On a bright morning, a month after Al Buraq’s arrival, Johan was working with the stallion in a small paddock next to the stables. The stallion’s ears twitched this way and that as horses whistled and called or thumped the walls of their stalls. Around them, the smell of fresh hay, oats, grain, and cut grass blended with that of manure and the potent medicines used to keep the animals free of parasites.
He loved his work, and he enjoyed working with the stallion. The wild and excitable young horse was intelligent and inquisitive. He had responded well to Johan's gentle hand, and the two were becoming fast friends. Johan was brushing out the stallion's black mane when he heard a feminine voice behind him.
“I wish to ride this horse today. Please ready him for me.”
Al Buraq shied and backed away, nostrils flared. Brush raised, Johan turned to find Princess Isabella standing behind him in the paddock with two of her male retainers.
He frowned. “What is it you want, Your Highness?”
“I said…” she lifted her chin, “ready the horse, for I will ride him today.”
Johan eyed the princess. Her dark hair was pulled away from her face and she held a riding crop in her hand.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but this horse is not ready for anyone to ride. He still needs work. You are too young and small to handle him. As you well know, your father’s stables offer many other gentler horses from which you can choose.”
Isabella’s face reddened, but her voice remained calm. “You forget yourself, and you forget who I am. When I command, you obey. Now, ready the horse.”
“I am sorry, but I will not, Your Highness, for that would endanger your life.”
Isabella took a step forward and stared up at Johan. A muscle twitched in her jaw. “I have been riding all… my… life. I can ride this horse, and you will ready Al-Buraq. That is my command.” She lowered her voice. “I will not tell you again.”
Johan laughed. “I am not frightened of you, Princess.”
“Fool!” Eyes flashing, she struck him full across the cheek with her crop.
With a great effort of will, he did not grab her arm as he’d done before. He felt something wet where she struck him and his face throbbed, but he did not flinch.
“Now will you do as I say?” Eyebrows raised, she cocked her head.
Feeling the wetness trickle down his cheek he reached in his pocket for a rag and wiped his face. The cloth came away red. The place where she lashed him burned like fire, but he ignored the pain and turned to the servants. “This horse is untrained, too dangerous for anyone to ride. If Princess Isabella insists, I am not responsible for the result.” He placed a hand on the horse’s neck. “I am telling you this so the king will not blame me if the horse injures her. Do you understand?”
The servants looked at each other and then nodded.
“Then I will prepare the horse.” While they waited, he retrieved a mounting box, a small saddle and a bridle from the barn. He saddled the horse and put the bit in its mouth. Al-Buraq tensed and fought the bit, but Johan stroked the horse’s neck and whispered to him and Al-Buraq calmed. Johan glanced down and noted the length of Isabella’s legs and then adjusted the stirrups.
Three mounted men rode to the paddock’s gate.
“I will be ready in a moment,” Isabella called to the men. “Open the gate for me.”
She turned to Johan. “These men are my guards. I am sure that between my skills and theirs, we will keep Al-Buraq in line.”
“I will hold him while you mount. Remember that if you treat him like you treated me, he will never forget.”
“What?” She frowned.
“Your Highness,” Johan bowed. “Your horse is ready.”
Isabella went to the big black stallion, who shied away from her. Johan gently coaxed him back to the box. She stepped up on the box, put her foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. Al-Buraq stood as still as a statue, though Johan could see his muscles tense. Still speaking gently, Johan checked the stirrup length. When all was ready, he handed the reins to Isabella.
“Do you see?” Isabella peered down her nose at Johan. “The horse is mine to command—”
“Careful!”
Al-Buraq snorted, gathered his muscles and leaped straight into the air. Isabella screamed as Johan and the two servants leaped aside. When he landed the horse jerked his head, pulling at the reins and then reared up. Striking out with his front feet, he lowered his head and spun. His huge muscular body twisted and writhed.
Isabella clung to the pommel with one hand and with the other, yanked at the reins, but Al Buraq jerked his head from side to side. “Help me, please,” she cried.
Johan jumped in close to the horse. Yanking the reins from Isabella’s grasp, he pulled Al-Buraq into a sharp turn, re-balancing him. Then he forced the horse forward a few steps, muttering to him.
Al-Buraq quieted and Johan brought him to a stop. Isabella jumped off, stumbled, and fell to her knees, pale and shaking. Johan moved the horse away. Her servants lifted her to her feet, just as the men in her escort ran up.
One who seemed to be the leader stepped forward. “Are you hurt, Your Highness?”
Isabella shook her head, sucking in quick breaths. At last, she spoke. “I am fine. He is right. The horse is too strong for me and needs more work.” She turned to Johan. “Once again, you have saved me from harm. I, I thank you.”
Johan bowed low. “No need to say anything, Your Majesty. I bear the mark of your consideration.” When he straightened, he smiled at her.
Blood rose in her face. “You are infuriating, and insolent.”
“No, Your Highness. I may be many things, but I am not insolent. I am a freeborn man from the free country of Switzerland. Everything I did today was for your own good. If you wish to discharge me for preventing you from being harmed or killed, another stable in Krakow may use my talents.”
He could see her face pale at his words. She clenched her jaw.
“I cannot override my father’s wishes by ordering you to leave. But know this. I dislike you. If you stay out of my way…” she was shaking… “we will avoid future confrontations.”
“That might be best, Your Majesty.” He nodded, struggling to maintain a solemn expression, so as not to further antagonize her. “When the horse is ready to ride, I will inform Noah, who will inform your father.” He bowed again.
Without another word, she turned and stomped away, her servants trailing along behind. The captain of her guard turned to Johan. “Your face is bleeding. Did the horse hurt you?”
Johan petted Al-Buraq’s neck. “This horse would never hurt me.”
That night, Isabella lay awake for a long time, haunted by Johan's blue eyes and handsome face. Her violence toward him shamed her, for, despite his insolent manner, she knew he had been protecting her. She tried to sleep, but strange things kept happening to her body. First she was burning and then she was freezing.
What in the world is happening?
She rose from her bed and stepped to the window. Drawing the curtains aside, she pushed open the double frames. A large spring moon hung high in the sky, casting shadows from the tall towers onto the walls across from her room. The faint fragrance of plum blossoms and night-blooming jasmine rose to her window.
A black form swept across the courtyard—the owl that lived in the tower was hunting for mice like it did every night. Clouds drifted across the face of the moon and the call of a night bird broke the silence. The night was lovely, but tonight Isabella did not care.
She sighed and crawled back into her bed, but she could not get comfortable. She reached over and rang the little bell on her nightstand.
In a few minutes Maria came into the room. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned. “What is it, Your Highness?”
“I’m sorry to wake you, Maria, but I… I can’t sleep. I had an upsetting experience with a horse in the stable today and my muscles are still sore. Please send someone for a cup of soothing tea.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The girl went out for a moment and then she returned to Isabella. “Now, what upset you, my princess?”
“Oh, nothing…” She hesitated. “Well, this groom… this boy… well, he’s a young man... He works in my father’s stables. He’s arrogant and disrespectful, and he insulted me twice today. Ooh…” She clenched her fists. “I hate him.”
Maria sat on the bed and took the girl in her arms. “So it wasn’t a horse, was it?” She chuckled. “Is this groom handsome and tall and strong, the one with the deep blue eyes?”
“Yes, and he’s so good with horses.” Isabella sighed then straightened up in the bed. “I mean… no, he’s ugly and rude and a bully. I despise him.”
“You sound like someone who doesn’t know what to think, Princess.”
“What is wrong with me, Maria?” Isabella put her face in her hands. “I can't stop thinking of him. And I am so ashamed. I struck him across the face with my crop. I hurt him, but he did not retaliate or say a word. Instead, he looked at me with a strange expression and smiled. Oh, he exasperated me!”
Maria laughed and pulled her closer. “My princess, there is nothing wrong with you except you are fourteen and becoming a woman.”
“But why do I have these feelings? I hate him, I despise him…”
“You have lost your heart to this young stable boy, no?” Maria stroked Isabella’s hair.
Isabella looked up and blinked. “Lost my heart? What do you mean?”
“I mean, young lady, that this exasperating young man is more than a stable boy to you. I heard how he saved you when the black horse first came. Besides his blue eyes and a handsome face, he has other good qualities. This… what is his name?”
“Johan.”
“This Johan saved your life. He is strong and he must be kind for he did not retaliate when you struck him. And he is gifted, for he speaks to the horse, and it obeys him. These qualities have opened your heart in a new and wonderful way.”
“But, Maria! I am a princess. He is a commoner from another country! I cannot love him.”
“No, you cannot.” Maria shook her head. “Your position destines you for greater things. But if you were not a princess, you might love this Johan, eh?”
Isabella sat silent for a long time, looking down at her hands… thinking. Then she lifted her head. “Yes, Maria, you are right. If I were not a princess, I could love this Johan.”