Part One

            Face down on the ground, the sound of laughter taunting him, Isn stands back up, glaring at his tormentors. He wipes dusty dirt off his breeches, seething. A lanky blond wipes his eyes, hooting with laughter. "Nice one Isn!"

Isn spits on the ground, "Hardyharhar. Very funny guys."   The blond gives him a friendly smack on the back, "Lighten up Isn, everyone fails on their first try...yours was just a bit more entertaining."  "That's because the Birder threw me off," Isn huffs. The stupid bird. He shoots a sideways glare at the red birder. In return the Birder squacks in arrogance. Isn snorts at the absurbidity of it. He and the other briders had made a bet to see who could ride the cocky red birder, but so far no one had been able to stay on longer than a minute. Isn was no exception.

            Fnesis stops laughing at Isn, "Did I mention that the princess was watching?" Isn turns rigid, "What? Where? When?"  Fnesis jabs him in the ribs with his elbow, "She saw the whole thing and she laughed. Way to go on a first impression."   Looking around and to his relief, Isn saw no sign of the breath-taking princess.

He musses his dark brown curly hair into a mess, "This is so embarassing!" he groans. Since the first time he set eyes on the princess he had fallen in love. Her platnium hair, kind watery blue eyes, soft pink lips, and gentle smile. "Just once I'd like to-" "Do it with her?" jokes Fnesis. Isn blushes, "What? No! I'd like to...to talk to her."  Fnesis burst out laughing again, "Talk to her Isn? Really? That's it?"  Isn gives him a shove, "Shut up."

           Arriving at the stables the two friends have a short encounter with Ermas, a scullery maid with a plain acne scarred face. She turns bright red at their approach, "Ah, um...good afternoon. Hello."

Fnesis gives his white Birder a scratch under the chin, "You work in the kitchens, right? What's for supper Ermas?"  She avoids looking at Isn as she answers Fnesis, "The usual..." then she quickly walks out.

Isn nods at a stable boy who rushes to ready his Birder. "What's wrong with her?"  Fnesis shrugs, "Don't know, but I think she doesn't like you."  Isn snorts, crossing his arms, "And she likes you?"  Fnesis smoothes back his shoulder length blond hair, "Of course," he jokes.

The stable returns with Isn's Birder, a brownish-red bird. Fnesis hops onto his white Birder, "Where to Isn?" 

"Where do you think?" he answers.