Chapter 3 Belle-Belle
Belle-Belle
Before night fell, we reached a town and I asked for directions to an inn.
The people in the streets, doing their business before the marketplace closed, all turned to stare at me.
Some whispered behind cupped hands, while others gazed, mouths open, at me and Comrade.
When I finally got a bread vendor to answer me and direct us to an inn, I nudged Comrade out of the square.
“Is something wrong with me, that I drew all their stares?” I wondered in a murmur.
“Nothing is wrong with you, dear Master,” Comrade spoke aloud.
I jumped in the saddle and shrieked an unladylike word.
“The faerie’s enchantments are working quite well; to the human eye you appear to be the most handsome, graceful youth that anyone has ever seen. As long as you wear your garments from the trunk, that is.”
As he spoke, I tried to calm myself. The faerie had said Comrade would offer me counsel; it had not occurred to me that he would speak to do so.
More like, use his hoof to point in the right direction if I got lost?
Or neigh disparagingly at someone who meant me harm even though they presented a pleasing exterior?
It’s not like I had much experience with magical horses.
“You…can talk?” I whispered.
“Indeed I can, Belle-Belle, or should I say, Fortune. The faerie trained me herself and granted me immense wisdom, which I shall share with you, in discreet moments, of course. And thus I advise us to stop in this town for the evening as planned, and continue on our journey to the capital tomorrow.”
Luckily we were not in a populated portion of the town when this conversation took place.
But then we reached the inn, and though I was exhilarated to be traveling by myself for the first time in my life, I elected to have dinner brought up to my room.
Once I was alone, I marveled at the outfits in the trunk, knowing that Marguerite would have a far more detailed analysis of their construction than I.
At first I worried that my disguise would not hold up to scrutiny. But I had a faerie’s enchantments and a talking horse. Surely I could amplify my skills, my masculine presence, in other ways. The parts of my mind that warred with each other eventually quieted.
After a reasonable night’s sleep, I met up with Comrade in the stables, and we resumed our journey.
Once we were out of the town’s boundaries, we struck up an amiable conversation.
“My dear Master,” Comrade said as we trotted towards a forest, “I am delighted to be yours, for I can already tell you are an honorable and noble sort. I have been in the service of others, heartless men and faeries who have been cruel to me, so cruel I pondered kicking them in the teeth, but prevented myself from doing so out of a sense of self-preservation and the hope that I might one day be reunited with my family. And of course, once I entered the faerie’s service, she gifted me with knowledge of the past and present and future, so that I might act in accord to serve a master who would be worthy of me. ”
I took all this in, my heart burdened with grief at the thought of someone mistreating such a beautiful and righteous beast.
“Oh, but Master,” Comrade said as we entered the forest, “do take heed. There is a man who lives here who would be of great use to us. He is a woodcutter, and he is endowed.”
I opened my mouth to ask the question, but my cheeks burned before I could speak. I had heard my sisters using that very same word to refer to a young man of our acquaintance, and I barely grasped its connotation. Well, better to ask than remain ignorant.
“What do you mean by that?” I hoped my voice did not sound too breathy and youthful.
“Endowed by the faeries, of course. He has been charmed by them as well, and he may be quite helpful. You should ask him to swear an oath of fealty to you, however. I shall provide further guidance as you wish.”
Now, I burned with curiosity and not just embarrassment. I had not expected to meet others like me, if indeed, this man was in a situation at all similar to mine. I asked Comrade for more advice, and soon we reached a clearing.
Enough logs to build many houses were stacked on their sides, and yet I only saw one man at work. He was quite tall, and quite large around the chest, and quite shirtless.
“Good sir, are you the only woodcutter working in these parts?” I called out.
As we drew near, I could see rivulets of sweat running down his wide chest, his tan skin gleaming in the dappled sunlight.
I felt my own skin heat as though in response.
Again, I recalled an overheard conversation between my sisters, but there had not quite been enough information in it to account for my sympathetic response.
“Aye, Milord, I am.” He rested his axe on his brawny shoulder. I swallowed at his blatant display of muscles.
“And do you make a good living chopping wood here?” I hoped my voice stayed even.
“No, Milord, I do not. They call me Strong Back, as I can fell the same number of trees as seven men, but in this region there are many other woodcutters, and the price of wood is quite low right now.”
“If you wish to apply your skills elsewhere, I invite you to enter my employ. I am the Chevalier Fortune, and I journey to serve the king in his battle against the Emperor Matapa.”
The woodcutter bowed. “My given name is Benoit, and it would be my honor to take up with you.”
I nodded sharply, rehearsing the words from Comrade in my mind.
“I shall compensate you handsomely for your service. You will receive lodging, food, and fair wages. I ask only that you swear fealty to me. Further, I ask that you shall, no matter how I appear or sound to you, follow my every command if I ask you to do so in the name of Comrade, my horse.”
Strong Back—Benoit—cocked his head at me.
I noticed that his eyes were a light, piercing blue, and his hair was brown, tied at the nape of his neck in a long tail.
For a moment, I wondered if he was considering the implications of swearing an oath; it could always backfire.
But then, men without noble standing usually found themselves in positions to swear fealty sooner or later; it was how they obtained status, protection, and other necessary things in this world.
“I do so swear, Chevalier Fortune. It would be my honor to serve you.”
And he bowed, giving me a view of his most excellently muscled backside.