Magic Tree House #49: Stallion by Starlight (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

from the man and backed against the fence. His ears were flat against his head. His eyes were wild.
    “What’s going on?” said Annie.
    “He was once a noble warhorse,” said Aristotle. “But ever since he was captured in battle, he has not let any rider mount him.”
    “Why?” asked Annie.
    “No one knows,” said Aristotle. “But the seller insists he can be tamed again and wants a bag of gold for him.”
    A groom threw a rope around the horse’s neck. Another brought out a whip.
    “What’s that for?” asked Annie.
    The groom cracked the whip on the ground.
    “No!” shouted Prince Alexander. “Put the whip down!”
    The groom cracked the whip again. The horse reared up. Arching his neck, he kicked his hooves, almost trampling the man who held the whip. The grooms jumped back to avoid being crushed.

    “No!” shouted Alexander again, rushing forward. “Do not hit him!” He grabbed the whip from the groom and threw it to the ground.
    “Do not be a fool!” the king roared at the prince. “Let them do their job!”
    Alexander ignored his father. He walked calmly toward the stallion. The horse stared at him for a moment, then took off across the ring. Alexander started running after him.
    “Stop him!” the king ordered his bodyguards. Two of the guards rushed forward and grabbed Alexander before he reached the horse. They held the prince as more grooms approached Bucephalus. The stallion reared up again.
    “This horse cannot be tamed!” the king shouted at the horse seller.
    “Yes he can!” shouted Alexander. He tried to break free from the guards, but they held him tightly. “And I am the one who can tame him!”
    “Take him from my sight! He is worthless!” shouted the king. Jack couldn’t tell if the king meant the stallion or the prince.
    The grooms drove the black stallion back into the stable. And the guards held on to Alexander as they followed the king and his companions back up the hill. Several times, the king turned and shouted at his son: “You fool!” “So reckless!” “Arrogant!”
    “Excuse me,” said Aristotle. “I must try to calm the king.” He strode away, leaving Jack and Annie alone.
    “Boy, Alexander’s dad is really mean to him,” said Annie.
    “I noticed that at the house,” said Jack. “He kept telling Alexander to be quiet.”
    Jack and Annie were quiet themselves as they watched King Philip yell at the prince all the way back to the Royal House. By the time the king and his party had gone inside, the sun had slipped behind the hill. Night was falling fast. The air had grown cooler.
    “I know we think Alexander’s a mean kid and a show-off,” said Annie, “but just now he was trying to protect the black stallion.”
    Jack didn’t say anything.
    “And we were kind of mean to him, too, actually,” said Annie. “We made fun of him and stuff. We did.”
    “He deserved it,” Jack mumbled.
    “But the truth is we were showing off a little, too,” said Annie, “to the king and his men.”
    “Fine. So what’s your point?” Jack said, sighing.
    “Probably we’re even,” said Annie. “Maybe we should start over with him.”
    “Oh, brother,” said Jack, but he actually agreed with her. Strangely, his anger at the prince had faded. He even felt sorry for him now.
    “I think his life is pretty sad,” said Annie. “Maybe we could help him somehow.”
    “How do you help a kid like that?” said Jack.
    “I don’t know,” said Annie.
    “Well, let’s start with a question,” said Jack. “What do we know about him so far?”
    “We know he craves excellence and glory,” said Annie. “That’s what Aristotle told us.”
    “We know he’s desperate to equal his father’s power and strength,” said Annie.
    “And he thinks he’s the great-great-grandson of Hercules,” said Jack.
    “Right. He’s a living Greek god,” Annie said.
    “And the world’s greatest athlete,” said Jack.
    “And soon he’ll be master of the universe,” said Annie.
    Annie laughed, and Jack laughed with her. “He’s ridiculous,” Jack said, shaking his head.
    “I’ve never met a kid like him before,” said Annie.
    “Thank goodness!” said Jack.
    “But we also know something else about him,” said Annie.
    “What?” said Jack.
    “We know he loves Bucephalus,” Annie said.
    “Yeah … so?” said Jack.
    “So let’s start there,” said Annie. “Love is always a good place to start. Don’t you think?”

J ack stared at Annie for a