for a moment. Demon couldn’t resist
any longer and trotted over to Basilea and presented his mane to
her for closer examination. Well aware of how much of an attention
hog he was, Basilea said, “Oh, what fine braids you have, Sir
Demon. What a handsome horse you make indeed.” The other ladies
clustered around the two horses, stroking their necks and examining
the braids. The praise fed their need for attention. Soon, both
horses were prancing about in their parade stance, shaking their
heads from side to side to show off their ribbons. Demon came to a
stop in front of his audience. To my amazement, Mildred pulled up
next to him. A large crowd of people were gathered now to watch the
antics of the two horses. When Demon knelt to take his pompous bow,
Mildred shocked me. Although she struggled and was unsure, she also
knelt on her forelegs, trying to imitate Demon. The crowd screamed
with surprise and applauded. The horses rose to attention and
received their praise with great dignity.

“Sir, have you been training Mildred
to do that?” Basilea asked.

“No, my princess, I didn’t teach her
that. She’s just smart and watches to see how Demon earns his
praise.”

“Smart girl, Mildred; you’re such a
good girl, you are!”

This was probably the best day of
Mildred’s life. She had never been given much attention as a brood
mare. If she hadn’t nursed Demon, no one would have ever known how
intelligent she was. Her days would have been spent working as
breeding stock. “Ladies and princess, we have business elsewhere
but couldn’t waste an opportunity to dine on such delights to the
eye. Farewell, lovely doves. We will feel great remorse in the
absence of your beauty.”

Trina couldn’t help herself. “Remorse
in absence, that’s a mouthful, I tell ya!” The crowd rewarded her
remark with their own banter.

With a much-pleased crowd behind us,
we moved on to our next stop. “Ah, Master Forwin, how go sales,
sir?”

“Oye, Gamel, nothing yet, but I have
your order ready.”

“Perhaps I could do a bit of
advertising for you, sir.”

“That’s a good idea. Here, put your
boots on.” Forwin handed me a pair of the forest boots. “Me
daughters had fun dying them. Is that what you wanted,
Gamel?”

I looked at the boots. The tan and two
green colors patterned them in free designs. “That is exactly what
I wanted, Master Forwin. They are absolute perfection!” I sat on
the stool next to the wares table and took off my old boots, then
laced on the forest boots. I stood and walked around. They were
lighter than my old boots and much more comfortable. The soft
leather bent like they were an old broken-in pair of boots. “These
feel great, Master Forwin, as comfortable as an old pair of
slippers!”

Forwin was gleaming with pride in his
work. “The missus wrapped the others; blue ribbon for Fulk, and
pink ribbon for the ladies’ boots.”

I stuffed my old boots in the bottom
of the pack and placed the three packages on top. “Thank you very
much, Master Forwin. I’ll send business your way. Such fine boots
will not go unnoticed!”

“Thank you, Gamel. Any customers would
be greatly appreciated!”

Grabbing the pack, we started out
again, Demon’s head even to my right shoulder, and Mildred in
perfect position on my left. I felt a surge of pride as we walked
through the grounds and people stopped to stare and comment. We
hadn’t gone far when Demon started grabbing at one of the pack
straps. “What, Demon, do you want to carry it?” He nickered loudly.
“Okay, you can carry it.” I held out the pack, and Demon promptly
took the strap in his mouth without missing a step. I said, “Demon,
you’re not only good-looking, but useful also.” Demon bobbed his
head up and down, flinging the pack all over. Now we really drew
attention with Demon carrying the pack and prancing like a parade
horse. Mildred responded to the attention in kind. We made our way
over to the Gypsy wagon and were met by an excited
Giselia.

She said, “Horse you make train to do!
Horses more pretty ribbon be in hair!” Giselia showed no fear or
hesitation but simply walked up to Demon. “You make wonderful
pretty horse, are you!” She began scratching behind his ear. The
pack was dropped, and Demon laid his head against Giselia’s chest
to enjoy the scratch.

Ivan arrived from behind the wagon
with the locket in his hand. “You please inspect, if you like it
good!”

I took the locket and opened the heart
to find my inscription engraved in beautiful script. I said, “This
is better than good; it is fantastic, the most beautiful engraving
I have ever seen!”

Ivan stood tall. There is nothing
better than to hear your work praised. Giselia was busy loving on
Demon but noticed Ivan and me. She asked Ivan a question in their
language. A smiling Ivan answered Giselia, and they bantered back
and forth a bit. By now, Giselia was once again dancing around in
place, squealing. Demon looked at her and leaned into her chest to
get more scratching. Beaming, she said, “I know you like. Ivan good
engrave, most best engrave, my Ivan!” Ivan was smiling at his wife
with great pride. “No go, wait no go; I wrap locket box wrap then,”
she told me happily.

I watched as Giselia danced away with
the locket. Ivan came over to the horses and began to rub on
Mildred, who was very receptive to the kind attention. “This good
wagon horse, pretty mare, very pretty!” he said. “Samuel, our wagon
horse, he good boy, resting now in pasture; he good friend!” I
already liked this couple, but when they talked so fondly of their
horse, I liked them even more. These were good people.

Soon Giselia returned with two
packages. The small locket box was wrapped in a light red material
and twined with a pink ribbon that tied in a bow knot. The long
flat box was covered with a pale green material and twined with a
dark green ribbon, also with a bow knot. Giselia said, “You
wrapping like, no like it I change for you?”

“Thank you, Lady Giselia. Your
wrapping is perfect. It is beautiful!”

“Ah, like it you thinks.” She then
started dancing around and squealing, something I was familiar with
by now, before running back to Demon. I looked at Ivan, and he just
smiled and shrugged his shoulders.