The Column Racer (11 page)

“You’ll get used to us here,” said the seamstress, hand on door, “we’re your second family.” And without a ‘goodbye,’ she walked out of the room.

The streets still bustled with people after Areli left the boarding facility. She sat in her carriage and watched as women exited shops with bags with tissue-paper growing out of the tops of them, as children pretended to be column racers, and as men played dragon chess next to fountains. She knew even though she might not be able to train Kaia, she had to get herself back into riding shape. And she would start immediately, right when she got back to estate number eight . . . in the large pool sitting in the back yard. She had to keep herself busy . . . or the woman she killed would consume her thoughts.

The following day, Areli did multiple laps in the pool, visited Kaia in the morning and her father in the afternoon, and was back into the pool for the evening. She asked Aria to have the chefs cook her foods that would make her full, but not add any weight, and most importantly, still tasted good. She never heard Aria laugh before, but she did when she mentioned that. It was light and giggly, reminding Areli that her estate manager was only a girl.

The next day, after Areli’s swim, she headed to the boarding facility with the hopes of being happy again. She hoped that the saddle was made to the proper specifications, because if it did slide, it would be another two days before she could get Kaia up in the air.

As her carriage passed through the stall doors, she tried not to ignore the fact that all the stalls were empty again. Her teammates and her competition were pushing their dragons towards perfection, and here she was, only hoping to get her dragon back into the sky.

As the carriage neared Kaia’s stall, she saw that all three makers were there: the saddlemaker, the bridle maker, and the bit maker. The saddlemaker’s beard seemed smaller than before, as it wasn’t blending into his shirt. Underneath his usual leather apron was a black satin top that stretched heavily to fit his arms. The bridle maker looked gorgeous as usual, fine features, zero lines, and tight leather clothing. The bit maker was the youngest of them, and it showed, as his thick brown hair was styled in elegant sweeping waves and he wore a jacket and pants that were flecked with a variety of playful colors.

Areli felt apprehensive and eager at the same time as she looked upon her new saddle, which was placed on a stand between the three of them. She gave a quick “hello,” and then got her dragon and joined them in the center of the marble floor.

“We’re not
going
anywhere rider,” said the saddlemaker, who got jabbed by an elbow in the side by the bridle maker, “it’s not like we have lives or anything.”

“Don’t be mean, Jax,” said the bridle maker, beaming at Areli, “she’s already suffered enough.”

“No thanks to Degendhard,” responded the saddlemaker, “if she’s suffered. It’s all because of him.”

“Shhh,” sneered the bridle maker, “oh, I’ll hit you lower. Something we both don’t want to happen.” The bit maker grinned, but the saddlemaker gave the bridle maker a penetrating frown.

Areli greeted them all with a small smile and allowed her eyes to travel across the exquisite details of her new saddle, which was not all gold like her halter, but just as magnificent. If not more so.

It was constructed out of medium and dark leathers. Jax reminded her that only the rarest and most expensive materials were used. The conchos and stirrups were made of gold and shimmered brilliantly from the diamonds covering their surfaces. The cinch buckles and D-rings were also made of fine metals, as were the fine detailing on the saddle horn, swell, and skirt. The elegantly tooled dragon on the sides fought dearly for Areli’s affections. She almost couldn’t believe this saddle was hers.

“Well? What are we waiting for?” asked Jax, who then received a blow to the groin.

“I warned you, Jax. Let Areli have this moment.” Areli reddened with embarrassment, as she became conscious of the dozens of eyes that were upon her. She looked towards Jax, who was coughing and doubled-over, looking like he was about to puke. She then looked to the bridle and bit maker smiling at her.

“I’m ready,” said Areli.

Jax wiped the tears from his eyes, and then clapped for the servants to hop to work. Ladders were propped up on both sides of Kaia. Two servants grabbed a thick cotton saddle pad, and started to climb on the ladder on Kaia’s left side. They tossed it over Kaia’s shoulder, while Jax composed himself and barked orders from the ground.

The next trip up the ladders, Jax and his assistant went up with the saddle. The brute arms of the saddlemaker handled the placement of the saddle with care, making sure it was in a comfortable position. He examined the dimensions again and made sure that everything was as it should be.

The saddlemaker stayed on the ladders as servants brought up the cinch, which extended around the upper chest of her dragon and attached to both sides of the saddle, just in front of Kaia’s arms. They then connected the arm harnesses that also connected to the saddle, placing and tightening them around Kaia’s front legs. And lastly, they placed on the breast collar, which was another leather strap that came across the base of her dragon’s neck and connected to the cinch.

As the saddlemaker was busy making sure the saddle was constructed perfectly for Areli’s dragon, the bridle maker pulled Areli aside and showed her the different variations of reins she had constructed. There were the knot reins made famous by Aquilina Hawkins, and simple to elaborate leather reins, which all had diamond detailing near the ends that connected to the bit. Areli chose the one with dragons flying around on both sides of the connecting leather edges.

Then the bit maker showed Areli all the bits he had constructed based on Kaia’s molding, the drawings from his sketch artist, and his own measurements. He had everything from a twisted wire short shank to a square snaffle draw bit. Each were beautifully crafted and all had a nice weight to them.

Areli’s eyes instantly fell upon the bit she knew Kaia loved to use.

“Ah,” said the bit maker, “the twisted wire snaffle, long shank . . . rate with speed, control with grace.” He grabbed the bit and attached it to the reins.

“RIDER!” yelled Jax, “WILL YOU CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS!” Areli looked up at Kaia, who was being fed her enthusiasm and excitement. Areli instantly went to thoughts of star packed night skies, the ones she would watch from the countrysides in Sector D, before they filled with smoke and smelled of death. She opened her eyes to a touch on her shoulder, which she instantly knew was that of a woman’s.

“Don’t mind Jax,” said the bridle maker, “he’s just mad because they haven’t found a cure for his baldness.” Areli smiled.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been this cheerful,” said Areli.

“You’re receiving new tack and a brand new saddle,” said the bridle maker, “I’m sorry, but if you can’t get excited about that, then you’re no Column Racer.”

Areli gave a genuine smile and then caught another look at the bridle. Diamonds and precious stones were embedded in the attachments connected to the reins, and detailed roses and dragons flowed to its edges from its center. It had become almost impossible to keep her emotions in check now. Just knowing she was getting the equipment to help her get back in the sky . . . had brought back emotions that even she, herself, thought had died. It didn’t take much longer for Jax to come down from the ladders with a smile of pride on his face.

“Okay, rider,” said Jax, “let’s see how she holds.” She handed the rope of the halter to the bridle maker and walked to the only remaining ladder. When her foot pressed against the first step, she could feel her heart against her chest. Could feel it climb in her throat. And air became more difficult to breathe. She climbed to the top of the ladder and placed her foot into the left stirrup. The feeling was sensational, like her first bite of chocolate or her first win. Two months and a week she endured without flying, and now she was only a walk and a trot away.

She grabbed the saddle horn with her left hand, with the same embrace as lovers running into each other’s arms after years of separation. The leather felt right, the fenders felt right, the stirrups felt right, it all felt right. For the first time since coming to Abhi, Areli felt like she was truly home.

The bridle maker told Areli to keep her dragon calm as the bit maker traded out the halter for the bit and bridle. Areli watched from the seat of the saddle as the bit maker slid off the ropes and gently placed the bit into her dragon’s mouth, pushing it past her teeth and into the interdental region. After the bit maker secured the bridle to Kaia’s right ear, the bridle maker lightly tossed the reins over Kaia’s head and loosely held the remaining slack while Kaia lifted her head, allowing Areli to grab onto them.

Areli felt as light as a feather as her fingers loosely reeled in the reins. She had never heard of a person passing out from being too happy, but she thought it might happen to her now. Her heart had the force of a hammer against her chest, her lungs breathed the same air as the stars, and she wore a smile that not even the Emperor could take away. Screw the Emperor. Screw Degendhard. This is where she belonged. This was where she was happiest.

Jax first had Areli move at a walk, up and down the large marble floor. He needed the assistance of a carriage to match the same speed from the side, watching the movement of the saddle, constantly asking Areli if she felt like the saddle was sliding backwards.

“She said no!” said the bridle maker, laughing, causing Jax to glare at her. The bridle maker reminded him that so far he had asked the same question ten different times. He shrugged her words away and continued with his thorough inspection.

“Okay, then,” said the saddlemaker, “rider, let’s see you and your dragon move at a trot.” This required the saddlemaker to be driven by the carriage with the horses in a sprint to stay parallel. Like before, he paid close attention to the movement of the saddle and its connecting pieces, making sure everything moved to perfection, allowing her dragon comfort and maximal agility, as well as to make sure Areli was secure at the mount.

When Areli was asked to stop, she almost had to fight with herself. She felt like she had seen the sun for the first time, the stars for the first time, or how she imagined she would feel when she was given her first kiss. She didn’t want to stop. She didn’t want her hands to tighten on the reins, didn’t want to sink into the seat. The only thing that eased her into doing what the saddlemaker asked . . . was that next she was going to be able to fly.

Her dragon was loaded into the trailer, her tack and saddle removed and placed in a storage compartment at the front of the trailer. Areli was escorted back into her carriage and was joined by the saddlemaker, bridle maker, and bit maker.

The saddlemaker asked Areli once more if the saddle had any slippage, warning that even slight slippage could prove dangerous. This prompted the rolling of the bridle maker’s eyes, causing both Areli and the bit maker to burst into laughter. Areli’s laugh more restrained. The bit makers far more boisterous.

“What’s
so
funny?” asked the saddlemaker, “I’m being serious. None of you want to be around to see what happens to a rider in mid-air with an improperly functioning saddle.”

“You’re the best saddlemaker in the entire world,” resounded the bit maker, “if you weren’t, the Emperor would have surely done away with you.”

“It’s no shame to have pride in what you do.”

“Are you saying I don’t?” asked the bit maker.

“I didn’t say you do or you don’t,” said the saddlemaker, “all I know is that a tiny mistake in a bit won’t bring about serious harm to dragon or rider.”

“And what do you know of bits?” asked the bit maker.

“Boys – boys,” said the bridle maker, “if you two are to continue this pissing contest, I would suggest you carry this to the bathroom.” The saddlemaker crossed his arms and contented himself with looking out the window, and the young bit maker did the same. Jax turned to have one last word, but the bridle maker stopped him and pushed his cheek towards the window. She then turned to Areli and gave her a smile and a playful wink.

The trailer stopped in the trailer room, where it would wait for Areli to return from the locker rooms. When the guard allowed her to enter onto the platforms, Areli was met again by the same young woman as the past two days. Areli was then escorted past the doors, through the vast hallways and rooms, and into her locker.

There, on the racks bordering the vanity, were Areli’s uniforms, just as the seamstress had promised. Her practice uniform was to the left of her, when facing the vanity mirrors, and her competition attire was on the other side. She was given five pairs of leathers for practice and one pair for competitive use, but she knew two others were made and stored for emergency purposes if needed.

She ran her fingers across the elegant black of her competitive wear, and then the smooth dark brown leather of her practice gear. She touched and held the all gold pieces only to be used during races, and then the amour of white and yellow gold only to be used for practices. She sat in her chair as a wave of emotions attempted to knock her down, pulling and tugging at her feet, hoping to wrench her away from the firmness of land.

She returned to the carriage with her practice leather suit and armour on. She carried her head protector in one hand and fresh brown leather riding boots, equipped with bumpers on the inside heels, in the other. Her heart fluttered and her face reddened as both the bridle and bit makers complimented her graciously on her appearance.