Golden Skye of Ansgar: The Windflower Saga, #24

By Aleksandra Layland

Golden Skye of Ansgar, A Windflower Saga Middle Grade Novel. Approx 26,000 words.

Set in a medieval-like world, "Golden Skye of Ansgar" is a short middle-grade story based on characters from the epic fantasy novel "Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path of Peace." (Part II of the Windflower Saga trilogy). It features a royal family with young children aged from toddlers to twelve years old, their friends, and their animals including horses, ponies, a dog, a cat, and three parrots. Golden Skye is the name of a beautiful golden warhorse mare sent to Queen Keridwen as a gift. In the stable of the Royal Palace, she makes many new friends. Everyone liked her. She was gentle yet brave, calm yet strong, playful yet ready to work hard. Whenever her friends needed help, they knew they could count on her, and Skye becomes involved in several adventures. This book introduces young readers to the characters of King Leofric and Queen Keridwen, the protagonists of "Of Wisdom and Valor" at a stage in their lives when they have only their youngest children at home, and are themselves becoming grandparents for the first time. The story takes place over a four year period, and the older children are sixteen years old by the end of it and ready to embark on their young adult lives. The story gives examples of family and friendship, the care of animals, and qualities of patience, steadfastness, and courage.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars

Golden Skye of Ansgar is a middle grade novel in the Windflower Saga by Aleksandra Layland. It is a beautiful story that children will love, but can be entertaining for adults and teens as well. Golden Skye is beautifully written, even poetic. It is a story about children and animals. It is an ideal story about an ideal place. I found it refreshing in this age of terrorism and heinous crimes to just have a simple story about growing up and being a good friend. This is something I can read to my kids. This is a story that I would want my children to remember. I think everyone loves horses, and horses are definitely the stars of Golden Skye of Ansgar. Children are prominently featured and parrots have a couple of guest star spots, but this story is mostly about the horses. That is what I like most about it.

Golden Skye is told with beautiful words. Aleksandra Layland uses words to create beautiful images that tell of a fairy tale-like country that every young reader will be eager to read about and even dream of visiting one day. The plot is simple, but rolls along at a pace that is appropriate for young readers. The characters are mostly children and animals with a few necessary spots allotted to parents and a few other adults. The writing is great. I think young readers and adults will love the way this tale is told, and I think the potential for this novel and the entire series is quite good. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aleksandra Layland
• Release date: Feb 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386322818

Book preview

In a time not now and in a world not of our own...

A beautiful golden mare was sent to the Queen as a gift. She made many new friends in the stable of the Royal Palace. Everyone liked her. She was gentle yet brave, calm yet strong, happy yet ready to work hard. Whenever her friends needed help, they knew they could count on her.

Named Golden Skye of Aikenstone at birth, she proudly became one of the Queen’s favorite warhorses; and was later known to the people of Kimbria as Golden Skye of Ansgar.

––––––––

Golden Skye of Ansgar

A Windflower Saga Middle Grade Novel

Aleksandra Layland

––––––––

This is a work of fiction.

Names, characters, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 Aleksandra Layland

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1540728586

ISBN-10: 1540728587

DEDICATION

To animals, wild and domesticated; and to those who love them, and preserve and protect them, including the many shelters and rescue facilities around the world that provide responsible and humane care for so many abandoned and abused animals. Bless you, and keep up the good work!

To Cricket the dog, Spice the cat, and Samson, Delilah, and Percy the parrots, who inspired characters in this story. Although they belong to others, I’ve enjoyed knowing them.

And to all the pets and animal friends I had in childhood and later years, including my horses Mr. Ed and Penny; my beagle-mix dogs Jeremy and Hein; my orange tabby cat Cinnamon; my mice: Nevada, Gris, Hitler, and Churchill; my guinea pig Skippy; my goldfish Kimmyfish, and my snail Sandy. They added so much to my enjoyment of life.

––––––––

––––––––

CONTENTS

Author’s Commentary

Although the Windflower Saga trilogy is written for the adult audience, I chose three of the animals mentioned in it, a pony, a dog, and a warhorse, as characters in books for younger readers.

Golden Skye is one of those animals.

She’s mentioned briefly in Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path of Peace. (Part II of the Windflower Saga trilogy) as showing the golden coat of her grandfather, Golden Prancer, who was Queen Keridwen’s own warhorse when she was a young Duchess of Ansgar. Lady Keridwen sent Prancer to Lord Wulfgar of Castle Aikenstone as a gift, on the promise that one day he would send her one of his descendants who showed the rare golden coat of the Ansgar shield horse.

This is the story of the young mare who fulfilled that promise.

––––––––

1 Castle Aikenstone

––––––––

Two young mares frolicked in a large green pasture near the stables of Castle Aikenstone. One was solid black except for the hint of a white blaze. When she was a foal, the blaze looked gray rather than white, as if it glimmered underneath her black coat, and she was named Black Glimmer accordingly. The other mare had a rare golden coat with both a metallic sheen and dapples, but her mane, tail and legs were black. She was born on a morning when there was a brilliant sunrise that made the whole sky a warm golden color. It inspired her owner to name her Golden Skye.

The mares had been playmates, stablemates and training mates since birth. In fact, they were born the same week in the same stable, and belonged to the same master, Lord Wulfgar.

While they frolicked with each other in the pasture, chasing each other, rearing, prancing, nibbling each other’s withers, and so forth, Lord Wulfgar rode towards them from the Castle. He was accompanied by his head horseman, Master Andrew. When they entered the pasture, they saw the mares in the distance and stopped to watch them at their play.

Glimmer will miss Skye, my lord, Andrew said. They’ve been together for four years now.

True. But I must keep my promise to the Queen, and I’m sure Skye will be very happy, once she gets accustomed to her new home.

Do you think the Queen will keep her at the Palace for long?

No. When the Queen next visits her homeland, she’ll take Skye with her and leave her there, with her other warhorses. The Queen and King will give up the throne in four years and return to their homeland. All they want to do after that is to live quietly and raise horses.

Andrew nodded and then took an apple from inside his tunic.

Skye! he called.

He held the apple up in the air.

The golden mare looked towards the sound, recognized the riders, and happily trotted towards them. Glimmer wasn’t finished playing and followed Skye, trying to get her to play a little longer. But Skye was well trained and went directly to the kind man who held up the apple for her. He’d given her apples and carrots on many occasions, especially when she did well in her training.

Good girl, Skye, Master Andrew said as he held the apple out for her to munch.

Glimmer whinnied at the sight of the sweet fruit.

Oh? Do you want an apple as well? Master Andrew asked the black mare. Here you go, then. He reached inside his tunic and brought out an apple for her.

Skye had finished her apple and wanted another. She came close to Andrew and gently nosed around his tunic.

The two men laughed.

I always thought she had a good head on her shoulders, Lord Wulfgar said.

Master Andrew petted Skye’s face. He took a coil of rope and slid it loosely over her neck.

Come along, Skye. To the stable.

Skye followed along without his ever having to pull on the rope.

Glimmer followed until she was at the gate. She wanted to follow along as well.

No, Glimmer, Lord Wulfgar said affectionately. He patted her neck. Join the others, now. The King will be here in a couple of days and stay only two nights. Skye must go to the training paddock tomorrow and then to the stable to have her mane and tail braided for the journey. You must stay here and frolic with your other friends.

As the two men left the pasture with Skye, they heard Glimmer whinny and Skye whinny back.

Glimmer waited at the gate until she couldn’t see Skye anymore. Then she turned and trotted to where the other horses were enjoying the shade of tall trees and the fresh water of a small creek that ran through the pasture.

She looked at the gate several times over the next week, to see if Skye returned, and moped for a time when she didn’t. The grooms took extra care to give her