Black Horses For The King Part 2

"Sit, sit, do. Be comfortable," he said, with bows and sweeping gestures of his hand as he pointed to the thick cus.h.i.+ons piled upon marvelous carpets. They glowed red and blue in a chamber lit by hanging lamps, which burned a scented oil. Then he clapped his hands. A woman-swathed all in black, so that only her eyes were visible-appeared at that summons; he gave her a curt order in his own language. It was too quick for me to be sure what he said, but I think it dealt with something to drink.

"You are from afar?" Paphnutius asked courteously, when we were all seated. I felt uncomfortable until I imitated his cross-legged posture.

"We are," Lord Artos said, looking amazingly dignified upon his cus.h.i.+on. "From Britain."

"Ah!" and Paphnutius's eyes went round with pleasure at such a revelation. "You have journeyed far indeed to see our poor horses."

Bericus gave a snort, because it was obvious to us all that the horses were far from poor.

Just then the woman returned with a beautiful bra.s.s tray and served us a thick, sweet beverage in tiny cups. One almost had to spoon it into the mouth, but this was evidently part of a bargaining ritual, similar to some I had seen my father perform with alien traders. I could almost think myself a child-and carefree-again in such an atmosphere.

"May I ask what this is we are drinking?" Lord Artos said, his tone one of surprised pleasure.

"It is called qahwa, and comes from a bean that is ground and then diffused in boiling water. The taste pleases the effendi?" Paphnutius was all concern that the drink might not please us.

I found it odd but certainly tasty: better than small beer or watered wine.

"It pleases me greatly," Lord Artos said, and paused to take another sip, smiling broadly. I caught him glancing about us to be sure we were also displaying pleasure. Which we all were. Odd the drink was, but I liked it.

Just then the woman reappeared, and this time her tray contained dates, pieces of ewe's cheese, and other sweet-tasting small cubes that were unknown to me.

"Was your journey arduous?" asked Paphnutius; and so we discussed that topic, and then the weather, and the situation of the camp, and only finally the vast number of horses that were on display.

At that point, Lord Artos rightly judged that business could be discussed, and with the sort of gracious reluctance that dealing with the Egyptian required, he explained his requirements. The mares should be proven fertile, preferably already in foal to Libyan stallions, and the stallions should be no more than four years of age and of proven virility. All the horses should be broken to saddle and bridle.

Paphnutius never asked why such breeding horses would be required by this foreign lord. Perhaps he could understand without explanation. After all, Lord Artos and all his companions were tall men; clearly they would need large mounts.

When we had finished our pleasant repast, Paphnutius guided us outside again and, clapping his hands, began the parade of the horses he had for sale.

"The mare is but four years old, and as you see by the foal at foot, she is fertile. This is her second foal." Then, from a parchment scroll he produced from somewhere in his voluminous robes, he rattled off a long pedigree that seemed to deal more with the performance of the dams than the sires. "She is in foal again, to the same sire."

This mare was big, wide hipped; and the foal at her foot was certainly five months old, for he had lost his fuzzy foal coat and was strong and lively. And nearly black. Both animals had good confirmation and a fine sheen to their hides.

Paphnutius then gave us the stallion's pedigree, speaking as fast as he could for some time. "Is he among those you have for sale?" "Oh, no," and Paphnutius looked almost shocked. "He is renowned for his speed, and much in demand."

Lord Artos nudged me briefly as the mare and her energetic foal were taken back to the picket line.

"When will she foal, Paphnutius?" he asked as he watched her movements.

"In your springtime. I have the date ..." And he consulted his parchment roll. "Ah, yes, she was covered in the third month and then confirmed in foal. Yes, yes, she is a fine mare to breed from." He looked a little wistful and I wondered why. I didn't know then that the Egyptians and Arabs preferred mares to stallions. On the other hand, Bwlch looked concerned. "What's wrong?" I asked discreetly, in our own tongue, lowering my voice so that the Egyptian didn't hear us.

"Spring at Deva, where Artos plans to send the horses, can be a cruelly cold season. We breed so that the mares will have their foals in late spring. The later the better. At least that one is well enough in foal so she'll be all right on the sea journey." Bwlch shook his head, already worried about that leg of the way back to Deva.

The parade of mares, some with foals at foot and others guaranteed in foal, continued. I tried to figure out which ones met with Lord Artos's approval; his expression remained the same, pleasant, smiling, outwardly favorable, throughout the entire display.

The stallions were shown next, and worked in circles on long lines to show their proud paces. The second one, not much taller than the first, displayed himself with just that little extra flick of his feet, a prouder carriage of his head and tail, an a.s.surance that caught the eye, and a blue gleam to his silky black hide.

"Now, that's just the one for me," Lord Artos murmured to Bericus, although he kept his expression bland. "I would name him Cornix."

"What else, Artos!" Bericus whispered back, and winked at me. Cornix means "raven." I did not then know that ravens are the birds of good omen for the Comes Britannorum.

Paphnutius had nine stallions, more than were needed; but not all measured up to the criteria in Lord Artos's mind. Finally the parade ended, and then Lord Artos singled out his choices of mare and stallion. I missed out on only one mare and one stallion in my private selection.

"Ah, but come into my humble abode, Lord Artos," Paphnutius said then, bowing and sc.r.a.ping as he led the way, "for you must surely be thirsty. And one cannot discuss matters of such importance out here, where there are so many distractions."

So we retired again. More of the thick sweet qahwa did indeed moisten a throat made dry by the dust the parade of horses had swirled up around us. I did justice to the sweetmeats, too, and more exotic ingredients were served this time. I don't remember half of the subtle combinations that pa.s.sed into my mouth and down my gullet, because I had to concentrate more on the nuances of bargaining.

Memory of my father's tactics returned to me, and if I say so myself-and Lord Artos was very kindly complimentary that evening-I did very well at this business. Better than I ever did for Uncle Gralior; beatings do not encourage as surely as praise. I also wanted to prove to Lord Artos how indispensable I could be. I did not aspire to become a Companion, for I was too young and would never be of that size, but surely I could serve my lord in many other ways that could further his ends. My instruction in the short Roman swords still favored by soldiers had ended with my father's death, but perhaps I could retrain and join Artos's cohort.

When the deals had been completed, Paphnutius himself took us to a compatriot, Nicetus the Elder, several tents away to secure the remaining few horses that were needed. And there, with appropriate ceremonies, view-ings, and bargainings, the remaining Libyans were purchased.

I was so excited that I could not sleep that night. I kept creeping out of our shelter to see if the Libyans were still picketed. Bericus was on watch.

"We won't lose them, Galwyn," he rea.s.sured me, and pointed out his sentry companion on the other side of the line. "Get your rest. You've earned it."

THE NEXT DAY Lord Artos sold off the now-unneeded ponies, for he would mount his men on some of the new acquisitions and lead the others. Spadix was not among those sold, because, he said, "I have no right to dispose of Captain Gralior's property."

I contrived not to look in his direction at that. Spadix was not my uncle's but truly mine, bought with the gratuities I had earned. However, this was not the time to mention that fact. And there was another reason to keep my pony. Cornix was the most unbiddable of the stallions-so wild he had had to be roped, tied, and twitched before a round bit could be inserted between his snapping jaws and a stout bridle attached to his head. Yet he was unexpectedly calm in Spadix's company. The sight of that little bay imp, who could easily stand beneath the stallion-and did so during the worst of the rains-was as ludicrous as it was beneficial.

The big mare that I now bestrode was nowhere near as comfortable to sit on as my short-coupled pony, and she had a foal at foot besides. It was a well-grown colt of some seven months, and he would reach up to nip my legs or heels if he felt I was interfering with his feeding. His dam was so broad in the withers I could barely get my legs around her and felt split apart when she trotted. Whereas the mate and his crew would have laughed their sides sore to see me, the Companions' smiles were good natured and not at my expense.

The stallions took much handling and I was glad that I was relegated to riding the more placid tempered mares. The stallions needed the firm hand and strong legs of the Companions to keep them under control. Bwlch and Bericus were considerable hors.e.m.e.n, the other Companions hardly less so. But Lord Artos was their superior, sitting lightly balanced on Cornix's black back, swaying slightly from the hips while the stallion cavorted or reared or bucked as it s.h.i.+ed at the slightest unusual object on the track. He was well named, for like the raven, he was often without a foot to the ground, half in flight from some imagined terror.

Sometimes I think we traveled farther sideways and backward than forward, and yet we made good time on the return trip. Perhaps because we knew the way now, and its various hazards, and so could avoid them.

Once again, it was the conversations of the evening and the singing that entranced me. Bericus had a good tenor voice. Often Lord Artos would ask him for a special melody or song. On board the Corellia, I had forgotten about the music we used to have; my father and mother had kept a sweet-voiced slave who played the lyre while we dined with guests. The work chanteys that Gralior's men had sung as they hauled up sail or worked the capstan bar were coa.r.s.e and repet.i.tive, not truly music to my ear.

One of the mares bruised her foot on the rough gravel of the next-to-last pa.s.s we had to traverse. We had to wait a day, standing her in the cold running water of a stream to ease the soreness.

We spent a lot of time hanging about watching her when all the other tasks an open-air camp requires were done.

"No hoof, no horse," Lord Artos said at one point, grinning broadly at Bericus, who raised his eyes heavenward.

"Eh?" was Bwlch's only response to this cryptic remark.

"And what'll old Canyd say about these hooves, Artos?" Bericus asked.

"Oh, him?" And Bwlch dismissed the man with a wave of his hand. "He's not been on at you about those iron sandals of his, has he, Artos?"

"The subject comes up periodically," Lord Artos said.

"We'll have to travel fast over all kinds of ground. I meant to ask Paphnutius if he knew anything about such devices."

"Too late now," Bwlch said philosophically. "Though I saw no horses at Septimania with rims."

"Rims?" I asked, curious. I had never heard of the term in connection with horses.

"Iron costs money," Lord Artos said with an indifferent shrug.

Then the companions who had been hunting for the evening meat returned, and I heard no more about such sandals.

BY THE NEXT DAY, the mare could walk out well enough for us to continue.

On a fine bright warm afternoon, we came down out of the hills on the track past the farm where I had bought Spadix, and we saw Burtigala Port in the distance. I could just make out the masts of s.h.i.+ps at anchor, and suddenly dread returned to me: What would I do if I encountered my uncle?

My anxiety deepened as we came closer to the town. Mounted as I was on the tall mare named Splendora, I could see over the heads of pedestrians, and I scanned the s.h.i.+ps for the familiar lines of the Corellia. To my intense relief she was not in port.

Then there was the business of settling the horses for the night and taking up residence in the same inn that Lord Artos had patronized just weeks before. Again my talents as interpreter were needed to a.s.sure us of proper accommodations and a good evening meal. Landlord Ercus, undoubtedly remembering how well Lord Artos had treated him before, was all-obliging. I wanted to know but could not bring myself to ask the man if the Corellia had docked recently.

THE NEXT MORNING I was up at the crack of dawn, peering down through the mists that swirled up from the sea; but there were no new s.h.i.+ps tied up at the dock. Somewhat heartened, I went to the field with grain to feed the horses before anyone else usurped the task. I had them all watered and fed before a sleepy Bericus arrived.

"Ho, Galwyn, you deserved to lie and get your growth sleep," he said, ruffling my hair. "You've no need to do more than your share of the work. Have you a mind to join us for ma.s.s?" he asked.

"Of course," I said with enthusiasm. In a town as large as Burtigala there would be a place for Christians to wors.h.i.+p, but as long as I had been on board the Corellia I had never dared ask my uncle's permission to attend ma.s.s.

The church was small and dark, and the priest mumbled the Latin. I think he was somewhat nervous about having such fine lords in the congregation that morning. I had to keep reminding myself of my good fortune as I made the proper responses.

During the rest of the day I was too busy to worry about my uncle. Prince Cador had requisitioned two fat sloops in which the Comes could s.h.i.+p his all-important mares and stallions across the Narrow Sea. The s.h.i.+ps awaited our arrival. Both were half again the size of the Corellia, far newer and better maintained. The sails were not patched, the lines looked fresh and showed no splicings, the paint on the hulls had recently been scrubbed, and there probably wasn't a barnacle anywhere underwater. Their masters had also, according to instructions from Prince Cador, made certain preparations for this special cargo. The deck planks had been removed above the cargo area, which was just deep enough to accommodate Cornix, the tallest of the Libyans, and wide enough for four or five horses. They would be loaded head to tail, side by side, so that each would be cus.h.i.+oned by its mates against the roll and yaw of a rough sea. The inside of the hull had been padded with straw-filled mattresses as another safeguard against injury. The horses at least would be spared the wind and weather on deck and, with any luck, arrive unscathed at their destination.

We had some time, I can tell you, getting the horses into this area. As the most placid of the five who were to be loaded in the first s.h.i.+p, Spadix was hoisted in first. During that operation, he whickered nervously, despite my shouts of encouragement from where I stood in the well of the s.h.i.+p.

"Easy, Spadix, that's fine, I'm here. You're not in danger!" I shouted, though I felt that/was in some danger. If the belly sling slipped, then Spadix would come cras.h.i.+ng down on me. Still I didn't let that concern color my voice as I kept rea.s.suring him. As soon as I could reach, I got hold of one hind hoof, then quickly I transferred my grasp to his front legs, stroking them as he settled to the deck, wild eyed, ears p.r.i.c.ked, and nostrils flaring in his panic.

"There, lad, that wasn't so bad, was it?" I said, stroking his sweaty neck and gentling him out of his fright.

"Let's not delay, shall we, Galwyn?" Lord Artos called down to me. "We've four more to get in there, and then five in the other s.h.i.+p before dark, you know."

Stepping lively then, I unfastened the sling from Spadix and gestured for it to be hoisted out and away, as I walked the shaky-legged pony to his place against the starboard side of the s.h.i.+p.

The foal came next, and it was paralyzed with fear, so stiff-legged I could barely coax it to walk off the sling. His dam followed, in haste to answer the frightened neighs of her foal. I tied her next to Spadix. The foal pushed in against her, urgently needing to suckle, and she became calmer, although she kept her head up and stared about, wide eyed.

Although the sides of the hold had been cus.h.i.+oned with straw-filled mattresses, the overwhelming odors in this part of the s.h.i.+p were a combination of sea, oil, and the tar with which the sides of the s.h.i.+p were caulked.

Surely the mare had smelled much the same combination when she had been sailed across the Middle Sea. And maybe that's what was causing her distress.

The second mare was loaded almost without incident, though she snorted with nervousness at her strange new stable. Then I heard a good deal of shouting from the wharf as loud directions were issued by Lord Artos, with Bwlch and Bericus adding suggestions as to how to load Cornix.

"Blindfold!" Lord Artos cried. "He won't fear what he can't see. Where's something to blindfold him? I don't care if it's your best tunic, it'll cover his eyes."

"Hobble his feet, or he'll kick the lad to death as soon as he feels solid ground."

"Solid ground?" That came from Bwlch with a loud bark of laughter. "What's solid about a deck?"

"Hold him!"

"Watch his teeth! We should have tied his mouth shut, too."

The men began hauling the stallion on board. Craning my neck, I could see his black bulk, blindfolded and leg-tied, swinging in over the deck. Fortunately he didn't squirm as the mare had, though his sweat dripped down on my head. The lead chain dangled and I positioned myself to grab it.

"Whatever you do, Galwyn, don't remove that blindfold," Lord Artos called over the side.

"What about the hobbles?" I got hold of the long lead and carefully backed away from where Cornix would settle. He was swinging in the hoist and his teeth were bared, nostrils flaring red.

"Rear ones, I guess," Lord Artos replied, though his tone was dubious.

I got those off as the stallion was still being lowered, and since he was not the brightest horse I had ever met, he didn't realize his hind feet were free. He was also so confused that I was able to push him against the port side of the s.h.i.+p where he was to be tied. But I guess I didn't tie him to the ring soon enough. Nor did the sailors manage to get the deck planks down before he realized what was happening. Even I could feel that subtle compression of air above me as the planks were slammed back over the opening. The hammering made him nervous and he flinched with every blow.

Then I thought that if he could see he was safe here and the blows were only noise, he might settle. I uncovered his eyes.

And let loose a maniac.

He took one look at the dark confines of his new quarters and reared. I dangled from the end of his lead chain like a rat in a fighting dog's jaws.

When he came down, I dragged the lead rope through the ring, but he reared once more just as the last spike was being driven into the overhead planks. It missed his poll, but the shock of the point touching his ear startled him motionless with fright and I was able to pull the tether tight so he could not rear again.

I was as trembling and sweaty as he was. But beside him, Spadix nickered, and that seemed to comfort him. I had also brought on board some fresh gra.s.s I had pulled on the way to the harbor. This I fed to all the animals, hoping to calm them. I thanked the good Lord that they immediately fell to munching contentedly.

With them quiet, I could hear the muted shoutings as the Companions loaded the other s.h.i.+p with its five equine pa.s.sengers. It seemed to take such a long time. Finally, I heard feet running along the deck above me and again had to soothe the horses, though I had run out of the fresh gra.s.s by then.

At length I felt the unmistakable surge of the s.h.i.+p getting under way and knew that this leg of our journey had begun.

WE DISCOVERED, in the worst way possible, that horses can get seasick, though not as humans do. The stallion covered me with his scourings, though my Spadix-eyes white with fear, all four legs poking out stiffly-did not succ.u.mb. Yet it was not a rough crossing by my standards, and both s.h.i.+ps stayed within sight of each other the entire way.

Bericus and Bwlch, who sailed in the same s.h.i.+p with me, were rather heartened that they were not affected by the sea motion on this return voyage. Truth to tell, we were all so busy with the horses, soothing them, cleaning up after them, coaxing them to eat the fragrant hay, that we humans simply had no time to be sick.

Lord Artos inspected the horses morning, noon, and night, and had himself rowed across to the second s.h.i.+p to perform the same offices as soon as he was done on ours. Never was I more relieved to see the mouth of the river on the horizon that afternoon. The Exe led to the port just above Isca.

"You'll be on land before dark, my lad," I murmured to the stallion. He stood with his head bowed between his splayed front legs, his finely shaped ears drooping to either side of his elegant head, his black coat grimed and rough with sweat though we had groomed him morning and night. Remembering his fine displays on land, it was disheartening to see his proud spirit so low. But then his head lifted suddenly and his nostrils flared as he smelled land.

I could have wished his spirits had taken slightly longer to revive, for he proved his old self when the deck planks were removed and he could see daylight. He trumpeted like a wild thing, pawing and thras.h.i.+ng at his tethers. I had to use my own tunic to cover his eyes while the pony was hoisted ash.o.r.e first. Then it was the stallion's turn, and finally the two mares' and the foal's.

Cornix was weak, though, from the journey, and had trouble keeping his legs under him. There was an apprehensive look on his face as he staggered first this way and then that, recovering land legs.

"Ave, Comes Artos," cried a glad voice, and Prince Cador himself came riding down to the dock, more men behind him. "Magnificent, Comes Britannorum!" he exclaimed as he dismounted, throwing his reins to an aide. Appraisingly, he circled the stallion, his face expressing his high opinion. "Truly magnificent. Sixteen hands high if he's one!"

"Seventeen is more like it, Cador," Lord Artos said proudly. "Look at the bone of him, the breadth of his barrel, the power in his haunches. Oh, he's gaunt enough from three days at sea, but we'll put condition on him soon enough once he's at Deva. I have called him Cornix."

"Appropriate enough for you, my friend," Cador said with a grin, glancing heavenward as if to see if any ravens were among the birds circling above. Then the prince turned to watch the first of the mares to be offloaded. "By Epona, the mares're up to his quality as well!" His bright light eyes widened as the mare swayed on feet made unsteady by her days at sea.

Bericus was at her side, giving her sufficient ma.s.s to lean against while she scattered her front legs. Then she whinnied wildly for her foal, who was already thras.h.i.+ng about in the hoist sling, nickering frantically for rea.s.surance.

The prince clouted Lord Artos affectionately on the shoulder. "I believe you now, Artos-for I had my doubts before, I'll be frank. But these are splendid animals." Then he leaned closer to the Comes. "How long do you think it will be before we all can be mounted on such warhorses as these?"

I was struck by the look that suffused the features of the Comes Britannorum, that look of far seeing: not of trance or dream, but of a reality waiting just ahead of him. "Five, six, seven years, and there won't be a warrior without a black horse of this quality to carry him to battle against the Saxons. A stalh'on such as Cornix here can cover thirty, forty, maybe fifty mares without loss of fertility. And these are eager to do their duty. Each of the mares is also in foal, so any colts may also stand if they're up to the standard I mean to have."

"Aye, the Saxons will have to beware!" And the prince's expression turned grim. He pulled Artos to one side for private conversation. Out of the corner of my eye-for I was busy feeding the mare hanks of gra.s.s pulled from the roadside-I could see all the elation of success bleed from the Comes's face. I was saddened to see the change.

Suddenly my shoulder was seized in a fierce and painful grip. Startled, I tried first to twist free, and then to see who had made me captive.