From Mare to Maid

    Sean picked twigs out of his hair, wincing as one pulled a couple strands out from the roots.

    “Flick,” he grumbled, “next time you decide we should take a shortcut, let’s discuss it first. I’m not saying it wasn’t helpful, but maybe we should have gone around that big bramble patch back there?”

    Flick’s ears twitched, “Oh, aye, we could have, but it would have taken twice as long. That bit of swamp rose marks the only dry path through a bog on both sides. Besides, it would have mussed up my coat.”

    Sean nodded along. “See? That’s the kind of information I need to know. It’ll make our travelling easier and,” he poked his finger through a new hole near the hem of his trousers, “hopefully save money on replacement clothes. Anyway, is Greenbough close?”

    “It appears to be just ahead through these trees,” Corvane said, landing on Sean’s shoulder as Flick picked her way forward.

   “Thanks for taking a look, Corvane. Anything I should know before we approach?” Sean asked.

    “It seems like a large and prosperous village,” Corvane replied. “The homes look to be in good repair and the people seem to be healthy and in good spirits. I believe it is a good place to begin your efforts, Successor.”

    Sean let himself relax slightly. “That’s good to hear, given the way the Goddesses talked about the state of the realm I expected worse.”

    Flick’s ears pricked up, “The bird said something about the goddesses before too. Have the ladies below finally decided to take a direct hand then?”

    Corvane’s chest puffed up, his head bobbing. “You have the honor of carrying the Pale Trinity’s chosen Successor,” he said, “the one they have tasked with uniting Aiane under his banner. No longer will they suffer their land to be unguided or unguarded.”

    “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Sean said, chuckling weakly. “There are so many things that could go wrong between now and then that I don’t even want to contemplate them.”

    “Well at least it won’t be boring, lad, whatever happens,” Flick replied. She paused, her front legs buckling in a semblance of a bow that threatened to send Sean tumbling forward. “Or should I say Your Majesty.”

    “Ha ha, laugh all you want, but keep it up and I won’t buy you any nuts when we get into town.”

    The trio made their way through the remaining stretch of forest and up to the tree line. Sean saw that the forest had been cleared away from the edge of the village for maybe 100 feet, leaving an uncovered approach. There was a stout circular palisade surrounding most of the buildings with a gate at each cardinal direction.

    “So, do I just walk in out of the woods, or…” Sean trailed off, unsure of the correct etiquette to enter a village as a stranger.

    “Would you like to announce your kingship immediately?” Corvane asked. “Or would you prefer to visit the town unheralded first before revealing your mandate?”

    “Definitely the second one. It feels weirdly entitled to walk into a random village and declare yourself their king.”

    Corvane rasped out a laugh, “It happens fairly often, actually, though most kings have an army accompanying them for the declaration. In that case, though, you should leave Flick here and enter on foot.”

    “Now wait just a minute-” Flick began to protest, before Sean held up a hand to stop her.

    “Hold on Flick, I think I know what Corvane’s getting at. I’m assuming having a horse is something of a status symbol? Something that would mark me out as unusual to the villagers?”

    Corvane bowed, “You a correct in your insight, Successor. You would be noted as a man of wealth, which would run counter to your goal. Similarly, I will not accompany you directly and will instead watch you from a close distance.”

    “You’re still not leaving me behind,” Flick grumbled. “What about if I come in as a fox?”

    “Too dangerous,” Sean answered. “They might think you’re after their chickens, or refuse me entry for having a risky pet.”

    “The rabbit then? You humans love rabbits, and not just in a stew.”

    Sean shook his head. “Still a bit strange, don’t you think? A man wandering the forest with his pet rabbit? If I had a pack to keep you in that would be one thing, but as it is I don’t think it’s a good idea. Don’t worry, I’ll be back with plenty of food for us all to share.”

    “Off my back lad, off! I’ve got another form that should work, I just don’t like to use it.”

    Sean scrambled off Flick’s back, jumping to the ground. The mists that marked her transformations gathered around the horse and contracted down, lingering a bit longer than her previous forms had required.

    When the fog faded away, Sean was less surprised than he’d expected to see a tall, slim woman in place of the mare. Dressed in simple clothes of green and brown that matched Sean’s, she looked younger than him by a couple of years. Her hair was long and straight, deep black like the fur of her other forms, but silky smooth rather than fluffy or coarse. It fell loosely around her fair, delicate face, which in turn framed a pair of wide red eyes.

    Those eyes crinkled at the corners as she turned to Sean, twinkling. The woman lifted her skirt and dipped in a short curtsey.

    “A pleasure, oh king, I hope this form is sufficient to accompany you on your royal visit. Does it meet with your approval?”

    Sean put his hand on his chin and looked Flick up and down in mock appraisal. “It does, save for one thing, oh loyal steed.”

    Reaching up, Sean tweaked one of the large ears sprouting from the woman’s head. “What about these! If I walk into town beside a woman with horse ears, I’m going to get even more stares than if I had a whole horse!”

    Flick rolled her eyes, batting Sean’s hand away. “They’re glamoured so that humans can’t see them.” She leaned forward and grabbed Sean’s arm with both hands. “To them, I’ll just be a simple peasant girl accompanying an equally simple peasant boy on a journey.”

    She reached one hand under her other arm’s sleeve, scratching at her elbow. “Now come on, let’s get some food so I can distract myself from how these magicked up clothes itch.”