Abbalar Tales ~ 01 Cheilin Saga

 Cheilin Saga ~ 1 Cheilin Horse Breeder

By Len Morgan

"You’re not welcome here!" 

Aldor saw the unwavering bow, flexed and aimed directly at his torso.   The slightest relaxation of a sinew, in either index or forefinger, would see the heavy barbed shaft buried in his intestines.    It would be easier to turn and ride away, but he could not do that.   He rode instead to within spitting distance of the hard faced Cheilin horse breeder.   Resting easy in the saddle he conferred a friendly smile on the man, studiously avoiding sudden movements, whilst displaying a confidence he did not feel.  The man was perfectly within his rights to refuse access to his property and it was not unusual, in these parts, for a landowner to see off a trespasser at the point of a weapon.    Over the man’s shoulder, less than half a mile away, he could see ‘the Enchanters Woods' carpeting the foothills of the small mountain range he knew as Orden’s Pillars.  

   Orden would be watching his every move and chuckling with amusement, at his discomfort.   The two horses stood their ground; the eyes of their riders locked in a silent battle of wills.   Time passed, and neither chose to blink or look away.

 "You are a cruel evil man; you’re no longer welcome here on my property," the man repeated, "if you value your life you will leave now while you are still able."

Without visible reaction Aldor scanned his mind, discovering immediately why the man hated him so, and felt an overwhelming need to explain.   "My friends were in mortal danger; I needed to get to them as quickly as possible.   I pushed myself, and the horses both, beyond safe limits and regrettably one of them died.   I immediately eased up, on the surviving mare, changing her for two fresh mounts at the very next farm we chanced upon.   I even paid the farmer extra to return her to you when she was rested.   Do these mounts I have with me look distressed or ill-used?" he reasoned.   "My great sin was my inability to judge the stamina of the horses.   I cannot redress that error, but I can assure you it will never happen again."

He glowered at Aldor, through hooded eyes, and slowly the heavy horn bow relaxed.   "I cannot believe that you allowed it to happen once, a repetition would be inhuman.   Are you an animal?"  

Aldor shook his head, “no I am not, but I am loyal to my friends” he lowered his gaze in contrition; the man did not need to read thoughts to know the truth in those words, and with them, Aldor conceded the moral high ground.

Aldor continued his explanation, "three weeks ago, a man dubbed me 'beast master'.   Had I been aware of that ability two days earlier, your friends would not have suffered as they did and, the mare would be living still."

"Ragesh called it true then?   You killed his sons, but it was not your fault, he told me what happened and of his dreams."

"They were your friends?" Aldor asked his surprise self-evident.

"Hardly, they were thieves and murderers both.   Their father cannot explain why he allowed them to live unchallenged for so long, or why he could not summon the courage to kill them himself."

"Then…" Aldor began.

"Yes, a ‘beast master’ would indeed be aware of an animals suffering.   So, tell the chain of events that awakened your gift?" he said.

"For the last two hours, before it happened, I rode in a daze from lack of sleep.   Then, the horse stumbled and fell.   Her death cries were filled with anger and rage, at me for being the instrument of her passing.   All those emotions flowed into my mind at once; it was a shock to be scourged so, from deep within me, for unwitting wrongs.   Instantly my new senses were awakened as though they had always been there, but in a dormant state, waiting for that precise moment.   Then, after her death, I had to live with the constant brooding resentment of the survivor.   I rested and cared for her but she continued to sear my mind with accusations, every bit as painful as a branding iron.   No man has ever had cause to upbraid me so.”

"That is how it would be," the older man confirmed.    “Do you…" he hesitated, "do you also detect human emotions?"

"You…?"   Aldor started in surprise, and then stopped, leaving the words unspoken.

"Yes," he nodded.    "I birthed that mare, and trained her to give years of loyal unstinting service.   It was immediately evident to me that you possessed the gift, though you were unaware of it.   I should have checked before I sold them to you.   I should have said something; warned you.   She was accustomed to communicating with her rider, as she died she cried out to me also.   I experienced it just as you described but, her anger was aimed at me, she felt I had betrayed her.   I was incensed, momentarily blinded to what I had not done, I pursued you intent on you’re destruction.   For no other reason than to salve my own conscience because of what I had allowed you to do.   I set off riding hard, until I was forced to ease up, because my mount was beginning to flag, and that was when I met him; Ragesh.   His fire was hot, his stew aromatic, and he stood there as if he had been waiting for me; which of course he had.   He offered me a steaming bowl, which I accepted, without a word spoken.  Then at length, after washing up, we sat and drank a most delightful bottle of wine.   Only then did he speak, but it was as you would talk to a friend you had known for many years.   Talking with you now, I am better able to understand what he was telling me.   “Wedex” he said, “everything that transpires between Aldor yourself and me has happened, many times before, in my dreams.   Had you known what was to come you could not have changed the course of events not even the tiniest detail.”  He told me I should go home to my family and await your imminent return.   He also promised me I would learn to forgive."

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me now?"   Aldor asked.

The man shook his head, "there is nothing for me to forgive, I was the guilty person."

"Nobody was to blame" said Aldor in a quiet voice, “Heed the words of Ragesh, he is an accomplished seer, he knew me well, long before I was born, you too I’ll be bound.”   He thought he detected tears on Wedex’s cheeks, and felt embarrassed, but the man turned away from him so he continued speaking, to allow the man to regain his composure.   "My friend Wizomi, whom I believe you know, was one of those in danger.   The other was a young woman who is very dear to me."   He offered Wizomi's letter of introduction and the letter of credit bearing the 'Sun and two Crescents' design.

The horse breeder shouldered his bow replacing the arrow in its quiver, then he took the documents and, after a cursory glance, handed them back.  

"Follow me,” he said “supper will soon be ready.   Do I call you Aldor?   My daughter will want to know," he explained.

"Aldor is the name I am known by, and you of course are Wedex."

"That is so, my daughter is called Shamlei.   What of your friends, did you arrive in time to help them?"

"Yes, the sacrifice was not in vain.   They are both well thank you, but the future was very uncertain at that point in time, had I not arrived when I did, history may well have taken a different course."

"Then, why have you returned so soon?"

"I have been told I am needed in the Cheilin Empire."    He went on to explain about the potential assault, by the fanatical followers of Bedelacq, from Bluttland in the East. 

"If, as I have been told, the twelve clans are constantly squabbling, and incapable of working together an alternative force must be assembled to protect your Empire from external attack.   I have been told there is a sect, known as the Tylywoch, capable of providing the nucleus of such a force.   Do you know of them?"

"Yes.   You need my help with this?" he asked.

"Yes...”

 

(To be continued)

 

Copyright Len Morgan