Horses of Dawn: Part I

On a clear Fall morning, on a hillside just south of Hadrian's Wall, a boy hears thunder, and looks, puzzled, at a cloudless sky. He pales, sure this is no natural thing, then turns as he realizes the sound is not from the heavens but the hills around him.

And so it is, as he squints into the first light of a new day, that he sees a tide of hoof and mane and tail crest over the top of the hill and begin its wild descent down toward him.

He falls to his knees, and waits.

********

"Shane! Wake up, boy! It's time." Someone shook him slowly and he nodded, rising up on one elbow to look at the tall figure that loomed over him in the dark room.

"Yes, uncle." He pushed aside his covers, swung his legs over and grabbed the pack lying on the floor by his bed as he stood.

"Ah..yes..so I see.. Most efficient, sister's-blood, to have slept fully dressed."

"That's what I thought!" Shane started for the door, not seeing his great uncle Ashe cover his mouth and smother a laugh.

The boy was too excited; he'd fairly leapt into the air when told he was coming with his father and Ashe to fetch the horse for Lady Touchfire. A trip to the Green Silences, to see the Horses of Dawn! It was all Shane had thought about for the last few days, and now, at last, it was time to go.

Lumiere met them at the foot of the stairs, silently handing them both a small sack containing food for the journey. The big barkeep gave Shane a wink and pressed an apple into the boy's hand, then walked back into the kitchen before they could thank him. Shane took a bite and looked up at Ashe. "Where's Da?"

"Outside, in the courtyard, waiting. Come along, nephew. We have a bit of a ride ahead of us, even if it is on the Road." The tall elf barely had the chance to finish before Shane ran out the Great Hall door and into the darkened courtyard where Ian Blackthorn held the reins to three horses as he stood quietly. Ashe took one set as Shane took his and eagerly climbed into the saddle of his own mount. There were several of Ian's guards on duty and as one soldier stepped forward, Shane smiled, recognizing the grizzled Sergeant Timmons.

"You sure this is a good idea, taking the boy out past midnight on a ride? Does m'lady Skye know what you be about, Lord?"

"Lady Skye knows, Timmons. We'll be back in a few days. Marcus is in charge until I return." Blackthorn mounted up and nodded to the men. "You keep a sharp eye for Talor and for those two boys. And you stop the bets on Lady Khristina's bairn, Timmons. You've got most of the barracks in on it and at one day per man, she'll have to be pregnant two years for it to be a fair wager!" There was a ripple of laughter, then Shane's father turned his horse towards the main gate and the three of them rode off into the night.

Shane had all he could do to keep from racing on ahead of the adults.
He was going to see the Green Silences.
He was going to see his Great Grandfather.
But, more than that, he was going to see the Horses of Dawn.