Disclaimer: Not mine. Except Emeth's personality. And maybe the centaur Baelfire and the Hound Reeve.
The merry party set off into the nearby wood to the north of Anvard. The dogs, both talking and dumb, barked to their hearts content, going ahead of the group only to circle back again. Emeth could see the slight fear in his own horse's eyes and could only imagine the way the other Calormene horses were reacting. He glanced around, only to see King Edmund stoop, speaking to one of the Dogs.
With a loud howl, the Hound charged off into the brush, leading the others with him. When they did not re-emerge, but could still be faintly heard, Emeth realized what had been said. King Edmund met his gaze and winked before turning to speak to the tarkaan riding beside him. Emeth was surprised, as he didn't think that most Calormenes would have extended the same courtesy had the roles been reversed.
Emeth did not speak much as he rode, preferring to listen to Corin banter with Queen Lucy in what appeared to be an oft repeated debate about whether or not she had ever actually gotten into a drinking competition with a black dwarf clan chief. The queen's laugh rang out joyfully as Corin's arguments to the contrary grew ever more ridiculous, and even Emeth struggled to keep a straight face, while internally wondering whether or not it was true. He didn't think so, as Queen Lucy looked far too elegant to do something so... manly.
A dog howled as he or she picked up the scent and the nobles spurred their horses on, conversation forgotten in the joy of the chase. Emeth could see Aravis and Prince Cor neck in neck as they raced, a feral smile on the lady's face while Prince Cor's was a mask of professionalism. Emeth could not help but notice the extent to which Aravis resembled his father when doing that.
"Which way, Reeve?" Queen Lucy called to the same Hound King Edmund had.
"This way, my queen, this way! Quickly quickly quickly!" The Hound tore off again, the horses hot on his tail. Emeth heard Queen Lucy's laugh over the sound of the thundering hooves, and Emeth felt himself inclined to join it. For all that they were Talking Dogs, they were incredibly similar to their dumb counterparts.
King Edmund, at the front of the pack, held up a hand as his Horse slowed. Behind him the rest of his party followed his lead until they were all at rest in a small clearing.
"Why have we stopped?" Emeth whispered to Corin next to him.
"King Edmund is waiting for Reeve and the other dogs to chase the stag nearer to us. Soon we'll spread out a bit. The goal is for the kill to be quick, clean and merciful. This far into Archenland, there's no chance of it being a Talking Stag, but it's always best to be humane," Corin quickly whispered back. Emeth thought of the tiger fights his father so hated back in Calormen, feeling slightly sick that they called the northerners barbarians.
King Edmund made another gesture, his Horse walking once more. What followed next were some extremely complicated – at least to Emeth – orders from King Edmund, relating who was to be where and how many of them were to do it. Emeth stuck close to Corin so that there would be someone to tell him what to do. In the end, it was Lord Cole who felled the stag with a well-thrown spear. Queen Lucy lighted down from her horse to quickly cease the beast's suffering. Emeth awkwardly looked around a bit more, reluctant to see the stag's life end.
He looked back, noticing that a few of his kinsman had their bows out and appeared to be taking aim at some of the pheasants near them. By some weird trick of fate, Emeth happened to notice that with the trajectory of one of the arrows, it was sure to strike…
"Cor!" he shouted, launching himself forward off his horse. The moments that followed were filled with confusion. Emeth, who for a few seconds was air-born, had made contact with the rump of the crown prince's horse, which then startled and rushed ahead. In the same instant an arrow was released, flying just above Emeth's head as he fell, and striking a tree right next to the head of the ambassador's horse, which also startled, rearing up dangerously close some of the Dogs. The ambassador fell to the ground and the horse bolted. Shouts of panic and confusion filled the clearing as everyone attempted to figure out what had just happened. Emeth, feeling suddenly very tired, rolled over onto his back and let his head fall in the dirt.
The sound of a clear hunting horn was all that managed to bring a semblance of calm back to the hunting party. The centaur who had blown it only stopped at King Edmund's signal, crossing his massive arms in front of his chest and glaring at everyone.
"Thank you, Baelfire," King Edmund said. The centaur nodded gravely. Prince Cor, who had managed to get his horse back under control very quickly, trotted back into the clearing, sidling his horse up next to Princess Aravis, who looked him over with worry clearly worn into her expression. Cor smiled at her reassuringly, reaching over to clasp her hand briefly. "Now, would anyone who knows what just happened care to explain to the rest of us?" King Edmund asked, his expression laughing, but his eyes shrewd and dark. Emeth stood, feeling embarrassed and unsure how to explain.
"It was my fault, your Majesty," he managed to say. Everyone turned to look at him, and he could feel his cheeks heating up. "I feared that the prince would be struck by a stray arrow, and so I frightened his horse. I apologize for any injury I have caused."
"Apologize?" Corin asked him incredulously, dismounting from his own horse and slinging an arm around Emeth's shoulders. "You just saved the crown prince; I expect we should be thanking you!"
"The prince is right," King Edmund replied gravely, but with a kind smile at Emeth. "It would appear that through your quick action a life was spared."
"You certainly have my gratitude," Prince Cor added in, sounding relieved. It seemed that that was the thing to lessen the tension that had filled the group, as several people started laughing. Emeth and another Calormene stepped forward to help the ambassador to his feet, and one of the centaurs set off in search of the horse that had bolted. The ambassador looked rather upset, and he fixed Emeth with a dirty look. Emeth, sensing when his presence wasn't wanted, returned to Prince Corin's side. Princess Aravis jumped off her horse, going over to Emeth. She smiled at him (a little nervously) before figuring out what it was she wanted to say.
"Thank you, sir, for saving the life of my husband." In what appeared to be a spur of the moment decision, she leaned over and quickly kissed Emeth's cheek, shocking him, before returning to her horse and her husband. Corin also looked a little taken aback, but neither boy said anything.
The stag, by now dead for quite some time, was prepared for travel, and King Edmund went to his sister's side, handing her his own water-skin. Queen Lucy smiled at him in gratitude, nodding her head minutely in Emeth's direction. King Edmund caught her look and nodded as well.
"When we return, would you honor me with a walk in the northern gardens, sister?" Edmund asked lightly. "I am told by our dear cousin that they have a variety of new roses, and I would like to hear your opinion."
"Oh course, brother," Lucy replied equally lightly. Her hand strayed to the dagger belted at her waist for a moment before falling to her side.
And so it was the party returned to the castle at Anvard, weighed down by one dead stag, several dead birds, and a few new worries to consider.
Author's Note: Well, this is embarrassing. Hello everyone. I hope you've had a nice almost entire year since I last updated. Yeah. Sorry…
Admittedly, I took the name 'Baelfire' from the show "Once Upon A Time". It just seemed fitting. That and I liked it. Also, the debate Corin and Lucy have about whether or not she was in a drinking competition is a reference to something I mention in Lucy's chapter of my fic "Magnificent, Gentle, Just, Valiant". I may one day actually tell that story, if only because it makes me laugh.
Next up (writing it as we speak): A conversation, and some more dropping of eaves…