Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As she sat there waiting for everyone to be ready observing the behavior of those around her, She was amused by what she saw. It was easy to tell the people who are there because they truly believed in the trails, the prophecy, and her parents ability to control the court. There were also those who were there just for their own ambition as well as the group they had no faith or even worse want to see the prophecy fail.

Andy silently sugar head thinking about the prophecy, that faceless sensor destiny that she never asked to be part of. She was mulling this over when she noticed Epona Walking toward her. Standing there stuff backed and anxious she wondered why Epona would be approaching her.

“ good day lady. I see you’ve stuck with Cloud Dancer,” Epona said smiling as she approached.

“ yes I am rather fond of him he’s been a dependable horse” Answered Andy reluctantly as she was still trying to ascertain the motives behind Epona’s sudden friendliness.

“ I agree he is a dependable horse one of the best I’ve ever bread unfortunately none of the other high royals seem to recognize that in him because he’s not the most beautiful horse to look at“ chuckled Epona.

That took Andy by surprise she had been unaware that Cloud Dancer Was a horse that have been bred by the goddess of horse herself. She just said there’s looking shocked and speechless not knowing how to respond to that statement.

“ you mean to tell me that cloud dancer is from your personal stock?“

Epona strokes cloud dancers neck and continued to smile as she said “ he was born of my mare Misty Dancer and his sire is Your fathers steed Storm Cloud. he was meant to be the mount for your mother but no one else in the high royal family could see has value. It pleases me to see somebody understands he worth.”

Running her hand down Cloud Dancer’s neck one more time before turning to walk away. As she did she looked Andy in the eyes and said “ i’m glad he found the person he was supposed to be worth, because there are worse gods he could’ve ended up with.” After speaking her piece Epona walked back to the group courtiers waiting for her buy her horse.

Andy put her hand on cloud dancer shoulder and looked around. As strange as that conversation had been she wondered whom The horse goddess was referring to. All she wanted to do was forget what was said but the looming feeling in her heart told her this wasn’t just an arbitrary conversation to inform her of her horses origin. It felt like much more than that, but before she could think too much more about it she heard the horn Sounding for them to mount up.

As the grooms exited the stables leading the other sources and offering assistance mounting she quickly spraying onto cloud dancers back. As she settled her self in the saddle she looks down to see the head groom silently laughing at her. If it had been anyone else Andy might have been offended but Liam meant no harm.

Liam had been the headroom in the stable as long as Andy could remember and unlike the rest of the court and servants he was not of immortal ilk, rather he was entirely human. Andy reached down and took Liam‘s hand noticing how much older it looks and the slight tremor since the last time she’d seen him.

“ my friend it is good to see you again. I hope this last year has found you well.”

“Lady it does my heart good to see you and know that you have a change.”

“ have you given any thought to the offer of retirement that was given to you? You know there will always be a place in my home for you.“

“Lady you are too kind, but yes retirement has been a topic I have thought about often this last year.”

She could see how hard this conversation was for Liam, and how the hardships of the job had taken a toll on his body. As the rest of the court fussed mounted their horses Andy slipped a vile into Liam’s hand. He looked up at Andy about to say something about the vile but she shook her head and lean down off her horse as if she were adjusting her strip and whispered to Liam “It is just something I’ve been working on back home for some of the local farmers to help with tremor and joint pain. Please take it as a gift from me to a man I’ve always thought very highly of. But Liam remember please this has to be our secret… If my parents found out, well you know what could happen.”

He looked up at her solemnly and mouthed I promise. With that said all she straightened back up at her saddle taking up the rains and waiting for the horn signal for the party to move out. Just does Andy started to feel restless the footman sound of the horn and her parents took up the lead as they moved out to start the ride.

The Route for this ride was always the same it never changed from visit to visit. She could practically ride it in her sleep. As the party moved out of the gates of the high royal palace they would turn left and head up over the Cliffs and then down through Cernunnous’s Forrest.

Given how well she knew the route they would take it wasn’t surprising that she started to allow her mind to wander. Her thoughts took her down a winding, spiral Path deep within herself till she was standing on an edge over looking avast chasm. This was the place she was very familiar where, and somewhere she’d been able to go since she was very young. Still to this day she wasn’t sure if it was a real place or somewhere deep within her own psyche.

It was a terrifying and yet peaceful place as it was a beautiful meadow that overlooked the chasm. The chasm was filled with this strange charcoal colored swirling mist and when you got closer to this side you could hear strange sounds rising up out of the depths. If you reached out and tried to touch the mist it forms a sticky almost tar Substance on anything it could cling too.

She have never actually tried to touch the messed but she’d seen how it cling to other items, like the sides of the canyon and I birds that had it in vertically flown into it. Actually getting too close to the mist gave her a sickening feeling deep in her core; it was the feeling she just couldn’t explain because even though it disgusted her she was still drawn to the edge.

As the ride started down the cliffs into the forest she found herself walking along the edge of that chasm. She felt called to head north along the canyon it was like something was calling her and she couldn’t turn away. As she near a point further along the chasm then she’s ever been she noticed something strange, Something she could identify but wasn’t sure she was really seeing. The closer she came the more she realized what she was saying was real it was blocks and it was clear to see that at one time they had formed the foundation of a bridge.

Once she reached the blocks she said between them facing west looking out over where the bridge would’ve been. The mist was thicker here almost impossible to see through, and it didn’t move and swirl the way it did in other places. The calling and tugging at her stopped once she was standing between those blocks staring trying to see through that thick, thick mist. Straining her eyes for a moment she thought she could see across to the other side, and on that other side what appeared to be a shadow. As soon as she saw it it was gone and her eyes hurt so bad from straining that she couldn’t be sure what she thought was real.

She’s pulled back into the world around her as her concentration is broken by scream. As she looks around shaking her head trying to clear away the last thought of the chasm she says the Riding party in chaos. Horses are bucking, trying to run away, and people are on the ground drawing and weapons as the peacefulness of the forest is shattered by an on rush Of the strangest wolves Andy has ever seen.

Now this was the forest that her father the lord of the hunt, or as the mortals called him the horned God claimed as his own. As such it was a haven for many strains and sometimes dangerous creatures, but none of them were dumb enough to attack the master of the woods or any of his court. Which made this even stranger, as cloud dancer spun just in time to kick one of the walls that was making a leap for Andy she was able to get a good look at it.

She reached into the quiver on her back as she grabbed her bow it was attached to the saddle and let an arrow fly into the wolf as it made a second leap at her and cloud dancer. She could feel all the other gods and goddesses around her fighting with traditional weapons and their own unique powers. Suddenly the whole bottle is silence by the sound of her fathers horn, as it sounded throughout the woods the wolves dropped as if struck down by a mighty sword.

Quickly jumping out of her saddle and onto the ground she crouches by the body of the nearest wolf in time to see a charcoal mist escape out of its nose. She was getting a bad feeling as she reached into the wolf smell and pulled her gloved hand out covered in a sticky tar like substance. All she could think of was the ch she was getting a bad feeling as she reached into the wolves mouth and pulled her gloved hand out covered in sticky tar like substance. All she could think of was the chasm, And how this was her fault for some hot lead in the mist here.

“ is everyone all right?“ her father called out to the rest of the party.

“M’Lord there appears to be no casualties and the ladies of the court made it to the trail grounds” reported her father’s chief guard.

“ Bring one of the wolves back to the high palace. Get everyone mounted we need to move quickly it’s not wise to linger here until we understand the threat.”

“Yes, m’lord.”

As Andy scanned the rest of the riding party she noticed a couple things that she found both interesting and amusing. Clearly once her father felt a disturbance in his woods he sent her mother and the other non-battle goddesses onto the strong hold at the trial grounds. She also couldn’t help but chuckle as she looked around and saw how many of the remaining members of court were struggling with their horses, and she only had to let out a little whistle and cloud dancer came trotting up. In fact he had never left her side instead Showing on uncanny bravery against the wolves, a tribute to being bred by the horse goddess herself. Once again it made her happy that she had chosen A horse based on more than beauty.

Is Andy swung her self back up into the saddle she noticed a shadowy figure in the trees. She turned to try to get one of the guards man’s attention but when she looked back it was gone. It made her wonder if she was just suffering some kind of lingering effects from the attack. It was about that time that she was snapped back to the clearing by her father‘s voice.

“ well, well I figured you would’ve ran like a coward… Andy why did you say? I ordered all the court who’s talents and powers don’t have to do with fighting to head to the trail grounds.”

“ I am not some frail toys that will break in a fight I can…“

Her father raised his hand she never got to finish her sentence because he interrupted her. “ you have no power to speak of. Your more mortal then immortal I keep hoping that will change as you mature but only time will tell. Until then you will follow the rest of the non-battle members of the court out of harms way. No matter how different you are you’re still one of the cauldron born and we cannot afford anything happening to you.”

“M’Lord.” Interrupted Connor her father’s chief guard “ The lady was the only one who manage to kill one of the creatures.“

Cernunnous looked down at Connor “ is that so… Make sure it’s brought to the palace.” He replied gathering up his reins and move into the front of the trail.

He looked around the clearing to make sure his court was mounted before nodding to the footman to sound the horn to move out. As he rode he sent his power out through the woods checking for disturbances and wondering, hoping that this was just a fluke.

Sensing nothing else out of the ordinary in his words he let his mind ferret out the possibilities. He hoped it was just one of his brothers or sisters making a play for the throne, through his and his wife’s combine power they have been able to hold of shake he alliance among the gods and goddesses.

He didn’t like to think of the other possibility. If it wasn’t a play for power on the part of his siblings and rivals then the prophecy had started much earlier than they all feared and the trials became so much more important.

Spurring has horse he move the party out at a quick pace, wanting nothing more to get home and talk to his lady about this.

Andy was shocked that her father move them out at the pace he did. She looked to her left thinking to ask Connor about the pace but decided against it. Connor was a good guy he had been a priest and her father‘s temple before being called to serve as a guard. Like the rest of court Guards Connor was a half blood living longer than most humans but not the eternity of the gods.

“You know you didn’t have to defend me, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Andy said without even looking at Connor.

Rolling his eyes and letting out a sigh Connor looks at Andy. “Believe me I know how capable you are of protecting yourself, but it was impressive that you killed one of those creatures I just wanted it to be acknowledged.”

She let out a sigh but didn’t say anything else content in the silence of riding next to Connor. as they rode through the rest of the forest she kept her eyes forward and concentrated on not letting her thoughts wander, still afraid that she had somehow caused this.

As they came out of the forest into the fields surrounding the trial grounds the rest of the party set off at a gallop wanting to see that the others were alright. she kept her horse at a comfortable trot not in a hurry to be crushed in the mob. Glancing to her left she noticed that Connor had stayed next to her and wondering why.

“ shouldn’t you be up with the rest of the guards and my father“ she asked him without even looking at them.

“ I think in the chaos of everyone making sure their love ones are OK I won’t be missed. Plus your father ordered me to make sure the dead wolf gets back to the Palace so no one will think twice about where I’m at.“

She wasn’t completely convinced by his answer but again she let it go as she had more pressing things on her mind. She didn’t stop at the trial grounds with the rest of the court instead she kept writing back to the Palace and the stable. The whole while Connor rode silently beside her.

As they near the stable Connor reached over and grab the reins of her horse stopping her abruptly. for the first time since riding next to each other she looked at him.

“ Connor, what the hell are you doing?“

“ Look calm down I just wanted to talk to you away from an area where we could be overheard. I was hoping we could meet later while the rest of the court is at the nightly entertainment.”

“ I don’t think that such a good idea.”

“ please, you know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. I have some things to say that I don’t want the others to hear but I think you need to know. Andy you know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t really important.“

“ fine I’ll meet you later at our spot, and Conor please try not to be late because I won’t be able to get away for long.”

With that Connor let go of her reins Andy spurred her horse up to gallop. Usually she would’ve taking care of her own horse but she had so much on her mind she just jumped off and tossed her reins to the nearest groomsman. She gave cloud dancer a pat before jogging up to her suite in the high palace.