Rupert seemed to have the look of a trapped rabbit on his face, it was fairly obvious he didn’t want to do it, but Master Trisfelt couldn’t see why that should be. “Please sir, Master Trisfelt... I, uhm,” mumbled Rupert as he slowly inched forward toward Trisfelt and the horses.
“Now enough of this, boy.” Trisfelt proclaimed, beginning to get a little annoyed at the boy’s reticence. “Get over here.”
Rupert reluctantly came forward, staring at the horses. “Now lad, there is nothing at all to be afraid of,” said Trisfelt as the boy came next to him. “Here’s a good lad, just give ole Chestnut a pat here on the neck, for a start. Let him get to know you.” Rupert grudgingly raised his hand toward the horses neck, all the while gazing fearfully at the horse’s face. Chestnut, sensing the activity at his side, turned his head around to face Trisfelt and Rupert, just as Rupert’s hand began to touch the horse’s neck.
Without any warning, as the horse’s head swung around, and the boy gently touched its neck, the horse reared up neighing and screaming. The beast’s eyes rolled in its head in fright as it reared on its hind legs and tried to dance away from Trisfelt and Rupert. Unfortunately it was still harnessed to the wagon and the other horse.
Rupert, scared, fell back on the ground; Trisfelt stepped back in surprise. The rearing horse, tangled itself in the harness and rammed into its partner. The other horse, suitably annoyed began trying to bite at Chestnut. Chestnut didn’t seem to mind though, all it seemed to want was to get away; it just kept shoving into the other horse. The wagon bounced around, knocking some of the items carried within out onto the ground. Rupert, scurried away, with his back to the ground and all four hands and feet scrambling to make him move and avoid Chestnut’s flying hooves.
Eventually, the wagon which had been bouncing up and down, was overturned as the second horse gave ground, allowing Chestnut to move over. Thus the wagon was pulled sideways, and levered over on its left wheels. The wagon hit the ground with a loud bang, its momentum, and the twisting of the harness and guide poles, caused the second horse to stumble to the ground, where the fleeing Chestnut tried to get over it. By this point the screaming of the two horses and the commotion was beginning to get to the other horses as well, making them nervous.
Quickly Jenn came running from her wagon. “Astriol sed makos, Centaurio sid falcom, destrius nericum. Lo riestum sedion falcomon,” she chanted as she stroked a lock of horse hair that she carried in her hands, “Creatoris nos feltom, sin sarconum.” The two horses rapidly began to calm, Chestnut moved enough that Bitterwhite, the second horse, was able to get up. Jenn came slowly and quietly up between the two nervous horses and tucking the horse hair she carried into her belt, she quickly began to stroke and calm the horses, muttering more words of peace into their ears. The horses stood still, simply shaking in their fright, sweating and rocking slightly, but calming down nonetheless.
Shortly, the two horses were calm enough for Jenn to leave them to Master Trisfelt. “And what did you do that for, you stupid girl?” Jehenna almost shouted behind her as she finished.
“Do what?” Jenn asked in annoyance as she turned to face Jehenna.
“Use magic, now everyone in the multiverse probably knows where we are! What an idiot! Didn’t I tell everyone not to use magic, lest we be detected?” Jehenna ranted.
Calm, from her own magic, but coldly, Jenn replied, “You said not to use glamours or hiding spells, or any major detectable magic. What I did was nothing but a minor enchantment, simply a relaxation and calming spell. Hardly detectable for its output of power, it won’t call anyone’s attention. Not that screaming horses don’t cause all sorts of more mundane individuals to take notice.
“I simply felt that between the damage that the horses were doing, the danger to the people nearby and the risk of having the horses cry out our position to everyone in a one mile radius, that it would be most expedient to do the spell.”
“Well you felt wrong... I gave an order and I expect my orders to be obeyed. Regardless of what you feel. I know what is best for this group, and I will decide what is expedient and what isn’t.” Jehenna retorted, but this time a little less vehemently, since she really couldn’t argue Jenn’s reasoning, except that it violated her own order. “If you do anything like this again, girl, there will be severe consequences for you.” With that, Jehenna stormed off to where her tent was being set up. Jenn simply stared after her.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I agree with your decision,” said Master Trisfelt behind her. “Actually, if I’d been thinking,” he went on, as he laid a hand on her shoulder, “I would have done the same. Unfortunately, I was so taken aback by the horses reaction, that...”
“I know...” Jenn said as she turned to face Master Trisfelt. “What caused it?”
“Abyssal Appoxia if I know, I was simply trying to show the lad,” he pointed over toward Rupert, who was huddled on the ground about twenty feet away, “how to care for a horse. When the horse suddenly spooked. Never seen a thing like it. The lad just went to touch it, and it went wild.”
“Well, maybe tomorrow we’d better put Chestnut on another wagon, so he won’t be so close to Rupert and spook again.”
“Good idea,” agreed Master Trisfelt. As Jenn went back to her own horses, Master Trisfelt looked over to where to boy huddled, and shook his head slightly. Well at least the kid had a good reason to fear horses, the question was why? Whatever the reason, Trisfelt wouldn’t pressure the boy into helping with the horses again, for a while, at least.
On the ground, Rupert just sat and shook as he watched Master Trisfelt take care of the now horses. His tear stained eyes just looked on in humiliation and shame. He had known what was going to happen as soon as Master Trisfelt had ordered him to help, it had happened before, several times. Why hadn’t Master Trisfelt listened? Now everyone in the caravan had seen what happened; not even horses liked him, soon they’d all know or suspect. Why? Why me, goddess? Why always me? thought Rupert, It’s just not fair.
Chapter 28
The golden rays of the morning sun had not yet struck the scrub land on which they camped, when Jehenna stepped from her tent. She looked around her in grim satisfaction to see her people almost loaded. All that remained was for the soldiers to pack her tent and for everyone to get the cooking gear cleaned up and stowed. She saw one of the two soldiers who had set up her magnificent red satin and gold trimmed tent, and motioned him to come and begin taking it down. He came reluctantly, motioning for another of his friends to come help him.
As they passed her on the way toward her tent, Jehenna looked towards the school. She could still sense the powerful wards, even at this distance; after all, she had been their center focus. They were still going, which meant that Lenamare still had Exador’s men fooled. Good, with luck, by the end of the week, she and Lenamare would be in Freehold with the book, and ready to pursue vengeance against Exador.
Jenn finished hooking Chestnut and Drecilla to her and Jehenna’s wagon. As she’d suggested last night, she and Trisfelt had switched horses, she’d given him Timber Leaf and taken Chestnut. Actually, she knew Chestnut, had even ridden him a couple of times when she’d first arrived at the school. She’d always loved horses, and riding had been one of her few pleasures at an otherwise unpleasant school, at least until she’d come to know Rex and Alvea. She’d eventually gotten so busy with her studies and doing things with Rex and Alvea that she’d only rode sporadically, but still she enjoyed it.