The Mirror Mage | ONC2022

11. Stables

(Author's Note: dedicated to ravenwood666may and her ONC story, The Land Behind the Mirror... by an amazing co-incidence we used the same prompt :) See if you can spot the differences in the stories though... lol!
The picture is of Przewalski's Horses, courtesy of Ancalagon and Wikipedia)

The Rider unlatched the stable doors and ushered Ben inside. Instantly, the smell of horse and hay grew stronger. A couple of youngsters were cleaning tack in a room to the left, but ahead, a long walkway separated two rows of stalls. There were six on each side, all with a wooden half door, much like stables anywhere. A leather bridle hung from a hook beside each stall. Unexpectedly, given the walls around the rest of the Keep, the other end of the stables was wide open to the countryside beyond, allowing Ben a glimpse of sky and fields of grass stretching to the horizon. A gentle breeze blew in from the outside, freshening the air.

Ben turned his attention eagerly to the nearest stall. An inquisitive head peered over the top and snorted gustily. Well, this one certainly looked like a horse, thought Ben, though the mane was different, short and standing erect like a zebra's. Unlike a zebra, though, its coat was not striped, but a rich dun, with a lighter shade around the muzzle.

The animal reminded Ben of a photo he had seen in an article earlier that year, about the last few truly wild horses that remained on Earth. Found living in the steppes of Mongolia, there had been a debate about whether they were a sub species, or a full species in their own right. Apparently, they had 33 chromosomes, one more than the domestic horse. These on Rhillion were probably a different species again. The alternative was simply too bizarre to imagine. An image of a horse leaping through a giant mirror in the wilds of Mongolia brought a smile to his face.

Ben stretched out a hand, ready to stroke the soft nose, then had second thoughts. This wasn't his horse. "May I?"

The Rider nodded.

"You're a beauty, aren't you?" murmured Ben, running his hand down the horse's nose.

"Only half the stalls are occupied at present," the Rider said. "The rest of my horses are roaming with the herds, in the grasslands. In a couple of months, after the foals are born, we will round them all up and make our choices."

"Choices?"

"The six belonging to the Keep will come home for the harvest season. Most of the yearling foals will be brought here and tamed. We'll keep a few and sell the others for a good price. Believe me, horses from Riders' Keep are always in high demand. Some though, the strongest, will be allowed to roam free to maintain the herds."

He came around to the other side of the horse Ben was petting and studied him. "I can tell thee have done this before. Thou have many horses on thy world?"

"I grew up on a farm. We had a few horses, but mainly cattle." Ben couldn't see the point of keeping that secret now.

"Thou were a horse holder? Thyself?"

"Well, the horses belonged to my parents, if that's what you're getting at." Ben was wary of making the same mistake he had made earlier with the word "guild." Just because they used the same words here, didn't mean the meanings were exactly the same.

"And thou can ride?"

"Oh, yes."

"Show me."

"What?"

"Show me."

"Right now?" Ben was startled, and to be honest, he felt a bit disgruntled. He had been rushed from one challenge to another since his arrival with scarcely a chance to catch his breath. He wanted a bottle of water at the very least and maybe something to eat, but he wasn't convinced he was going to get either. The Rider was an extremely focussed man and Ben guessed he wasn't accustomed to anyone saying no.

"Can't we wait until tomorrow?"

The Rider narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because I'm tired!" Ben confessed. "Trying to glass walk takes it out of one, you know. And I need a drink of water."

He wasn't certain the Rider would believe his excuses, but as soon as he said the words, he realized they were true. He was tired, and something else as well.

"Not only that, can you tell me where the toilet is?"

Ben got his way. The Rider called one of the stable boys across and told him to escort Ben back to the Mage quarters.

"Find Master Uldon and tell him I said to take care of Ben Lucas for the present. Give him sleeping quarters and find him something to eat," he told the boy, then turned to Ben.

"Go with Jai for now. I'll see thee here tomorrow morning, at sixth candlemark, ready to ride with me." It was not a request.

"Of course, my lord. I look forward to it." Ben could afford to be conciliatory, now food and sleep were in the offing.

Uldon showed him to a small room, very much like the one he had been put in when he first arrived. There was a narrow bed with a couple of blankets and a pillow, and a rack for his clothes. A basin with a jug of water stood on a small table. To Ben's relief, the toilets, called the wash chambers, were located at the end of the passage. He had not been looking forward to using a chamber pot.

"Usually, we all eat in the dining hall but tonight I'll arrange for thee to have dinner here," Uldon told him.

Keeping me apart until they decide what to do with me, thought Ben. But he didn't mind. He didn't really feel up to answering a myriad of questions, not when he didn't have any of the answers.

The food he was offered was plain and simple. A loaf of brown bread and a wedge of hard cheese, accompanied by a couple of apples and a beaker of ale. Simple but filling. Ben ate the lot. He lay back on the bed, fully dressed, prepared to sort carefully through the events of the day, but was sound asleep in minutes.