- - Equo Ne Credite - -

Do Not Trust the Horse

Vector paced back and forth in front of the stables, watching the servants load supplies onto the backs of work horses and camels for the journey to Palayur. He had every reason to be nervous; he was, after all, about to embark on a likely perilous journey whose destination was only more peril, he'd never been in battle before, and he only had Don Thousand's rather slippery promises to ensure his success. However, in actuality, the reason for his agitation was much simpler: he still didn't know how to ride a horse. While he would be able to spend most of the journey in the relative comfort of a heavy-duty carriage, Arjuna had informed him that certain areas of Palayur were very mountainous, and the terrain was likely to get too rough for wheels. At some point, he would have to either ride or walk... and, frankly, he was embarrassed. Vector was sure that no one would take him seriously if they found out about his "issue," but no matter how he wracked his brain, there was just no way around it.

He was considering acting like a monumental jerk and making four servants carry him around on a divan when Arjuna shouted at him from across the courtyard and came running over. "Hē! Vecta!" He looked extremely excited.

Vector closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Yes?"

Arjuna grinned broadly, hopping up and down with excitement. "Are we gonna leave today?"

Vector rolled his eyes, smirking slightly in amusement. "This is the seventh time I've told you: yes. We should be out of here by noon." He suddenly remembered something the lord had told him three days ago. "Um, where we're going... how practical would riding an elephant be?"

Arjuna blinked. "Ahm... about as practical as riding in your wagon thing, I guess. Elephants aren't good with rocks."

Vector sighed dejectedly. "I see..." He wasn't usually outrageously mean to his servants, but the divan was suddenly looking like a very good idea.

Arjuna snickered. "You really don't like horses, do you?"

Vector scowled at him. "Mocking me won't help us get under way any faster."

Arjuna held up his hands in feigned innocence. "Who said I was mocking you? I was just laughing a little." He stroked his chin. "You could ride a donkey or a mule. That would probably be better in the mountains, anyway."

Vector's eyes widened in angry disbelief. "What?! Kings only ride donkeys when they're coming in peace, you idiot! That would send the totally wrong message!"

Arjuna blinked. "Really? Huh." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess you learn something new every day."

Vector was getting frustrated. "Everyone knows that! And you have the gall to laugh at me?!"

Arjuna took a step back and held up his hands. "Aya, sorry! But you have to admit, it is pretty funny..."

Vector picked up an orange from one of the packs of supplies and chucked it at Arjuna with all his might. "IDIOT! Maybe YOU should ride the donkey! It would suit you, you ASS!"

Arjuna yelped as the fruit struck him square on the forehead. Rubbing his head, he bent over, picked up the orange, and took a huge bite out of it. "Mmph... this is good!" he gushed, spraying orange juice as he spoke. "Thanks!"

Vector sighed, his anger having been deflated by this somewhat sad display. "You're not supposed to eat the peel," he muttered.

Arjuna looked shocked. "But that's the best part!"

Someone suddenly burst into peals of harsh laughter, and Vector turned his head to see who it was. He was surprised to see Lady Ahura approaching with some of her servants. The lady was dressed in a simple pale-green dress and a pastel pink head covering, a bright summer outfit that made her look significantly younger, and less formidable, than she had at the banquet. She dipped her head to him, expression set in her signature thin-lipped smile. "I couldn't help but overhear. It sounds like you have a first class fool on your hands." She turned to Arjuna, smirking wickedly. "Are you sure Palayur did not simply send us their jester?"

Arjuna took a vicious bite out of the orange, looking peeved. "Aya! I'll have you know I'm real, actual nobility, thank you very much!"

Vector ignored him and turned to address Ahura. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought you had already returned to Susa. If I had known you were planning on staying in Parsis-"

Ahura cut him off with a wave of her hand. "It's quite alright; I know you had to kick the lords out yesterday to prepare for this journey. I wouldn't dream of taking advantage of your hospitality." She folded her arms. "I have family friends in Parsis proper, so I am merely visiting them before I depart."

"Oh, so you're staying in the city…" Vector was secretly glad that he wouldn't have to make any last-minute arrangements. "What brings you here, then?"

Arjuna snickered mischievously. "I hope you came to teach Prince Vecta how to ride a horse."

Vector's face burned bright red. "Arjuna!"

Ahura held a hand up to her ear. "What was that, Palayur? My ears are not as good as they used to be." She narrowed her eyes. "I certainly hope you were not saying anything disrespectful..."

Arjuna withered under her gaze. "Ah, no ma'am, I just said that, ahm, you look very nice today?"

Ahura nodded approvingly. "Mind your tongue, child. No one takes you seriously as it is." She turned to Vector with a thin smile. "I merely came to give Your Highness my regards, and to wish you safe journeys and success in your battles."

Vector smiled. "Thank you. We will be back before long, I'm sure."

Ahura's expression became serious. "I've been hearing rumors recently about plans to conquer the Parthian Empire."

Vector met her gaze. "It's no rumor. I will conquer Parthia."

Ahura folded her arms with a soft 'hm.' "Then, if I may, allow me to give you one piece of advice." Her grey eyes, sharp as flint, seemed to pierce right through him. "War is a potent wine, and this nation has been drunk on it for many years. The shedding of blood always works a strange magic on the hearts of men. Do not allow it to darken yours." There was an almost imperceptible hint of sadness in her voice.

Vector felt a small lump in his throat. Sometimes I think my heart is plenty dark already... He hid his discomfort with a bright smile, clasping his hands behind his back. "Don't worry, I'm only doing this with the very best of intentions: to ensure the safety of our people."

Ahura's expression didn't change, and Vector knew she could see right through him. "A noble cause, indeed," she said, and dipped her head. "Well, I wouldn't want to inconvenience Your Highness any further, so I will be taking my leave."

Arjuna finished off the orange with something of a flourish and grinned. "Have fun with your friends, Lady!"

Ahura narrowed her eyes and gave him a dark smile. "Thank you, Palayur," she said evilly. "I hope you become seriously injured."

Arjuna made a strange noise that sounded almost like a squeak. "What did I ever do to you?!"

Ahura simply smirked and turned her back on him, heading towards the main gate. "Wisdom and honor be with you, my Prince."

Vector's gaze fixated on the tiny clouds of dust kicked up by her sandals as she left. "And with you, Lady."

Arjuna tilted his head quizzically. "What's with the 'wisdom and honor' stuff?"

Vector sighed and turned to face him. "It is a traditional blessing used in parting."

"Gotcha." Arjuna leaned back against a pile of sacks and let out a sigh of relief. "That woman is scary. Though she seems to like you…"

Vector smiled sheepishly. "To be honest, I'm glad she's on my side; I wouldn't want to have to fight her."

Arjuna stuck out his lower lip, pouting. "Women are supposed to be the weaker sex, right?" He smirked mischievously. "Maybe she's really a man…"

Vector couldn't help giggling a little. "I don't suppose you'd be brave enough to find out?"

Arjuna lept back, a look of horror on his face. "Ewww! Do you even know what you're saying?!"

At that moment, Darius entered the courtyard and made his way to Vector's side, whereupon he cleared his throat. "The troops have been assembled and are awaiting your marching orders, Sire."

Arjuna gasped excitedly. "Does this mean…?!"

Vector sighed. "Yes… we're leaving."

Arjuna whooped and raced off towards the main gate, kicking up a cloud of dust as he ran. "Yeah! We're gonna go beat some Parthians! Kāttobing!"

Vector coughed once or twice, fanning the dust away from his face with a hand. Darius squinted towards the main gate, looking a little annoyed. "Lord Arjuna is certainly enthusiastic…"

Vector shook his head, smiling in amusement. "At least we know this trip isn't going to be boring."

- - Two Weeks Later - -

Arjuna groaned, stretching his arms above his head. "God, this is BORING!"

Vector, who was stretched out on the carriage's makeshift cot, didn't even bother opening his eyes. "I thought you said this trip was, quote, 'gonna be a breeze.'"

Arjuna groaned again and let his head bang back against the carriage wall. "It never seems as bad as it is when you're not actually making the trip anymore…" He covered his eyes with his hands. "Gah, I just wanna DO something!"

Vector winced as the carriage hit what sounded like a rock, causing a sharp jolt. "Stop complaining, or I'll make you go march with the foot soldiers."

Arjuna made a high-pitched whining noise, still covering his eyes. "Please don't, Your Mercifulness… it's hellishly hot out there."

Vector let out a soft sigh, opening his eyes to stare at the wood ceiling above him. They'd been traveling for two weeks and were nearing their destination, but the trip had been mind-numbingly dull and the weather had been extremely hot. Darius had told him that the cook had been laying out food on rocks and watching it sizzle in the scorching sun. The worst part was that the men were beginning to weaken already, and morale was dropping. Darius had advised him to do something about it, such as leaving the carriage and appearing before them, but Vector's pride wouldn't let him walk and he still didn't feel comfortable riding a horse. He always joined General Haxam and his officers when they made camp at night, but other than that, he rarely drug himself out of the carriage. The constant bumping and jerking was starting to wear his nerves thin, and Arjuna complaining was not helping matters…

Suddenly, the carriage came to a jarring halt, and Vector was nearly tossed off the cot. He scrambled to a sitting position, rubbing his head and muttering expletives under his breath.

Arjuna scooted over to the window and peered about. "What's going on?" He yelped and scrambled backwards as Darius swung open the door from the outside.

The manservant dipped his head. "Sire, pardon the intrusion, but the road appears to be blocked."

Vector gritted his teeth and let out a groan. "God's teeth! Blocked by what?!"

Darius was unfazed by the prince's frustration. "A man and his horse, Sire. The beast looks badly injured, and its rider is trapped beneath it, unconscious."

Vector was about to grumble some more choice words, when an idea came to him. He ducked his head and hopped out of the carriage, blinking a couple of times to adjust his eyes to the bright light. "Darius, get a couple of men, as much water as you think we can spare, and some bandages and take me to this horse and rider."

Arjuna perked up and bolted out of the carriage. "Are you gonna help him?"

Vector nodded. "Of course. Obviously, the man is in need." He smiled wryly. "Plus, it's something to do." And hopefully the men will see me doing something noble and morale will get a little better...

Arjuna whooped and grabbed Darius by the shoulders. "I'll help too! Lead the way, Stubbles!"

Darius fingered his unshaven chin self-consciously and motioned towards the front of the carriage. "This way, Sires…"

As they walked, Vector noticed that Darius seemed a little more melancholy than usual. He leaned over towards him and lowered his voice. "Personally, I think the unshaven look suits you." He smirked. "It makes you look rugged."

Darius gave a slight start, then focused his gaze directly ahead of him, looking a bit awkward. "Ah, thank you, Sire."

Vector allowed himself a couple of mental snickers. Over the course of the trip, the manservant had been getting unusually moody and had become very fun to mess with. Finding and pushing Darius' buttons had been the primary form of entertainment for him for the past week, and it still hadn't gotten old.

Shortly, they came upon a small crowd of men gathered together in a circle. They all turned around and stared when they noticed Vector approaching, and some even knelt on the ground and started to bow.

Vector motioned for them to rise, waving his hands. "Please, there's no need for that." He stepped forward, and the crowd parted before him like the Red Sea. He could now clearly see the cause of the commotion; a huge white horse with patches of grey speckles on its sides lay on its stomach in the middle of the road. Its sides heaved and its nostrils flared with ragged, heavy breaths, and blood seeped out of an angry red gash on its left flank. Underneath its stomach, a man lay facedown on the ground, unmoving. He was wearing what looked like a full set of silver armor, though there was no helmet to be seen. His shield lay on the ground a few feet away; its crest depicted a white, winged horse, and it looked to be in very good shape despite a few dents.

Arjuna ran up to the man and attempted to drag him out from under the horse by pulling his arms. After a few seconds of struggling, he let go and shook his head. "We'll need more people; this guy isn't budging."

Darius suddenly returned with a large bucket of water and a pile of cloth. Vector jumped slightly; he hadn't even seen the manservant leave. "Just put that to the side for now," he instructed, turning towards the crowd. "If you're not busy, help me lift this horse." He turned to Arjuna. "You keep hold of his arms, and as soon as you think he's loose, pull him out of there."

Arjuna nodded, kneeling and grasping the man's wrists. Without waiting to see who would volunteer to help him, Vector crouched down beside the horse and slid his arm under its belly. Darius was instantly at his side, and within a few seconds, the horse was surrounded by soldiers, each preparing for the heavy strain that was to come.

Vector adjusted his stance slightly. "On my count, try to lift the left side as much as you can; we'll tilt the animal away from its rider so Arjuna can pull him out." The men around him nodded, and he gritted his teeth. "One… two… three!"

There arose a medley of groans and curses as the men strained to lift the huge horse, which, for its part, was relaxed enough to not kick its hooves at anyone. After a second or two, the left end of the horse was about a hand's-breadth in the air, and Arjuna tugged violently at the man's arms, leaning backwards. The man was suddenly tugged free with a force that landed Arjuna on his rear, and those lifting the horse released their load the instant everyone was out of the way. Vector was left doubled-over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Who knew lifting one horse could be so much work?

Arjuna gently rolled the man onto his back and started pinching his cheek. "Ay! Are you alright?" When the man failed to respond, Arjuna slapped him across the cheek. "ARE YOU OKAY?!"

The poor man woke up with a weak yelp and tried to sit up, but he was suddenly overcome by a fit of ragged coughing that left him flat on his back. Arjuna quickly held a hand over his chest to keep him from moving. "Can I get some water over here?" he shouted, motioning towards the soldier closest to the water bucket.

The man coughed once and tried to sit up again, despite protests from Arjuna. "Mach…" he rasped, seeming desperate. "I have to… tend to Mach…"

Arjuna planted both hands on the man's shoulders and pinned him to the ground. "Don't move!" he commanded sternly. "We'll take care of Mach. That's your horse, right?"

The man nodded. "He is badly injured…" He dissolved into another fit of wracking coughs, his whole body shuddering with each one.

Arjuna grabbed the water bucket and waited for the coughing to stop before pouring some into the man's mouth. "You must have been eating sand for a while, huh?" After he finished pouring, he held the bucket up to Vector. "He should be fine."

Vector nodded and took the bucket, focusing his attention on the horse. Upon further inspection, he could tell that the gash was quite deep and was keeping the horse from standing, which was a serious problem. He dunked a length of the cloth in the water and carefully worked on cleaning the wound, giving the horse a reassuring pat now and then to keep it from kicking him. Surprisingly, the animal seemed quite calm despite its injuries, and Vector was, frankly, shocked that it did not attempt to brain him with its hoof the first chance it got.

As he cleaned the gash, Vector noticed that the edges of the cut were extraordinarily smooth; far too smooth to have been made by a rock or tree branch. "Someone slashed this horse with a sword," he mused, trying to gauge the length of the wound. "This cut could have been made with a scimitar."

The armored man, with assistance from Arjuna, slowly rose to a sitting position. "We were attacked by a Parthian patrol about ten miles up the road," he explained, a tinge of guilt in his voice. "I was careless… Mach is not used to this heat, and he was tired from travel, yet I chose to engage them…"

Vector was about to inform the man that his horse's injury was most likely fatal, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Suddenly, he had an idea, and, looking around briefly to make sure no one was watching him too closely, he closed his eyes. "Don Thousand…"

He could feel the hooded man's presence, like a shadow at the back of his mind. "Yes?"

"Heal this horse," Vector whispered, fingers clenched around the wet cloth.

Don Thousand sighed, exasperated. "That's all? Do it yourself."

Vector gritted his teeth. "I can't! The wound is too deep; it's probably cut to the bone."

"...Fine."

Vector gasped as his vision was overwhelmed by a burst of red light, and he felt a sharp pain in his fingertips. "W- What did you do?!"

Don Thousand chuckled darkly. "I gave you the power to do it yourself." His presence began to fade. "I did promise that I would do whatever you asked, but healing horses is a bit too mundane for me."

Vector opened his eyes and scowled. "Bloody useless…" He glanced down at his hands; they didn't look any different. Hesitantly, he reached out his right hand and pressed it against the gash.

The instant he touched the horse's skin, an electrifying tingle ran down his arm and spread to his fingertips, as though a bolt of energy had coursed through him. The horse let out a terrified whinny and began flailing its legs, causing Vector to scramble backwards, staring in shock at the animal's left flank. The skin was completely unbroken; save for a thin, pink scar, there was no trace of the ugly gash that had marred it only seconds before.

Vector sat, unmoving, on the ground, watching the horse gradually calm down and work on pushing itself up to a standing position. Around him, the soldiers stood frozen in amazement; both Arjuna and the man in armor sat watching the horse with wide eyes and mouths hanging open. For a space of nearly five minutes, the pounding of the horse's hooves was the only sound that could be heard along the side of the road.

Suddenly, the man in armor sprang to his feet and ran towards his horse. "Mach!" The horse seemed to whinny in delight as its rider ground to a halt and reached out to stroke its mane. The man turned to face Vector, deep gratitude shining in his eyes. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you, sir," he said, dipping his head. "Might I have the honour of knowing your name?"

Vector slowly pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his legs before straightening. "I am Prince Vector of Parsis, lord of the province of Acina and the Mediyan Islands, sovereign Emperor of Ahrima."

The man gave a start and hurriedly clenched a fist to his chest, sinking to one knee and bowing his head. "Your Highness! Forgive me for not showing proper courtesy." He lifted his head slightly, grey eyes focused on Vector. "I am Sir Durbe, Count of Ostfriesland. I come bearing a message from His Majesty King Frederik Wilhelm of Lower Saxony."

Vector raised an eyebrow. "Saxony? You've traveled quite a distance, sir knight." He motioned for the knight to stand. "Let us hear this message."

Durbe stood perfectly straight, hands clasped behind his back. "His Majesty King Frederik Wilhelm would have it known that he shares Ahrima's detestation of the Parthians. They have often raided our lands and sacked outlying villages in manner most dishonourable." The hint of anger in his voice suggested that he was speaking from personal experience. "If Your Highness would declare war on Parthia, my king has instructed me to tell you that he would gladly offer Saxony's assistance." He dipped his head. "As a sign of His Majesty's good faith, I have been sent to assist Your Highness with your current endeavours to drive the Parthian raiders out of Ahriman lands."

Vector would have been impressed had he not just found the knight crushed beneath his own horse. "How many men are with you?"

Durbe didn't bat an eye. "None, Your Highness." He glanced back at his horse. "But, at the risk of sounding prideful, Mach and I fight with the strength of an hundred men."

Vector folded his arms. "Forgive me if I sound skeptical, Sir Durbe, but you said that a Parthian patrol just gravely injured your 'Mach.' If you can show me a basis for your claim, I will gladly accept your king's gracious offer."

Durbe nodded. "I will try mine best to convince you, Your Highness." With that, he turned and approached his horse, stroking its mane soothingly. "You can unfurl them now…"

Vector was about to ask the knight what he meant by that when Mach whinnied and reared up onto his back legs, and suddenly what Vector had thought were speckles unfolded into a pair of enormous, snow-white wings.

Arjuna yelped and took a step back. "What is that thing?!"

Durbe shot him a dark look. "Mach is what the Greeks call a Pegasus. He and I have fought many battles together; he was only injured today because I told him to hide his wings. I wanted to avoid attracting undue attention."

Mach pawed the ground with a hoof and snorted, as if in agreement.

Vector's shock gradually subsided, and a grin spread across his face. "...You, Sir Durbe, are most welcome to assist us."

Durbe bowed, smiling. "I will do my best, Sire."

Author's Note: This chapter was partly inspired by Durbe the Barian, whose kind review went something like this: "Durbedurbedurbedurbedurbedurbedurbe." XD

I made Durbe a Saxon instead of an Englishman like I was planning to, because doesn't Mach just sound like a German name? Also, look up the flag of Lower Saxony. You will understand. Also, random note, Vector has now inherited the land that Cambyses used to be lord over, so he gets an extra title.

Now, I would like to take a moment to comment on the direction canon is heading in (so, spoiler alert if you haven't seen ep. 138)…

Me: BAAAAWWWWW THEY KILLED VECTOR! THEY KILLED MY BABY! HE WAS SO YOUNG! *sniffle* *hic* Uwaaaaahhhhhh… *sniffle*

Vector: …are you seriously curling up into a ball right now?! Who even actually does that?!

Me: *sniff* At least I still have you in this fan-fiction… *sniff* BAAAAAWWWWWW! *sobs uncontrollably*

Vector: Idiot. This dumb thing is probably turning into an AU, anyway.

?: *sniffle* waaahhh… *sniffle* *sob*

Vector: What the- Darius?! The f*** is with you?!

Darius: *sniff* Don't die, Sire! *sniffle*

Vector: ...I'm just gonna walk away now, I think…