Rider (Spirals of Destiny)

by Jim Bernheimer

  The warrior mounted her unicorn and readied an arrow on her bow. The target was an empty shell of scorched armor with a damaged shield placed in front of it. A brief moment of serenity crossed the woman’s face as she loosed an arrow. Kayleigh, along with every other set of eyes in the village square, followed the projectile. Just as it was about to hit the shield, it shimmered and splattered on the metal as if the contents of a bucket were tossed at it. The stream of water wrapped around the shield and solidified, burying the arrow deep into the breastplate.

  Over the sounds of the cheers, the battle maiden announced the next demonstration and an earth maiden rode in front of the crowd demonstrating something called “Thunderhooves.” The ground shook violently like a full column of knights was rushing by. Many of the targets fell, but the woman rode by one of the few that still stood and smashed it with a mace leaving a massive dent in the breastplate.

  Kayleigh clapped and shouted as an air maiden darted back and forth at unbelievable speeds and then hurled a spear from an impossible distance. It overshot the target, when it should have never gotten near it in the first place. The most remarkable thing was the air maiden didn’t appear to be a hulking bundle of muscles like the earth maiden. She was tiny and waif-like. The leader explained that all battle maidens can draw physical strength from their mounts as well as the elemental magic and that any one of them was the equal of two men.

  To drive that point home, the water maiden asked for two volunteers in the audience to come lift a barrel filled with grain. Kayleigh scowled recognizing one of them was Morgan Jacobs. Her expression changed to a grin as he strained and failed to lift the item higher than his waist. The second man, Helden’s blacksmith, lifted it with considerable effort, but raised it triumphantly to his shoulder to the applause of the townsfolk.

  Captain Lynch gestured to the youngest of the command and introduced her as Rider Annabeth Welsh, a fire maiden. She couldn’t be more than twenty – a scant four years older than Kayleigh! The brown haired woman walked to the blacksmith and asked him to give her the barrel. Old Gregory, scoffed, but the warrior insisted. She smiled and easily put the heavy load onto her shoulder and switched it to the other shoulder, effortlessly.

  Kayleigh was speechless and could only clap as the woman dropped the heavy barrel and vaulted onto her mount. She drew a bent sword and trailed flames behind it, making short work of the few remaining targets. Circling back in front of the audience, the unicorn reared and his front hooves became encased in flames and it kicked outward several times, dazzling everyone. Those flames disappeared the moment the hooves smacked down on the ground.

  The leader addressed the appreciative crowd, “I have talked at length of the benefits of joining our ranks. Now, let me remind you of the hazards. We are warriors. There is a reason that the High-King turns to us when there is trouble in the realm. When we fight, it is not some immobile target or hay-stuffed dummy that suffers our wrath. Sometimes, we mourn our lifelong friends when we bury our fallen.”

  Whisking hair from her face, she finished, gradually beginning to smile. “That I say for you parents, brothers, and sisters of the candidates. It will be up to you to speak to them, should they be selected. One look at them tells me that nothing I can say would dissuade them. I see a warrior’s spirit in each of these maidens before me and hope that one or more of them will join our sisterhood.”

  Gesturing to the two wagons and the dozen or so young women standing next to their unicorns, Captain Lynch said, “Over there, you see those already chosen from the settlements south of here. I have four unicorns that have yet to select a rider. I hope that in a few hours, I will have none. Good luck to you all!”

  Kayleigh considered staying, but her gaze strayed to Rebekah Morganstern and her friends standing up and waving to the crowd.

  A little over an hour before, she’d encountered Rebekah and some of the other candidates.

  “That’s a lovely dress, Reese,” Rebekah had said with a less than pleasant smile.

  “Thank you, Rebekah. Your dress is very pretty as well.” Kayleigh waited for the insult from the wealthy merchant’s daughter. She was not disappointed.

  The short brunette with her hair plaited down her back put a finger to her own chin. “It reminds me of something. Oh yes, I know what it is. We use something like it as a tarp on one of father’s wagons.”

  The pair with her laughed. Kayleigh simply continued walking, refusing to let the biting words get to her.

  “Why Kayleigh, I would think you’d be the last person to want to see the unicorns.”

  “Should I care what you think, Rebekah?”

  “Unicorns are symbols of beauty and purity. Since you are neither, why don’t you avoid the town square today, lest your presence spoil someone else’s chance? Perhaps you should wait down by the docks for some of the sailors to get back from setting the crab pots and see if you can earn some coins, whore!”

  “I’m not a whore!” Kayleigh screamed.

  “From what I hear, like mother, like daughter,” Rebekah answered bluntly.

  “Morgan Jacobs is a liar and my mother is an artist!” The boy had offered Kayleigh coins. When she slapped him and ran off, he boasted that she had taken his money and gave him something in return.

  “Who only ever has men for clients, why is that?” Morganstern was clearly enjoying herself at Kayleigh’s expense.

  “That’s not true and you know it,” Kayleigh fired back. Her mother had female clients at times, though a majority of them were men. She could have countered Rebekah’s words with comments about the girl’s father being one of her mother’s clients, but it felt useless to even try. Everything felt so useless!

  Rebekah sneered and delivered her final blow, “In that case, answer this one question and I’ll apologize for everything I’ve ever said about you. Who is your father?”

  That was enough to make Kayleigh flee to the cruel laughter that dogged her steps. She hid in an alley and cried before regaining her composure and making her way to the demonstration. Morganstern be dammed! Kayleigh wanted to see unicorns.

  With the demonstration over, Kayliegh quickly walked away and headed for the beach. Everyone would be at the festival planned for after the selection. The beach would be all hers.

  Looking back up at the unicorn that was every bit as startled as she was, Kayleigh said, “What just happened?”

  She stood and squirmed in her now wet cotton dress. It was dyed a deep blue, a simple affair, made for warm weather. The slight chill in the air was already getting through the damp material. She wouldn’t be able to wear it much longer, but it was something she and her mother made.

  This makes no sense! I was tested when we lived in Laurent. I tried every feather, clump of fur, and even a few things I didn’t want to touch. Not a blasted thing happened. How could this happen now?

  “Are you okay?” She asked, while scolding herself. If he wasn’t okay, what exactly would I be able to do about it?

  If a unicorn could look confused, this one certainly did. He backed away from her slowly, staring at Kayleigh like she was a threat. A second unicorn, this one a saddled female, trotted over and Kayleigh watched as the two shared what must have been a meaningful nonverbal conversation. The newcomer kept motioning with her head towards Kayleigh and seemed very excited. The male was suddenly skittish. Kayleigh stood brushing the sand off of her skirt and felt very self-conscious. She was used to people ignoring her in a conversation and saying things about her as if she wasn’t there, but this was the first time the participants were not human.

  The female goaded the male to approach again. Kayleigh held her hand out to him and he brushed his head against it. The jolt was still there, but with both expecting it this time there was no repeat of the prior awkwardness. His coat was coarser than she’d imagined.

  A sensation of warmth replaced the power of the jolt. It was much like what Captain Deros once described to her class. The old fisherman had brought in his albatross f
amiliar and discussed how the two would use the weak magic they could generate to sense where the fishing was good. The old man always had full nets and traps when his ship returned.

  As she continued to stroke the side of the unicorn’s face, Kayleigh wondered again about the irony of magic. Most humans had none. A small few could tap into the magic of a familiar, should they actually locate one that suited them. Still, they were reliant on the strength of the creature, with the unicorn ranking among the strongest in the land. A very select group could actually command magic on their own. They were Sorcerers and Grand Viziers, coveted by those in power. Many became Kings and Queens in their own right.

  So consumed in her thoughts and the feel of the unicorn’s coat beneath her hand, she barely noticed the female unicorn bolting back up the path to town. Kayleigh was left there with the equally perplexed male.

  I should say something.

  “I wish I knew your name,” she said. “I’m Kayleigh, Kayleigh Reese. This is strange. I thought that riders were chosen when they were thirteen. I’m sixteen already.”

  She was babbling, but there was nothing else she could think to do. Trying to recall the sea captain’s lecture, Kayleigh closed her eyes. He said that if he concentrated, he could sense the general state of his familiar. She guessed she should just relax and try. She focused on her hand touching the beautiful creature. A feeling of nervousness and anxiety washed over her. It was very potent and she worried for her unicorn. That realization shocked her. This unicorn had chosen her! What would everyone say? What would they think? It triggered a wave of insecurity in her fed by whatever was bothering the magical steed next to her.

  Trailing the finger from her other hand along the horn, she marveled at the intricate spirals. She stopped at the broken piece and traced the length of the crack that ran down it. Sadness and a sense of loss washed over her and Kayleigh’s eyes sprouted fresh tears. Anger bubbled to the surface. Someone had hurt him.

  Ruefully, she eyed the unicorn and said, “I suppose this is a poor time to tell you that I’ve never ridden before in my life. I’m also no good with animals. My mother never let me have any. Won’t she be surprised.”

  Sarcasm had always been a defense mechanism for her. It was easier to have a cold and acerbic wit than put up with the whispering, pointing, and stares from the others in her age group. Amidst the trepidation, she felt there was a hint of mirth coming from the unicorn.

  Well, if anyone would understand me, I guess it would be him.

  Together, they stood for quite some time. Not knowing what else to do, she moved close to him and rested her head on him. Her long, sad day had taken a most unusual twist to say the least!

  Suddenly, her new friend tensed. She looked up the path and saw two unicorns and their dismounted riders at the other end of the path. They were making their way down. Kayleigh couldn’t tell who was more nervous between the two of them. She stood, scrambling to brush the matted sand clinging to her dress and make herself presentable.

  The battle maiden leader, Captain Lynch, approached her. The look on her face was not the pleasant one Kayleigh saw during the demonstration. “You there! Who are you?”

  “Kayleigh Reese.” Her hand rested on his mane, if the hairs on his coat were coarser than she’d imagined, these were by far the softest things she’d ever felt.

  “Majherri is letting you touch him voluntarily?”

  She knew his name now. That was good and the name seemed to fit the unicorn. She answered the woman, “Yes.”

  “And you feel the Bondspark?” The woman sounded slightly irritated which confused Kayleigh.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you certain?”

  Now it was Kayleigh’s turn to get perturbed. “Would he still be letting me touch him if I didn’t?”

  “Do not take that tone with me, girl!”

  The other rider intervened saying, “Captain Lynch, Meghan, why don’t you let me speak with the candidate?”

  “Candidate? Look at her!” The one named Meghan scoffed. “Does she look thirteen to you? What game are you playing at Majherri?”

  Kayleigh looked at Majherri and she got the impression this Meghan didn’t like Majherri, and obviously, the feeling was mutual.

  Summoning her courage Kayleigh said, “Leave him alone. He was just as surprised as I was!”

  “When I speak to you girl, you will know it. I am speaking to Majherri right now! Majherri, come here this instant!”

  Kayleigh actually felt scared. This wasn’t enduring the taunts of a hurtful teenager. The woman was a trained warrior and obviously a formidable fighter. The unicorn snorted and shook his head at her.

  “Meghan! No!” The other reached for her as she started forward. The arm was brushed aside as she stalked towards Kayleigh.

  “I will not tolerate any more defiance from you, Majherri.” The woman grasped at the circle of leather around the unicorn’s neck to pull him along and roughly pushed Kayleigh away.

  She wanted to cry out that Meghan had no right to take Majherri from her. She hoped that the other rider would do something.

  Someone did, but it wasn’t who Kayleigh expected.

  Majherri reared out of the woman’s grip and kicked her hard with his forelegs. Meghan tumbled to the sand and quickly rose to her knees. She spun around on the unicorn with her hand on her sword pommel only to find the horn less than six inches from her face.

  A tense standoff ensued. One of the unicorns circled Majherri and looked like it was going to attack. The other battle maiden shouted for order and looked at Kayleigh. “You! Calm him down! Now!”

  “What do I do?”

  “Walk over to him, speak to him, and lead him back.”

  She hesitantly stepped to his side and patted him. Anger, resentment, and even hatred welled up inside of her and she knew it was coming from Majherri. Swallowing hard, she thrust her hand into his soft mane and tried to speak in a soothing tone. “Relax Majherri. This isn’t a way to settle things. That’s it. Why don’t we just take a few steps backward and sort this out.”

  He resisted at first, but he allowed her to lead him back roughly six feet. She could sense a great deal of nonverbal communication between the three unicorns going on. It was impossible to figure out, so she turned her attention to the pair of warriors.

  Meghan snarled, “What is he thinking?”

  The other woman responded, “I believe he was reminding you, Captain, that he is not your unicorn and doesn’t have to take orders from you. Furthermore, I think Majherri isn’t the only one that needs to rein in their temper.”

  “That’s quite enough Lindsey. I’m in charge of this expedition.”

  “Then act like it!” Turning toward Kayleigh, Lindsey adopted a more formal tone. “Kayleigh, walk Majherri back up the path and wait for us. Captain Lynch and I will have a brief discussion and then we will join you. Finally, let me be the first to say congratulations, candidate, on being chosen by your unicorn.”

  The one female unicorn, which still looked to attack, turned and kicked a small cloud of sand on Mahjerri as they walked by. Kayleigh coughed a bit, but wanted to be anywhere other than this beach right then. At the top of the path she glanced down and saw the two armored women in a very heated argument.

  She dusted the sand off of his coat and wished she had a brush or something to distract him from this anger. “I don’t know exactly why you hate her, but I’m sure you’ve got your reasons. We’ll get through this…I hope.”

  Chapter 3 – The Doubts of Others

  The slow walk back to Kayleigh’s house was filled with a heavy and awkward silence. The sound of his hooves clattering on worn cobblestones echoed off the buildings and through the narrow streets. The sea helped cleanse the air of the human city’s stench. A sad consequence of being a creature of battle was that Majherri’s sense of smell was keen and humans were unclean by nature. Cities under siege were cesspools of foul odors, so by comparison, this wasn’t bad.

  He wat
ched the other humans leaving the festivities. Many stopped and stared. The unicorn was used to it. Majherri also noticed some whispering and pointing directed at his new rider. He sensed Kayleigh was uncomfortable being the center of attention.

  His sister was angry with him for threatening Meghan. T'rsa's constantly swishing tail left no room for doubt there. Let her pout; Meghan was not his rider and Majherri did not need to heed her! His actions were justified by the female going for her blade.

  She wanted him to get a new rider and now she's angry that it happened. He snorted. The world was full of temperamental females – ones that stood on both four and two legs.

  Kayleigh, his new rider, walked next to him. Tiny sensations of power coursed through both their bodies whenever her hand brushed against his coat. It made absolutely no sense. His bond with Danella had been true! His rider had mastered powerful fire spells, magic that would not have been possible without a workable bond.

  Turning his head slightly, he saw that the other female unicorn was eyeing him. Pasha remained an enigma. It was far too early for mating season. Perhaps she was like those first unicorns when he returned from the desert, viewing him as an oddity and wanting to test him in some way. The journey back across the continent would be long and arduous. He would have ample time to sort out Pasha's game.

  The group stopped and Majherri heard Kayleigh say, “This is my house.”

  Lindsey answered, “Why don’t you go in and ask your mother to come out? Sometimes these things go best when a person is surrounded by the most beautiful creatures in the realm.”