Serenity Valley

by Rocky Bills

  “Amazing! I never seen anything like it before. Been round horses all my life! How did you become bonded to one another?”

  Bells stepped in and rescued me. “It is the most amazing tale of tragedy, heroism, and triumph one could ever hope to hear of. Let me tell you the tale on the way to festival, where we can do some shopping.”

  Fulk and I quickly bid them all farewell and trotted away with the horses. When we were well away from the group, Fulk giggled. “So how long have you been putting on this show?”

  I said, “Second day running, but I’ll be here all week!”

  We both started laughing, and Fulk said, “That is a lot of fun, Gamel. Bells is very clever, isn’t she?”

  “She is a master of manipulation, Fulk! God help Forwin and my Gypsy friends. They are about to be overrun by a very wanting group!” Fulk just laughed and shook his head.

  As we neared the festival grounds, the most heavenly scent filled the air. Fulk and I looked at each other. The aroma of Basilea’s bread made our stomachs growl. As we passed Master Forwin’s tent, we could see a crowd of people that extended well outside his tented area.

  “Well, it looks like Forwin has his hands full, aye, Fulk?” I said.

  “Yea, and then some!” he agreed.

  “Oye, Master Gamel, Assistant Fulk, hold please!” Forwin was scurrying over to us with a smile so wide it must have hurt. “Gamel, what have you done?” he asked as he drew closer to us. “I have been overrun since yesterday! My whole family is helping in the booth, and I had to hire the lord’s master accountant to write deposit receipts for orders.”

  Fulk and I were laughing. I said, “I take it the forest boot is selling well?”

  “Well! I have over five hundred pair ordered, and more all the time. I will have to run the tannery round the clock to make enough leather. I’m bringing in my brothers, uncles, nephews, and their families to help. This one festival would allow me a great retirement if I wished. I almost feel guilty!”

  “Master Forwin, please don’t retire, as you are the best master tanner in the country. Do not feel guilty, either, as your product is of the finest quality and well worth the price!”

  He said, “I just can’t believe it. What did you do, Gamel?”

  “I guess you could say that a bit of manipulation has taken place,” I replied.

  Fulk started laughing. “He has the greedy lords so wanting of anything within hold boundaries, they would buy turds if we let them. In the case of your footwear, they solicit us. We just show them the fine product, and it sells itself! Everybody loves your boots! Lady Bella is wearing her boots under her gown, and I bet Basilea wears them also.”

  “She wears them?” Forwin said.

  “Oh, I need to warn you, Master Forwin. Lady Bella wings this way with a group of noble ladies wanting to purchase your boots in colors to match their wardrobes. She is waiting for her dozen pair of dress boots of various colors. Just a little white lie, but no misrepresentation of your goods. She showed them to the ladies, and jealousy did the rest!”

  Forwin just stood there in shock for a moment. Then, he seemed to spring into action. “I’ll have to expand, so many things to see to. Thank you so much, Gamel; you started it all.”

  I said, “Master Forwin, you are simply getting recognition you deserve now. No need to thank me!”

  “This is for you, Gamel.” Master Forwin handed me a sack of coin.

  “No need for that, Master Forwin. Keep your coin.”

  “I insist. You insult me to refuse. I won’t forgive you for making me feel guilty!”

  Fulk and I started laughing. Forwin was laughing also while he grabbed my hand and slapped the heavy bag into it. As he did so, he said, “I am also going to make you the finest saddles for these fine horses. I will make one for the mare immediately, but I suggest waiting on the colt until he grows out to ensure the fit. Please follow me, young men.”

  Forwin took us to the rear of his covered tent. His whole family was showing goods and talking to customers. The master accountant was busy recording receipts for payment and upgrading a ledger.

  I asked, “Are they all paying in advance, Master Forwin?”

  “Oh, yes. The master accountant insists, that way no one backs out and sticks me with the goods. No one will argue with a master accountant; that is why I wanted him!”

  “Shrewd, sir, very shrewd!” I said.

  Forwin said, “Now, let me measure the mare for a saddle.” Taking out a marked strap and stick, he took numerous measurements, making notes on a slate as he did so. After a few minutes, he said, “Well, that does it. This fine mare will never suffer a saddle sore from my product. Is there anything else I could possibly do for you, Gamel?”

  “Well, there is one thing. May I see your best heavy draft harness, with long reins, breast collar, cinch, bridle, the works!” Forwin went into the back of the second wagon and withdrew a large canvas bag with leather handles attached. He took out the massive collar and handed it to me. He then pulled out several cinches and other components, handing them to Fulk.

  “This is my best rig,” he said. “All wear points are fleece-lined. I have a standard bit in the bridle, but it can be changed out if need be.”

  Fulk and I inspected the rig. It was heavy-stitched leather, strong but pliable. The workmanship was first-class. The collar was well padded and supple. I said, “Master Forwin, this is a fine piece of workmanship. If I were a horse, I would kiss you!” We all started to laugh. I asked, “How much do you get for a rig like this, sir?”

  “It’s yours. No charge to you!”

  “You offend me, sir. I purchase this for friends. If I would not pay for it, the sentiment is ruined. I would feel cheap and crass to give a fine rig like this to someone knowing I didn’t pay for it!” We were all smiling and laughing.

  “All right then, if you must pay, I get one and one half gold for it.”

  “Deal!” I yelled out.

  “Deal!” he agreed, and we shook hands.

  I reached into my pocket and retrieved the half gold left over from yesterday and handed it to Forwin, along with a whole coin. I dropped my three remaining coin in the coin pouch Forwin had given me. We repacked the bag with the equipment, and I said, “Thank you very much, Master Forwin. This is going to mean the world to someone in just a little while.”

  Forwin said, “Enjoy, Master Gamel, Assistant Fulk. Have fun at the festival today!”

  “Thank you, sir,” I said. “Could I trouble you for some parchment, quill, and a piece of twine?”

  In short order, I had prepared a note, punched a hole in it, and tied it to one of the handles. Forwin and Fulk were very interested in what I was doing.

  Fulk asked, “Gamel, who is Samuel?”

  “He is a horse, Fulk.”

  “Sorry I asked!” We bid Forwin farewell and proceeded on our way.

  After a moment, Fulk asked, “Gamel, where are we going now? If you haven’t noticed, people are following us.”

  “The horses are celebrities. People are just curious.”

  We were about thirty yards from the Gypsy booth. By now, Lady Bella had arrived with the group of noble ladies, and from the looks of it, sales were going well. Ivan and Giselia were showing all sorts of exotic artifacts, and better than that, collecting money. Bells had something in her hand also. I steered our little group over to a clump of trees to the right of the booth. Our followers stopped behind us. I said, “Demon, I have something I need you to do. Take this to Giselia. You remember Giselia, the nice lady with Ivan?” Demon nickered and nodded up and down. A number of our followers gasped. Others started whispering. They thought they were seeing some kind of miracle, I guess. I said, again, “Demon, take this to pretty Giselia. Don’t let her give it back. Make her keep it. Can you do this?” Demon whinnied and bobbed his head up and down again. I said, “Take it now, Demon. Good boy, take it to Giselia!” I held the large bag up, and Demon took it from me. “Go with him, Mildred. Take it to Gise
lia, Demon.” Demon and Mildred trotted off toward the booth. The crowd behind us were all talking with excitement and juggling for position. Fulk and I moved behind a tree and peeked out on either side. Demon stopped when he got to the crowd.

  “I wonder how he will handle this?” Fulk said nervously.

  I said, “He’ll be fine. Have faith!”

  After waiting a bit, Demon moved close to the crowd and nickered loudly, Mildred’s nicker following close behind. The crowd at the table turned to see the two horses slowly walking towards them and parted to let them pass.

  Bells looked around and spotted us behind the tree. We waved to her. She smiled and turned back to watch the horses. Demon and Mildred walked side by side to the table and stopped. Demon held out the large bag for Giselia. Giselia said, “Oh! Sir Demon, Lady Mildred visit me, you have come.” Demon and Mildred nickered. They both bobbed their heads up and down. Demon leaned to Giselia and put the bag against her chest. Giselia said, “This me you want me have?” Demon and Mildred nickered again. Giselia took the bag from Demon and looked at the note attached. “Ivan, what say note, the writing here?”

  Ivan smiled as he came over to her and read the note. “For Samuel it say, the note.”

  Giselia exclaimed, “For Samuel? Me Samuel, good boy Samuel?”

  Ivan said, “Yes, is for Samuel.” Everyone in the crowd was watching intensely. Our spectators were expressing disbelief. With huge eyes, Ivan and Giselia looked into the bag. Ivan reached in and lifted out the huge collar. Putting it over his shoulder, he reached in and pulled out one of the cinches. Giselia and Ivan rubbed the fine fleece lining. Much rushed conversation took place in their language. Finally, they put everything back into the bag. Giselia tried to hand it to Demon, but he raised his head straight up in the air. She tried it again, but he refused. Then she tried to give it to Mildred. Following Demon's lead, she raised her head straight up in the air. Ivan was laughing, but Giselia was getting frustrated. “You take back, Demon,” she insisted. Demon whinnied and shook his head from side to side. Giselia tried another tack. “Mildred, you take back.” Mildred whinnied and shook her head also. Ivan and the crowd were laughing now, but Giselia kept trying. “You, horses, take back now.” Both horses shook their heads, and Giselia said, “It for Samuel, my horse?” Both horses nodded their heads up and down. By now, the crowd was going crazy; even Bells was applauding. Giselia asked, “It for Samuel? Keep I must for Samuel, my good boy Samuel?” The horses shook their heads up and down with numerous whinnies. Giselia started hopping up and down and squealing now. “Oh, you smart horses, smart, pretty horses!” That was all Demon and Mildred needed to encourage them. They both took their bow for Giselia. Giselia dropped the bag, half hopping half running, but squealing all the time. She cleared the table and latched on to Demon’s neck. Demon bent his head to her back to give her a hug. With tears, a squealing Giselia moved to Mildred and hugged her neck, and Mildred lowered her head and gave her a hug as well. A very excited Bells looked to us and waved us in. We moved from our hiding place and headed for the horses.

  Fulk said, “Better call them out before the crowd closes in on them, Gamel.”

  “I think you’re right!” I gave a loud whistle, and both horses snapped to attention. The crowd went silent as the horses carefully backed out of the crowd, turned, and trotted to us.

  I said, “Good horses! Smart horses!” Fulk and I were rubbing on their necks and patting their shoulders. Both horses held themselves at attention to receive their praise. “You two stay here with Fulk. I’ll be right back! You are the best horses in the world!” Demon and Mildred shook their heads in agreement and let out loud bellows.

  I moved to where Giselia and Bells were standing. I could see that Bells held a beautiful Asian fan in her hand. The blades looked to be made of some sort of green stone, but not the dark jade. Ivan joined his wife in front of their table. Both wore huge smiles. Giselia was still crying. I got within about ten feet of the Gypsies, and Giselia started running toward me, squealing. Grabbing me, she threw her arms around my shoulders and hugged me until I thought I would burst.

  Ivan came up to us and said, “I tell you wife is hotblood, this one; she wife best one!”

  Giselia released me and wiped her eyes, saying, “Smart horses, you send Samuel, for new make harness.”

  “No, I had no idea Demon had something for Samuel. I haven’t seen him since early this morning. Last I saw of him, he was headed for the Master Tanner Booth.”

  Giselia looked at Ivan for the translation. It took some time for him to find the proper words, but as he talked to her, the smile on her face grew even larger. She grabbed me again in a bear hug. “You fun make with words! You good boy! Thank you, for Samuel, thank you for harness!”

  “You are most welcome, Lady Giselia. Have you met Lady Bella?” I held my hand to indicate Bells.

  Giselia and Ivan immediately took a knee. Giselia exclaimed, “We sorry; we not know. Lady not knowing! Me think sister of Gamel be you!”

  A smiling Bells reached down and pulled Giselia to her feet. With her other hand, she waved Ivan up. Then she said, “Gamel and I are family! Please do not be upset. Gamel, look at this beautiful fan!”

  “It is beautiful, my lady!”

  Flicking it open, she placed it next to her face and flashed her eyes. “It finishes my outfit!”

  Ivan and Giselia were relaxed now and smiling. Ivan asked, “Gamel, what can we do pay for harness?”

  “Ivan, you and Giselia can pay me by having the evening meal with my friends and me. You can tell us more of the horse magic man.”

  Ivan discussed it with Giselia, who was smiling and nodding her approval. “Yes, be honor it will be!” he said after a moment.

  I said, “Good. I will be by at dusk. Don’t worry about your goods. We will post a guard while you are gone. I am sorry to interrupt your sales. I will take my leave. My ladies, my lords.” I turned and trotted to Fulk and the horses.

  We briefly stopped by to see how bread sales were going. The entire festival seemed to be saturated with the smell of the amazing bread. The line to buy bread extended outside the tent and onto the grounds. We went to the rear of the tent where the ovens were and peeked through a loose seam. The horses whinnied, which got the bakery staff’s attention. Basilea was soon in front of us and asked, “What mischief have you four been up to today?”

  “Oh, my lady, none, for we were too grief-stricken to enjoy ourselves. The grief caused by our separation from the one who makes us whole!”

  “Oh, dear sir, what is one to do for such devotion except offer some simple bread? Would you like some bread, sirs and lady?” The horses started to whinny. Basilea smiled and handed loaves of bread to each of us.

  “God bless and keep you, my lovely!” I said.

  We all trotted over to some trees. Fulk and I sat against a huge tree base and started eating our bread, while the horses dropped their bread on the ground and started the carnage.

  “Gamel, that was amazing, what the horses did,” Fulk said. “I think they listen to you.”

  “They will listen to you also, Fulk. That is why I keep you so involved in their handling. They relate to you as my second in the herd.”

  “Really? We are a herd now?”

  “In their eyes, yes, we are!”

  “Um, interesting. I will need to leave you soon. I have a date, you know?”

  “You go have fun. Try to make dinner, though. Bring Nesta if you like. You will be amazed at what Giselia knows of horses and bonding.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it!” We finished enjoying our bread, and Fulk went to fetch Nesta while the horses and I headed back toward Sirates House. On the way, we came across Goodwin, who was entertaining a group of noblemen and their entourage, so we did our little performance for them. As always, we were a big hit, and Goodwin had them wrapped around his little finger. I thought how awful it must be to entertain the very people who would see him dead to take what was his.

&nb
sp; That night, Giselia and Ivan wore their very best clothing to dinner. The colors were very bright and seemed to clash, but in their culture, it showed deep respect.

  Sayer was most interested in hearing what they had to say and joined our dinner. Nesta, Bells, and Basilea cooked a fine meal of wine-marinated chicken, vegetables, and of course, black bread. Good Roschale wine was served with dinner, and afterward, I asked Giselia to tell of the Horse Magic Man of her country, how the rare bond between man and horse works. With Ivan’s assistance, she talked for the next three hours of her experiences and what she had been taught by the old ones of her kind. She told us things that we never knew about the relationship between horse and man. One thing she told us was how it is believed a horse sees his memories. The old ones had taught her that the horse’s mind works differently than ours. When horses think, they see pictures in their mind. When they learn or experience something new, they store that picture in their mind. When something prompts them to remember an event, they recall that picture. To have better success with a horse, one can alter the training based on how horses take in the world.

  Everyone fell in love with Ivan and Giselia. Sayer couldn’t ask enough questions, although we all asked many. When I saw Giselia getting tired, I suggested we allow our guests to take rest. Perhaps we could talk again. Sayer escorted them back to their camp, as it was on his way home. The rest of us talked a while longer of what we had learned and what fine people they were.

  Bells couldn’t help but tease Goodwin. “Dear husband, would you like to see what I bought today?”

  Goodwin said, “Oh, yes please, my little sorceress.” Basilea, Fulk, and I looked at one another with scarlet faces.

  Bells said, “I got this fan to complete my outfit. Do you like it, dear husband?” Bells flicked the fan open and covered all of her face but her golden eyes, which she started to flash.

  “Oh, yes, my innocent, let me show you how much I like it!”

  That was enough. Fulk cleared his throat, “Well, I need to get to bed now.”