"The Stable Master's Tale," by Rachel Swirsky

Fantasy Magazine has posted Mandolin’s short story “The Stable Master’s Tale” on their website. Here’s how it begins:

I was born a baron’s daughter in a kingdom that no longer exists.

My father’s stables were the most important part of his holdings. By the time I had ten summers, I could soothe a panicked stallion and help birth a breech foal.

By the time I was fifteen, I’d realized I didn’t want to marry into some tedious house where I’d be expected to dedicate my life to child-rearing and embroidery. I knew this fate would inevitably befall me if I stayed, and so I packed a few things and snuck away in the night.

Head over to Fantasy Magazine’s site to read the entire story! And they also have a brief interview with Mandolin about the story.