The horse is a joy to princes in the presence of warriors.
A steed in the pride of its hoofs,
when rich men on horseback bandy words about it;
and it is ever a source of comfort to the restless.
- The Anglo Saxon Rune Poem, c. 10th century A.D.
Gerard, Sabina and Peewit told the story of how the seemingly superior army had been defeated, with the remaining soldiers fleeing into the swamps. Gerard promised to give a full report to Francesca's father and his uncle about Lord Fulk's transgressions against these free territories. At the very least, having one of his vassals attempt to murder two royals would not be taken lightly.
There was an air of bittersweet relief and merriment, for Gerard had also made the announcement that they would be leaving for home as soon as a suitable ship could be procured. He was, after all, sworn to return his cousin, and Johan was sworn to return his father. The young knight was distraught after finding his father clinging to life in the wilderness, even after Papa Smurf's assurance that Edelhart would eventually recover.
Maenad and the Smurfs lay low for the party, which was rare for Maenad. She could not boast about feats she did not remember, and the fact that she did not remember them disturbed her greatly. Last night she dreamed of the man with the grey cloak and black hair again. He died in her arms, but she couldn't remember his name.
She lay under a bench in wolf form as she did when they first came to the village, and watched Johan and Sabina, Peewit and Swanhild, together perhaps for the final time.
What was going to happen when they got back? She overheard Swanhild tell Peewit that no, she did not want to return to the castle with him, that she would feel completely out of place there and that she had enough to do here. A good woman, that one. Johan and Sabina were far more hopeless. They knew they couldn't be together, and still they carried on like newlyweds. Oh, well. it was not the first time she had seen such stupid behavior, and probably would not be the last.
The following morning, they gathered their things, said their goodbyes, and went to the river where a boat waited to take them to a harbor and a larger ship, a merchant who paid off the Brothers in exchange for safe passage. Two pirates carried Edelhart on a stretcher. Maenad trotted alongside, with the Smurfs riding on her back.
Peewit sang a farewell song to the village of runaways, which encouraged the party to pick up their pace.
I thought I heard you. Such sounds could only come from one creature…
A large peregrine falcon swooped in front of Peewit and transformed into a woman, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Long golden hair was knotted into a ponytail on the crown of her head, and she wore a richly embroidered gown whose pattern resembled rustling autumn leaves. Around her neck was a radiant necklace that twinkled and shimmered like stars in the summer sky.
He had never seen her before, but he knew who it was. Maenad knew too, and tucked her tail between her legs in submission.
My servants have returned The Eye to the clan who watches over it. They send their thanks, for it was stolen from them.
"We thank you, your…highness? For making sure such a thing stays out of the wrong hands," said Gerard, not sure who this being was, but understanding she played a role in the defeat of Lothar.
Your reverence pleases me…it's been too long since a human king has given me kind words. I will give you a final gift to help you on your way. You have an injured man, and these two need safe passage. She looked Sabina, who rode next to Johan.
Lutin's Son, this is the gift I give to you, your father's power for a day.
"A beautiful voice?"
Not quite. A Song of Power. And she began to chant.
You are invisible when you like it; you cross in one moment the vast space of the universe; you rise without having wings; you go through the ground without dying; you penetrate the abysses of the sea without drowning; you enter everywhere, though the windows and the doors are closed; and, when you decide to, you can let yourself be seen in your natural form.
Peewit hopped off Biquette in a trance and his form began to shimmer, he began to grow, to walk on all fours. His hands and feet became hooves, and still he continued to shift in size and shape, until a large Percheron with a beautiful mane stood where he had been. The horse looked down at now tiny Biquette and at his friends in a single glance, then at Maenad, who suddenly reeked of fear and death. He laid his ears flat and reared.
Calm down, Lutin, this is one of your natural forms. Take your friends home now.
How? There's five of them, Peewit asked, finding he could speak the way the wild swine could.
Make yourself large enough to carry them all. Your people can carry four armed warriors with ease in this form.
Peewit, still unsure of himself under this strange spell, visualized himself with five riders; Gerard, Johan, Sabina, Maenad and Edelhart. As he imagined it, there they were; as amazed and bewildered as he was.
Now go.
Intoxicated by the spell, he obeyed, and the forest seemed to melt away as he galloped though strange and dreamlike surroundings, following something…something that he knew would take him to where they all needed to be.
Controlling such a huge body and five riders turned out to be exhausting; he was only half-lutin after all. Familiar scenery began to appear among the weird trees and shadows of the otherworld. More frequently signs of home appeared, until he knew he was in a safe place. He slowed down, knelt, and shifted back into human form as the spell melted away. But where were they?
Impossible. But sure enough, they found themselves in the woods just outside the good King's castle.
Peewit's Lutin powers in this chapter may seem bizarre, but I based them on what legends I could find of actual Lutins, which are a kind of shapeshifting hobgoblin. Interestingly, one Lutin found in medieval French legend is a magical horse that can to adjust his size to his riders, and his name is Bayard. o_0
Oh, the fan fiction possibilities!
The 'Song of Power' is actually a quote from a fairytale written in 1697 called Le Prince Lutin.