"Are you sure you should be doing this, brother? Planting evidence of treason?"
Inslee began to regain consciousness. She found herself bent over in a rather smelly place, and someone was laying something on her back. No, not bent over, standing on her hands and feet. Wait, hands and feet? Those weren't hands, they were...hooves? And that object in her vision, not a muzzle, but a long...nose??
Inslee tossed her head in surprise, but found her motion limited by the rope tied to her bridle. She couldn't believe it. She was no longer a dying dog in the study of the Crown Prince, she was now a horse in someone's stable.
"It's just another job," the person saddling Inslee sneered. "Besides, having a royal owing you a favor is never a bad thing."
"Yes, but..." the voice Inslee had heard first hesitated. "To frame the duke..."
Suddenly interested in the conversation, Inslee twitched her ears backwards. Just at that moment, however, a gloved hand loosed the rope and pulled her out of the stall by the reins. Inslee blinked as she was walked out of the stable. She was somewhat steadier on four legs now, but it was still an discomfiting position. Why wasn't she back in the tower, or dead? Did that mean she didn't fail yet?
"Duke Van Heritas should know better than to go against the imperial family, he has only his own hubris to blame," the sneering voice responded. Although awkwardly restrained by the bridle, Inslee managed to cock her head enough to see the speaker. Dressed in less than noble clothes, the heavyset, smirking man was probably a mercenary or private soldier. No knight would be seen in such garb. This was a hired hand. Wait, did he say "Duke Van Heritas"? Weren't they talking about...
"Besides," the man continued as he mounted Inslee. "I hear the duke's daughter is quite a beauty. If she is to be tossed aside, perhaps we will be permitted a taste," the man grinned crudely, then kicked his heels into Inslee's side, forcing her into a mad gallop down the trail into the woods.
Inslee involuntarily continued her run, but her mind was in chaos. Should she throw this vile creature from her saddle? Would that save her house from disaster? Should she trample him to death for daring to dream of laying hands on her?