Adalyn-A Centaur's Tale

by RoyalPsycho

Before the revelation of Liminals to the world, the various inhuman beings had to live somewhere; hidden away from the wider, human world. This is the story of a secret village, the community who live within it and a day in the life of a young woman that calls the village home. This is Adalyn the Centaur's tale.

Adalyn-A Centaur's Tale:

It was a rather pleasant day in the woods of Central England. The state managed woodland wasn't the largest forest in the country but it was quite substantial, a patch of lush vegetation that served as one of the final remnants of a habitat that had once dominated the entire island. The trees and all the land within the forest's borders were protected by law, the government keeping tight control over the area and working hard against demands and requests from all sources to develop the area. Road plans had been redirected, development schemes had been shot down, wannabe home-builders had been denied vehemently and loggers of any kind weren't even allowed to suggest doing anything to the forest.

To the public it was simply a large park, a pleasant place to visit for the day. Picnickers and hikers were allowed to go down the established trails, rest in the meadows that punctuated the thicker woodland and climb up the larger hills that the forest was centred around. It was a lovely environment, an opportunity to escape the cities and motorways and connect a little with nature. That wasn't, however, its only purpose for existing.

A large portion of the woodland was cordoned off from the public visiting areas. Surrounded by a wooden fence that the government had tried to blend into the wildlife in order to maintain the wood's more natural appearance, was a section of the area that was forbidden to the public.

Deep in this forbidden zone was a large clearing filled with well-tended pastures and orderly fields of healthy crops. It was several miles wide, the presence of cut tree trunks indicating that the land had been cleared to make way for the open space and situated in the centre of the clearing was a large town. The settlement was a collection of stone buildings with tile or wooden roofs, surrounded by a tall stone wall capped with crenellations. On one end of the town, attached to a section of the wall, was a circular stone keep that rose high above the other buildings and loomed, imposingly, over the clearing. Smoke rose from chimneys, and the sound of busy inhabitants indicated that the settlement was not only populated but thriving. The people of the town, however, were not what most observers would expect. They were not human, they were centaurs.

Hybrids of human and horse, the centaurs were a clan that had existed in the woods for many centuries. Their kind had been driven from their ancient homelands in Eastern and Southern Europe long ago but in the north they had been able to find sanctuary. As the continent of Europe continued to develop and the once barbaric people of the British Isles, Scandinavia and Germania followed in the footsteps of the people of the Mediterranean and pushed back the wilderness, the centaurs and so many other races had been forced to find new forms of safety.

To secure their future, the clan had made peace with the Kingdom of Mercia long ago and had ensured that the English, Normans and others who replaced them had honoured the agreement. Now they remained hidden away, much as they had for centuries, living a relatively simple life with some support from the government who now protected the forest they called home.

Centaurs wandered the streets back and forth, many of them carrying items they needed to work or maintain their homes. Adult centaur mares were, in many cases, followed by eager and energetic foals who would frolic around their mother until she reprimanded them for their behaviour. Larger and unpleasantly muscular stallions would also be seen strutting around in suits of armour, leering at the mares who caught their attention, arguing to the point of violence or causing a ruckus whenever something came to mind that they took offence or enthusiasm towards. Most of the towns inhabitants were out in the fields, readying the Autumn harvest or shepherding the flocks of sheep that gave them wool and the fat that was a necessary ingredient for many miscellaneous items the town needed.

Out of one of the many smaller houses that stood near the wall across the town from the keep stepped a young centaur mare. She was about seventeen years old and was the perfect picture of what a healthy mare her age should be. The mare's horse's body was a chestnut brown, nearly fully grown and incredibly powerful whilst her lithe but muscular human torso was well looked after. Though her body was covered by a simple long dress that reached down to her knees, she had put on a much more flattering and modern style shirt that, thankfully for her, managed to cover her already substantial breasts without tightening and straining against them. Her long ginger hair was tied back behind her head and held up in a modest bun that she kept in place with a pin that was embossed with an actual opal, an heirloom passed down from her grandmother.

'Adalyn,' a strong, feminine voice called after her. 'Hie thee to the market and return with the vegetables as we told thee an hour ago. Thine sister hast already abandoned her duties and thine lazy, feckless arse has deigned to lie about instead of tending to thine own duties for too long. Return with the groceries forthwith or I shall have thine father tan thine hide.'

'Yes mother,' Adalyn, replied in an exasperated tone, rolling her eyes. 'I shalt return within the hour.' She put her hand down by the belt that attached her dress to her shirt to check that the pouch holding the money for her groceries and the sack she would carry them in were actually attached and then set off at a leisurely trot.

The streets were already busy as most of the farmers had woken up at dawn and the members of their families who weren't involved in the harvest had set up stalls in the large paved square in the centre of town. Mares and some stallions, either the young or those not inclined to become warriors, were wandering back and forth through the modest market. Shopkeepers announced their products to the crowd, trying to attract the attention of potential customers however they could. Adalyn saw one burly stallion with a thick, puckering face shout out enthusiastically to several other centaurs, trying hard to convince them to at least look at the various leather belts, pouches and other accessories on his stall. Unfortunately his aggressive approach put off many of the mares and received derision from the stallions.

Adalyn ignored it all as she carefully weaved her way through the light crowd. Though she knew what she was supposed to be buying she was looking for someone she knew would already be in the marketplace. She went across the square until she reached the stall outside the town's blacksmith. There, pretending to admire the series of kitchen utensils displayed in front of her was another young mare.

The other mare was slightly shorter than Adalyn and had beautiful light blonde hair that she tied behind her head in a long ponytail that reached down to her waist, as well as shining emerald eyes. The mare was dressed in a much more colourful and ostentatious dress that incorporated a triangular pattern along the hem that was made of several different bands of coloured cloth. Her own top was also a lot more decorated and seemed to be a human product, likely imported from outside the clan's territories. Despite being slightly shorter than Adalyn the girl, surprisingly, had noticeably larger breasts that – before she had begun to bind them tightly – had barely fit into the simple, human-made shirts she commonly preferred to wear.

'Mabel,' Adalyn called out as she trotted up to the girl's side. 'Why dost thou tarry before the smith's stall?' She then made a sly smirk as Mabel turned to look at her. 'Art thou staring at Willard once again? Thine moon eyes do not yet seem to be catching his attention. Perhaps thine attempts to woo him would be much better served if thou didst muster the pluck to actually approach him.'

Mabel blanched and then turned bright red as she began to stammer in protest. 'Nay, nay I was not staring at him,' she eventually managed to stammer out. Nervously, she then glanced beyond the stall and into the blacksmith's forge where a young stallion was working the bellows.

Willard was the second son of the town's fletcher who had apprenticed himself to the blacksmith as his older brother was set to inherit their father's business. Like most stallions he was muscular and stout, with a bulging, meaty slab of a torso and impressively thick arms as well as a wide head with a flat, pugnacious face. His snub nose had been broken in a brawl when he was seven but had thankfully been reset without any problems. Apparently the fight had managed to take the worst of his aggressive desires out of him and he had remained somewhat calmer for the next eleven years of his life. He was still resolute and prone to boasting about his strength, which he had honed in the forge, but he did not start fights or rise to simple taunting like so many of his peers. If anything he was relatively pleasant company, if still a little dim at times.

'Verily, I do not see what thou dost in that colt,' Adalyn said with a frown.

'Oh he is most kind,' Mabel replied, jumping to the stallions defence. 'And he is so earnest in his work. Tis as admirable as any knightly devotion.'

'If it is as you say then it matters not,' Adalyn said. 'The matters of thine heart belong to thee alone it appears and are beyond mine own understanding.'

'I tell thee; tis not as thou dost presume,' Mabel stuttered once again, her blush returning.

'Indeed, indeed, worry not' Adalyn said with a slight chuckle and a bright smile, brushing off her friend's protests. She enjoyed Mabel's company, the ease with which she could be gently teased and the earnestness in which she nursed her feelings for the young smith's apprentice being too adorable to ignore.

Mabel was the granddaughter of old Osric, the village scholar. The old stallion had been rather weak and passive by their race's standards but had also been smart and quick witted enough to earn a place as the town's record keeper and had served the community for many decades. His daughter Erline had followed in his hoofsteps and taken up keeping accountancy in the keep but Mabel had proven too free-spirited – or airheaded as some would say – to stay in the dusty halls keeping track of numbers. She, instead, had apprenticed herself to Gage, the local bard and spent much of her time learning the songs and sagas that entertained the town during festivals. She had yet to actually perform by herself but had already assisted Gage in several festivals in the last few years.

'Art thou here on an errand to our noble bard this day?' Adalyn asked Mabel as they set off back into the market.

'Nay,' Mabel replied, sounding less shy. 'Gage hast deigned to grant me the day to while away as I doth desire. I, however, knew that thine mother would command thee to visit on errands for thine household and so decided to wait for thee to arrive.'

'Truly that stallion doth spoil thee,' Adalyn said, surprised at the bard's leniency. 'Tis a shame that I did not ask mine own mother for the day so that we might spend it together. Still tis pleasant to find your company here whilst we still have time.'

'Yea,' Mabel agreed, brightening visibly. 'I think it best we seize this opportunity that we have been granted and enjoy as much as we can.'

'Very well then,' Adalyn said with a smile. 'Then first we shalt gather mother's groceries. To the carrot stall of noble Frieda.' dramatically she thrust her arm forward and pointed in the direction of one of the grocer stalls, as if she were a knight heading out on a quest.

The two of them walked back and forth between the stalls of the market. Though the grocers had ordered all of the stalls and wares close to one another the girls walked in a random direction in order to draw out their meeting. Adalyn collected carrots, potatoes, cucumbers and lettuce for her mother. Once she gathered everything her mother had expected her to collect, she knew it would be time to return home.

'Tis time that we part,' Mabel said forlornly. 'A shame that we canst draw our meeting out.'

'Mayhaps mother will be merciful to me this day should we speak to her,' Adalyn suggested. 'Join me so that we may strengthen our request before her.' Mabel frowned and gave her a doubtful look.

'Come,' Adalyn insisted. 'Wouldst thou not wish to even take a chance. Too few are the days within which we may seek merriment with one another.'

'Very well,' Mabel finally acquiesced, sighing and bowing her head slightly.

The walk back to Adalyn's house was much faster than their stroll through the market. Adalyn felt somewhat nervous as her mother was a very harsh and studious taskmaster, showing very little lenience towards her when it came to her chores and threatening punishment if she slacked. Her father, on the other hand, was more open to letting her enjoy herself but was also rarely at home.

'Mother!' Adalyn shouted once she had gotten home. 'I have brought the groceries as thou hast requested. By great deliverance I have discovered that Mabel daughter of Erline hast been granted leave of her duties by the gracious permission of master Gage. May I have your permission to take mine leave along with her.'

Adalyn looked hopefully into her home. The house was a longhouse with a single floor that extended into a spacious common-room centred around a hearth. Modern styles imported from human designed homes had seen the old structure divided into several rooms all built on the edges of the house. Adalyn's own room was the smallest living space, situated at the back of the house near the storerooms.

Adalyn's mother was a tall mare with a powerful, dark brown horse's body and a tall and lithe human torso with large, prominent breasts. Like Adalyn she had pulled her ginger hair back into a bun to reveal a face that still looked young though there were some noticeable lines of wear around her eyes and on her brow. Her face was classically beautiful but also seemed to be set in a natural scowl when at rest, often giving her a hostile demeanour. She stood in the middle of the house, bringing an armful of logs to the central hearth. The fire was not lit but as autumn continued on it would soon require more fuel and Adalyn's mother was not fond of the cold.

'Child,' Adalyn's mother said, turning and fixing her daughter with a frown, arms folded, 'I am neither deaf nor dumb. Thou needst not shout nor bellow when in thine own home. Thine father make enough noise to shake the walls to their foundations as is.'

'Apologies, mother,' Adalyn replied, embarrassed at how loud she had just been. 'Yet it is as I have said,' she began again much more nervously, afraid she had already soured her mother's mood towards her, 'Mabel hast been granted leave for the day. May I also join her this day?'

Adalyn's hopes sank as she saw her mother's frown deepen. The older mare's face became stern and hard and Adalyn struggled not to take a step back from her mother's glare. Steeling herself, Adalyn instead stood her ground but did not try to look like she was standing against her mother. If she backed down she would lose her mother's respect but if she openly defied her she would be punished.

'Very well,' Adalyn's mother finally said with a sigh, her stern frown returning to her familiar stoic expression. 'Thou mayst take thine leave. Erline's daughter is a good and obedient child and mayhaps she shalt prove to be a fine and noble influence on thee. Go, hie thee to the meadows and enjoy this day for thou shalt return to thine chores on the morrow.'

'Many thanks mother,' Adalyn said cheerfully, bowing her head and torso at the waist to her mother. 'I shalt return ere the evening sun descends and give thee mine word that I shalt work hard through this week in recompense.'

'Go now child,' her mother said, waving her hand in dismissal. 'Go before I change mine mind and call thee back to do both thine and thine sister's duties.'

'Many thanks,' Adalyn repeated herself as she turned to leave. Catching herself, she deposited the bag of groceries by the door and then left her home once again. She walked out of the door and back into the street, seeing Mabel waiting for her on one side of the door. She looked expectantly at Adalyn, waiting for any news on whether or not they could spend the day together.

'Good fortune, Mabel,' Adalyn said cheerfully. 'Mine mother hast deigned to grant me the day to spend with thee as we wish.'

'Then let us use our good fortune as we can,' Mabel replied. 'Come, there is a place I know near the woods where we may talk in peace.'

'Then lead on,' Adalyn said, putting her hand forward again in a flourish.

Both girls walked leisurely through the town. It was still early afternoon so they had plenty of time before either of them would have to return home. The streets were starting to fill though as shoppers emerged from their homes and workers stopped to take breaks in the midday. Feeling hemmed in by the townspeople, Adalyn and Mabel headed for the main gate out of the town.

'Indeed it has been many a day since we were granted time to while away as we wish,' Adalyn said as they passed out into the fields that surrounded the town.

'Tis surely a great boon that we have been granted,' Mabel agreed in a pleasant tone.

They walked until they came to the edge of the fields, on the border of the surrounding woodlands, and then came to a stop. They both relaxed, settling down in the area to talk. They were in one of the pastures but the sheep it fed were elsewhere and the sun was shining on the small hillock they had stopped at. Satisfied with the spot they had chosen, both of the girls sat down, folding their legs under themselves.

'So mine friend,' Adalyn said as she settled down, 'how goes thine tutelage under our bard?'

'They are well,' Mabel replied. 'Gage is a fine tutor and a storyteller of great skill, as befits one who recounts the great tales of our kind. I have not been able to match his voice in the telling of tales but I have proven to be a far greater singer of sagas.' She giggled slightly as she imagined her teacher trying to reach the notes she could when singing.

'Thine gifts are already well known,' Adalyn replied with a smile. 'I am most sure that thou whilst be a fine apprentice to his craft.'

'Oh thou art too kind mine friend,' Mabel continued. 'I am...' she suddenly trailed off as she glanced past Adalyn and looked beyond her. A frown appeared on her face and she appeared agitated. 'Oh Lord Almighty protect us,' she groaned in despair. 'They're back.'

Adalyn turned to see a group of centaurs, both stallions and mares, walk into the clearing from one of the many paths near to them that led into the trees. They were all dressed in suits of armour though only a few of them had full sets. Most of the group were dressed in partial suits or chainmail and carried weapons. Some of them even had large, aggressively spiky haircuts or wore tattoos on their faces. Deer carcasses were also draped over several of the hunters' backs, ready to be skinned. All of them were young, on the verge of adulthood and wore expressions of arrogance that were common amongst most of the town's youth. Adalyn groaned as she realised who was leading them and saw the red-headed mare who was at the leader's side.

'Merciful lord, not Patrina,' Adalyn groaned. 'Avert thine gaze,' she told Mabel. 'If they do not notice us we may yet escape their attention.'

'Thine sister is with Sandon again,' Mabel whined as she also turned back to Adalyn, trying not to look at the group of youths.

Patrina was Adalyn's older sister and an embarrassment to their mother. Whilst she had been raised to uphold the honour and traditions of their kind like most other fillies; Patrina had quickly fallen in with the young stallions, eschewing what her mother had taught them for the rough posturing and brutal violence of the colts. Their mother had worried but most of the other mares had simply stated their disapproval and then tried to comfort her, saying that she would eventually grow out of her behaviour.

Patrina, however, had disagreed with their assessment and had, in fact, become even worse, spending even more time with the stallions as she grew up and egging on Sandon, their obnoxious and arrogant leader. The more the stallions acted out the more she encouraged them. She and her friends also began to bully the other fillies and younger mares in the village in order to impress the colts they were attached to and soon a relatively large gang had been formed that had become the terror of the town's youth. After suffering at her sister's hands and those of her cohorts, Adalyn was tired of seeing the face of the mare who shared so many of her looks.

'Thine sister has noticed us,' Mabel groaned, glancing at where the gang were walking.

Adalyn, against her better judgement, turned around and saw that her sister and the gang were in fact heading their way. Most of the group seemed to be confused, dumbfounded expressions on their faces as they tried to figure out why their leaders had redirected them.

'We should leave,' Mabel said.

'Nay,' Adalyn quietly replied. 'To turn and run would inflame them. They would run us down and we wouldst suredly suffer the lash of their tongues and fists. We stand resolute before them, like the knights of old.'

Mabel whimpered slightly, her expression showing both doubt and fear as she looked down at the ground. Adalyn watched, worried that the sight of her friend's trepidation and fear would just encourage the approaching thugs even further. Mabel was normally the victim of their bullying and the more she backed down before them, the more often they returned to pick on her.

'Ere,' a loud, brash voice, Sandon's voice, called out. Mabel shrank back as the boy's attention fell on her 'What dost lie before us? Ist this the daughter of Erline I see before me. Ah, and the ginger mule hast come to join us as well. What ails thee sow?' he shouted, turning back to Mabel. 'Hast thou finally given up on thine mareish paramour and turned to laying with a stallion-like mare instead?'

Mabel frowned and blushed slightly at the implication, annoyed but unable to say anything in response. Adalyn, still refused to turn around and dignify Sandon with a response.

'What troubles thee sister?' a new voice called out that made Adalyn's frown deepen. Though she still couldn't see, it was obvious that Patrina had finally stepped forward to take her own shots at the two of them. 'Do not feel uneased. Thou most clearly hast trouble wooing any of the stallions of our town. Thou couldst do worse than catch the eye of this filly. Her weak form dost make her easy to keep in line.' Adalyn could hear the sneering derision that dripped from every word her sister spoke.

'Do not tarry here,' Adalyn finally responded in an even tone, still not looking at the group. 'Thou wilst not find anything to entertain thee this hour.'

'Finally, the mule speaks,' Sandon said. Laughter echoed behind Adalyn as Sandon's gang tried to back him up. 'And we are quite sure thou art wrong. The presence of the sow across from thee is entertainment enough. She dost provide the finest sport.'

Sandon's words cut deep into Adalyn especially as she saw Mabel cringe and shrink back again. It was likely that Sandon's entire gang was now focusing on her. The fact that Mabel then covered her chest with her arms gave away the kinds of looks she was receiving from the repugnant stallions.

'Sport?' Adalyn shouted, rising and turning to face Sandon. She stared into the stallion's thick ugly face. Sandon was an exceptionally large Centaur for his age and looked to grow into a mighty warrior. Unfortunately, while he had been granted the broad and sturdy musculature of a healthy stallion he had also been cursed with the hideous visage that most males had to suffer with.

'What sport couldst thou find in bullying a gentle mare?' Adalyn snapped, anger dripping from every word. 'Only the most vile scoundrel, unworthy of bearing a sword or the sigil of our town would consider such unchivalrous and dishonourable acts as sporting.'

'Hold thine tongue mule,' Sandon thundered back. 'I will not be slandered by a wench such as thee. I am a proven warrior. I have won in tourneys, I have succeeded in the hunt, I have led the youth in challenges, I have triumphed in all and I will not be spoken down to by a no account filly.'

Adalyn looked at Patrina who now stood at Sandon's side. Her older sister was just sneering as her mate listed off his accomplishments. The sneer quickly turned to into a scowl as her eyes locked with Adalyn and saw that the younger mare had not been cowed.

'Truly thou art insecure as well as unchivalrous if thou hast to proclaim thine great deeds by thineself,' Adalyn said with a scowl. 'Would not a true warrior have earned the accolades of the people who would, in turn, proclaim them on thine behalf.'

'Silence,' Patrina snapped.

'I do not need thee to speak for mineself,' Sandon then growled to Patrina, glowering at her and receiving a defiant frown in return from the mare.

'Now thou dost refuse the only centaur who would speak of your accomplishments and virtues, whatever those may be,' Adalyn smirked as she saw Sandon almost tremble with rage. 'Still I would not trust her accolades of thee even if you did grant her leave to speak them. She is as much a stain on my family's honour as you are on yours.'

'Silence bitch!' Sandon shouted, shocking everyone as he resorted to human insults. 'Still thine tongue or I will remove it.' He then drew one of the blades strapped to his waist, where his torso met his horse body and pointed it at Adalyn to punctuate this threat. Patrina did the same, drawing her blade and holding it high as if she were to about to bring it down on Adalyn's head.

'I will not stand here and listen to thee as thou dost besmirch mine honour and that of mine mate,' Sandon growled as he advanced.

'Would that there were anything to besmirch,' Adalyn shot back. She clenched her fists and squared her shoulders, ready to receive whatever attack the two made on her. She made sure that she was standing in front of Mabel, giving her space to flee if necessary. No matter what happened, Adalyn didn't want her friend to get caught up in it.

'Hark!' a loud, deep voice suddenly shouted just as Sandon was about to charge at her. Every centaur turned to see a large group of heavily armoured adults trotting towards them. 'What madness is this?' the figure at the head of the group shouted.

Adalyn turned and felt relieved as she saw the leader of the group. It was Morten, the chief knight of the town, the mightiest warrior of their community and a chivalrous stallion. He was also massive, towering over every other stallion and mare in the town, wielding huge weapons forged especially for his size and strength and sporting a complexion so hideous that the mere sight of his scowl was enough to frighten any challenger. He was encased in thick plate armour with heavy barding on his horse body though he had foregone a helmet, leaving his head bare and revealing the thunderous expression he wore as he looked the group up and down.

'What is this I see?' Morten thundered as he strode over, his face twisted into a frightening frown. 'Is the son of Thearl drawing his blade against a pair of unarmed maiden mares? Truly this is a disquieting sight.'

'This wench questioned mine honour and that of mine mate,' Sandon replied, trying to defend himself.

'So for the sake of thine honour thou wouldst draw thine blade against an unarmed mare?' Morten asked, his frown turning into a disturbing grin as he walked closer and loomed over the group. 'Truly thou art worthy of whatever questions were thusly made against thee. I have a quite a mind to remind thee of what a true warrior is like. Please; give me a such a reason,' he then said, giving the gang a terrifying grin. 'I will not have the warriors of this town threaten its maidens.'

Adalyn swore she could see the entire gang visible shrink before the massive stallion. Nearly all of them, including Patrina were cringing in fear and several had their stances bowed in supplication before the chief. Sandon's grimace turned into a snarl that, whilst hideous, failed to match Morten's. His hands and his sword shook until finally, after several tense moments, he sheathed it and backed away, his stance now defensive.

'Truly, tis a marvel to see the son of Thearl listen to reason,' Morten rumbled, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips. 'T'would seem thine hide and thine arse are more important to thee than thine frail honour. Mayhaps you will finally learn of what it means to be a warrior. Now begone, all of thee.'

The gang quickly moved on, Sandon and Patrina both turning to glare at Adalyn and Mabel as they walked away. Three of the armoured adults peeled off from their own group and accompanied the youths, keeping a wary eye on them all.

'T'would seem that Adalyn, daughter of Hadwin is made of sterner stuff than thine sister and her mate,' Morten rumbled approvingly, turning to look straight at Adalyn and Mabel. 'It takes heart to stand before an armoured foe and remain steadfast.'

'Were I doing it for mine own honour then I would not have bothered,' Adalyn replied. 'But I shalt not countenance an undeserved slight done against Mabel.'

'Ah, Mabel daughter of Odam and Erline,' Morten said, turning his gaze to the other mare. Mabel shrank again, unsettled by the stallions frightening visage and his naturally threatening expressions. 'T'would appear that thou hast managed to remain by thine friend's side in the face of a terrible foe. Finally t'would seem Osric's line ist producing sterner folk. Were it only possible that his craven stallions were able to stand as his mares have.'

Mabel blushed in embarrassment and tried to back away from the stallion. Several of his group began to snigger, including the mares who put on faraway looks of derision, presumably as they thought of Mabel's family. Adalyn sighed as she realised that they had likely exchanged one gang of bullies for another, albeit one that was wasn't aware they were insulting her.

'Well,' Adalyn said, desperate to escape the attention of the adults, 'I thank thee for thine aid noble sirs but we must take our leave of thee.'

'Very well,' Morten said, waving them away dismissively. 'Away with thee, both.'

Adalyn and Mabel happily trotted away, their day out having now been effectively ruined by their run in with Sandon's gang. It seemed they had caught the attention of every stallion and mare on the edge of the clearing that didn't have any actual work to do.

They made their way across the meadow and found another clearing but the day had become a little awkward. Mabel, normally felt nervous of how other people thought of her and tended to be difficult after confrontations with Sandon and his gang. The comments from Morten and his warriors had made things even worse and Mabel seemed withdrawn and upset with herself.

'Worry not mine friend,' Adalyn said, trotting up to Mabel's side as they wandered aimlessly through the meadows and putting a hand on her shoulder. 'Do not let the words of our elders strike thee so. It seemed that they were praising thine valour and courage in the face of Sandon and his vagabonds.'

Mabel turned to fix Adalyn with a flat and depressed expression that made Adalyn pull her hand away. The young mare worried that she had made Mabel even more upset.

'It is not their words that upset me so,' Mabel said. 'They are what they say every time they cast their gaze upon me and mine kin. Every time the warriors and knights of our town see the line of Osric they proclaim us a jape, a point of mockery. I cannot pass them without hearing their cutting derision and I pass them often.'

'I… I know,' Adalyn said, walking forward and wrapping her arms around Mabel to comfort her. 'I am sorry that thou hast to hear that. I am sorry that being in mine presence forces thee to speak with our knights and suffer the cuts of their words.'

'Tis not thine fault,' Mabel responded, returning the hug. 'Tis merely a poor day for me. T'would seem that Sandon's visit had unsettled mine thoughts too much to simply weather the remarks of our elders. I shalt be hale again in good time.'

'If that is how you feel, then so be it,' Adalyn said, empathy evident in her voice. It wasn't the first time that a day out with her friend had ended like this and she knew it only made it worse when she tried to to drag it out. 'Come, the day grows short. Let us return to our homes and see what the next morn brings us. Mayhaps if God is kind to me and mine mother is willing I will be able to finish mine chores soon and we may try again to enjoy ourselves as we wish.'

'Yes,' Mabel replied after a short pause, a small smile and a hopeful look on her face. 'Mayhaps we may try again.'

'So be it,' Adalyn repeated with a smile on her face. 'Come. We shall return home and see one another on the morrow.'

The two girls trotted leisurely back to the town, chatting as they went. Adalyn separated from Mabel first, her house being closer to the main gate.

'Farewell Mabel,' she said, waving as she turned away from her friend. 'I shall see thee on the morrow.'

'Farewell Adalyn,' Mabel replied. 'May thou have pleasant dreams this night.'

'And to thee,' Adalyn said in response. She finally turned away from Mabel and trotted down the street that led to her home.

It was only the late afternoon and most of the townspeople were still out and doing their various jobs but Adalyn wanted to go home. She didn't really feel like doing anything outside and she realised she could probably finish some of her chores before the next day and have less to do before she once again asked her mother for a chance to spend time with her friends. If she was lucky her father would be home. He was much more willing to indulge her and she knew just how to get him on her side.

Feeling more at ease with herself, Adalyn went home, a plan already in place for how she would make sure she had at least part of the next day to herself. A smile was back on her face and she felt good about her chances. Despite the run in with her sister and the gang of thugs she hung around with, the day had been nice. She had been able to spend time with Mabel and she was likely to do so again. Truly, life was good.

---

When she woke up the next morning, Adalyn had no idea about what was going to happen. Father still hadn't returned home and so she had been forced to try to convince her mother by herself. Though she had been able to get permission to go out it had been with the stipulation that she complete all of the household chores first. To that end she had woken up early to sweep the floors, change the straw, clean out the slops and chop and stack the firewood for the week. By the third hour of work Adalyn had been sure that her mother would demand she see to making repairs in the dividing stalls and change the thatch in the roof.

Had mother had finally relented when she ran out of reasonable tasks to give her and told Adalyn to go before she changed her mind. Thanking the older mare, Adalyn had washed her hands, changed into a cleaner shirt and trotted out of the door, ready to find Mabel again.

She had made it to the town square when she saw that the crowds weren't visiting the stalls anymore. Instead they were all clustering around the centre. A wooden stage that was normally reserved for festivals had been erected, several stallions still securing ropes and clearing building materials away whilst knights ushered the crowd. There was chatter in the air as the townspeople asked one another what could be going on.

Unable to see Mabel in the crowd, Adalyn began to walk into it, hoping she would find her friend soon. Whilst she was also a little curious about what setting up the stage could mean, she still needed to make sure Mabel was in the crowd. She was, with no small amount of effort, able to jostle through the stallions and mares – earning several nasty looks from the adults she shouldered past – until she got to the centre. There she found Mabel standing in the centre just in front of the stage.

Adalyn was just about to call out to her blonde friend when she saw that Mabel was standing next to Gage, the town bard. Gage was a rare example of a stallion. He was born with a naturally slender body and lacked the muscular physiques that were most common with his sex. At the same time he had also managed to avoid inheriting the unpleasant faces that were also common on stallions. His face was smooth, handsome and bore a trimmed beard and moustache. His effeminate face bore a naturally dramatic expression, his nose raised and his eyes distant, as if he were always staring into space.

Adalyn watched the bard as he patiently stood, waiting for something. Eventually, a knight came forward and whispered in his ear. Gage leaned into the knight and listened intently, his eyes losing their distant look and lighting up as he comprehended whatever was being said to him. He then stepped away, onto the stage and then cleared his throat.

'Hear yee! Hear yee!' Gage shouted out, his loud voice carrying over the crowd and shushing them immediately. 'On this year of our Lord 2009 her Majesty's government of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hast announced a momentous proclamation.'

Adalyn was surprised, as was the rest of the crowd. News of the outside world was rare and though their town did receive regular shipments of vital supplies and small luxuries from the British government; they rarely interacted with the human agents that were responsible for protecting and dealing with them.

'Verily,' Gage continued, his voice silencing the crowds once again, 'the most vaunted parliament of the Palace of Westminster has declared that the statutes of secrecy that hast persisted since time immemorial are annulled and abolished. One month hence the esteemed representatives of her Majesty shalt come forth to our noble town and seek youths to serve as honoured ambassadors to the world beyond our borders.'

Adalyn looked at Mabel who had finally noticed she was standing in the crowd in front of her. The entire town was shocked at the announcement, some of them terrified at the end of something that had governed their lives for generations, others eager to go outside of the woods and see the rest of the country that they called home.

Adalyn shared an uncertain look with her friend. She had no idea what to think or what she should do. In a matter of minutes her entire life had life had been thrown up into the air. Even if she didn't volunteer for the trip outside she knew things were going to change, whether she liked it or not. Swallowing in fear, Adalyn tried to get her thoughts into order. Already there were people clamouring around Gage with questions about the announcement, what it would mean and how they could participate. Adalyn, meanwhile, stood in place, feeling lost and confused. As she looked at her friend once again, she realised Mabel was feeling exactly the same. They were now standing in the middle of a life-changing upheaval and it was time for them to make a decision.