Heading out of the castle, Crow wondered where John planned to teach him how to ride a horse and where he was even going to find a horse for him to ride in the first place. He’d thought all nobles had their own horses, and since he had come from the outer villages, he didn’t own one. It wasn’t like he could buy one either. He still had no money aside from the small pouch of gold coins his father had given him weeks ago, and he doubted that was enough to pay for an animal. If jewelry was already more expensive than all the money he had put together, there was no way he could cover the expense of a steed. Of course, he could always steal one, but that wouldn’t solve anything, since he wasn’t supposed to keep acting like a criminal now that he was the king’s viceroy. He’d already pushed his luck enough at the market in Bellmare.

He glanced at John, who was walking by his side at a half-step ahead. It was hard to tell if it was safe to ask him any questions, since he’d seemed to be in a tense mood that morning. However, he also didn’t want to leave things unsettled between them. He’d already tried to explain himself yesterday, but he still wasn’t sure if the knight had believed him or not. The thought that Penelope’s father still believed he had been unfaithful to her was off putting to him.

“So, where are we going?” he asked, breaking the silence between them. He was usually good at reading people, so he decided a little conversation might help him determine where the older man’s head was at.

“The stables,” John said without looking at him.

Crow blinked. That was a more obvious answer than he’d expected. “Okay,” he said slowly. “But I don’t have my own horse.”

“The king said you could take one of his,” the knight replied, this time gracing him with a brief sideways glance.

“Oh,” Crow realized he should have guessed that too. Almost everything he owned was a hand-me-down from his father. Of course he would be getting a horse from him too. He kept his mouth shut for the rest of the walk, deciding he’d already tested Penelope’s father with enough dumb questions for one day.

When they got to the stables, John opened the door for them to step inside, and the viceroy took a moment to look around. The walls on either side of him were lined with horses in narrow stalls. He’d seen stables before, but looking at so many animals crammed into one building now, he was suddenly reminded of prison. The horses didn’t seem to mind it though. They all stood tamely in various positions of rest, not even acknowledging the two men who had just entered their space.

“So, which ones belong to my father?” he asked, turning curiously to John.

“All of them.”

“Really?” Crow raised a brow, looking over the animals with bewilderment. “Why does he need so many?”

“It’s a show of power,” John answered disinterestedly. “Go on. Choose whichever one you want except for the white mare on the end. She’s his prized horse.”

“Okay,” the viceroy nodded, walking slowly down the aisle. It felt strange to be looking over a group of living creatures with the intent to choose one as his own. Even when he had helped the knights steal the horses in Younis, they hadn’t been planning to keep them, and he had picked one for Penelope, not himself. Knowing whichever horse he selected would be his for a long time, he studied each one more carefully.

As he strode toward the end of the stable, he paused by a particular beast that caught his eye. At a glance, there was nothing particularly special about it—its coat was an uneven brown and its black mane was slightly tangled—but there was something about its eyes that drew him to it. He stepped closer to the horse and brought a hand up to rest on its long face. Between its eyes, it had a single white streak, the only stark variation in its coarse fur.

“This one,” he said decidedly, turning back to John. “It looks smart.”

The knight stepped over to his side and looked the horse over with a nod. “I’m sure the king won’t have any trouble parting with him. He’s always been fonder of his more impressive looking steeds.”

“Well, he impressed me,” Crow rolled his eyes, patting the horse’s nose. The animal bobbed its head in response to the touch, and he smirked. “I think he likes me too.”

“Perhaps,” the knight said noncommittally. “I believe his name is Baine.”

“Baine, huh?” the viceroy mused, turning back to the stallion with a grin. “I like it. He’s definitely the one I want.”

John nodded, “Do you know how to put on a bridle?”

“I think it’s safe for you to assume I know absolutely nothing about horses.”

“Then I’ll teach you,” the knight announced, taking a step away from the stall. “Come with me, and I’ll show you how to prepare him to ride.”

“Alright,” Crow trotted after him, more eager to learn than he had been before.