Black Horses for the King
- Автор: Маккефри Энн
- Язык: английский
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «Black Horses for the King». Краткое содержание книги:
After his father's death, young Galwyn Varianus is apprenticed to his uncle, who puts the boy to work on the high seas. But horses, not ships, are Galwyn's passion. Luckily, a passenger aboard, Lord Artos (later to rule as the legendary King Arthur), is bound for the great horse fair at Septimania. Risking his life, Galwyn abandons his uncle to serve the gallant leader. Galywn's calming way with horses quickly impresses Lord Artos and his men. But what no one expects is how crucial Galwyn will be to their upcoming battles--as he masters the secrets of the iron shoes that will protect the exotic horses' delicate hooves. . . .
Although the sides of the hold had been cushioned with straw-filled mattresses, the overwhelming odors in this part of the ship were a combination of sea, oil, and the tar with which the sides of the ship 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 ship 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 grass 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 ship with its five equine passengers. 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 grass by then.
At length I felt the unmistakable surge of the ship 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 succumb. Yet it was not a rough crossing by my standards, and both ships stayed within sight of each other the entire way.
Bericus and Bwlch, who sailed in the same ship 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 ship 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 thrashing at his tethers. I had to use my own tunic to cover his eyes while the pony was hoisted ashore 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 mass to lean against while she scattered her front legs. Then she whinnied wildly for her foal, who was already thrashing about in the hoist sling, nickering frantically for reassurance.
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 grass 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.