Chapter 21
Aeldryc
“As far as we can tell, there has been only one other sighting of a young man who could have been from Pip’s world,” I said, pulling out my report. The evidence documented the most ridiculous quest in our kingdom’s history. “The witness descriptions all match, and it seems to be a, er, twink.”
“A twink is not his species, commander. It’s surprising you don’t know that,” the Queen said with a huff. “You are having a love affair with one, after all.”
I cleared my throat and shuffled papers, wondering what Pip had told the Queen. Delsynarea watched me with curiosity, and I knew she had unsettled me on purpose.
“Ahem. Right. So several people had seen a young man with dark hair and tan skin dressed in a nearly identical costume to the one we found Pip in. The evidence indicates this is the same individual, and that, for an unknown reason, he has managed to travel through several counties. He likely appeared in Pip’s location, then was transported by unknown means—deliberate or otherwise. ”
“And where is he now?”
My eyes flicked to Frost, who was watching me with interest. This was an absurd mission for the elite Grey Guard. Frost knew it and I knew it, but I couldn’t deny my Queen. Besides, I had not seen her so alive in many years.
She was enjoying this. The spark in her eyes was one I hadn’t seen in years. If this ridiculous chase brought her that, I would follow it to the realm’s edge and back. She deserved that spark.
“There is more.” I pulled out the sketch. “The human who came through is likely this man—Sky, a friend of Pip’s.”
“Ah! Finally a lead. So you shall bring your lover along with you, and investigate personally.”
“Your Majesty, I can send—”
“Personally,” she repeated.
“Pip does not have a horse.”
“Well then. Choose him a horse. You are the captain of the Grey Guard. You can get a boy a horse.”
“He does not know how to ride a horse,” I said.
“Impossible! Everyone in Qoksmere can ride a horse. Don’t let that boy fool you into believing he needs to be coddled. He is stronger than he looks,” the Queen said. “Go select a horse for him from my stables. You must depart within the hour.”
“But, Your Majesty—”
“Within the hour, Commander. This is a matter of utmost importance to the crown.”
I bowed and departed for the stables. A horse for Pip.
I sent runners: one to the fabric workshop with Pip’s packing orders, another to gather the Guard. Then I found Thom in the stables and told him the news.
“What do you think Pip would prefer in a mount?” Thom asked as he led me down an aisle that contained all of the Queen’s favorite horses.
“I don’t know, something pretty?” I could picture Pip braiding his horse’s hair.
“Hmm.” Thom led me down the aisle, pointing out horses that were not in use by the Queen’s entourage. “This one?” He indicated a massive bay stallion.
“No. Something gentle.”
“How about old Sam, here.” He stopped at the next stall, where a muscled warhorse eyed us. “Now that he’s over three hundred, he’s gotten quite gentle.”
“Um.” I peered up and down the stalls. “No, not quite right.”
I took a few more steps down the aisle when a horse’s head appeared above a stall door. He was beautiful, with a silver mane and gentle eyes. He nickered and nuzzled my hand when I scratched his ears.
“What’s his story? I did not know the Queen allowed faeflight in her stables.”
“He’s a gelding, only three years old. He was gifted to the Queen for one of her ladies in waiting, but the Queen insisted that none of her entourage be on a horse so silly.”
“I do not find him silly,” I said.
“Of course you wouldn’t. He’s not silly at all,” Thom said. “He’s brave, and intelligent, and I’d be happy to pass him along to someone who might enjoy him. The Queen keeps saying he’s useless, but I’m quite fond of him.”
“Not the Queen’s style,” I murmured, running a hand down the gelding’s neck. “But perfect for Pippin.”
“Shall I saddle him?”
“Yes, prepare him, I’ll go get Bram. Hopefully he won’t be too embarrassed to be seen with such a pretty horse.”
Thom was laughing as I walked away, slipping Bram a sugar cube to ensure his good mood when he met the faeflight.
As I was finishing with his saddle, Pip arrived.
For once, he’d listened and worn full-length trousers that were brown, a little too long, and so un-Pip that I almost felt sorry for him.
He was carrying a satchel big enough to hold everything he owned, and had one of his crochet hooks behind his left ear, and on his feet, were the strange, brightly-colored shoes he’d arrived in.
I should have specified boots.
“My legs cannot breathe.”
“Your legs do not have lungs.”
“Where are we going? I packed shorts, skirts, an outfit for you, and I brought yarn because—”
An outfit for me? I pictured myself in sparkly pink shorts and decided not to ask. He stopped talking, his attention caught. Thom was walking in, leading the faeflight gelding.
He stared. “That’s not Bram.”
“He is to be yours.”
His voice cracked, his eyes bright with tears. “You’re giving me a horse?”
“The Queen is giving you a horse. I just selected him from her stables.”
He made a sound and launched himself at me. I caught him easily, holding him as he muffled words into my chest: “beautiful,” “best,” and something like “I love him already.”
“You haven’t met him.”
“I’ve seen him, and he’s perfect. His face. His hair.”
“It’s called a mane.”
“Right. I will have to learn horse terms! By the way how do I know he’s not a pony?”
“By the size and breed.”
“Wait, they’re the same species?”
“Yes. Horses have breeds, like dogs. Some are ponies.”
“Why is he smaller and prettier than Bram? Sorry Bram, you’re very handsome.”
“Bram is a faebred warhorse, Periwinkle is a breed called faeflight, built for elegance and speed.”
Pip tilted his head. “I may not need the speed, but I’m all about the elegance.”
The gelding watched with ears pricked, eyes soft. When Pip approached with outstretched hand, the horse lowered his head and pressed his velvet nose into Pip’s palm.
“Oh, you sweet thing. You absolute angel.”
He stroked the gelding’s nose, neck, ears, murmuring endearments. The gelding leaned into his embrace. It was a good sign.
“We are traveling to the outer counties.” I waited until Pip could focus. “There’s been a report in Stonedeep County. A human matching Sky’s description, traveling with a troll. The Queen wants it investigated.”
“Sky?” Pip’s head snapped up. “So are we sure it’s Sky?”
“Not yet. Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t think we’ll know until we find someone who has talked to him.”
“When do we leave?”
“Now. Four of the Guard are already saddled and waiting at the gate.”
Pip turned back and cupped the gelding’s face. He looked into its eyes with the intensity of someone about to make a vow. “Your name is Periwinkle.”
Bram snorted, looking offended.
”It’s a flower,” Pip said to the gelding. “It’s very pretty and blue, but tough on the inside. Just like you.”
Bram shook his head with a disapproving snort.
Pip reached into his pocket and produced a sugar cube, which he fed to Periwinkle. Bram nickered, and Pip laughed and gave him one, too, scratching Bram between the ears.
“Don’t worry, Bram, I still think you’re the handsomest boy,” he said, and Bram shot me a smug look.
“How often are you feeding Bram sugar cubes?”
“Not often. Thom said to use raw carrots too, so Bram doesn’t get fat.”
Bram nuzzled Pip. Pip scratched his ears, called him good boy, sweetheart, and gave him a hug.
Was my warhorse going soft? I needed to get out of here before Bram ended up with flowers in his mane. ”Let’s go.”
I watched him, trying to comprehend what I was seeing. In Qoksmere, riding was as fundamental as arithmetic; every child learned. One did not need to be a master, but one had to be able to stay on the horse. What Pip was doing... this was not merely unskilled. It was an art form of incompetence.
Pip did not have rudimentary skills. He possessed a level of skill somehow beneath rudimentary. He gripped the reins like they were a handle on a push cart. His legs stuck out at odd angles, as if he’d never even noticed the stirrups.
“Do you have horses where you’re from?”
“We do have horses, but they’re more a hobby than a mode of transport. How do I make him go?”
I clicked my tongue and Bram started to walk. Periwinkle followed. Pip listed to the left.
“Sit up straight.”
“I am sitting up straight.”
“You are at a thirty-degree angle.”
“I’m sitting as straight as I can while still balancing. How come it doesn’t feel so bouncy when I’m in your lap.”
“There was a lot of bouncing when you were in my lap. So much that it was making my cock hard.”
“I knew it!” Pip said, laughing so hard that he almost fell off his horse. “Whoa. Tilty.”
Periwinkle, to his credit, was doing his best. The gelding moved with exaggerated care, placing each hoof as though his cargo were fragile. His ears rotated toward Pip with every wobble.
We fell behind within a mile.
The four Grey Guard rode ahead at an easy canter. I watched them disappear around a bend in the road and looked over at Pip, who was clinging to Periwinkle’s mane with one hand and trying to adjust his trouser cuffs with the other.
“I hate these trousers,” he said. “My thighs are in prison. They deserve to be free.”
“What do you do when it’s cold outside?”
He tilted his head. “Cold outside?”
“Like, in the winter.”
He scoffed. “I live in California! We do not winter!”
“Well, I can assure you, that winter exists in Qoksmere. And your thighs are supposed to be gripping the horse.”
“They can’t grip anything! The fabric is too thick! Did stripper poles teach you nothing about grip?”
I had no idea what a stripper pole was, and I suspected I was better off not knowing why Pip would be gripping one with his thighs. I cleared my throat. “The trousers help keep your skin from chafing against the leather.”