Serenity Valley by Rocky Bills

growth plates to harden so they could bear the
weight of a rider. It took between three and four years to finish a
horse and have them ready for sale, and a continuous supply of
foals was essential. Demon differs from the normal process in that
I am charged with getting him to his third year sound, sane, and
ready to breed with comely mares. The hopeful result would be
large, graceful chargers with an ambling gait, the first of their
kind. The new chargers would have the ability to cover twice as
much distance in a day than a normal destrier. I looked at Demon as
we battled our way along the path leading to the main house. He was
smart, extremely smart. Already, he was improved two-fold from the
previous lesson. The sign of an intelligent horse was the ability
to retain training. This allowed for new training to be added on to
the previous foundation. “Demon, I tell you, you’re the smartest
horse I have ever had the pleasure to know,” Demon looked at me and
made a low nicker. “You’re welcome.” We made our way along the path
leading to the main house. After a minute, I said, “Demon, I think
we should pay the kitchen another visit. A man should always take
care of his stomach, aye?” Demon gave another nicker in agreement.
I stopped to pick three bouquets of flowers along the path. Demon
watched with great interest. I said, “Watch and learn, young man.
Always praise those who feed you.” Demon gave another
nicker.
    We arrived outside the kitchen and
were greeted by Fina, the kitchen manager. She called out, “Rogue
boy, what are you doing there? Come to do more pillaging with the
Demon beast, have you?”
    “No, good lady, we have come to
apologize and beg forgiveness for our misdeeds of late.” With my
comment, a good portion of the staff came out to greet
us.
    Fina stood in front of us with her
hands on her hips. “Well, Rogue Boy, what have you got to say for
yourself?”
    “Good Lady Fina, my companion and I
humbly stand in front of you, begging your kind forgiveness. Only
because of the heavenly aromas emitted from your fine establishment
did my friend suddenly become mindless with desire and enter
without invitation.”
    The staff started commenting at this.
“Old silver tongue strikes again.” “This is the best suck up yet.”
“The lad is very smooth, he is.” “Aye, wishes he could teach me
husband to speak.”
    With a flourish, I produced one of the
three bouquets from behind my back. “Kind Lady Fina, even if you
can’t find it in your heart to forgive our wretched souls, please
accept these flowers as a token of our esteem for your
beauty.”
    “Oh, yes, this is good, very good
indeed,” the staff all agreed.
    Lady Fina smiled, then she remembered
to frown. “Well, just don’t think I have forgotten anything, but I
guess I can take the flowers. May feed them to my goat, I
suppose.”
    Restrained laughter escaped the
gathered group. “She didn’t hold out very long.” “Naw, she let him
off easy, she did.”
    I looked around and located Ada, my
favorite pastry cook. “Lady Ada, I would like to thank you again
for the fine pie the other day. And may I say that the blush of
your cheeks reminds me of the pink sunset in autumn. Please, accept
these humble flowers as a token of affection.” I produced the
second bunch and handed them to Ada while taking a low
bow.
    Once again, there were various
comments from the group. “Well, that was pretty good.” “Yes, very
good indeed. He’s really on his game today.”
    Ada came up to me and bent forward,
saying in a whisper, “Look to the window ledge when passing back
this way.”
    “Well, I’m sure the boy got what he
comes for,” I heard one of the staff say. All the hens started
laughing.
    After a bit of a search, I found my
sweet Basilea. “The very best for last, for the sweetest lady in
all the land. For only her smile could cast light upon a dark
winter’s night, my friend humbly begs forgiveness for his rudeness
of