River God: The Horse Lords

by Diana Drakulich

  Hahq lowered his head, never taking his eyes off hers. Slowly his sculpted lips descended. He kissed her again. Fire shot through his veins. The kiss turned hot, passionate.

  “Get us out of here sorceress and I will lay gold at your feet.”

  “Nay. What I want is more precious than gold. I want your vow of friendship. To the end.”

  “So be it – I will be a true friend to you for the rest of my perhaps short life.” His sensual lips curved in a cryptic smile.

  She shrugged. “That will have to do. I must go now. There are many eyes. Word travels quickly.”

  He touched her shoulder. “How long before the drugged koumiss takes effect?”

  “It acts gradually, like falling into a deep sleep. Once it hits, the king and his men will be out cold until dawn. If you must drink, hold it in your mouth, then go behind a kibitka as if to urinate and spit it out. Even force yourself vomit.”

  “Vartan will be watching me closely to make sure I drink. What if I am forced to swallow it?”

  “Make this sign to me,” she put the tip of her forefinger into her mouth. “I will slip a stimulant into your drink. The stimulant will make you jump out of your skin. It has to be powerful to overcome the opiate.”

  Hahq nodded, completely focused on her every word.

  “Remember, if you must drink the koumiss - Don’t go to sleep or you will wake up in the Dark House with Koldun’s knife at your throat.” With those words she walked out.

  Immediately Hahq’s men surged back into the yurt, their faces in various expressions of curiosity and salacious grinning.

  “How is your wound Hahq? All better now? Hmmh?” Voron smirked.

  “This is no time for jokes.” Hahq put his finger over his lips and motioned them close. “We are betrayed. The king has ordered our koumiss drugged. We must escape tonight. Here is the plan…”

  ***

  Their expressions carefully masked into unsuspecting jocular hilarity, the Sauromatae paced into King Vartan’s yurt.

  “Ah, our Sauromatian Brothers are here. Sit. Eat. Drink!” King Vartan waved them over in a show of boisterous hospitality.

  After Hahq and his men sat down cross-legged on thick woolen carpets, the king flicked his hand at Yeva, hovering nearby.

  “Drinks for our friends! Drink deep Brothers!”

  After she had poured for all twelve guests and the Black Cloak nobles, the king lifted his cup – “To our honored guests! Our Sauromatian allies.”

  “To you!” Hahq and his men lifted their drinks in turn.

  As they began to eat roast lamb with flat dark bread King Vartan regaled Hahq with a graphic description of how he planned to punish Prince Kanxa’s killer -

  “We will find the craven cur who killed my son, rest easy on that, my friend. In fact we are hot on his trail right now.” The king smirked. “We will bind him and take him to the Dark House. There in front of my son’s spirit and the spirits of our noble ancesters I will slice open his belly. Then I will slowly pull out his guts as he screams for mercy…”

  Looking straight into the king’s eyes, Hahq forced down the lump of meat in his throat. “Will that be before or after the war council?”

  Vartan gave him a ferocious look, then masked it with a wolfish smile. “I expect to catch my son’s killer very soon, maybe even tonight. Girl! Pour my friend another drink!”

  After they had eaten the toasting began in earnest. With each toast Hahq noticed the king watching closely. The Sauromatae sat with clenched cheeks, coughing with hands over mouths, secretly letting the drink dribble into their hands or rising frequently to go outside and `urinate’.

  Hahq was sure his face was turning shades of gray and green. How in Haides are we going to keep this up?

  At the same time Hahq was surreptitiously watching King Vartan and his nobles for signs of drowsy inebriation. It was coming down to who succumbed first. Vartan’s hand waved sluggishly to Yeva –

  “More drink…urp… for our guests. Make sure their cups runneth over. What they do not drink can run down their beards!”

  Aye let the poison run down my beard. Hahq thought.

  His men played their roles, joking, laughing uproariously and slapping each others backs, pretending to drink so much it was dripping down their beards.

  Hahq’s eyes begged to slam shut. His stupid head kept trying to nod in spite of his desperate need to stay awake. A deep paralyzing need for sleep was shutting down his mind. This from just a few forced gulps of the powerful drugged koumiss.

  I will laugh in my beard if I never have to drink another cup of fermented mare’s milk again in this life.

  A glance at his men showed them to be in the same state, fighting to keep from giving way to the blissful state of sleep. He heard a low snore and his head jerked. Did I just snore?

  It was a struggle just to keep his eyes open.

  Beside him Voron yawned deeply. “Time to send in the reinforcements.” His second muttered with an eye flick toward Yeva.

  Hahq touched his lips with a forefinger, his pre-arranged signal to Yeva. With a slight nod, she disappeared and returned with a fresh pitcher of koumis.

  “More drink! Get over here woman!” Holding out his cup Hahq flung a visual directive at his men to hold up their cups too. If she failed to add that stimulant we are done for.

  Yeva proceeded to pour fresh koumiss into each man’s cup. Hahq gave his men a surreptitious nod.

  “To our generous host King Vartan!” Hahq bellowed, mustering his fading strength.

  Yeva signaled to the other serving girl to pour for the Black Cloak nobles while she poured only for the Sauromatae.

  “To You…” Came the half-hearted Black Cloak response between head nods and repressed snores.

  The Sauromatae drank deeply, quickly. Then held out their cups for more.

  Yeva got a fresh pitcher and poured again.

  “To great and noble King Vartan!”

  The Sauromatae all drank like gluttons. This time not a single drop ran down their beards. From the corner of his eye Hahq saw that King Vartan and his warriors were in no condition to notice. Their eyes were heavy lidded, heads nodding.

  Just a little more time and we will fly out of here like bats out of Haides.

  And then IT hit him with the impact of a charging auroch.

  Chapter 9 – Blessed Darkness

  Love in its essence is spiritual fire

  Seneca, Roman statesmen, philosopher c. 50AD

  Hahq found himself transported. Submerged yet uplifted by a massive wave of effortless, bubbling euphoria. His eyes misted over and he let IT carry him. Coming from far way yet very near he heard voices chanting a deep-throated paean –

  Yah VAY Ohhhh…Yah VAY Ohhhh…Yaaah VAAAY OHHH…

  His body was humming, thrilling with energy. His mind alert, incredibly aware. Everything stood out in blazing color and incredible detail. His muscles begged to move.

  He wanted to leap up and bound away like a deer. Yet this craving for action was balanced by an intoxicating wave of easy rapture.

  “More drink, Adoni? (Lord)” Yeva bent over his shoulder, warm breath humming in his ear.

  Without looking up he felt her sultry smile. She knows the stimulant is hitting me now.

  Then he did glance up and saw Her. In the shadowy torchlight radiance streamed from Yeva’s face. He swam toward her. Toward those soft sensual lips… So close. And the realization came - I trust Her. With my life.

  Gazing into her multi-color kako mati eyes he was enveloped by a sense of intimacy. As if they had entered each other’s minds in a state of mutual ecstasy. He opened his arms to embrace her.

  An incandescent smile curving her lips, Yeva stepped away. It was dangerous to show even a hint of the collusion between them.

  There was a loud belch. King Vartan’s mouth stretched into a mighty yawn. With no warning he flopped over on his back and began snoring. His nobles were in the same state. They had all drunk enough drugge
d koumiss to pass out for the rest of the night.

  It was time.

  At a nod from Hahq the Sauromatae rose as one. Predator silent they slunk out single file. Outside was a stunning sight. Granted it was late, but the whole camp was silent. Asleep. Black Cloak warriors, men and women, even children were spread out on the ground around their fires sound asleep or too far gone to be aware or care what was happening.

  Hahq ran. It felt so good, so effortless to just let go. As if all his life he had been shackled with invisible chains. Now he drew from an unlimited wellspring of energy.

  Moving like invisible wraiths the men high-tailed it to their yurt and grabbed their weapons. In moments they were slinking through the shadows of yurts and kibitkas toward their horses. A dog barked. Then another, until a great cacophony of howling, yipping and barking was set up.

  ***

  Aunt Gorya fought a growing sense of suspicious dread. People were falling asleep. Things were not going according to plan. Everyone seemed to be affected by the drugged koumiss, not just the Sauromatae. Outside the king’s yurt, some of Vartan’s warriors were flat on their backs snoring.

  Filled with apprehension Gorya called one of the serving girls over. Taking her pitcher, she sniffed, then sipped the koumiss. And there it was, the faint taste of opium and mandragoras.

  Spitting a black curse, Gorya rushed to the yurt where the great vat of koumiss was located. Soundlessly she lifted the hanging over the entrance.

  And there was her trusted acolyte Yeva bent over the vat in the act of tossing a handful of powder into the koumiss. Pulling a knife from her girdle the high priestess wedged it against Yeva’s back just as she looked over her shoulder.

  “Traitorous Bitch!” Gorya grabbed Yeva by her long ash blonde hair and jerked her head back. “I should cut your throat right now! But I will give Koldun the pleasure. Hands behind your back!”

  “Nay!”

  “Hands behind your back or die now!” Gorya hissed and thrust the knife harder against Yeva’s back piercing cloth and flesh. “I will kill you!”

  “Ah!” The girl yelped. “Kill me then! I can’t live like this anymore!”

  Still holding the knife to Yeva’s back, Gorya screamed for help. Two priestesses rushed in and tackled her but Yeva fought like a wild cat. It took all three of them to tie her hands behind her back. Forcing her to the ground they held her down and bound her feet.

  “Why?! Why? I trusted you! I raised you! I saved your life in the Dark House and you do this?!” Gorya kicked her repeatedly. “You betray your own people?! Why?!”

  “I am sorry Gorya, but it is wrong what we do. It was wrong to sacrifice those good people in the Dark House. And I was a party to it. A stain on my soul! It is unjust to kill these Sauromatae! They came in peace. They trusted us!”

  “Idiot - You have been fooled by a handsome face!” Gorya gave her a hard kick in the stomach. “I cannot save you from your fate Yeva. You have betrayed the king. The penalty for that is death. You will die in the Dark House with the Sauromatae!”

  “Nay! The Sauromatae are Deathless.”

  “Ungrateful deceitful bitch! Death is not good enough for you. I am going now to inform King Vartan what you have done. Then I am going to beat the shit out of you!” Gorya hissed.

  Upon entering the king’s yurt Gorya surveyed the scene with shocked eyes. Vartan and his nobles were all unconscious and snoring. The Sauromatae were gone! She turned and ran through camp screaming -

  “We are betrayed! The Sauromatae have poisoned the king! Catch them! Kill them!”

  “Uh…hh?” Some of the men cracked bleary eyes. Fighting the intense need for sleep they lifted their heads. “What happened?”

  “Get up you fools! Those Sauromatian strigoi have poisoned the king! Catch them!”

  ***

  “Yeva! Yeva?!” Hahq called out when they reached the horses.

  The guards were out cold but Yeva was nowhere to be seen. Within moments he had Zar saddled and his two spare horses tied to the saddle.

  “Yeva!?!” But there was only darkness and shadows.

  A black hole opened up in the pit of Hahq’s belly. Zar pranced and snorted, anxious to be off. The Sauromatians were all mounted now, the horses stomping and milling, sensing the tension. Knowing a great run was coming.

  “Leave her! There is no time!” Dobrich hissed, his horse snorting, crow-hopping in place.

  “Nay! I gave her my word. You go ahead, I will catch up.”

  Dobrich looked at him in shock. “You’re going back in there? You seek your death - for a stranger?!”

  “She risked her life for us.”

  “I go with you.” Voron volunteered.

  Hahq shook his head. “Nay. If I don’t return soon, ride to the river with the men. You are war leader now.”

  Without another word Hahq left the horses and disappeared into the night, running silent as a shadow between wagons and yurts. The dogs were barking and a few women screeching but they were getting only a lurching, scattered response from the men, who looked dizzy and confused.

  Hahq rushed to the yurt that he had seen Yeva bringing the koumiss from and threw aside the curtain.

  “Yeva?”

  “Here!” A groan.

  Hahq cut her bonds. When she scrambled up her cloak fell open. He saw that she had on leggings and boots, ready to ride out.

  “Hurry!” He hissed.

  “Wait!”

  She rushed to the side of the yurt and picked up a blanket. Underneath was her fur-lined cloak and a satchel containing a change of clothes and her pharmakopia. Next to that lay her gorytos. She slung them over her shoulder.

  “Come on! It may be too late already!”

  They slunk out, Hahq in the lead.

  “I have to get my horse!”

  “No time. Use mine.”

  Running between kibitkas, they flitted like bats through shadows and stilted chaos.

  “There they are! Get them!” A woman shrieked. Yeva recognized Gorya’s voice.

  Hahq had barely glanced at the woman when Koldun leapt out from between two wagons and struck him a tremendous blow on the head with a club. Fortunately Hahq had on his helmet, or the blow would have caved the side of his head in.

  Hahq wavered, struggling to keep his balance. Despite the power of the blow the Sauromatian’s feet remained firmly planted.

  Black brows pulled into a ferocious V, Hahq spun to focus on his assailant. Before Koldun even had time to lift his club again, he crouched and launched. Pushing off muscled thighs the Sauromatian hit Koldun with stunning impact. His superior height and broad muscled chest giving him the advantage.

  The two men hit the ground. UH! Struggling and snarling.

  Hahq landed on top. In a blur Yeva glimpsed his hand flash to his belt. He whipped out a short narrow cord with weighted knots at both ends. A garotte.

  Before Koldun’s head even hit the ground, Hahq slid the garotte behind the priest’s neck, crossed the ends over his throat and pulled tight. With a double blood choke to the brain, the high priest passed out almost before he knew what hit him.

  “Don’t kill him!” Yeva hissed, aware that besides death from strangulation, the garotte could cut the spinal cord.

  “He will sleep until we get to our horses.” Much as he would have liked too, Hahq’s mission forbade killing the sorcerer. Koldun’s death would destroy any chance of bringing the Black Cloaks into the alliance.

  “What have you done?! Gorya rushed over. She shrieked at Yeva. “This is all your fault! You will pay for this you witch!”

  But the two were already gone, leaping away on wings of fire.

  When they made it back to the horses Voron was still there, mounted and holding Zar’s reins along with his own and Hahq’s spare horses. The rest of the men were waiting nearby in the shadows of a copse of trees.

  ”You ride Zar.” Hahq vaulted onto Taras’ bareback with only a lead shank as a rein.

  Yeva mounted Zar and
rode to the forefront of the men. “This way!” She called out pointing toward a barely discernible trail in the shadowed darkness.

  “Follow her!” Hahq waved an arm.

  They took off, hell bent, in a thunder of hooves. And the blessed darkness swallowed them up.

  Chapter 10 – Yellow Horse

  The greatest pleasure in Life

  Is Love –

  Euripedes, Greek playwrite c. 450 BC

  Thrilling ecstasy streamed through Yeva’s veins at the speed and rhythmic power of the horse galloping under her. The doors of her future were opening. Glimmering. Golden.

  Hahq is truly a man of his word - He came back for me.

  Leaning over Zar’s neck, she gave the stallion his head, rushing headlong down the moonlit path. Away from hatred, treachery, murder. An intoxicating rush of joy rose, a pure glittering jewel in her heart.

  Freedom! No more knife at my throat. My life was always hanging by Aunt Goryas’ thread.

  They poured Mattahn, Sargis’ and Ruzanna’s red blood over the Sword in the Stone. How long before they decided I was `worthy’ to accompany some Royal into the Other World?

  No longer was she so alone. Galloping close behind, she sensed the cohesive power and focus of the Sauromatian warriors. Heard it in the synchronized hoof beats of their horses. Felt their trust in her.

  They are of one mind. Comrades of longstanding. I must do everything in my power to get them across the Boryesthenes ahead of the Black Cloaks!

  The stallion was running smooth and easy under her. A set of hoof beats disengaged from those behind and closed in beside her. She glanced over to see Hahq on Taras galloping at her side. He was grinning from ear to ear. She smiled back, flashing him a look of silent gratitude –

  You have set me Free. Now you see the REAL me. Not that browbeaten creature, lurking around, afraid to show her true self. Afraid to look anyone in the eyes.

  “You are a Goddess.” Reverence in his voice and in his dark, penetrating regard.

  “Heh. That is the ‘Yellow Horse’ speaking.” She shook her head, smiling.

  “Yellow Horse?”

  “The stimulant I gave you to counter the sleep opiate. We call it Yellow Horse because it makes you feel the glory of a golden stallion running free. Have you heard of Soma?”