Princess Sofya looked at i ili with interest. "Since you’re so confident in your riding and shooting, and bravely rejecting the feminine virtues Miss i," shot Princess Sofya, "care for a little competition?"
"Perfect! I’d love nothing more," said ili archly.
"Err Miss i, I’m not sure that’s a good idea," warned Bai Li. "Princess Sofya grew up on horseback."
"As did I, Commander Bai. Don’t presu to know from one snowstorm," she rolled her eyes at him.
He gave up. There was no talking to this little minx today.
Princess Sofya strode off in her pretty grasslands boots and returned with a stunning white pony, complete with a brightly coloured Mongolian saddle.
Of course she would have a handso white horse to finish the perfect exotic picture, thought ili sulkily. She must co from the Darkhad tribe, who preferred white and grey horses.
"This is White Horse," she introduced him.
Very original, thought ili ungraciously. "This is Tufei," she said.
"Bandit, huh," said the princess to the palomino. "You look like a bandit," she reached over and chucked him under the chin, and the traitor nuzzled her hand.
"Let’s see if you can steal the crown from this White Horse who never gets beaten by a woman."
ili really had sothing to prove now. She mounted Tufei, giving him a pat and a whisper of encouragent. Her horse was as competitive as she was.
Bai Li watched this interchange with growing concern for i ili. The girl had no common sense, and he’d seen her ride before, she was reckless for her own safety.
He rode up beside her for one last try. "i ili, this is a bad idea," he whispered to her. "You can still withdraw gracefully. Just say you have a headache. This princess cos from multi-generational horsen."
"So do I, Bai Li. Don’t always underestimate . And don’t try to control . You’re not one of my brothers. I already have five..."
He sighed in resignation. What would co would co. He prepared to have Rishi shadow them.
"We race to the tree," said Sofya pointing to a tree far-off in the distance. "Extra points for any ga collected along the way."
"Sounds good," agreed ili.
"Miss i, are you sure about this?" asked Princess Lingling with concern. "Don’t be concerned if you drop behind, there’s no honour at stake here. Just a bit of fun between new friends."
"Of course, princess," said ili sweetly. "I’ll simply stop if I need to."
There was no way on god’s good earth she would stop unless she was propelled from Tufei’s back, she thought with determination. ’No guts no glory!’ as her brothers liked to say.
"Miss Tan, will you do us the honour of counting us in?" asked i ili.
Tan Wentian lined the two horses up, neck and neck, one golden, one white.
"On your marks, get set ... Go!" she called.
The two girls kicked their horses into action.
"Hyaaah!" cried the princess.
"Co on Tuufy!" ili shouted.
The horses shot off into full pelt gallops, both running low to the ground and smoothly, their tiny female riders leaning down into their necks.
The horses paced each other, stride for stride. ili’s heart swelled with joy. The speed, the space, the slls, this fierce girl from the steppes. What bliss!
She let out a laugh of delight, her face suffused with a wide grin.
Princess Sofya looked across at her in surprise.
Who was this chit that was keeping up with White Horse, stride-for-stride? And now she was laughing like this was child’s play? She rode her horse closer to Tufei, her leg almost touching i ili’s. Let’s check out her ttle, she thought.
i ili turned and looked the princess straight in the face. Her smile was contagious, and Princess Sofya broke into a wild grin, raising her eyebrows in challenge and biting her lower lip with determination.
A pheasant broke from the grass to their right. Both girls pulled out their bows as they galloped and shot skywards in perfect harmony. Each arrow hit the large bird, one at the head, one at the tail.
As it plumted, both riders veered to their right to collect the win. Their horses hunkered into the turn, sods flying. They rode tightly on either side of the fallen pheasant, both girls sliding right down in their saddles to grab the catch at the sa mont.
Each grabbed a leg! The bird hung stretched between their horses as they turned their horses back to their left. ili laughed with delight at the conundrum.
Princess Sofya decided instantly she liked this girl.
She let go of the pheasant’s leg, ceding it to ili. Then she leapt up to stand on the galloping White Horse’s back. ili, who had drawn slightly ahead, looked back in awe. The princess stood, using the high front and back of her saddle as footrests. ili let White Horse draw level with her for a better view of the trick. She must learn it!
Princess Sofya jumped lightly onto Tufei’s back, landing in a seated position behind ili, on her saddle. Sofya gave Tufei a sharp slap on the rump, and the two girls laughed with glee as Tuufy put on a turn of speed, carrying them both now in his high-speed gallop.
White Horse continued along beside them, riderless, but perfectly trained.
First Brother was coming back in their direction, and he saw them tussle over the bird and now the Mongol princess jumping onto his sister’s horse. He peeled off from his intended route and galloped after them.
Bai Li, who had just taken off with the sa thought, pulled Rishi up. He would leave this one to her eldest brother...
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