She looked up just in time to see a magnificent jet-black horse trot out of a wall of Rose's smoke, wearing the fanciest tack she had ever seen on a live horse (merry-go-round ones didn't count)."Wait up, Rose!" Iris called as the Storyteller passed out props, then mounted and scooped up the Starbuckian. "Wouldn't it be out of character for just one of us to have a horse? Either we should all be mounted or riding in a
wagon or we shouldn't have any horses."
If Rose or Kimmy heard, they didn't answer.
Kimmy brought her attention from the horse she was sitting on back to hear Iris. She tugged on the Storyteller's arm to get her attention.
Coming out of her reverie, Rose turned to Iris saying, "Forgive me. My mind was wandering. I am known for often walking into a town on this horse, creating a bit of fanfare for my style of entertainment," she smiled a bit self-consciously.
"I would create more horses for all to ride, but I'm afraid they would not be solid. To create this one," she said patting the glossy neck, "it took me many days of intense concentration. It is difficult to put into words... but it is as if I literally put a bit of myself into its creation to make it as you see now. I can only call this horse forth. I'm sorry."
Iris scanned the area and saw some horses on a ridge not far away. With silent gratitude to a talented man who'd died in an accident shortly after she'd added some of his CDs to her collection, she put her fingers to her lute strings and began playing and singing, knowing she couldn't duplicate his concert but hoping his song would help her.
Rose watched with interest as Iris used her Lute to call the aid of the herd to them. Her eyes narrowed as she heard Halphas say, By all the Gods! She DOES carry the lute of lore!"
The Storytellers lips parted. "That's why it seemed so familiar. The Lute of Lore! Very impressive indeed."
Rose had halted her black steed from it's ambling walk and waited for everyone to be mounted before slowly heading off.
