Free The Elfmaid's Curse (The Elfmaid Trilogy Book 1) by Warren Thomas

but one were mares. The bay stallion looked a bit young, but spirited.
                "Has the stallion had any training?"
                "He's fully war-trained, my lady," he promised.
                Danica climbed over the fence and approached the stallion. He gave her a wild-eyed look for a moment, then calmed down at her soothing words. Danica was a knight. She was as much born to the horse as to the sword. She couldn't remember a time when she wasn't riding.
                After caressing his velvety nose a moment, she pushed the long mane aside to ensure the crossed sword brand of war training was present on the left side halfway down the neck. But that alone proved nothing. She would test him.
                "Have him saddled," she said. "If his training proves adequate, I'll take him."
                At a signal from the stable owner, two stablehands began saddling the horse. Danica watched them intently, checking to insure everything was done to her high standards.
                She noted with satisfaction it was a good war saddle, with high pommel and cantle. Dyed black, it had a soft padded seat of red leather. There was no ornamentation.
                When he was ready, she swung up into the saddle and dug her plain bronze spurs in before he could show his displeasure. She weaved him through the startled mares with ease. He responded remarkably well. Whether her commands came with the reins, or by shifting weight and knee pressure, he never hesitated. Then bringing him to an abrupt halt, she forced him into the first of many horse katas. She started off with a simple third level kata, then quickly started running him through more difficult katas. He performed the elaborate battle exercises with remarkable finesse. By the time she'd finished putting him through his paces, a small crowd of warriors had gathered.
                Reining in before the still sneering Jason, "How much? For everything."
                As his sneer twisted into a sly smile, she knew she was in for some hard bargaining. He didn't disappoint her. When it was over, he had replaced the saddle with a much shabbier one, and relieved her of the better part of her coin, but both parted satisfied.
                Swinging into the saddle, she frowned. She had really wanted the war saddle, but didn't have the coin for it. She had to settle for a common steppe saddle with its low pommel and cantle. A saddle crafted to herd cattle. Not a good saddle for battle, but better than nothing.
                She glanced at her hands, her face twisted with disgust. They were the delicate, exquisitely soft hands of a lady of high birth. Of a pampered sorceress. Damn Taara!
                Her hands were still sore and red from the simple task of saddling the horse. Much more and she'd have blisters to contend with. She'd need to have protection.
                After some searching, she found a shop that specialized in women's clothes. Trying on several pairs of leather gloves, she then tested how well she could wield a sword in them, much to the shopkeeper's dismay and alarm. In the end, she bought a pair slightly too small that didn't restrict her hands too much. She didn't like fighting in gloves and snug gloves were the best compromise she could come up with. In addition to the gloves, she parted with a few more coppers and bought a black felt, flat-crowned steppe hat with a braided leather head band. She would need the wide-brimmed hat for protection from the harsh sun.
                "Now I need supplies," she muttered to herself, swinging back into the saddle.

    * * * * *

                Pulling her right foot up and hooking it around the saddle horn, Danica pondered what to do next as she tried to get comfortable in the saddle. She now had a sleeping roll and saddlebags with enough food to last a week. It wouldn't