We made port in Galin yesterday. Stonearm has a trading house here from which he conducts the bulk of his business. He has agreed to conduct us up the Doskior once he has closed up some of his affairs. I believe he meant business affairs but from the friendly way some of the dock whores greeted him I have to wonder.
Galin is different from most of the cities that I've been to. It sits low to the ground. None of Frowal's lofty spires or Neleoswal's vaulted garrets. Here in Galin there isn't a building that sits higher than two floors. Instead they sprawl across the landscape like baker's dough that has over filled its pan.
Almost every building has an open deck that surrounds the structure and serves as a sort of open air meeting hall. Evening finds the town people hanging brightly colored lamps from the eaves and setting out trays of Kalan root and pastries. Crowds of people form on the decks and laughter fills the cool night air.
I watched from the deck of our Inn on that first night and I wondered at the openess of the people here. There was a constant flow of visitors from building to building and everybody seemed to be acquainted. In fact today as we walked about the city we were barraged by the greeting of people we had never met.
I don't know when it happened but at some point I realized that I had not been watching over my shoulder for those who stalked us. What an insidious place......I could grow to love it I think.
Geoffrey was at home before we even made it to the docks. A shift of the wind carried the scent of the city to the ship and Geoffrey paused in mid sentence to inhale deeply. "Do you smell that?" he inquired.
"Smell what?" I replied for I could detect no change.
"The herds of Galin. Some of the best horse in the world are found here in the city of the Horse Lord. They feed off the sweet grass of the Helb river valley. They drink the cool water that flows between the Helby and Nalar." His voice lowered to a conspirator's whisper, " and some say that they are first mounted by playful Galanini virgins."
So it came as no surprise that today while we were gathering supplies Geoffrey should insist that we go to some of the stables. I went along for I wanted to see these miracle horses that had the pleasure of being ridden by Galinini virgins. I was not at first impressed. To my mind they looked much the same as other horses. Oh certainly Geoffrey talked about the depth of the chest and how the spine flowed into the hindquarters, but it meant little to me.
Then while we were in our third barn, surrounded by yet more horse, I saw him stiffen. I looked where he did and saw a trader working a horse in a paddock beyond the barn. At first I was captivated by the horse itself. Never had I seen such a color. A soft golden hue that I could liken only to that same enchanted metal. I looked closer and saw the reason for my brothers' suddenly cold demeanor. The trader had tied straps to the animals fetlocks. Whenever the animal would try to throw the trader the man would gather the straps and pull its legs out from under it. Indeed I could see that the horses glorious coat and mane were already besmirched from his training.
Geoffrey startled me then as he swore under his breath and ran to the fence. He placed a hand upon the top rail and vaulted into the paddock. Before the trader was really aware what was happening Geoffrey grasped him by the belt and pulled him off of the horse, dumping him to the ground. The trader lunged up from the dirt with a shout, only to be met halfway by Geoffrey's fist. He flew back into the ground faster than he had come up and this time he remained there.
My brother turned to the horse which was standing where it had been when relieved of its burden. I saw that it was shivering with exhaustion and foam covered it's flanks. Geoffrey watched it quietly for a moment, then he began to chant. I watched as his spell took shape. It was a healing of sorts, but also a soothing and comforting. The language he sang was new to me but as I listened I felt again that distant throbbing that I had felt in Kanthor's forest.
As he sang Geoffrey walked forward to the horse and extended a hand. "I am Geoffrey D'auberne," he said. "May I release these bonds?"
The horse extended its head and nuzzled Geoffrey's hand. Then it stepped forward and allowed him to scratch between its eyes. A memory came to me. I was ten years old at the time and Geoffrey had come upon me where I was hidden in the stables. I don't know how long he had been watching me or what he thought of a lad who could cry without making noise, but I remember that I was wrapped in a ball in the hay when he touched me on the shoulder.
It had only been scant hours before that Father had bade me to take a knife and thrust it into the thigh of a man who waited within the circle. The man was bound in chains of air and could neither move nor speak. I assumed we would be working on enchantments that required the man's blood so I stabbed deep but well to the side of the thick artery that was hidden within. When the knife pierced flesh the spells of concealment that father had cloaked the knife in fell away and I found myself holding a Vadeli soul reaper.
I was frozen there for an eternity of pain as the knife conveyed to me the feeling of having your immortal soul burned out and devoured from within. Then when the knife finally allowed me to release it I stood in shock as Father continued with a lecture on the nature of souls and their manipulation.
So hours later I hid myself away and allowed the pain and grief to wash over me. Geoffrey found me there and he took me out into the pasture behind. The horses soon gathered around him as all wild things tended to do. He introduced me to each and every one. My hands traveled over their great warm bodies and they in turn nuzzled me and blew moist warm air in my face. Somehow they helped the pain to diminish, though it has never really vanished even to this day.
It was while we stood there, surrounded by these great huge beasts that Geoffrey told me,"Look how their eyes are set wide apart on the sides of their heads." I nodded and reached up to rub a forehead. Geoffrey's hand settled over my own. "Having them set like that allows them a wider span of sight. They can see ahead and behind at the same time so that they might notice predators before they become lunch.
" The one place that they cannot see is between their eyes. That is why if a horse allows you to touch it here," and his hand pressed down over my own. " It is the greatest sign of trust that they can give."
This horse then, having given Geoffrey permission stood and waited as he went about and released the straps. By the time the trader had awoken Geoffrey had retied the straps in a more fitting location. When the trader had climbed to his feet Geoffrey said to him. "I see by your dress that you are no Enerali. So it is unlikely that you would know a Helban Goldhorse when you see one. I am tempted to excuse your actions by your ignorance but ignorance alone is no excuse for the methods you have used here this day. You will leave this town and you will not come back and if I ever see you again I will kill you with no more remorse than if you were a crazed cur."
The trader cursed him then and moved to strike him. Geoffrey
quickly jerked the straps and pulled the man's legs from beneath him. As
the man lunged at him from the ground Geoffrey danced away and dragged him
across the paddock to where a snake whip was coiled around a post. Then
Geoffrey calmly and deliberately lashed the man out of town. Down the main
street he moved him, using the straps as reins and the whip as goad. Onto
the docks and into a boat. Then he tossed silver to the pilot and said,
"Toss this refuse ashore when you get to the other side."
Tonight, we have been told by Stonearm, we are expected to walk the lantern path. It seems that we are the talk of the town. For in a city where the horses are kin, we have rescued a brother and now the rest of the family awaits.
I think it may be a long night.
Geoffrey wouldn't miss it for the world...
more later
Bill Thompson...
Post script:
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm glad you are enjoying the tale so far
of course it is fiction and may stray from accepted Glorantha Doctrine from
time to time but there is very little in print re: the 1st age. Hopefully
I'm fleshing it out in an entertaining way. At any rate, I'm still setting
things up and introducing the characters. So stay tuned for more...
same bat-time.....same bat-channel...
"Ask me a riddle and I reply:
"Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.""
ICQ #15348914
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