Avolo!

Perhaps I am writing too many excerpts from my story. But I like seeing what is going to happen next just as much as a reader. :)


Marion gaped. It was beautiful. The horse soared elegantly through the night sky like an exotic bird dancing on the wind. He appeared to be running in the air with no ground to meet his feet, and hi legs pounded the sky with powerful grace. It occurred to Marion that although his name meant “winged horse”, he had no wings. Effortlessly he sailed the skies, with no apparent source of his flight. It was magical. As Veridus passed beyond the trees and into the open sky, the silver moonlight glistened on his back, shimmering faintly against the clouds. Magnificent.

Hessa flew Veridus for only a short while before she alighted in front of Marion. “Your turn.” She grinned, sliding off his tall back. Her feet landed with a faint thud on the ground. “Just grab hold of his mane at his withers and swing yourself up."

"I know how to mount a horse,” Marion grunted. He did as he was told. Veridus stepped forward at the pressure of Marion’s mount, and Marion almost slipped of his back, but he held on tight. Soon he was sitting high atop the creature. Marion felt a sudden sense of uneasiness. It had been a long time since he had been on a horse’s back, and certainly never one that was this tall. He gulped. This was going to be intense.

“Okay, if you cluck at him and kick, he just walks like a normal horse.” Hessa nodded, ncourage Marion to try. He did so, and Veridus stepped forward reluctantly with a toss of his head. “To fly, you say, ‘Avolo!’”

Marion bent forward over the horse’s neck and clutched his mane. Then he whispered, “Avolo.” They were off!

Instantly Marion felt as if he were falling backward. For a moment he thought he had slipped off the back of the horse. He grasped for his mane. Then, swiftly, Veridus stopped his ascent and pitched forward, balancing in the air. He grunted, as if waiting for Marion’s next command.

Marion glanced around him. They were floating in midair! It was incredibly dark; the trees were merely black spots on the ground below. Occasionally he got a glimpse of a rooftop or street in the shimmering moonlight, but Hessa and the barn below were impossible to see. He searched for some sort of marker of where he had left. Then he saw the lantern. Hessa had stepped out from beneath the canopy of a tree and waved it at him. He breathed more freely.

Marion tugged Veridus’s mane to the right, and the horse turned on the spot. Marion’s stomach did a somersault as the wind crashed into him and almost knocked him off to the left. Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around Veridus’s neck. Veridus tossed his head in protest, but Marion hung on. Then the horse began to dive. Wind crashed into Marion’s face and his long hair was lifted off his neck. The rush of air was cold, and his eyes began to water. They were headed straight for the ground! Then Marion heard Hessa’s faint voice below. “Sit up, Marion! He dives when you do that!”

Shaking his head, Marion struggled to push himself into an upright position while maintaining his balance. Though the horse was steady, the wind was harsh, and he felt gusts coming at him from every angle. But as soon as he had relinquished his grip on Veridus’s neck, the horse righted himself. Then they were gliding smoothly through the air again.

That was enough for tonight, Marion thought. This was going to take some getting used to. Lightly he tugged Veridus back to the left and toward the light of the lantern. “Expono, Marion, expono,” Hessa was saying.

It took a moment for Marion to understand. Then, comprehending, he whispered, “Expono.” Veridus began his descent, and moments later, they were back on solid earth.

Marion slid off his back as soon as he felt the ground beneath the horse’s feet.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mention that about the diving,” Hessa said, “I didn’t think you would hold on so tightly.”

Marion glared at her so harshly, he was glad she could barely see his face in the dark. “You didn’t explain how to land either.”

“Sorry. It’s my fault, really. I can only hope no one heard me shouting after you.”

“Well, what’s done is done.” Marion struggled to grin at her. “It was fun. He is going to be very valuable on my trip.”

She nodded. “Now let’s get him put away and you back in bed. You have a long day tomorrow.”