Happy Valentine's Day! This is my favorite holiday and this story is dedicated to it. I hope this storyline isn't overused. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

WARNING: IF YOU LOVE MARY SUE STORIES THIS STORY IS NOT FOR YOU!!

A Past Revealed

I galloped my powerful, fast, majestic, black thoroughbred through the lush island meadow. The spring flowers were in full bloom and were swaying gently in the cool, ocean breeze. I scanned the sky as we crested a hill; large, white sea birds spread their wings and soared gracefully high above the ground. There was not a cloud in the sky and the sun graced the earth with a bright morning light. Down below there was a bay; the water shone like glass and the waves crashed onto the pink, sandy beach.

My stallion breathed the salty, sea air as his large hooves pounded the soft earth, kicking up clods of dirt. My long, light brown hair blew off my shoulder and my silk, royal blue dress inched up my calves as I pumped my steed Evening Star, towards a small stream that bubbled at the bottom of a little hill. He raced toward the stream in a full gallop and leapt over the water without hesitating.

"Hoe!" I yelled to my eager horse, lightly tugging on the dark brown, braided reins.

He slowed to an extended trot and neighed, trying to take off into a canter. I pulled him in for a couple of tight circles to slow him down. Then he reared up in his excitement and I ducked out of the way of his massive crest and head.

"Easy, easy Star." I quieted him down after a few moments.

We headed towards the castle in a slow jog. About half an hour later the stone citadel came into view. The castle had thick stone walls and the gate faced the meadow. A cobblestone path led away from the gates en route for Eviden Port, where my father kept his ships. The royal, green and sliver flags fluttered in the wind and soldiers stood on the walls alert to what was going on around them.

The double wooden gates stood open and guards were searching a few peasants that were entering the castle. I trotted through the archway and into the wide courtyard. I dismounted and was raising my stirrups when I heard a sharp voice behind me.

"Cassandra!" I whirled around and saw my older brother, Jameson, "Father's been looking for you all morning! Where have you been?"

"Out riding." I replied matter-of-factly, turning back to Evening Star.

"Astride?" he criticized raising a dark eyebrow, "You know father doesn't like you to ride astride. He will hear about his incident."

"I don't need a lecture from you!" I snapped, turned, and stormed into the large stable.

Grooms were rushing about the isles, tacking up horses, cleaning stalls, filling water buckets, and oiling saddles. I led Star into his spacious stall bedded with a thick mat of fresh, clean straw. I vigorously stripped him from his tack, slipped on his leather halter, and tied him to an iron ring that hung from the wooden slats of the sliding stall door.

Slinging the bridle over my shoulder, I grabbed the girth, saddle, and dark green saddle pad and tramped out of the stall; nearly bumping into my groom in the process.

"Here, I can take these from you." He said, motioning to my burdens.

"Thanks Hayden." I replied, dumping all the stuff on him. "Please get my grooming supplies and rubbing cloths." I commanded.

He nodded and hurried away. He returned a few short minutes later carrying my wooden grooming bucket.

"So…" He inquired hesitantly, starting to strip Star of his green, Polo wraps. "How was your ride?"

I almost smiled. Hayden knew me too well. He knew when I was in a bad mood or when I was sad or depressed. He knew the right things to say at the right moment and he could change my attitude in a moment.

"Cassandra?" his gentle voice cut through my thoughts.

"It was a beautiful day and I had a lovely ride. We went to the East side of the island. You know, where it is cliffy on the shore?" I said as I rubbed an oily conditioner through my horse's mane.

"Um hm." He replied and started to rub Star's legs down.

"We made it there just before the sunrise. It was perfect," I sighed; then my mood changed. "until Jameson ruined it."

He didn't say anything, knowing if he did, my anger might erupt like a volcano on him. After a few minutes of angry thoughts, I furrowed my brow. "How come you know so much about horses? I mean you are one of the most skilled horsemen on the island." I had been wanting to know this question for a long time, but hadn't gotten around to asking him.

"I grew up around horses. My family owned a training barn for a while. My father taught me what I know."

"Really?" I was interested. "We should hire your father! Is he still training horses?"

"No." He said quickly.

"I should talk to father," I rolled my eyes. "at least, when he's in a reasonable mood. What do you think? Would your father work for us?"

Then Hayden got really quiet and a hush fell upon the sweet smelling stall.

"My father is unable to work." He finally stated.

I scrunched up my nose. "What do you mean?"

He looked up from his work and gazed straight into my pale blue eyes. "My father died."

I nearly dropped my brush. I had known Hayden for a few years. I knew he believed in Aslan and what he liked and disliked, but I had known nothing of his past or of his current situation.

For the first time in my life I hesitated. "How did he die?"

Hayden stopped his work and sat against the stall wall. I went over to him and sat down. His forest, green eyes stared at the white cloth in his hand while he told me the story.

"My father and I were out in the barn one morning. There was this one horse he was teaching me to train. We had been teaching it for a little over a month and we had gotten it under saddle." He paused and brushed his dirty blond hair out of his eyes. "The horse's name was Thundering Cloud. I remember that it was one of my father's favorite horses." He smiled and then didn't continue.

"Go on." I gently urged.

"Thunder was a massive, high strung, two-year-old Andalusian. He was almost seventeen hands and was a gray dappled horse with a flowing flax mane and tail that nearly touched the ground." He described. "We saddled him and I lunged him on the lunge line while my father watched. Cloudy as we called him, did great on the lunge, so my father mounted him and started walking him around the arena. Cloudy walked, trotted, and cantered very well. Then something happened."

"My father was an accomplished rider and had had some scary situations on the back of many horses. He had fallen many times and had received numerous injuries. All of which he had recovered from. So anyway, he was cantering around. Cloudy suddenly spooked and started rearing. My father tried to calm him, but on the third time up Cloudy fell on his back; crushing my father. It happened so fast that he didn't even have time to jump. I rushed over to him and screamed for my mother. He died a minute or two later."

"What happened to the horse?" I asked, taking it all in pretty quickly.

"I-I…" His voice broke and he took a deep breath. "I had to put Cloudy down myself. You see, he had broken his back and was in much pain. I had to end his suffering."

"Why do you still work with horses?" I said, hoping he wouldn't think I was too nosey.

"I promised my father I wouldn't stop working with them." He glanced at me. "And I love them too much."

"What happened then?"

"We lost the land because we couldn't support it. We moved to a tiny cottage in Eviden. A year later I came to work here."

"I'm sorry." I sympathized quietly, lightly touching his shoulder.

He took my hand off his shoulder and looked me straight in the eye. "Don't feel sorry for me."

"But I-, " I protested.

"Seriously, I don't want you to feel sorry for me." He replied firmly.

"Cassandra!" Jameson walked to the stall, interrupting our conversation. "Father wants to see you within the hour."

"Yes, brother dear." I replied sarcastically, getting up from the dusty, hay covered floor.

"What were you doing?" Jameson demanded his eyes darted between Hayden and me.

"Talking."

"With a dirty stable boy?" He laughed.

I saw Hayden's face darken.

"It's none of your business." Retorting as I glared at him.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "You need to clean up from these filthy animals." He pointed at my wrinkled, dirty dress. He strode away still chuckling to himself.

I turned back to Hayden with an apologetic expression.

"Go on." He said. "I'll finish up here."

"But…"

He, a bit callously, commanded. "Go." Then remembering his place he said quietly. "I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Alright." I frowned at him. "Fine."

I ran unladylike through the drafty corridors. Rushing into my bedchambers I found my servant, Chrissie, waiting for me. She had slivery gray hair, light brown eyes, and was quite plump.

"M'lady." She snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?"

"What color of dress would you like to change into?" She answered; motioning to three green, purple, and red dresses that were lying on the four poster bed.

"It doesn't matter." I said absentmindedly.

"I think the green one would make your lovely, blue eyes stand out." She chattered away as she helped me pull on the scooped neck dress that had short sleeves.

Then she squirted a nasty, strong smelling perfume on me to cover up the horsey smell. She put my hair up in do op and then she exclaimed. "You look wonderful!"

Then I was sent off to find my father. I found him playing chess in the hall with a gaudy looking lady.

"You wanted to see me father?" I tried to smile, but it came out fake.

"Ah yes!" He said. "Would you excuse me Lady Lucinda?"

"Oh of course!" She giggled and batted her eyelashes at him.

What a perfectly classic Mary Sue. I thought disgustedly. We walked down the hall and strode down to the beach that faced the west.

"You know you are growing into a beautiful young lady." He buttered me up. I wasn't falling for the old trick. "Well I have decided you need to see more of the world."

"What do you mean?" I queried. This wasn't what I expected. "I've been to Galma and the Seven Isles."

"You're sixteen now though and I thought we should take a little trip to the mainland to the west." He stopped. "Pack your bags. We're heading to Narnia."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"But why?" I puzzled, trying to figure out his scheme.

"I already told you." He looked surprised. "Now listen, you must pack all your most beautiful dresses, expensive perfume, and your prettiest jewels."

"Why?" I asked again.

"That, my dear, is for me to know and you to find out." He grinned. "Oh and you can't take your horse. I don't want you around that silly animal while we are there and anyway it's too much of a bother to ship horses."

"What!" I objected. "Evening Star is my most prized possession and the love of my life! Why can't I bring him?"

"I just explained that to you too! " He snapped impatiently. "Now stop asking so many question and go and pack."

I reluctantly went back to my suite. Chrissie was just bubbling about going to Narnia. I asked about the secret, but she avoided the inquiry. That tipped me off that something was going on... and it must be something I didn't want to happen.

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And no, Cassandra does not have Princess Syndrome. I'll explain her taste later in the story.