The warmth of Artamisios wrapped around her like a cozy blanket. There wasn’t anything like summer in Tanegea. Briny, coastal air blew across the entire isle being the only release from the way the sun beat down on those braving the outdoors. Acharist was constructed by the gods for relief, the gentle rolling hills seemed to channel the breeze and make it work for it. Horses dotted those rolling hills grazing, mares with half grown foals, half-grown horses relaxing under the occasional tree. It was a peaceful and quiet existence for the eldest of Konstanos of Leventi’s children.



Leaning her lithe willow frame against the barn door, the nondescript brown fabric blowing softly against her legs as she watched the horses turned out in the pastures. Her chestnut hair had lightened a little to almost a light auburn from her time in the sun the last couple of months, a couple of freckles dotted her sun-kissed skin. The past year had been filled with a peculiar set of troubles for the young woman, her mother laughed it off when she spoke of it. ‘A girl likes to be a little lovelorn every now and again,’ she murmured and shook her head before realizing Konstantino had gotten suspiciously quiet and she’d go to investigate.



Evangelina might have agreed, except she didn’t like to be the girl in that scenario. As winter had ended and spring had moved into summer it was impossible for Evangelina to continue withering away and like a wildflower she rose from the ground and had bloomed, finding some sort of solace in working with the young horses occasionally getting to oversee the sells of a few horses to clients when there was no one else to help.



Today was one of those days, her father and her father’s master of the horse, Icarus, had gone into Vasiliadon for the day to discuss some exportation of horses with her uncle and that had left her with the stable entirely to herself except the quiet comfort of the servants doing their duties in the background. She’d remembered the note she’d found on Icarus’ desk in the stable this morning telling her about a planned buyer that she’d need to show some of the horses to, along with a list of horses that he suspected might interest the man. She’d scanned the list and most of the horses she agreed with, with the exception of one or two they were a lovely bunch of young horses.



Those horses had been placed in a nearby pasture, groomed and looking Leventi worthy and now there wasn’t much to do but wait. One of the village boys came galloping up on his little mountain pony and she stepped away from the doorway to greet him with a smile and a wave.



‘They be on their way, my lady… and a fancy set they look to be.’ He rushed out with a toothy grin. Reaching into the pocket of her chiton, she pulled a coin out and gave it to him. “Thanks, Georgy.” She’d barely had a chance to say that before he snatched the coin up and was racing off to no doubt finish his chores in the village.



Turning, she sighed and walked back to the tack room and found the goldenrod colored chiton she planned to change into. It was flattering and of course didn’t bear the dirt that she’d covered the brown one in earlier when she’d been cleaning horses up. Sneaking into one of the stalls, she took her chiton off and started replacing it with the goldenrod one.



Still clasping the clasps she stepped out of the stall as the carriage pulled up and she stopped in her tracks as the crest on the side of the carriage caused the blood to drain from her face. It couldn’t be. Slowly straightening her spine, she pressed her lips together and walked slowly from the barn, her fingers fidgeting with the clasp and then with the low ponytail and anything else she could find to fidget with. Was this why Icarus had left with her father today of all days?



You will be kind. You will be courteous. You will make this sale. Evangelina chanted silently in her brain. She would do what she had to do to prove she was fine. She was very fine.