A trail-less terrain that would've taken a normal horse a day, or even two to cross, took Harmony and Muse-horse less than a day to cross. Muse didn't wear out like normal horses, and her large purple eyes feared nothing–and saw everything. She dodged obstacles and hazards at full speed, without giving Harmony and Kyir so much as a bump. Soon the house-shapes that were seen by early morning's light became large rooftops, rugged but sturdy, surrounded by a high stone wall.
On the far side of the town, the wall thickened and stretched upwards into a peak, forming a small stone gate-house, simple and sturdy like the houses below. From above on the mountain-side, Harmony could see directly into the town itself; dogs barked and brown and white chickens pecked on the ground. A few fruit trees grew beside some houses, and small gardens dotted the spaces between. On the gate-side, to a wider space appeared between the houses. Here a few market stands stood, and on a raised platform, a tiny form in a wild costume waved arms and some kind of instrument, making a performance for a mixed group of children and adults. Beyond the market-space, a second thicker wall separated a tall cone-shaped castle from the town, and housed a large smokestack, which billowed smoke.
Harmony smiled. The place reminded her of a huge stone mother hen, hovering over her chicks. It felt warm and quiet and safe, and Harmony ached with the hope that she could find a place there. She knew it might be too much to ask.
Muse was nearing the gates, now. They weren't gates really, more of an open arch guarded by four tired-looking, middle aged men with rusty polearms... no armor, not in this heat. Just dusty linen tunics and loose pants, stained brown from sweat & long wear. The length of the shirt was too long on one; another pulled tight across the man's chest, slightly bunched at the armpits & hanging down at a comical angle. Harmony smiled. There was nothing threatening about this lot.
Still, it was better to be cautious. One never knew what sort of traditions these villagers were accustomed to, or what their rules were about outsiders.
Muse shook her mane. Harmony. I have a feeling it's better if I don't transform too much inside here, to avoid suspicion. What should I be, while we're here?
Harmony thought for a moment, then spoke aloud, practicing the sound.
"A pet would probably be friendliest, but if I needed you to do things for me, it could raise questions... Can you be a 'servant', like, some sort of normal-looking person form?"
What is normal to you?
"Ah, well, something similar to these people... or to me? But not an exact copy. A human or an elf, maybe, with skin the same as mine, and hair close to the same color?"
Muse seemed to consider. Slowing to a halt, she knelt to allow Harmony to get off, and then trotted off behind some nearby boulders for a moment. When she emerged, she was a small elven girl. She stood shoulder-height to Harmony, with pale, luminescent skin, long white hair, and Muse's classic purple eyes. Harmony grinned. "Do you ever get tired of white and purple? Those are a little uncommon, you know." Muse returned the grin. "Well, no, those are my favorite. But I CAN do other colors..." she snapped her fingers, and her skin darkened a few shades, as if sun-tanned.
Now she appeared to be a young elven maidservant.
Harmony gaped at her. "Muse, you can SPEAK?!"
Muse's grin widened at her astonishment. "Of course, when I need to! I prefer the other speech, mind to mind... but you can speak, so of course I can, too." Muse blinked her deep purple eyes, which faded to violet-grey, and shifted her hair to reddish brown, a little darker, but almost a match to Harmony's red-blonde. "And I can't very well mind-speak to the villagers, without raising questions about who we are."
Harmony nodded. "Yes, I'd rather not explain everything, since I don't even understand it all, myself. If I can't, who could?" She shook her head. "still, I've never heard you talk before!"
Muse looked around for something to wear, and Harmony pulled off the leaf-blanket. "Here! I'll make this into something." Muse nodded and Harmony tapped the blanket, separating it into a smaller cloak and a short green sundress. Muse handed the cloak back to Harmony, and put the dress on.
"Needs something..." she looked around, then grasped some dry grass stems and twisted them. A rope belt & pair of simple woven sandals appeared, which she clumsily put on. Harmony giggled, hugging Kyir who had been quiet for the whole ride, asleep. Now he stirred with sleepy squeaks, and nuzzled at Harmony.
"Muse, I think we might need to wait a bit before going in--Kyir needs to eat."
Muse smiled a tiny bit too-toothily and glanced meaningfully at the guards at the gate. "If he's hungry, he'll cry, and it's a good excuse to let us in to rest, right?"
"I suppose...but I'd rather not find out."
YOU ARE READING
Awakening, Quickening
FantasyHarmony, a college student and magic researcher with a disembodied soul, finds herself awakening on a new planet, with huge gaps in her memory--and pregnant, with a child she knows she didn't conceive by choice. Together, she and her reborn half-sou...
