A Fickle Fingered Fate
Chapter 10
Getting the ride-around
For as long as she could remember, Mia had only ever owned the most gentle, calm, and easy-mannered mares. She had spent hours grooming, riding, and even simply playing with her horses. Never had she been allowed on a unicorn's back-much less on a warnicorn.
Her father had owned several of each for his personal use, and many more for his soldiers. But he had strictly forbidden his daughter from ever mounting one, fearing for her safety. She had even been a little afraid of them for a time, believing they surely had to be mean or violent for her father to keep her away from them.
It wasn't until her cousin Capricornia had gotten a unicorn of her own that she learned otherwise. They were strong willed, highly intelligent creatures and needed a firm hand to keep them on track. Her cousin had told her that once one had a unicorn's respect, they were the best mount one could hope for, but they still tended to try to run the partnership unless their rider kept them in check.
After that, Mia had slowly begun to befriend the unicorns in her stables, though she never tried to ride any of them. With Capricornia's words still in her head, she decided a mount that liked to challenge its rider just wasn't the right fit for her. She didn't feel the need to constantly dominate her mount, to prove she was master over them. A simple relationship of riding companions was enough for her.
A few hours of fresh air, sunshine, and open spaces that she could just enjoy with another friend. Of course, those rides had always been on set paths, or small obstacle courses with little jumps, and she never had less than four guards escorting her. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd ever actually galloped before.
Now she found herself tacking up her new mount, and feeling nervous about actually getting on his back. The porcupine beast panted excitedly, occasionally turning to give her a surprise lick on the cheek or arm, making things a bit trickier to do as she laughed and giggled. But overall she hadn't had too much trouble with the excitable creature.
Taking a step back, she checked over her mount, making certain that she had every buckle and strap properly in place. "Well, that looks like everything," she murmured, taking hold of his reigns. "I suppose now we'll just have to see how we get along, huh?"
She scratched under his chin, smiling as he practically melted into her hand, then led him out of his stall. He followed her eagerly, sniffing like a dog ready to be set loose for a hunt, yet he didn't strain against her hold which she was thankful for. Renata was already outside on her own mount, a pale blue unicorn mare, and beside her was her personal guard. Apparently he was the same type of monster as Toffee, and they had been friends when they were younger. Aside from that, she only knew his name was Rasticore.
Renata was snickering at something, while Rasticore rolled his eye before they turned to her. The purple-haired girl frowned slightly. "I still don't see how you're gonna ride in that," she said, gesturing to Mia's tea green dress. Renata herself was in a pair of buckskin breeches and long grey tunic, and her hands lacked riding gloves. "There's no way you're going to be able ride nearly as fast in a dress."
"I don't think it'll be too much of a problem," Mia assured her. "I've only ever ridden sidesaddle in a dress-I don't even own a pair of breeches."
The girl blinked owlishly at her, then looked to her guard. "What kind of crazy people are they over there? How do expect girls to ride right in such big dresses?!"
Rasticore snorted, folding his arms. "Mewnians like to have delicate women. Not tomboys who can't nearly walk in heels."
The princess punched his shoulder, cringing slightly as she rubbed her hand. The green reptile hadn't so much as flinched. "Are you saying I'm not delicate?"
"If the boot fists, Princess."
"Oh, you are so asking for it!" She turned her unicorn, the mare eagerly pawing at the ground. "I'll race you to the mill!"
The reptilian arched a brow. "How does that prove you're delicate?"
"It proves shut up," she replied, sticking her tongue out.
Rasticore just shook his head with a smirk, and mounted the beige unicorn he'd been standing beside, then looked to Mia. "Do you need a hand up, my Queen?"
Mia shook her head. "I may be a 'delicate' lady, but I'm sure I can handle it," she teased with a slight giggle. Moving around to the beast's side, she placed a foot in the stirrup and pushed herself up into the saddle. After taking a moment to adjust her position and settle her skirts, she turned to her companions. "So, there was mention of a mill?"
He nodded. "If you'll follow us?"
"We'll show you around," said Renata, flicking her mare's braided mane. "Toffee wants you to get to know where everything is."
"Then by all means, lead the way," she replied, clicking her tongue as she tapped her heel against the porcupine's side.
His gate instantly confused her as he followed after the two unicorns. Instead of moving like a horse-stepping with one front foot, then moving the opposite hind foot-he moved all three legs on one side at the same time, making him rock almost like a boat beneath her. 'Well this will take some getting use to,' she thought, already focusing on adjusting her hips to match his movements. 'He walks like a cat, and I think he leads with his left foot.'
She followed behind her companions, who chatted casually while she tried to take in the scenery while still attempting to not be jostled about. Renata seemed to do most of the talking, and Rasticore would chime in from time to time, making a comment or correction. The two were so caught up in their discussion of archery techniques that they seemed to forget that she was even riding a few yards behind them.
But she couldn't blame them. She had always been quiet around people she wasn't familiar with, and despite her title, she knew she tended to be a rather forgettable figure. Besides, these two were clearly very close friends. She could see it in the way Rasticore gave Renata his full attention, in how the young lady unconsciously placed her hand on his forearm when an exciting thought came to her.
'They must fancy each other,' thought Mia. Her shoulders suddenly felt heavy, as if a great weight had suddenly fallen upon her. 'I envy Renata. She still has the chance to find love. I wish I had had that chance.'
Her grip on the reigns slowly loosened until her hands rested on her knee, her mind wandering far away. The porcupine came to a halt, sniffing at the ground curiously before glancing back at his rider. 'It could always be worse,' she told herself, fighting a sudden overwhelming sense of despair, her grip on the reigns tightening until the leather of her gloves creaked in protest. 'I could be surrounded by people who hate me, who want me dead, humiliated, scorned-oh, wait. I am. Boy, what a thought.'
"MIA!" The shout jerked her attention back to her surroundings. Renata and Rasticore were far ahead of her, and seemed to have noticed she had fallen so far behind. "What's the holdup?!" Renata yelled. "Hurry up!"
"C-coming!" she called back, flicking the reigns. A coolness on her cheek made her reach up, and find tears falling down her face. She quickly wiped them away, then rubbed her eyes in hopes of removing any trace of them.
Renata arched a brow as she approached, the action reminding Mia greatly of her brother. "Why'd you stop? You start sliding out of the saddle or something?"
Mia plastered her best Princess Mode smile on her face-though she made a mental note that it was now her Queen Mode-and waved the issue off. "Oh, no, nothing like that! I just got so caught up in my own head I forgot what I was doing. Sorry about that."
The purple-haired girl gave her a look. "Oh...kay," she replied slowly. "Well, just...keep up so you don't get lost." She turned her mount down a dusty dirt trail, tapping her heels against the unicorn's sides.
Rasticore gave her a brief look, then followed after his princess. Their actions, so innocent and without malice, still drove home hard her sense of isolation in enemy territory. No matter how much she wanted to, needed to belong, the monsters didn't welcome her. She could even tell that Renata, who was half-Mewnian herself, disliked her without reason.
She didn't want it to hurt, she didn't want to feel the ache burning in her chest as she watched the two immediately get back into their conversation, her very existence forgotten already. 'No matter I do here, I have to remember that I chose this. I chose to be alone, hated unreasonably, outcasted. It was for my father's life. I did the right thing.' She flicked her reigns, her mount obediently following after the unicorns. 'I just wish it didn't hurt.'
O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O
Toffee leaned back as he tightly gripped the rope in his hands, using his weight to pull it taunt. "Okay, try that."
Buff Frog disappeared through the window of the water mill his king was currently hanging off the side of. He reappeared a moment later, shaking his head. "Is no change, Lord. She will not run."
The reptilian sighed, releasing one hand from the rope to look down into the cold rushing water of the river below him. "Then that means something it caught under the wheel," he murmured. He climbed back up to the window, and slipped inside. "I'll have to get below the wheel and see if I can't pry things loose."
"My sincerest apologies, Lord Toffee," said the mill's owner, a green slime monster. He was young and new to running the mill without his father, who had perished in the recent Mewnian raid. It was why Toffee had insisted on seeing to the repairs himself, in hopes of showing the young monster that his king was going to stand beside him in his hard times.
He waved the apology off. "Please, there is no need. This mill is old, parts are bound to break over time." He began unbuttoning the collar of his shirt as the descended the stair to the ground floor, rolling up his sleeves as he stepped outside. "A stuck wheel is an easy fix, and now a few more parts have been repaired before they could cause trouble."
"Still, I don't want to waste your time on simple repair work," the slime insisted as the king sat by the riverbank, pulling off his boots and setting them aside in the grass. "There are other things that could use your attention more urgently than my mill."
Toffee waded into the water, the current tugging at his legs as the water rose up to his waist. "Nonsense. This mill supplies a good portion of the local flour. Without it, our village would be short on bread and baked goods." He glanced over his shoulder as he carefully moved into the slightly deeper water surrounding the wheel. "Buff Frog, go inside and tell me the second something starts moving."
"Best to be careful, Lord," said the amphibian before hurrying back inside.
The king crouched low in the water, lifting his chin to keep his head above the river as he reached under the wheel. The water was cold, sending chills rushing up his spine. Thick mud stuck to his bare feet, acting almost like glue as it seemed to try to suck him in. His tail flicked and swayed, fighting to aid him in staying balanced in the rushing current.
He ran a hand along the edge of the wheel, the water dark enough that he had to feel his way around and hope to find whatever might be causing the problem. But when nothing met his immediate reach, he sucked in a breath, and plunged beneath the water. The muffled roar of the water filled his ears as he ducked down low, reaching underneath the wheel.
Something solid met his fingers, too large for him to wrap his hand around, but soft enough for him to just barely sink the tips of his claws into the surface. Frowning, he traced his hand along it, trying to get an idea of its size, and how it was caught under the wheel. It seemed to have been pushed down into the mud when it went under the wheel, and was now firmly wedged beneath it.
He pushed himself up to the surface, taking a deep breath of air as he waded back to the shore. "It's definitely the wheel. It looks like part of a tree found it's way underneath it," he said to the slime, slicking his hair back out of his face. "I can get it out, but I'm going to need a saw."
"I have one inside," he replied eagerly. "One-handed, we used it to cut branches to dry for firewood."
"That should do, fetch it for me and I'll get this thing out of the way."
"What is to be cutting, Lord?" Buff Frog asked as he leaned out of the window.
"I'm going to cut out the middle, then work the ends out from under the wheel," he replied as the slime hurried back with the saw. "It's going to take a few minutes, so watch my back."
The amphibian chuckled, giving a salute. "I will not be letting you drown," he joked.
"My hero," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. He waded back into the water, saw in hand, and held his breath as he plunged beneath.
O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O
"...but then I started thinking about flexibility over strength. I mean, I don't want my bow snapping under strain." Throughout the remainder of their ride, Rasticore only half-listened as Renata went on about her upcoming archery lessons and her new gear. He subtly glanced back, checking again to make sure his new queen was still following them. It was hard to miss the far-off look in her eyes or lowered head, and even her mount seemed to be picking up on the mood.
The back of a hand lightly smacked against his shoulder, drawing his full attention back to the princess. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Of course," he replied. "But I am tasked with keeping an eye on both of you."
Renata smirked. "Hard to do with only one eye."
"You know what I mean," he replied, the corner of his lips curling.
The princess threw a quick look over her shoulder, then leaned in closer. "So what do you think about her?" she whispered.
Rasticore shrugged a shoulder. "Not much to go on. You've been around her more than I have."
"I know," she muttered, pouting slightly. "Honestly, I wish Toffee had let her leave with that lady. It's not like he likes her, and we don't need her hanging around. I get we need to have her married to him, but it doesn't mean I want her here."
"You worried what might happen if he does like her?"
"No," she snapped quietly. "I know Toffee. He doesn't just fall for girls, and he's never been interested in a relationship. That's not going to suddenly change because of her. Trust me, she's just a place holder until I get married and have an heir-because Goddess knows those two aren't gonna have a child."
"If that's what you say," he replied.
"It is," she stated, and urged her mare into a canter. "C'mon, I see the mill and it looks like Toffee could use a hand."
The sound of the rushing river began to fill the air as the trio rode down the path, the trail steadily drawing closer to the bank until they trotted alongside the water. Though Mia was still farther behind, having been left after Renata and Rasticore had spurred their mounts into a faster pace, even she heard the sudden loud groan then jarring creak of the mill wheel. She jerked her head up just as Renata shouted her brother's name and Buff Frog leapt out the mill window. Rasticore sprang from his saddle, diving into the water, swimming for the wheel where the water was being disturbed.
Mia's mind went from the blank of confusion to the panicked realization within seconds, and her body acted on its own. She snapped the reigns and turning the beast towards the wheel, towards the water. The porcupine shot forward without hesitation, galloping at full speed before leaping where the bank touched the water. They plunged into the river, the impact nearly throwing Mia from her saddle, but she held on tight to the beast's furry neck, still urging him on even as he swam.
Water washed over her head, flooding her mouth and nose, making her cough and choke. But she kept her grip, knowing in the back of her mind that her heavy skirts would drag her under if she let go. Yet the forefront thought in her head was solely focused on getting to the wheel.
The beast finally found the shallower part of the river and began half swimming, half clawing his way towards the shore. Something splashed in the water next to them, the porcupine growled loudly, but Mia suddenly found herself flying through the air and landing on the bank in Buff Frog's arms. "My Queen-you could have been swept away by river!" he exclaimed as he set her on the grass. "Are you injured?"
Mia shoved his hands away as she leapt to her feet, but the amphibian grabbed her again, refusing to let her rush back to the water. "No-help him!" she cried, pushing away from him. "He's going to drown! Somebody-!"
Two figures exploded through the surface. Rasticore had a hand wrapped around Toffee's arm, pulling him away from the wheel as it suddenly began to spin. The king coughed slightly as they dragged themselves from the river, the green reptilian almost forcing his ruler to sit on the grassy shore. Buff Frog finally released his grip, but it was only because the porcupine had made it to dry land and snarled at the monster.
She ran to her husband, practically falling beside him, her hands like nervous sparrows afraid to land upon him, lest she cause further suffering. "Are you hurt? What happened?!"
He turned to her, his normally tamed hair a wild and unruly mess, white shirt plastered to him like a second skin, chest heaving for deeper breaths...and yet he looked calm. In fact, he glanced over her, and suddenly frowned as he shot a look at Rasticore, one that had the large monster avoiding his gaze. "If she had fallen in, I would have held you responsible," he stated, somehow making it sound like a terrible fate.
Turning his head to her, he held out his hand. She hesitated for a second, but then quickly grabbed it, planning to help him up. Instead, he quickly climbed to his feet and pulled her up with him. "I'll be alright. But you shouldn't have done that. You could have easily been swept away, and the water only gets rougher from here."
She blinked at him, and suddenly felt something snap seconds before she slapped his shoulder so hard her own hand stung. He didn't so much as flinch, yet his stoic expression softened when droplets fell down her cheeks that weren't coming from her soaked hair. "You scared the life out of me!" she shouted. "Don't you dare try to be worried about me right now!"
The king stared down at her, watching the spark of anger be swallowed up by more tears. Tears shed for him, anger over having ignored his own safety yet thought of hers. Soaking wet in her heavy dress with her curls pulled straight under the weight of the water trapped in her hair, lips quivering from either emotions or the cold river, blue eyes searching his face. The sight touched something inside him, making him want to comfort her, as if she had been the one trapped under the wheel.
His arm snaked around her waist, drawing her to him. "I'm fine, Mia. I can hold my breath for several minutes-I still had plenty of time."
She rested her forehead against his chest briefly, part of her just wanted to confirm he was still breathing. "That's all well and fine, but I-" She nearly choked on her own words. Mia hadn't noticed he had only wrapped one arm around her waist, until she saw he only had one arm.
A tattered, crimson soaked sleeve hung limp and empty at his side. Her hands flew to her mouth as she took a step back in shock, staring in horror. She whipped around. "Get a doctor!" she commanded. "We have to-!"
"Mia." Toffee grabbed her shoulder, gaining her full attention. "I won't be needing medical attention in a few moments."
"What are you talking about-you're arm is gone!"
He glanced down at his missing limb, and slowly raised it. "I was hoping to explain this under better circumstances," he said. "But I suppose I can just show you now."
Confused, she looked at his sleeve, casting him a concerned glance. The fabric suddenly began to shift, as if something were moving beneath it, in fact, something was moving. Before her very eyes, she watched bones grown out from beneath the cloth, muscles, sinew, and veins spreading over it, bright pink skin pulling taunt over in as shiny new scales began sprouting across it. Toffee pushed back his bloodied sleeve, revealing his completely restored arm.
All except for his still missing middle finger.
He gently took her hand, letting her feel his healed limb. "I'm a type of monster known as a Septarian. We can completely regenerate our bodies when injured."
She stared wide-eyed at his hand, and slowly looked up. "Y-you just..." She shook her head. "That's...amazing, I..." She placed her free hand over her eyes, giving a slight groan.
"Are you going to be alright?" Toffee asked cautiously, poised to catch his wife if she fainted. She certainly looked pale enough, almost ashen.
She shook her head, pulling her wet hair back over her shoulders. "I'm fine, I just...I'm trying to wrap my head around it and I'm just...there's no words for it!" She gave a breathy chuckle, and looked up with a soft smile. "I'm just glad you're okay."
He returned the smile, then looked to Buff Frog. "Stay here and make sure the mill is full operational, and replace his saw. Unfortunately I lost it when I was caught. I'm going to take Mia home." Placing a hand on her back, the king nudged her towards the porcupine, who was excitably shuffling his feet. "Rasticore, escort Renata back and tell her we'll have to change her lesson to tomorrow."
They both responded with a quick 'yes my lord' while he lifted Mia up onto the saddle and climbed up behind her. With a click of his tongue the beast turned towards the castle, already knowing where to go without Toffee even holding the reigns. Instead he simply wrapped his arms loosely around Mia's waist, letting out a sigh so soft she almost didn't hear it.
She actually felt the ridged tension leave his body behind her. Hesitantly, she reached for his newly formed hand, then chose to take with other one, holding it gently. "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked softly.
"Just tired," he replied quietly. "Healing a flesh wound is one thing, but growing back limbs is exhausting."
"Then you should rest, take a nap when we get back. I'll even make you a cup of soothing tea," she offered. "A bit of lavender should have you relaxed in no time."
A grin curled his lips. "I think I'll just take a hot bath before I retire for the afternoon." His thumb stroked across the back of her hand. "You should have one as well, you already feel like ice. What were you even thinking, jumping into the river like that?"
While the rest of her was cold, her face certainly became warm within moments. "W-well I, uh..." she sputtered, embarrassment flooding through her. "I was just...I...I don't even know exactly. It all kinda just...happened."
He chuckled softly, the rich sound practically right by her ear as he leaned over her in his exhausted state. "Well, next time things just 'happen', promise me it won't involve you leaping into a river."
"I'll, uh, try my best," she mumbled, her face turning bright red. She stared down at their hands, still joined together, fingers loosely entwined. The sunlight glinted off the ring on his finger, and the bright pink band of her hair that encircled it. Slowly, she turned her hand over, her palm pressed against his, and gently brushed her finger over his ring.