Eventually their wanderings led them around the field and back to where Shaw and Chuck were still sitting on the fence.
"Casey are you alright?" Chuck asked his voice full of concern. Casey stamped out in Morse code that he was fine. Chuck didn't believe that answer for a minute.
"Chuck and I have been talking. Harrington has offered us a place to stay until the fourteenth night. We are going to take him up on the offer." Shaw said.
Casey stamped out something in Morse code.
Shaw looked to Chuck. Chuck answered Shaw's unspoken question, "He says he's leaving."
Shaw looked at Casey and shook his head, "That would not be advisable."
Casey stamped again more angrily. Chuck translated, "He says he's leaving and for us to open the gate."
"That would not be a good idea," Harrington said from behind them. They turned to see the ex-CIA agent standing on the porch. "I get that the stallion doesn't want to bond, but if he leaves he may not have a choice in the matter."
"What do you mean?" Shaw asked.
"Despite the saddles, the Mounts are easily recognizable by those who know what they are looking for, and I assure you that the soldiers and mercenaries you shared the road with know what to look for. They would have waited till you came into the town walls, and then they would have taken the stallion and mare from the two of you even if they had to kill you. By coming onto my land, however, you foiled their ability to take them. Neither soldier nor mercenaries would try and steal from a wizard. If the stallion leaves the protection of my land, then they will take him. And on the fourteenth night they won't care if he says no."
Casey had laid his ears back at the last part and then stamped his hoof. Chuck translated again, "He says he can avoid capture."
"If he were in human form, then I would have no doubt. But he doesn't have hands to untie the ropes they will use. He should stay and when the fourteenth night has passed then one of you can put the horse down to prevent it from suffering."
Chuck felt a tightness in his chest at the thought. Casey stamped his hoof telling them to let him out. Chuck realized that the fence was too high for Casey to jump it and that unless they opened the gate he couldn't leave. Chuck didn't want to watch Casey die, but at the same time he didn't want Casey to be captured and forced to bond to a complete stranger.
"Enough, Casey. You're not thinking rationally. I know why you don't want to bond, I get it. I don't want to watch you die, but it's your choice. If you leave you won't get a choice. It's safer here. No one here will force you to bond." Chuck told the black stallion.
Casey laid his ears back and bared his teeth, then turned away from the both of them angrily and headed toward the barn. Sarah looked at Chuck who nodded at her with sad smile on his face, and then she turned and followed Casey.
"He is not happy." Shaw said. "Why doesn't he want to bond?"
"It's not my place to say, Shaw." Chuck answered as he watched the two horses disapear into the barn.
"I take it you flashed." Shaw sumised.
"A long time ago, but like I said it's not my place to say. It's Casey's choice, neither one of us are going to force him, but I am not letting him run away just to get captured and forced to bond anyway."
Harrington came up to stand beside them and saw the sad looks on both their faces. "Chuck, they will be safe here. The fence is reinforced with magic so neither one of them can break it down. I also have wards all along the fence and if anyone tries to get inside I will know it. There is plenty of grazing and water for them and plenty of room for them to run."
"Thanks." Chuck told the wizard.
"Chuck there is something else I would like you to consider. I would like you to become my apprentice."
Chuck looked at the wizard, shocked. "You mean learn magic?"
"Yes, since the potion didn't change you it's obvious that you have the potential to be a wizard, I can help you. It takes a few years, but when it's done I would like to leave you my house and my land. I am getting old and I don't want this watch I have taken upon myself to be abandoned. You can take up the watch for me. To help those who find their way here. Daniel is more than welcome to stay as well along with the mare."
"Sarah." Chuck told him.
Harrington smiled, "Sarah, then. She will also be welcome."
"Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that offer, Scott. This will be a good place for us to grieve and heal together." Chuck said with a sad tone in his voice.
"Good, perhaps then we should start now. Give your friends time."
"Chuck are you sure this is a good idea?" Shaw asked. He had been listening to the conversation but kept his peace until the end.
"Yeah, I think it is. If you and Sarah want to move on afterwards that's okay. I will remain here." Chuck answered.
"Alright, Chuck. Afterwards Sarah and I will discuss it and we can tell you what we've decided." Shaw told him.
Chuck nodded then followed Harrington into the house.
Inside the barn, Casey went into one of the stalls to sulk. Sarah followed him standing just outside the stall. "They are just trying to protect you, Casey."
"I don't need their protection."
"Casey we aren't human anymore. We don't have hands and feet, our eyesight is bad and while we have hooves and teeth that wouldn't be enough if a group of men tried to capture you with ropes and chains. Casey, they aren't going to force you to bond. They just don't want you to be forced to bond with someone else."
Casey looked for a moment as if he were going to argue, then he sighed a deep sigh that cause his sides to move. "You're right. I don't have to like it, but it won't be forever."
"I really wish you could change your mind, though. I don't want to lose my best partner."
"You'll have Shaw. And Chuck. And if they are right you'll be able to be human again. I won't change my mind. I can't give up that much control not even to someone I can trust."
"You trust Chuck." There was a hint of amusement in her voice.
Casey snorted, "As much as someone like me can trust. It's the same with you. You trust Chuck. You are beginning to trust Shaw. I noticed he's easier to deal with in this world. His obsession with the Ring was starting to become dangerous."
"I noticed as well."
"So are you going to bond to Chuck or Shaw?"
"Chuck and I are still friends but the passionate romance is over. I offered to go with him to run away, but he decided he wanted to be a spy. Maybe I pushed him too hard, and maybe I was foolish to think that life on the run would be romantic, but that ship has sailed. I still love him, but it's not that grand passion any more. I trust Chuck, but I think bonding with him would not be a good idea. Why do you ask you're not usually one to talk about 'lady feelings' as you like to put it."
"I just wanted to know. I think Shaw has changed since we came here; he's more focused on protecting his partners rather than finding the Ring and those who killed his wife. Still, be careful, Sarah. Watch over them both for me if you can."
"I will, Casey."