“And you are much older in appearance than I anticipated,” said Kale as he squeezed the Clauggs hand tighter, making Malthius cringe. “I am only jesting with you,” said Kale as he released and smiled back. “My name is Kaelithus, but everyone calls me Kale. Kaidian has blessed me with the Staff.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Kale, my name is Malthius, and I am the Keeper of the Hammer.” The Claugg turned to others and said, “This is Sadja, Keeper of the Sword, and Alandra, Keeper of the Bow.”
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you all,” replied Kale as his gaze froze on Alandra. He was instantly attracted to the young woman. Alandra just gave a shy smile and looked down to the ground.
“If we may, I would like to take you to the construction of the White Council Halls,” said Malthius. “Also, allow us to become further acquainted, for I feel that we will be in each other’s lives for a long time to come, and we have much to learn about one another.”
Kale followed the company as they made their way to the upper levels of the capital. For Alandra and Kale, this was the first time in the capital, and were having a hard time taking it all in. As they reached the top, Kale gazed in awe at the construction of the White Council Halls.
“Impressive isn’t it,” said Alandra.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” replied Kale as he looked at her. He smiled and quickly turned back away as he blushed.
The White Council Halls were constructed on the uppermost level of the city, adjacent to the Throne Room. The Halls were built entirely of white stone, and rose a hundred feet above the city. The bricks were whiter than the rest of the city, making the new towers stand out. The southern side of the Hall rose several hundred feet further down the city’s many levels. To the front of the Hall rested several carved pillars made of a brownish red granite. The pillars held the foundation of a terrace made of white marble. The terrace would soon become the place where the Keepers would take council with the town’s people from the streets and listen to their concerns. This is also where all matters of the court and trials of the convicted would commence. To the top of the Hall was an oval room of meeting. This is where the White Council would gather and discuss all matters of the Kain and the surrounding territories. The layers between the terrace and the meeting room would house the dwellings of the Keepers. A small and private stable also rests within the Halls for the White Mare and the other steeds used by the Keepers and high ranking Officers to reside in.
It took only a few months until the White Council Halls were completed. The four Keepers divided the several tasks and demands of the realm among them. They traveled often throughout the realm, including the Shorelands to the west, and the Fertile Valley to the south. Kale and Alandra quickly grew in their affection for one another, for they were still young in age, and maturity. Every minute that they were not tending to their duties, they would spend with each other. One afternoon, roughly six months after they met for the first time, they escaped the capital to the fertile farm lands to the south. They met in a small grass field as Cheyanne grazed on the newly seeded green grass.
“Doesn’t it feel good to just get away from it all?” said Kale as he laid down on the spring grass.
Alandra walked towards him and said, “It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as I am with you.” She knelt alongside of Kale. “I never imagined that I would ever find love.”
Kale sat up and looked into the girl’s eyes. “Me either, I just wish that we could tell the others.”
Alandra replied, “You know why we can’t say anything, we are to provide protection and order to the Kain, and nothing else. Kaidian did not mean for us to fall for each other. The order would not accept our union, for they would no longer trust our judgement.”
“I know we can’t,” said Kale as he gently brushed the girl’s cheek, “but it doesn’t change how my heart feels in this present moment.” Suddenly, Kale stood to his feet and said, “Now, come, show me your might.”
Puzzled, Alandra said, “What do you mean… show you my might?”
“Come on, I want to see what the great Keeper of the Bow is made of,” said Kale as he turned and walked a few meters into the green grass.
Alandra stood to her feet and said with a smirk, “What would you like to see, oh great leader?”
Kale turned around and said with a smile, “You know what I want. Try and strike me with one of your ‘magic’ arrows. I want to see if they fly as true as they say.”
Alandra wasted no time in revealing her Bow and pulled back on the bowstring. Between the string and the Bow appeared an illuminated blue arrow.
“Are you sure you want to see how true my arrow is?” asked Alandra as she stared at Kale with sarcastic intensity.
Kale said nothing as he stared back, raising one eyebrow, and nodded. Alandra then released the arrow as it soared towards the Keeper of the Staff in the blink of an eye. Kale instantly froze time and slowed the blue arrow to a mere crawl, and waited till it had nearly reached him before revealing his Staff in all its glory, returning time to its natural speed. The arrow regained its former speed, but was instantly dissipated into thin air. Kale then tilted his Staff towards Alandra as her body gently lifted into the air. Kale then summoned Alandra’s floating body towards him ever so slowly. As she arrived, he released his hold as her feet met the ground in front of him. Kale stared into her eyes for several seconds before gently taking his hand behind her neck, then drawing it towards his.
He then leaned closer and intimately whispered in her ear, “See… I knew you couldn’t hurt me.”
He then gently met her lips with his as he summoned a power causing them to rise slightly above the air. As they hovered and began to kiss each other with increasing passion, several small yellow flowers were uprooted from their dirt home, and slowly began to swirl around the two forbidden lovers. That blissful day would stay with them for many decades to come… even centuries.
Several months passed as the Keepers’ responsibilities grew. More and more often, they were sent to distant parts of the realm to defuse various tensions and conflicts. Kale and Alandra found themselves becoming increasingly separated with each mission they were sent on. Tensions started to grow between them as they slowly began to take out their frustrations on one another, constantly fighting over who was more to blame for their separation. One morning, after fighting the whole night, Kale revealed to Alandra that he had to travel to the southern village of Riverton on business. She also had business to attend to in the west. They parted ways with their arguments unresolved. Kale rode his mare Cheyanne south towards the ever-growing city of Riverton. He noticed that she had gained a great deal of weight, and was not moving as fast as she previously had. As he reached the stronghold, Cheyanne collapsed to her knees as Kale quickly dismounted her, barely escaping his stirrups before she rolled over his leg. Worried for her health, he rushed into the city and summoned the nearest vet he could. A middle-aged woman came to his call, and tended to the mare.
Shortly after her inspection, she turned to Kale and said with a smile, “The mare is pregnant.”
Shocked by the news, Kale replied, “Pregnant?! How can this be, for she has been with no stallion?”
“I do not know,” replied the vet, “but from what I can tell, she is about ten months along.”
Kale thought for a moment, before realizing that nearly ten months ago, he was blessed with Kaidian’s power, who then transformed Cheyanne into the White Mare. He must have seeded her with a foal, blessed from the heavens.
Kale spent all day and night with his agitated friend. She was boarded in a small stable lined with straw. Cheyanne mostly laid down, and only occasionally got up to walk around. She wouldn’t eat or drink. Her body was hot, and she was covered in sweat. Noticing that the mare was nearing the birth of the heavenly foal, Kale ran and sought after the vet for assistance. The vet and her young assistant Molly rushed to Cheyanne’s aid. Molly held her head steady as the vet aided in the birth
. It took hours for the tired mare to push the foal out.
“Here we go, she’s getting close,” said the vet as Kale anxiously awaited the birth.
The vet then took the foal by the hind legs and helped pull him out. That night Cheyanne gave birth to her first foal. It only took seconds for the foal to rise to his feet. He stood strong and balanced as Cheyanne licked the young colt clean. The colt was a paint, with black and white coloring. His face was mostly covered in black, and his eyes were solid blue. As the young colt looked at his mother for the first time, his eyes began to shine a bright blue light. As he did, Cheyanne’s eyes did the same. Kale, the vet, and Molly looked on in shock, for no horse has ever shown signs of this magic, including the White Mare.
“It is a gift from the heavens,” said the vet in awe.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful site in all of my life,” said Molly as she walked over to the newly born colt.
Kale also walked over and knelt to his knees. The colt turned to Kale and pressed his little head to Kale’s chest, then just stood there. Kale took his arms and wrapped them around the colt’s neck.
“He is more than a gift from the heavens,” said Kale, “he is a true born. Let it be known that on this night, in the city of Riverton, the first member of the Trueborns was born of the great White Mare. Every mare to be bred by this colt shall be seeded with a foal of the Trueborn. They shall not serve the Kain, but be partners with them. Together, the Kain and Trueborns will be united by a bond stronger than any before it, just as strong as the bond between the White Mare and me.” Kale rose to his feet as he turned to the vet. “The people of this city have shown themselves to be exceptionally gifted in the training and care of horses. This city is where the young colt will live and be trained. In time, he will need to be bred with nothing less than your strongest and healthiest mares, to insure his line is strong.
“We would be honored to take on this responsibility,” said the vet.
“Good,” replied Kale. “For the time being, I need a caretaker to look after Cheyanne and her foal so that I may attend to the affairs that brought me to Riverton in the first place.”
“I will watch after them!” said Molly with enthusiasm as she jumped to her feet.
Looking down at the eager girl, no older than twelve, Kale said, “Are you sure that you are qualified for such a task?”
Before she could reply, the vet said, “Oh, trust me, she spends more time than anyone in the stables. Her mother is a good friend of mine, so I have known this one since she was a young child. Ever since she could walk, she has been around the horses. Sometimes I even think that they have a special language only they can understand.
Kale looked back at Molly, who was holding her hands together, eagerly awaiting a response.
“I guess she can watch over them for the time being,” said Kale hesitantly.
“Oh, thank you, thank you!” said the young girl as she ran over and hugged the Keeper around the waist. Startled, Kale awkwardly hugged the young girl back.
“I must go, I will meet back with you soon,” said Kale to the vet as he turned and looked at Cheyanne and the colt. “Before I go, I guess I should give you a name. I shall call you Michael, first of the Trueborns.” Kale then turned and walked out of the stable and set off to the task that brought him to Riverton.
A week later, Kale returned to the stables. Cheyanne had regained most of her strength as she nursed the growing colt. Molly never left their side, only to go home and eat. Although her mother and father forced the girl to sleep in her bed, Molly would sneak out the window and visit the Mare and the colt.
As Kale entered the stable, he looked over to Molly who was brushing Cheyanne’s mane, and said, “How did things go while I was gone, how is Michael?”
Turning around, the girl ran over to the Keeper and climbed onto the wooden fence. “He is amazing! I have never seen a foal learn everything so quickly, watch this!” Molly turned and jumped off the fence as she walked over to the colt. “Ok Mikey, let’s go.”
“Mikey?” asked Kale.
“Ya, that’s what I call him,” replied the girl as she turned and started walking out of the stall, and into the paddock. The young colt turned and followed the young girl. Astonished, Kale opened the gate and walked into the paddock. He watched on as the colt followed the girl around. Every turn the girl made, he made too.
Molly then turned to Kale and said, “See? Isn’t he amazing?”
“He is,” replied Kale, “perhaps I have underestimated you. It is clear to me that you should be the one to look after Michael, or Mikey, while I am away, for I must travel back to the capital and attend to an unresolved issue.”
“I would be honored!” said the girl with excitement.
“Good, then it is settled,” said Kale. “I shall leave Cheyanne in your care until she is no longer needed to nurse the colt. Once she is ready, she will find me. I will hopefully return before then, but in case I don’t, I need to know that you will take care of the colt as if he was your own.”
“I swear I will not let you down my Lord,” said the girl as she turned her attention back to the colt.
Kale left that night for the capital to attend to his wounded relationship with the Keeper of the Bow. They tried to make things work for several months, but inevitably came to an agreement that they are better off separating now before they grew too deep in love. They were able to remain friends and act professionally with one another. Every once in a while, each one of them would think back to the short but passionate love affair they shared, and that day in the green field.
Kale was not able to travel back to Riverton, for the duties of the kingdom allowed him no free time. Cheyanne returned to the capital roughly ten months after her foal’s birth. She showed signs of separation from her colt, but knew that her allegiance was to the Keeper and the Kain. Kale often wondered if he should allow her to travel back to her colt, but knew that his need for her was too great.
Four years went by before Kale was able to travel back to Riverton to visit Michael, who was now a great stallion. As Kale and Cheyanne approached the village, he could hardly believe his eyes at how much the city has grown. Riverton was now more than a stronghold, and a bolstering market place. Once word traveled to the surrounding villages and farmsteads that the heavenly foal of the White Mare resided in Riverton, people from all over moved in and brought their commerce to the growing city. Over the years to come, the city of Riverton would grow to be the largest dwelling in the realm, save the capital.
As Kale entered the city, he flagged down a nearby townsperson and asked him, “I am sorry to bother you sir, but where may I find the girl Molly and my colt, excuse me, stallion?”
“Molly? Do you mean the caretaker of the stallion?” asked the man.
“Yes, where may I find her?”
“She is probably at the stables to the east of the city,” replied the man. “Take the northeastern bridge. Follow it for a half mile or so over the eastern cliff wall. On the other side, there is a large green field. That is where they built the new stables and board all the horses of the Trueborn.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” said Kale.
He then set off towards the eastern fields the man spoke of. As he arrived at the top of the cliff face, his eyes could not believe the site they saw before them. The green field housed countless paddocks filled with a variety of horses. At the center of the paddocks stood a long building painted red. Kale looked to the southeast at a paddock with several young colts and fillies in it. They all stood still in a circle, and at the center stood a young teenage girl. Kale dismounted Cheyanne and led her to the paddock. As he got closer, he could now recognize the young teen to be Molly. He stopped and watched her as she started to walk in a circle. As she lifted her hands, the young horses started to follow her one by one. They walked in a circle as Molly started to direct them to change directions. With every movement, the young colts and fillies responded. Soon, the teen and the young hor
ses were displaying a type of dance between them and their master. Kale was beyond impressed, for he has never seen a trainer have such a connection, let alone a girl of such young age. She appeared to be their mother, and them her children.
Kale walked over to the gate and opened it. Cheyanne then walked into the paddock as her eyes started to illuminate in the bright blue light. Molly stopped what she was doing when she noticed the White Mare and the Keeper. One by one, they turned towards Cheyanne as their eyes also started to illuminate. She gazed over each and every one of her grandchildren.
“Are all of these yearlings descendants of the stallion Michael?” asked Kale.
“Yes, they are all from the stallion’s line,” replied the teen as she walked over to Kale. “As you can see, we have done exactly what you have asked of us. Every mare was carefully selected. There are nearly forty offspring of the Trueborn.”
“You have far exceeded my expectations Molly,” said Kale, “I could not be more proud right now. All the worries I have had over the last four years have suddenly evaporated as I look upon the descendants of Cheyanne and her colt. You are a truly gifted young lady. From this day forward, you will be known as the ‘Mother’ of the Trueborns. Your daughter, and her daughter, and her daughter’s daughter will carry on your legacy. Forever may the ‘Mothers’ of your line watch over the Trueborns. May they protect them, train them, and pair them with their masters. Do this, and your family and their families will forever receive the blessing of the White Council.”
“Again, you give me such a great honor my Lord,” replied the teen. “I will gladly commit my life to the Trueborns, and so will my future daughter, and her daughter, so on and so forth”
Molly held true to her promise. Years later Molly would give birth to a daughter, who in time became the ‘Mother’. She also had a daughter, as well as two sons. Her daughter also would one day hold the title of ‘Mother’. For six hundred years, the women of Molly’s line took on the responsibility of the ‘Mother’. The Trueborns grew from forty to today’s nearly ten thousand, all born from new bloodlines. Although the breeds were different, they all shared the same line. Trueborns now come in many different sizes, colors, and stature, but they all shared one trait in common. Their eyes will always shine blue in the presence of the White Mare. The stables also grew into a vast network of boarding and training facilities. Once a year, the ‘Mother’ would host an event where the year’s foals would be paired with their masters. The ‘Mother’ would hand chose each and every pair, matching the master with the right yearling.
The Reclaiming: The Keepers Saga: Volume Two Page 19