by A C Wilds
“Hey Wolvie, why is there so much yelling right now?” I ask Logan.
“They are trying to get Red under control. When he gets like this, it can be dangerous for the others. That’s why no one rides him. That’s why he’s only the companion horse. He’s kind of a dick.” He says the last part with a tilted smile. He knows he’s not supposed to speak like that, but he is testing my cool factor out, and seeing if I will treat him like a kid. I decide to run with it. I might not like it, but I need some allies if I am getting out of here anytime soon.
“Let’s hurry up then. I don’t want anyone to be hurt,” I say.
Coming around the bend, I can see it now. The scene in front of me is right out of a Western. There are 5 men all around Red in a circle. The one directly in front is Greyson. I’d know that shapely ass anywhere. Red is rearing up and trying to get away from them. His eyes are huge and in a state of panic. He is tense, and it looks like at any given moment he might flip out and hurt someone. They are attempting to get a rope around his neck so that they can bring him in, but this is only causing more tension between them.
I walk up calmly behind Greyson and lean into him. I whisper in his ear, “You need to get the rest of these idiots out of here. I will get Red. When I say, start walking in a circle collecting the men as you go. Do not make eye contact with Red, do not make sudden movements with your arms, and for the love of the gods, please do not shout.” I can tell that he heard me because his back goes rim rod straight and his hand comes up to touch my face just as I back away. He does what I say though, moving slowly to my right and walking away. This gets Red’s attention, and he spots me for the first time. He’s breathing heavy, and his pupils are still dilated, but when he scents me, he seems to calm a bit.
“That’s it. Good boy. Look at me. I’m here now. I got you,” I hush to him. My voice starts to take on a hypnotic melody repeating the words over and over. I am distracting his brain from his flight instinct. He needs to understand that I am in charge here, and I got all this mess under control. Once he knows he can look to me for guidance, it will be easy enough to move in and halter him. One of the guys makes too much of a sudden step to his left, and it almost undoes all the work I just started, but when I call Red back, his awareness of my control is much stronger. It takes a minute or so, but all the guys have disappeared behind the fence. It’s just me and Red now. Greyson dropped the halter and lead rope at my feet before he left. I bend slowly to pick up the halter. With it grasped in my hands, I walk forward. My arms are slightly in front of me, and I maintain eye contact with Red. He hears my voice and is still with me, which is a good sign. I get within reaching distance, but before I can close it, he takes a step toward me. I’m in shock. Normally, when horses are this scared, they would never approach. Seems like Red is a special horse. I lift up the halter and get it clipped on over his head. He is eyeing me now with a look that says, “Thank the gods you’re here.” I keep us still for a minute, and I just gaze into his deep eyes. Horses eyes are like pathways to get lost in. For some reason though, Red’s eyes make me think of coming home.
“Azra, can you please clip the lead on Red? I need to get all these people home for the night,” I hear Greyson ask from behind me. He must not be too close because Red hasn’t reacted. I bend down and get the lead and clip it onto the halter. Red’s just standing there now in a comfortable manner looking to me for direction. I click my tongue and gently tug on the lead to move forward. He walks with me back into the barn. Once we enter the safety of his stall, I hear the commotion outside begin again. At this point Red has put it all behind him and is eager to get started on his evening meal. His feed bucket is filled to the brim with all manner of good things. There is even some cut up apples mixed in. I manage to get the halter off him before he chows down. I’m stepping out of the stall when I look up and see Greyson approaching with Logan.
“That was so freaking cool, Az! I can’t believe you just walked over there and were like ‘Red you need to calm down,’ and he did. I never seen him listen like that before,” Logan gushes. My cheeks tint a bit pink, but this is all something that every stable hand should know how to do.
“It was just what anyone would do Wolvie, nothing special. Besides, it wouldn’t have had to be a show like that if people were trained on how to properly manage the horses. Their behavior isn’t like humans, it’s not even like dogs or cats. It’s a whole other way of thinking that takes some time to get your mind around. Sure, there are some people that are better at it than others, but if you know the basics, you can make smart choices. That leads to a better environment for the horses and for the handlers,” I lecture. I know it’s annoying as hell, but when a 1,500 pound animal makes the decision that you are the problem, things can get ugly fast. Imagine a kick to the face or even being crushed. Nothing pretty about that.
“It’s not like any of us had a fucking choice here,” Greyson barks. “We are all here just trying to live day to day. There is no tutorial or fucking Youtube videos to show us how to act. We are given a task, and we have to make it work, otherwise we suffer the consequences.” His look could cut glass right now. Gone is the guy who almost kissed me before.
“I don’t know why you’re so pissed with me, Abductor, but I am just as much of a prisoner here as you are. In fact, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here in the first place, now would I?” My hands are braced at my sides, and my nose is high in the air. I don’t care if I look like a five-year-old having a fit. Fuck this guy! Who does he think he is, talking to me like that?
“Grey, what is she talking about?” Logan looks up at his big brother and asks.
“Nothing, Squirt.” Greyson says, as he is still staring at me.
“Maybe you need to take your brother back to wherever it is you go at night, and have a chat with him on why I am really here. And maybe you also want to figure out how we can help each other not be here. Come find me when you have the decency to get rid of your fucking attitude,” I snarl, and dismiss him by turning back around to Red. I left a dandy brush in here earlier, and I find it lying on the floor beside his water bucket. I begin to slowly brush circles into Red’s coat while he is munching away on his hay.
“Come on, Squirt. Let’s get you to bed,” I hear Greyson say to Logan. Their footsteps become lighter as they fade into the distance. The barn door closes, and all that is left is blissful silence and the quiet munching of horses enjoying their dinner.
It takes me about a half an hour to calm down from that confrontation. There is just so much going on in one day. First, I have this amazing morning with a man that I am sure is no good for me, then I get to play dress up and march in front of a bunch of Fae that either hate me or want to be me, and then I find out that I am going to marry the Seelie Court heir to the throne. On top of all this, Greyson is a douche to me, and I have to find a way to get out of here. This is all so much. I place my head on Red’s warm side. He smells divine, like deep earth and freedom. I feel a tug on my shoulder and roll my head in his direction all the while still keeping contact. “Are you trying to nip me now? After all that?” I ask him playfully.
No, I was trying to get your attention. Why would I bite you? It makes no sense.
“What the…?” I say out loud. I must be losing my damn mind. It sounded like the horse just talked in my head. Can this day get any weirder? “Did you just talk?”
I can’t talk yet, but yes, I did communicate with you. Just like I’m doing now. It actually has been impossible to get any of these assholes to listen to what I have been trying to say. You were the only one who has taken a beat to be with me. I needed to see you, hence the reason for all this commotion.
I’m pretty sure if I was looking at myself in the mirror, my jaw would be on the floor. I’m probably having a delusional episode brought on by all this trauma. I need to go lie down. I start to slowly back away, but Red turns and tries to follow. “What are you doing? You have to stay here,” I say, because if I am being honest, I
do want this to actually be a thing and not a mental break.
I can tell you are getting ready to bolt. If you do, I am going with. Red speaks into my head. I am choosing you to be my soul bonded, so where you go, I go.
Holy shit! This is really happening. I’m talking to a fucking horse in my head. Hell yes! This is the best thing that has happened since I have been brought to this nightmare. I know I shouldn’t be accepting this so quickly, but God if this hasn’t been a dream of mine. Do you know what we could accomplish on the court!
“You’re choosing me? Why? I don’t think there is anything special about me,” I say in a hushed tone. Even though we are alone, I don’t want anyone to hear us. I can tell this is a fragile thing. I’d be crushed if it was taken away.
I have been waiting a very long time to find my soul bonded. It’s not a common thing among my race, but I always knew I’d find mine. You are strong of heart, caring, and you aren’t afraid to speak your mind, even if you are being stupid. These are qualities I admire. You are the Changer. I am hoping you will accept, and let me help you on your journey.
“I accept. I don’t know if I am going crazy, or if this is real but, fuck yes! Let’s do this,” I say a bit louder, because I can’t contain my excitement.
Red paws the ground and shakes his head. He seems just as excited as I do. We will do the ceremony tomorrow. We need the full moon and a running body of water. These pricks built one on the other side of the palace property. Even though it’s not real, it will do.
“Alright, I’ll meet you here tomorrow night, but do you think we could ride a little tomorrow? It’s been so long, and I really had so much fun today,” I ask, a little hesitantly. What if he doesn’t like being ridden. I’ve never asked a horse before. My mounts have always been willing to work, but I could never ask their opinions before.
Of course. I enjoyed myself this morning as well. I like this jumping thing you do.
“Wait. You’ve never jumped a course before?” I ask, astonished. He was so amazing today. He hit every jump perfectly. I can’t believe that he actually has never done this before.
I have never had the reason to; I would not allow anyone else to ride me before.
“Woah! You mean to tell me I jumped on a horse that has no experience with a rider or a course before. This is insane!”
If you say so. I am not a regular horse, Azrael. I am a Fae creature. I have abilities and intelligence that cannot compare to other beings.
This is getting to be a lot to take in. I’m intrigued though. I want to know more about him. “So, if you’re not a regular horse, what are you exactly?”
I am an Arion. A long time ago there were many herds of us living in peace in Faerie. Now, I don’t know if there are any left. I haven’t been to Faerie in almost a thousand years.
“That’s a long time to be away from home. Why are you here? Stuck in this place?”
I was given to the Light, but the Dark Queen used me as a spy until we lost contact many years ago. She likely thinks I am dead, and the Light thinks I am a regular Fae horse.
“What makes an Arion so special from a normal Fae horse? What can you do?”
Arion are considered the swiftest horses. They have the ability to run at impossible speeds and fly high in the sky. I can communicate telepathically, and I have healing qualities in my saliva. When we are soul-bonded, there are extra abilities that we can manifest, but because it is so rare, I have never seen it before. I am also a strong war horse with the ability to take down many enemies. Honestly, I could very well be the best thing that has ever happened to you. He says this with his horse face which makes it even more funny. He has no expression, so it comes across as a deadpan joke. I laugh out loud.
“Full of yourself much? Although I have to agree, that is quite extraordinary,” I say. I can’t believe this is a conversation I am having with a horse. No, correction, an Arion. I might have to go to bed soon, my head is swimming.
If you were a superior being, you’d feel the same.
“Alright, Mister. I’m going to bed. I need to sleep and process all this. I think in the morning we should play it cool. Don’t let anyone know of our new connection. I’m going to run through a bunch of practice routines with you, we can do some more jumping, and then give you a good grooming and a bath. Is that all ok with you?
That is acceptable. I also think it is wise to hide our bond for now. It can be manipulated before the ceremony if anyone finds out. The Seelie court is not what it seems. Even though it is considered the Light, it does not burn pure. Michael is as evil as they come. When the time is right, we must leave.
“Red, you took the words right out of my mouth. I have been wanting to leave since I got here. Michael gives me bad vibes, and I can’t wait to get as far away from him as possible”
Red considers me for a minute. I guess this is all new to him also. I know it’s weird for me. You are right. After the ceremony we must make a plan to depart this wretched court, and I must return to Faerie and the Dark.
“Wait a minute. You intend to take me to the Dark court? The Unseelie Court? Isn’t it worse than here? I don’t want to jump into the fire, so to speak.”
Dark or Light has nothing to do with the Fae you are. It is the choices you make that make you good or evil. The Dark court is not perfect, but they believe in free will, and you need to go there if you want to be able to become the Changer. Your next mate is there.
“Hold on one second, my next what? I don’t even have a mate now, how would I gain another?”
You do have a mate; Cassiel. He is your first, although not the alpha.
“No, we are certainly not mates. I mean he is fucking gorgeous, and I have this unexplained pull to him, but he is not my mate. I don’t even know him. I could never love someone who agrees with what goes on in this place.”
You never will truly know a Fae unless you take the time. He is not a bad male. He treats Storm with respect and kindness. I think he is just misguided. He has never known anything else. He is your mate, regardless of your initial feelings. He will be needed for you to complete the Change. We can talk more on this later. Go rest. I am tired as well. We need our strength for tomorrow night. It will take a toll on us both.
I have to agree with him. I am exhausted, and my mind is reeling from what he has told me. “Ok Red, see you in the morning,” I respond. I latch the stall behind me as I leave. All is quiet across the grounds. The guests must have all left. I look up to the sky and see a million stars. I have no way to tell if they are real or fake, like everything else around here, but they are pretty, so I imagine they are real. There is so much to think about. How could all this be happening to me? I have so much to sort through.
Chapter 14
Mating
Azra
I make my way into the kitchens and down the long hallways to my room. As I approach my door, I notice a figure standing there. He is in the shadows so I can’t see his face, but I’d know that silhouette anywhere. “What do you want, Cass?” I ask, with a bit of exhaustion in my voice. I am really not in the mood to argue with him again.
“I just came to apologize for earlier. I could have handled it much better,” he says looking a little sad. “I also want to explain some things to you if I could.”
“It’s late, Cass. I’m tired, and I just want to sleep.”
“It will only take a minute. I promise. And then we will get you into bed,” he says with a bit of a mischievous look in his eyes. Oh gods, I might be in trouble.
I open the door and walk in. The room is just how I left it, except the mess I made when I came to change is now picked up. The bed is turned down, and there is a pitcher of water with lemon on the side table. If it wasn’t so wrong, I could get used to being treated like this. I turn to Cass and ask “So, what did you have to say?”
“Can we sit? I think it would be better if we sat.”
“Okay,” I say, a little annoyed at this point. Doesn’t he understand that I nee
d to rest? I walk over to the arm chairs by the fire and plop down in the closest chair. “Talk.”
“First off, I want to apologize. I didn’t do a good job of explaining myself before we were interrupted by Logan. I need you to know that even though things are as they are here, I don’t agree with everything. I have had a very long life so far, and sometimes it is easier to look away than to do something about it.”
I begin to protest, but he leans forward and takes my hand. This makes me freeze up and stare into his eyes.
“Azra, I do not approve of the slavery. It is a custom that has been in action for hundreds of years. It is hard to change the minds of the Fae who do not know another way. There are some at court that have my feelings as well, but it would be treason to speak of such things out loud or in public.”
“As much as I am glad to hear this, I have to say being quiet about it is almost as bad as doing it,” I retort.
“I know,” he says, looking ashamed. He is still holding my hands, but his gaze has transferred over to the bright blaze coming from the fireplace. “I wish things were different, but my hope is now that the Changer is among us again, we can see this place brought into a new era.”
He looks so trustful in this moment. His face is still chiseled with concern, but there is a glimmer of hope there. He thinks I can do this.
“Cass…” I begin to say, but I am cut off by him coming closer to me. His face is level with mine, and he is staring into my eyes. I don’t move. I can’t even breathe. He is so magnificent. He smells like the Earth after a thunderstorm. His eyes are hypnotic, and I find myself inching closer. He closes the distance, and before I can object, his lips are on mine. The kiss starts off tentatively, but then quickens into something urgent. Before I know it, we are up and moving over to the bed. I let out a little whimper when he pulls away to look into my face.
