Free The Book of Ominiue: Starborn by D.M. Barnham Page A

kindly at her.
    When they had all mounted they moved off; very unsteadily. The remaining warriors mounted their horses and guided them out the northern gate. Shayne felt very uncomfortable. He was always sliding from the wide saddle and had to constantly readjust himself.
    Pan’arden came up beside them on her magnificent warhorse. ‘Anyone would think you and the sky Ta’Orians have never ridden!’ she said. Shayne tried to say they had not but he began to slip again. He stiffened his hands on the reins, causing the horse to falter. ‘No, no, hold the reins like this,’ she said, easily leaning over and readjusting his hand position. ‘And grip with your legs if you must.’
    ‘How?’ protested Shayne, ‘when the beast stretches my legs in ways that no male should have to stretch them, anyone would think I was riding an elephant .’
    Pan’arden could not help but let out a little laugh even though she did not know what an elephant was. The tiger on the other side of her horse also looked across with an amused expression. ‘I did warn you. Do not worry, we will get Ta’Orian horses as soon as we can, then you will ride much easier.’
    They made it to the gate with the other Earthmen copying how the lionmen rode, quickly gaining some level of basic competency.  Kíe was waiting for them upon his horse, with his tail wrapped lightly around his waist. His guitar was once again slung across his back, resting in a leather and fur case designed for easy access so he could play and ride through the journey. The stringed guqin, which they called a flayman, was in its box strapped to the creature’s rump along with his travelling items. He also had two bows, an old rough looking longbow, that was unstrung and packed with the flayman-guitar, and a smaller horse bow hanging from the saddle along with a quiver of arrows. With a simple flick of his arm he could lift the weapon from its holster, ready to draw. He sat upon a beautiful light-bay horse with a white streak down its nose; it was a different breed to the great warhorses; a smaller and sure footed creature that could ride steadily all day without effort. Journeymen were not rich people but many were rewarded on their graduation with a horse to travel to their destinations. They needed a good breed to travel the long distances most of them endured throughout their journeymanship.
    There were a few other lionmen waiting with him and they fell into line as the train passed. Kíe greeted them with his usual wide grin; beaming as he sat upon his mare. Shayne was at the head of the group with Hanniver and the Bohaníde Captains. Kíe broke from the front of the stables and his horse fell into the slow and lazy stride next to Hanniver.
    ‘You are handling that horse like a master, Kristof,’ Kíe said trying to pronounce his name correctly, Shayne had to translate as the robots were travelling on foot at the back of the train. ‘You on the other hand Afra’hama,’ Kíe said shaking his head, his mischievous grin growing. As they made their way along the road their skill improved at oversized horse riding. 
    ‘How long to Taríth?’ Shayne asked.
    ‘I am not sure if we will go to Taríth, it would make the journey longer than required,’ admitted Kíe. ‘The province capital is further ahead, they house Ta’Orian horses and from there it is a straight road to Kérith-Árim.’
    ‘But would not the Bohaníde Varda like to meet with us first?’ Shayne inquired. It might be taken poorly if they ignored the king of the nation they were travelling through. 
    Kíe shook his head, ‘An exception, I believe will be made. The Kérith-Árim UeVarda is very ill. We do not know how long he will last. We should get there and talk with him as soon as we can.’
    ‘Do not worry about our Varda, Afra’hama,’ Madan’rah replied. ‘We have sent messengers ahead, she will understand.’
    ‘Provided you promise to visit afterwards,’ added Pan’arden.
    ‘Is there no