Day 13 - New Horsey Arriving

And his young life quaked with a shift that would make him.

For, as they looked eye-to-eye, Helmuth suddenly felt an understanding with the horse. As though he could hear her thoughts, as though she could speak directly to him, and only to him, he knew all that she knew. He knew she liked the taste of the late-summer air, just before the season gave way to harvest. That she would run her hardest when her rider wanted her--not himself--to be fast. He felt the elation and complicated emotions of being chosen to ride, being saddled, and being led to the start of a chase. He knew that, right now, he could return to his mount on her back and ride her around and around the stable.

And so he did. And so he enjoyed his lolly much the rest of the morning.

Helmuth was still lost in this reverie when he heard sounds of an approaching party. They were still distant, but he was certain he heard a great many hooves pounding the forest floor. He moved away from his table and out into a faint sprinkle of late-afternoon rain.

He could not yet see them, but the birds in the trees were acknowledging the presence of this approaching group with songlike calls and twitters. The array of sounds was an orchestration to Helmuth's ears of bird-provided flutes and violins, with hoof-beats for the percussion. Only, he wasn't sure if the resulting music was inviting or foreboding.

Finally, the leader rider came into view. While leading a veritable garrison of men on horseback, they carried no banners, no visible weapons, and no defensive shielding. Instead, they wore plain-colored tunics and hats, carried non-descript parcels on the backs of their saddles (presumably provisions), and smiled in a friendly way, quite the opposite of the sneer of the peerage that typically graced a visitor's face when Helmuth was "blessed" with a visit from the ruling class.

"Peace, friend," called the leader. "We seek Master Helmuth."

"I am at your service, m'lord," replied Helmuth with a small bow. "Am I to receive a foal, as expected?"

"Indeed. We have traveled many days and miles, on horseback and by sea. We will be grateful for our help and guidance for this young horse as she's made ready to inherit her future."

"What can you tell me of her sire and her dam?"

At this, the man on horseback paused, looked sideways to a companion that was pulling up to match his placement, and pursed his lips. His companion raised an eyebrow in response. Both returned their attention to Helmuth.

"We cannot say," was the reply, "but to tell you that they were well-matched and produced a healthy foal."

"And her birth? How was that?"

"Long and strenuous for the dam, but to no damage to the foal. Dam recovered quickly and is back and sturdily serving her master again."