GROUNDLING
by ardavenport
- - - Part 2
"Ha!" The large, red-bearded priest of the Lady Trine's shrine, Brother Callus, met them on the street. He nudged the Priestess of the Starry Lady's Temple, bedecked in strands of white flowers along with her two acolytes. "I was sure you had a Gift, Onie!" Big and broad as a warrior, but sworn to peace and service to the triple goddess, he had been saying since she was fourteen years of age that she had some sort of Gift. He had some minor magic and Mindspeech, but he could never explain just what her Gift was supposed to be. He had presented her to Healers and Bards and even a Herald once, but none said that she had anything more than 'a touch' of a Gift. Maybe. Not enough to train at least, if there was anything at all. Any Talent she had was likely best suited to a Wisewoman. But Brother Callus cheerfully continued in his belief. Now, he was clearly vindicated. Onie laid her hand briefly on Lilli's neck as she walked with them.
They heard the sound of running feet just before Dec came stumbling around a building at Fair Fields's one intersection. Onie's older brother, Dec, almost tripped over his feet trying to stop and then he just stared back at them, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Onie! I jus' heard . . . " His mouth hung open as he stared at Lillis. She flicked her ears and turned her head, quite pleased with his admiration. He slowly approached, his hand outstretched, like Sami, but he never came close to touching the Companion.
Suddenly, Onie was caught up in his embrace so tight that he lifted her feet up off the ground.
"Dec!" she squealed, her voice quite a bit more panicked than she had intended. He let her go and whooped, oblivious to her gasping.
"Ooh, I knew ye'd be more than a tavern cook, Onie!" He grabbed her shoulders and hugged her again.
"He's real, Uncle Dec," Sami breathed reverently, his hand grazing Lillis's shoulder again.
"Aye, that he is," Dec agreed, pulling away, a huge grin on his face, his eyes drinking in the sight of the Companion. "Oh, ho! But I think we need ta improve yer learnin', Sami," he laughed. "She's a lovely little filly, ye got there." He squeezed Onie's shoulder. "Jus' like a shining star." In the growing dusk, the Companion's snowy white coat almost glowed.
Onie's mother only allowed her son that moment of admiration before she hustled them on to their home at the edge of town before it got completely dark.
The house was full, of course, with every near relative in town. Her oldest brother Lonie was joined by his wife and their four children. Dec's very pregnant wife and their two children. Uncharacteristically excited, Sami ran to his mother, Dec's twin sister, Mec. And there were her father's brother and their family. Her mother's unmarried sister plus her married sister and her family, and an assortment of people who worked with both Lonie Thatchers, building houses, fixing roofs and assorted carpentry, and all their nearest neighbors.
The whole chattering mass of them took a long while to appreciate Lillis, who positioned herself by the front garden. For one horrified moment, Onie saw her eying the roses.
'Don't you dare!' she silently mouthed. Companion or not, the whole evening could be spoiled if Lillis dined on the flowers that Onie worked so hard to grow for her mother. Lillis just tossed her head as if to pretend that she wasn't really interested, but Onie was certain that she had been thinking about how tasty the white blossoms would be.
Once the familial mob moved inside, Honie, Mec and the wives hurried to lay out the table because everyone had brought food. It looked like a jumble of everyone's dinner, plus some things made special for the Star Lady's festival. Plenty of good food, but short of a real holiday feast.
Onie had already had her fill at the Ox and Cart, but she told them all about how Lillis had come to her right in the kitchen and then getting boxed in by the doors. A couple of her father's work mates had been in the main room and further embellished the story. Everyone had fallen silent in shock that a horse was making its way inside. And then the whole room had collectively gasped when they realized it was a Companion on search. Lillis had paused at the bar and Druin, completely flustered, had offered her a mug of ale. She had sniffed at it and him as if he had just broken wind and moved on. They all had a good laugh and the family and friends settled down to their meal in the large front room of the Thatcher's home, most people sitting on the floor and chatting in smaller groups. Most people were finishing eating when Normat Greeneves humbly came to Onie and mumbled his congratulations.
"I heared that yous'll be makin yer way ta Haven and tha town'll be helpin' ye along fer tha trip." He held out a worn horse brush. "I figger ye be needed this ta keep that young filly out thar lookin all bright'n pretty." Normat was their neighbor and he had a team of horses and a cart. He hastily scrubbed the brush on his pant leg to dislodge the stray brown hairs still caught in the its stiff bristles. "If ya think it'll do . . . ." He paused uncertainly at her look of horror.
Onie jumped up, grabbed the brush and hugged him. "Oh, it's perfect, Normat. Jus' perfect." She pulled away from him. "An' I'm gonna try it out right now." She hastily excused herself and escaped the party before anyone could stop her. There was a lantern by the door and she picked it up, looking left and right. She went left. Lillis was at the side of the house by the fence.
"I'm sorry! I did'na think!" Tucking the brush in the big pocket of her apron, she hung the lantern on a nail sticking out of a fence post and began removing Lillis's saddle and tack. The silver bells jingled as she loosened the buckles and lifted the saddle from her back. Lillis switched her ears back and forth and bowed her head.
"No, it's na all right. I knows better than this. I worked in a stable with me brother fer almost two years."
Lillis tossed her head and huffed out of her large nostrils.
"Yeah, I know yer na a horse, but yer still horse-shaped. All yer particulars are still tha same, right?"
Lillis nodded.
She slipped the bit-less bridle off and Lillis shook her head. Onie sadly smiled back. "There. That feels better. An' I promise I won' forget again." She stroked her long nose and Lillis winked one blue eye back. Hanging the bridle on the fence, she looked at the saddle bags, but there wasn't much, a blanket, a few tools, including some for grooming Lillis. "Wha' did ye eat on the way here? Did ye just graze?"
Another head nod and a toss to the left told Onie that she had done just that and also helped herself to the grass in Normat Greeneves field next door. Onie guiltily frowned. All that people-food inside and nothing for the Companion.
"Stay here." Onie hustled to the back of the yard. There was very little light and only a quarter moon, but she knew the way. She grabbed a bucket by the back gate and hurried out to the pump. Nobody in town was rich enough to own a private well, but there was one right outside their yard at the end of the lane. Though the town had paid for the well, it was actually on Normat's land and he used it to water his animals, but it was used in common by all the households nearby as well.
Filling the bucket with cool water, Onie wondered how Lillis had gotten into Normat's field in the first place. Could she jump a fence with so little room in their small yard? And while she was there, had she relieved herself as well? There had been no tell-tale smells in their yard. Normat had six horses and who would notice the leavings from one more for one night? And Onie was quite sure that he would be honored if a Companion chose to take a dump in his field.
Hauling the full bucket back, she grimaced with the thought of Lillis, who was as intelligent as any person, having to piss and dump in public, in the street like common farm animals. How did Companions stand it?
"There." She put the bucket down with a big slosh and Lillis lowered her head for a long drink. Onie put Normat's old brush aside and took out one from the saddlebags. She started on Lillis's shoulder and worked her way down her flank. It was a good thing Companions were so white, otherwise she would never have been able to see what she was doing. Lillis had a beautiful summer coat, soft and almost iridescent in the moonlight. Onie took off her apron and used that to rub down the hind quarters. She wasn't going to be using it to cook with ever again. Lillis lifted her head from the empty bucket and made a low throaty sound of approval.
"Ha," Onie grinned, "I may be tha town's worst rider, but I know how ta do this." She continued with the grooming. With no prompting, Lillis changed her stance just when Onie needed her to move as she continued down one side and up the other. She was as large any working horse, sixteen hands at least, but broader in body and head. Even so, Onie had a feeling that Lillis might still fill out a little more. She had a young horse's body; maybe only three years or less.
She was combing out the mane when she heard footstep and saw the outline of her brother, Dec, in his coarse brown work clothes, approaching. He peered around Lillis's head.
"Ye know, half the house has been watching ya from out the window."
Onie scowled. "I know. I have na been looking on purpose." She shrugged. "I can na really blame'em fer watching tha show."
Dec stopped beside her, his brown eyes full of admiration as he watched her work. Though he was Mec's twin, he was most similar to their Ma and Onie. He was only a little taller than she, with wavy brown hair and the same square chin. But while Onie and Honie Thatcher were broad in the hip, he was broad in the shoulder, perfect for the builder and part-time carpenter that he became. Not the soldier and adventurer that he talked about when he was in his teens.
"I jus' can na believe this." He shook his head.
"Me either." She kept brushing the long, soft hair.
"Yer goin' ta Haven. Ta be a Herald."
"Yeah, looks like."
His tone of wonderment dropped to annoyance. "So, why's that I'm na hearin' much enthusiasm from ye?"
Onie stopped combing; Lillis's mane was as perfect as it could be. "Just does na feel real ta me right now. I half expects ta get up tomorrow mornin' at the usual time and go back ta work at the Ox and Cart, jus' like I did today."
Dec pointed a stern finger. "Yer ridin' out at dawn tomorrow, Onie Thatcher, even if we have ta tie ye onto her back for it."
She clenched her teeth. She was going to have to ride. All the way to Haven. She just hoped that Lillis would forgive her. Being tied onto her back might actually be best for both of them.
Dec paced around Lillis, admiring ever bit of her. "We used ta play 'bout this kinna thing happenin'."
"Ev'ry kid plays at bein' Chosen, Dec."
"Yeah, but we had plans."
Onie frowned. "That was afore Mec came back from Haven with a baby an' no husband."
He sighed a long exhale, an acknowledgment that plans and dreams had to answer to the real world. "Yeah, I knows." Eyes on Lillis, he kept a respectful distance between himself and a dream that had not come for him. "Do she speak ta ye, in yer mind? Like they does in the stories?"
She shook her head. "No. Not really . . . I means . . . I heared a voice when she said she Chose me. But na anythin' regular. I jus' know wha' she means, what she'd say if she did speak."
"What's it like, Onie? Bein' Chosen?"
She gazed over her Companion's back. "Like . . . like suddenly findin' out that ye've been alone and lonely yer whole life. An' knowin' that ye'll never be that way again." Her eyes shyly met his.
He nodded. "That's 'bout what I'd expect." He turned to go.
"Wait!"
He froze, looking back at her. Onie leaned close to Lillis's ear.
"This is pro'bly a lot ta ask and maybe I should na, but could ye please let him sit on yer back, just fer a minute?"
Lillis's eyes narrowed toward the window full of people, peeking at them from behind the curtains.
"I swear, if anyone else asks ye fer a ride, I'll stomp on them myself." She looked toward Dec so that Lillis would look at him, too. "He's me brother and we always played at this when we were kids. And he always wan'ed ta go further than this town, but none of us ever managed it right. Until you came."
After a thoughtful pause, she gave a little nod.
"Hey, Dec, come 'ere."
Puzzled, he returned to them.
"Get on." Onie gestured to Lillis's bare back.
Stunned, he stared. "What?"
"Get on. She'll let ye."
"But isn't that against the rules? You only see Heralds riding Companions, Onie. That's ye, na me."
"Well, maybe I'm not really official 'til I gets ta Haven. Just this once. Get on. I'll give ye a boost." She bent down, her hands together, fingers intertwined.
Hands gingerly touching Lillis's back he put his foot in her hands. She lifted up and he brought his leg up and over Lillis's back with ease. Dec knew how to ride and he was good at it, but he startled when the Companion moved. Lillis sedately walked to the back of the yard in a slow circle. Dec grinned broadly.
"She's got the smoothest gait ever! Even ye could ride'er, Onie, even ye!"
She had her doubts about that, but she did not want to spoil his moment. Lillis's little walk ended by the fence where she began. From the way she planted all four feet, it was clear the ride was over. Dec easily swung his leg up and over and he practically bounced when he hit the ground. Still grinning, he went to face her and looked into her blue eyes.
"Thank-ye."
She gave him an amiable grunt in return. He turned to go again and then stopped, his hand on his pocket.
"Wait. I almost forgot." He pulled out an apple and held it up. Lillis's ears perked up. Onie smiled as he held it out to her and Lillis's blue eyes smiled back at Dec as she took it.
- - - End Part 2