Behind the pedestal was a large painting of a chariot race, head-on, with the crowd and track rendered in rousing detail. Meagan stood beneath it, staring in awe.

“The actual work hangs in the Manchester Art Gallery, dear. As you can see, the ancient Romans were modern in many ways. One of my favorite old writers was Cornelius Tacitus, who wrote scandalous histories of Rome. Such an insightful mind, writing so bravely as his world sank into madness … that is a horse’s manger, dear.”

Meagan was stopped before a crumbling box mounted on a low pedestal. The object was corroded and gray from age.

“It doesn’t look it, I know, but that is said to be the remains of the manger of the Roman Emperor Caligula’s favorite race horse, Incitatus. Caligula had a stable of marble and gold built for the stallion, complete with furnishings and servants. Though horses are strict vegetarians, Incitatus was fed mice dipped in butter and marinated squid.” Mrs. Bridgestone added more quietly, “Of course, the man was considered dangerously insane.”

Meagan walked on. “How about this painting, Mrs. Bridgestone … who is the old man with a long beard?”

“That is El Cid on his Great Horse, Babieca. El Cid was a Spanish warrior who led armies on his famous white charger. There are stories which claim El Cid was mortally wounded at the siege of Valencia but Babieca was left alive. Before dying, El Cid left clear instructions. The Spaniards marched from their city at midnight with Babieca cantering at the head of the Spanish troops as always, but with his dead master propped in the saddle and tied by his long beard. The attackers thought El Cid had risen from the dead and they fled, ending the siege, and so it is said that El Cid won his last battle after his own death. And no one ever mounted Babieca again.”

“Those are interesting stories, Mrs. Bridgestone,” Jennifer said, meaning it. “Everything here is so lovely … but I’m still very curious. Why have you invited us?”

Meagan turned politely to listen.

“Yes, well.” Mrs. Bridgestone fingered her necklace. “I suppose there is no better way to tell you, except to just say it. To put it simply, circumstances have … oh me. It seems your foal is the next of the Great Horses.”

Copyright © 2008 John Royce

Eclipsed by Shadow (Book #1 of the trilogy) won national awards including the Eric Hoffer Award for best Young Adult Fiction, and the Mom’s Choice Award for best family-friendly Young Adult Fantasy.

» See All Excerpts from The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy.

» Read the 1st Chapter online.

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