by K Madill
“Aunt Daleth, please, it’ll be alright,” he assured her. She turned and looked at him with such despair that his hind legs grew weak. What had he gotten himself into?
“When do I leave?” he asked.
“Tomorrow,” Minegard answered. “Spend time with your herd, get a good night’s rest, son; tomorrow you begin the most important journey you will ever make. Tomorrow you become a full-grown horse.”
“You’ll be fine,” Baz said, giving Mandamus an encouraging smile. “Just fine.”
Minegard looked over the top of the stunned, silent crowd. “This meeting is over, and the Grass Circle judgment is final. Good hunting and good grazing to you all.” Minegard nodded at Barcus, Inc and Baz and then trotted away.
The green butterfly gave Mandamus one final glance before darting after Minegard with the bat in tow. Barcus gave Inc a slap on the shoulder before disappearing into the trees and Inc padded softly behind him. Baz ruffled his wings, and shot up into the sky, vanishing among the treetops. The trial was over and Mandamus’ fate was set.
“That’s what you call justice these days?” Daleth spat storming in the direction of home. “Justice, my hindquarters.”
Mareva walked soberly behind her, shielding Mandamus from the curious onlookers that had hung around after the trial to stare at his eyes and mark. He felt as though the weight of three horses sat upon his shoulders. He regretted speaking up. His gut was a storm of worry, regret, and fear.
Daleth snarled at the rows of staring animals as they went past, scattering them out of her way. Mandamus kept quiet; he’d never seen his aunt so mad and they had to break into a trot to keep up with her aggressive gait.
The horses made their way back to the beach and, as it was to be Mandamus’ last night there, Mareva and he, along with Daleth, went for a short gallop to a patch of Mandamus’ favourite salty sea-grass. A bright slice of moon shone down on them as they grazed.
“Now, Mandamus,” said Daleth. She didn’t care for sea-grass and was nibbling on some clover. “You know what the Sleeping Prophets are, don’t you?”
Mandamus thought hard. He had sat through a lesson on the Light Sands and the story of the Sleeping Prophets, but he couldn’t remember a thing.
“I don’t remember,” he admitted, feeling terribly underprepared.
“They’re humans, or at least they were,” Daleth told him. “I don’t think anyone knows the whole story or even the real story. They were supposedly cursed by the Fates.”
“The Fates?”
“There are three sisters called the Fates who are the authors of everyone’s destiny,” Mareva said. “Nona, Decum, and Morta are their names. Nona gives life, Decum rules it, and Morta decides when it is over.” Mandamus gulped. He never wanted to meet Morta.
“Yeah, well, I guess the Prophets,” Daleth chimed in, “who weren’t Prophets at the time, but human brothers named Udas and Nayte, decided that they wanted these powers for themselves. They were wealthy men. They built the Silver Castle, so they had plenty of riches. They had more money than they knew what to do with and sometimes, depending on the human, that can be a bad thing. They tried to trick Decum, the one who ran lives, into falling in love with Nayte, the handsome, older brother.”
“And what happened,” asked Mandamus, already guessing that things had gone horribly wrong.
“Well, deceiving someone’s heart is the worst thing one can do to another,” Daleth replied, as reached she down and nibbled some clover. “Decum fell in love with Nayte but then she found out about his and Udas’ plan. Her fury was terrible,”
“Instead of having Morta kill them,” Mareva cut in, “she cursed them with immortality. She took away their good looks, their money, and banished them to the furthest outer region of the Silver Kingdom, the Light Sands.”
It was a lot to take in, this story of heartbroken Fates and deceitful humans.
“Your journey to the Light Sands will be uneventful if you avoid the towns,” Mareva continued. She had not grazed, and Mandamus felt a lump of guilt. When had she last eaten? “Take the edge of the woods, all the way around,” she continued. “When you come to the Light Sands, look for something called the ‘sand towers’. You can’t miss them. The Light Sands are just dune after dune of sand. The towers stand out like a sore hoof. They’re long and skinny and stick straight up into the air.”
“Sand towers,” Mandamus repeated reaching down for another bite. “Got it.”
“That is where the Prophets live,” Daleth told him through a mouthful of purple buds. “When you get to the towers, call them to you. I think you’re supposed to yell, ‘Get out here, Sleeping Prophets,’ or something like that, right Mareva?”
“It’s ‘come forth,’” Mareva answered quietly, reaching down for a mouthful of Daleth’s clover. Mandamus’ heart leapt in relief, seeing her take that bite. “You ask them to ‘come forth,’ Mandamus, and be sure to say ‘Sleeping Prophets’ after you do because, well, you certainly do not want something else arising from that desolate place.”
Mandamus felt a pang of fear in his gut. “What other unknown things does the desert hold?” he wondered.
“Yeah, that’s right, it’s ‘come forth.’ Then you ask them how to get your herd and all the other animals back and you’re done!” Daleth said. “Doesn’t sound too bad, right Mareva?”
Mareva just gazed at him sadly. As responsible and miserable as he felt for her unhappiness, something else weighted heavily on his conscience too.
“I don’t understand why she did it,” he said finally. “She must be in so much trouble.”
“Who’s in trouble?” Mareva asked with a frown.
“Albethia. She lied about what really happened. I asked her what her name was, and she ignored me. I told her to wait when she tried to walk away from me without answering. She took part of the blame, but why? I was the one who spoke first.”
“Hmpf,” snorted Daleth. “Who knows why those mares do anything?” But Mandamus couldn’t help but worry about Albethia and what her punishment might be for her mother did not seem as kind or as forgiving as his own.
Mandamus woke early the next morning, his gut still heavy with all that had happened. His mother’s heartbroken face had stayed with him all night, even following him into disjointed dreams.
He wanted to savour this quiet moment in the cave with his sleeping herd. As always, he checked the large opening in the side of the cave to try to predict the day’s weather, but the morning was young, and a scattering of stars still twinkled in the purple dawn. He stood up and gently shook his coat.
“This is the last time I’ll wake up here,” he thought sadly, for even when he did come back after finding the Sleeping Prophets, he wouldn’t be living in the caves with his mother.
He watched his sleeping family. Hengist’s stern face was relaxed in its slumber and his aunt’s blonde mane shone in the dim light. He stared at his mother, trying to memorize her face.
Mandamus struggled against the swell of sadness in his chest. He did not want her to wake up and gaze at him so forlornly anymore and so he made the hardest decision of his life. He decided that he would leave before everyone woke.
He slipped quietly out of the cave and started down the path towards the Green Woods. A branch snapped behind him and his aunt’s sun-baked grass scent engulfed him. He whirled around to find her grinning widely.
“Thought you’d sneak off, did you?” Daleth asked smartly.
“I don’t think I could take a goodbye,” he confessed.
“I know the feeling,” Daleth said in a comforting voice. “I had a hard time saying goodbye to the herd when I left to join the humans. Don’t worry about the others waking up though.” She tossed her head towards the cave. “I purposely pretended to graze in sleep leaf last night. That clover wasn’t clover. I knew your mother would be too distracted to notice the differenc
e. I couldn’t have her crying all over you when you tried to go. She won’t wake up any time soon and she most likely won’t forgive me either, but I did what I thought was best. Come on, I’ll walk you to the edge of the Green Woods and point you in the right direction.”
Mandamus’ heart leapt. He wouldn’t have to start off alone after all and, for some reason, saying goodbye to his aunt didn’t feel as final.
“What an exciting day this is for you,” said Daleth cheerfully as they trotted along. “I always knew that you would have to go off on your own, sooner or later. Your mother, on the other hand,” she snorted, “she thought you’d stay at the beach with her forever.”
“So did I,” muttered Mandamus.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Daleth answered. “You have a lot of adventure in your heart, Mandamus. You’re also a lot braver than you give yourself credit for. Do you know how many animals that Marushka has frightened to death just by saying hello to them? That may have been the first time that her and I have met face to face, but I know plenty about her. She delights in scaring folks but did you run away from her? No, you stayed and tried to make things right. That, my nephew, is a sign of true courage.”
Mandamus didn’t have the heart to tell her that if he hadn’t been circled by the herd, he’d have run for his life.
They walked through the Green Woods under an already warm sun. A bird sang sweetly then fluttered off. They followed a stream filled with tiny silver fish that darted around its pebbly bed. It would have been a very pleasant journey on any other day.
“Most males leave home by themselves anyway,” Daleth continued but from her tone, Mandamus wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. “You’re not doing anything out of the ordinary. The fact that you’re on a bit of a more dangerous mission than just the usual young male looking for other young males is something that you’ll just keep to yourself, but it’s exciting when you think about it. Ah, what an adventure you’re on. I’m envious”
Mandamus nodded uncertainly. If she wanted adventure, he would gladly trade places with her. He was frightened, but he didn’t want to admit this to his aunt who seemed to be under the impression he was brave. He picked up his feet and held his head high.
“It’s going to be great,” he agreed with more confidence than he felt.
“Mind you,” Daleth continued, giving him a knowing look. “It is hard to leave home for the first time. I remember when I moved to the Silver Castle to be Prester’s Bonded horse and lead the warhorses. I missed your mother so much I used to go to the edge of the castle barns and whinny as loud as I could in the hopes that she would hear me.”
Mandamus pricked his ears in interest. Daleth rarely spoke about her past.
“Mandamus, as brave and quick as I feel you are, I also think you’re a bit too inexperienced to deal with the Silver Kingdom the way it is now. You know I used to belong to the army that stole your herd, don’t you?”
He nodded.
“The Rakhana are not the same as we were back when I lived among the humans, in fact, we weren’t even called ‘Rakhana’ we were the Castle Service because that’s what Prester, my human, and the human king, believed a king and his court should do - exist to govern and serve the people. Boy, things have changed since he died. General Caucus, who was just a young private back then, commands the troops now, but Asura and her wizard, Dazra is his name, make the rules. I belonged to the army the way it used to be when it was headed by a just and truthful man. I don’t know for sure what that wretched queen has done to those soldiers, but the things I heard,” she shivered. “Listen to me and listen well; you do not want to go anywhere near the Silver City if you can help it. You want to find the Bachelor Herd and stick with them until you reach the Light Sands. Stay on that path, Mandamus, and don’t stray from it.”
He nodded again. “Aunt Daleth,” he began uncertainly not wanting to have an argument in his last moments with her but wanting to know, “what happened to you in that army? Did you really kill your human?”
She sighed deeply. “No. I never want to relive it, that’s why I never talk about it. I wouldn’t have harmed a hair on Prester’s head. He was a good human and an even better king, and I loved him. Everyone did. I will tell you this though; there is nary a man I would trust in that kingdom now. I haven’t even told your mother about all the terrible things that happened in that place. Asura is more poisonous than the deadliest of snakes and that wizard who acts like her lap dog is rotten to the core. And those experiments,” she shuddered, and Mandamus was surprised to feel her trembling for he could never remember seeing her frightened before.
“Things like that are against nature itself,” she whispered. “She killed Prester.”
“If Asura killed him, then why did Marushka say it was you?
“Because there were no witnesses,” she answered. “They found Prester on our favourite trail, dressed in his riding clothes. He was dead. I was in the field grazing with the other horses when Caucus arrested me. Asura locked me up, but I broke out of prison and ran back here.”
Mandamus’ head was filled with questions but there was no time for that now for they had almost reached the watering creek. He knew that this was where Daleth would leave him but there was just one more thing he needed to know.
“What if I do run into a person?” he asked. It was going to be hard to avoid seeing people the entire way to the desert. “What should I do? How will I know the good from the bad?”
“Your instinct will tell you,” she answered. “Trust it.”
“Well then,” she said, wading into the icy cold stream that he had drunk from his entire life. Water sluiced around her ankles. “Here is the Deep Forest. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. Just stick to your task, stay away from the Silver City and return to us as quickly as you can. You see that small cedar, right over there? Go there and then head towards the sun.”
“Towards the sun,” Mandamus repeated, burning with anxiety. What he wanted more than anything was to just go home with her.
“I asked around last night” Daleth went on, “and I heard that the Bachelor Herds are grazing by the border of Sajan Plains. Now, the plains are quite vast so try to avoid going into them if you can. And be on the lookout for Sajan, King Bull of the Plains. He’s a bison and he’s as big as three of you with sharp horns and a bad temper. If you see him, run. He’s got a large herd, so they’ll be easy to spot but be careful when you do get to the edge of the forest because he is a relentless border patroller.”
A bison? Mandamus hadn’t thought of having to face any bison and he wished for the millionth time that he had never left the caves and never met the mares.
“When you find the Bachelor Herd,” Daleth told him, “urge them to go with you along the edge of the plains towards the desert. There are no predators in the desert, use that as a persuading point. Male horses will tend to listen to the one who’s most dominant so use your deepest voice and lead the way. The others will follow unless they’ve established a lead before you get there. If that’s the case, then you can challenge him,” she eyed his skinny flank and shook her head.
“I don’t suggest you do that. If they have a lead, then find another herd. You’ll have to get across the Serpentine River but that will be easy enough, there are bridges galore, just try to stay out of the towns and stay off the hard, human roads if you can help it—they’re dangerous and full of speeding cars, these machines that humans use to get around, and animal-drawn carts. You can get hit if you’re not careful. Keep following the afternoon sun and soon, you will reach the Light Sands. Where the woods meet the plains is not far, only about a day’s journey. Why, I bet you’ll be there before the sun goes down.”
“Sajan, sharp horns, Serpentine River, speeding cars,” said Mandamus whose head spun with all the information being thrown at him. He felt far from ready, but this was it. He was on his way.
Chapter 6
A Herdless Horse
Mandamus fought the strong urge to spin around and sprint back to the caves.
He lingered on the fringe of the drinking river but he knew he couldn’t stay there forever. He breathed deeply, trying to snag one last breath of salty, ocean air and then, fighting the rising panic inside him, he took his first solo step into the Deep Forest.
“The first step is always the hardest, I guess, he thought, trying to ignore the swarm of butterflies in his gut. Right now, he didn’t need butterflies, right now he needed clear logic and instinct.
But worries would not leave him alone.
The fact that he wasn’t even sure where he’d be sleeping twisted his gut with fear. The thought of spending the night alone, in the woods, sent a cold river of fear down his spine. He squashed these nagging feelings under several large helpings of grass. Chewing helped him think.
Every male horse goes through this,” he told himself. Every single one. They all branch out on their own and form herds with mates and other horses. I’m no different than any of them.
Only he was different and deep down, he could not deny this. He wasn’t going off to form his own family, he was going off to try and help horses that were being held by dangerous people.
He figured the Bachelor Herd shouldn’t be hard to find and once he did run into them, he knew how to behave and what to do. Caballus gave a Bachelor Herd lesson once a week, and these lessons were always interesting for the old horse would liven up as he told tales of his glory days with the nomadic single males.