It took only four weeks to get the location and the stables built, one of the advantages of having non-sleeping workers. Emily was so excited to see Sam, that she forgot about being mad at Kyle and Chevalier and her mood improved. Sam was happy to help with Allen, and the Elders loved the idea of a mounted Cavalry. A heku could run faster than a horse, but having them up on horses set them apart from the everyday heku guards of the city. It was unanimously decided on in the Council that the Cavalry would be home to the elite guards.
Chevalier guided Emily out the doors and along the neatly trimmed grass, she was blindfolded.
“Tell me again where we're going,” she said as she held tightly to Chevalier's arm so she wouldn't hit anything.
“It's a surprise.” He grinned, “We're almost there.”
Chevalier got Emily into position, and Kyle brought Patra out to the front doors of the stables. When he pulled the blindfold off, she gasped and ran to Patra, hugging her tightly.
“Oh thank you,” she said, rubbing her nose on the mare's muzzle.
“It's not all fun, Em. We have a job for you,” Chevalier said, smiling.
She looked up, “A job?”
“The Elders have decided on a mounted Cavalry. It'll be your job to tend to the horses and to teach the heku how to ride,” Kyle explained.
Chevalier was still smiling, “Kyle will be the battalion Captain, so he'll be here with you every day.”
Emily tied Patra up to a post and went into the stables. There were rows and rows of stalls full of horses of all breeds and colors. The stables were pristine and smelled like new wood. She knew that would all pass soon enough.
Emily ran out and jumped into Chevalier's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, “Thank you.”
“You're welcome,” he said, hugging her tightly.
She pulled back and looked into his eyes, “When do we start?”
Kyle chuckled and pointed to seven guards heading their way, “There's your first set.”
Emily looked over at the unhappy heku and frowned, “They don't want to do this?”
“They don't have a choice,” Chevalier said, setting her down on her feet.
Emily sighed and then went to meet the seven guards. They wouldn't even look at her as she introduced herself. She thought for a moment and then went back to Chevalier.
“I'll talk to them,” he said angrily, but she put her hand against his chest.
“It will go smoother if an Elder isn't watching, and send Kyle away for a few minutes,” she suggested.
Kyle started to argue, but Chevalier held a hand up, “Fine… he'll be gone for 5 minutes… that's it.”
Kyle frowned and went into the stables as Chevalier walked away. Emily went back to the guards.
“Now… there's no Elder and no Captain watching. I'm Emily,” she said, and they looked down at her. She rarely felt small, but at this moment she did. They towered over her.
“I know you don't want to be here,” she started, and they shifted uncomfortably.
“I understand that it'll be hard taking instructions from a mere mortal.” She grinned and watched as they relaxed slightly.
“I'll make this as painless as possible. Besides, as my first group, you'll get to see me fall on my ass on a regular basis so at least this will be entertaining for you.” She smiled when they laughed, “I don't give orders, ok? I don't want anything more than to help you get up on a horse and not injure the animal or yourself.”
They nodded, and she felt a small glimmer that they were less mad, “Let's get going. The Captain's inside, seething, because he can't see me, so we'll give him a break and go in.”
She walked into the stables and heard them follow behind her. Kyle turned around when she came in, and looked at the heku guards, surprised that they seemed in much better moods.
“First off… pick a horse,” she said, looking around the stables, and then she walked over to Patra. “Except this one, this one's mine.”
The heku looked around hesitantly.
“Do you have a suggestion?” one finally asked.
“Let's see.” She went over to the guards and looked at each one of them.
Emily took the hand of one of the guards and he froze and looked at Kyle. Kyle sighed and turned away. She pulled on his hand and led him over to the stables.
“You're the tallest, so you are going to need a larger horse.” She led him through the stables and stopped at a tall Appaloosa.
“Here, this will be yours.” She opened the stable and handed a brush to the heku, “Start brushing him, you need to bond.”
She left him with the stallion and shut the stall door, then repeated that with each guard, taking their hand and leading them up and down the rows of horses until she found one that suited them.
She gathered up seven bridles and passed them out, showing each heku in turn how to put it on correctly.
“Once you get them on, lead them out here to me,” she called down toward the stalls.
She smiled at Kyle, “This is fun.”
Kyle glared, “You don't have to touch them.”
She slapped him playfully on the chest, “Trust me.”
“Oh that's part of your plan? To break all of the 'don't touch the Elder's wife' rules?” he scowled.
“No, it's part of getting them to trust me,” she said, and Kyle relaxed some, that made sense.