STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

24. THE CAPITAL

"How is that boy staying on? Is it safe?"

Cage looked out the window and saw South on top of the luggage today as the carriage was in motion, sitting by the luggage, leaning heavily on it, slumped over asleep.

Cale ignored them to play with the kittens, "if he falls off, one of the knights will pick him up." He rubbed On's eyes, clearing away the sleep-addled dirt at the edges as she yawned.

Since he, Cage, and Taylor drank all night yesterday, it must have been too noisy for them to sleep. Weird how they always liked Cale's room better (it was more comfortable) but they got better rest when they cuddled up with South in the stables.

"You couldn't get that stable boy to sleep in a normal place if you threatened him, so it's better to just leave him be," Cale sighed.

"Shouldn't we at least wake him up?"

"He's not taking a nap, he's sick and that's how his body copes," Cale explained. "Waking him up against his natural instincts will only make him feel ill and disoriented for the rest of the day— I would rather not have a useless stable boy for our first day in the capital."

Cage considers that. She's never heard of this illness before, but it does sound like a curse.

Taylor, however, understands. He also needs accommodations sometimes, and often days he would wake up with pain in his legs and his entire day would be horrible from thereon. So, he understands very well.

With a stablehand like that, no wonder Cale treats Taylor and Cage like normal people.

No, it's because Cale Henituse is already such a bright guy, that he accepts people like Taylor and Cage without any preamble. The stablehand is just the first of the many.

-

They arrived in the Henituse house in the capital. Ron went on with the horses and the carriage to settle whatever it was back there with the Stans— which left Coachman Leon, South, and the Knights to settle in with the remaining horses.

The servants here were all very nice, though they did hold some wariness and prejudice against Young Master Cale due to the rumours.

"I can't believe someone your age came all the way to the capital as a servant," one of the holsters said, pitifully, "it must have been a rough journey!"

Usually, only the senior stableworkers came. Even at just twenty years old, South was the most capable in that regard when it came to the Henituse main estate, so he didn't know what to say. The capital must have better labour laws.

"On the journey did you sleep with the knights or the butlers?" another inquired, concerned. "Oh, what am I asking... of course pompous butlers wouldn't have let you in the tents. You must have been stuck with the knights. Poor you!"

"Ah no," South couldn't resist correcting, "I just sleep in the stables."

Wrong answer. There were loud, dramatic gasps from everyone.

"He didn't even let you sleep anywhere decent!"

"How could he?!"

South sent his sincerest apologies to Young Master Cale from the depths of his heart. He didn't do it on purpose, he swore on his life he didn't.

"That aside... where should I lead the horses?"

-

South knew something was up when Mama Northford came to him instead of settling down in the feeding station. She usually kept to herself, only looking out for the younger horses when they're hurt.

Even after the long journey, she seemed restless.

She looked into the distance, as if she sensed something, but didn't know how to communicate it. She didn't focus on her food, or even on the journey ahead— she was very distracted. Not in the way when they sensed enemies, but rather— she's worried, like when one of their foals are lost.

On South's back, there's a tattoo of a single stalk of red carnations, trailing down the line of his spine. And now, it burned.

"You want to go somewhere?"

Mama Northford nodded.

This was the capital. She'd been here before, of course, she was the trusted horse of the estate, she had been here as often as Christallion and Steedphanie. She would know her way around this place, even better than South could ever.

South considered this. Everyone was busy, and Cale was resting in his room.

"Okay, I'll take responsibility, let's go."

-

She didn't want to go far.

Somewhere isolated, toward the slums where no one could see well— there was Choi Han. He's with an injured boy and a woman with long red hair—

—South's knowledge of the story becomes muddier from this point on. But this was very odd. Didn't they teleport straight outside Cale's door in the story?

"...this is as far as I can make it..." Rosalyn sounded confused, too. "We're in the capital already. The one you're looking for should be nearby, but..."

"It's okay, I'll run," Choi Han said. "He should have arrived in the capital already, so—"

"Choi Han-ssi!"

They both jerked with alarm when South called out. He got down from the horse quickly, coming over to greet him.

"Ah, no wonder. Mama's instincts are scary," South said. "How did she even know?"

"South-ssi?"

He wondered when she claimed Choi Han as her herd... in that one time he took her out? She probably sensed how much he suffered in his life or something, she liked picking up strays like those.

"Looks like you need a ride?" South gestured at Mama Northford, who looked like she wanted to run off quickly, upset that they were taking so long. "Mama can take two people."

Lock was breathing heavily, face flushed with sickness and pain— and they couldn't bear to leave him like this any longer.

"Will they let me in the gates?" Choi Han decided quickly.

As usual with them two, Choi Han asked no questions.

South liked that about him. He wondered if this would be considered some kind of trust, but South wasn't sure enough about that feeling to really say it for sure. Let's just call it being efficient.

"Yes, seonbae is at the gates, so just say it's an emergency that you need to see Young Master—" South didn't even get to finish his sentence.

Choi Han rode off quickly, Mama Northford taking him and Lock away.

South turned to Rosalyn, who looked just as shocked to be left in the dust like that.

And then South remembered, "right. You have to stay hidden, right? Can you put your hood up? I'll lead you back."

"Huh? Uh. Ah— right," Rosalyn stuttered. "How did you know we were here?"

South hummed. "Mama knows best."

Rosalyn's brow raised. "Mama?"

"Yes. She's a very good horse. The best," South said. "You should never doubt her instincts."

"...the horse?"

South decided not to answer those questions, waiting for Rosalyn to put up her hood first before they set off back to the mansion.