Quest for Cydonia

“Which horse will you be taking, Sir Christopher?” asked the stablehand. Chris took a quick glance down the barn aisle before his eyes settled on a horse dappled with silver and white.

“That one,” he said with certainty as he pointed to it. The stablehand’s eyes widened.

“But he is so young, so green!” he exclaimed, hurrying over to the stall of a gangly, rust-colored horse. The creature jumped away nervously as he approached. “Surely a more seasoned warrior, such as Gambit here-”

“No,” Chris broke in. “He’s even afraid of you.” He stood next to the gray horse’s stall, watching as the animal poked its nose toward him and stuck out its pink tongue. The stablehand sighed.

“Berry it is, then.” Chris stepped aside as the man led the horse past him, seeing a large dark mass walk by him going the opposite direction.

“Hey, Dom,” he called. The man in question managed a silent wave. The massive dark brown horse followed him like an obedient dog.

“It’s a myth,” grumbled Matt as he pondered which horse to choose. Chris just sighed as the stablehand began to saddle his horse. The gray pawed the ground impatiently, receiving a smack on the shoulder for its efforts. It only paused a moment before beginning again. “A castle no one’s ever seen and returned from. A myth!” Matt’s rant halted suddenly as his eyes fell upon the tall gray horse Chris had chosen.

“You’ve lost your mind,” he said quietly, walking toward the horse. It lowered its head to see him better, black forelock falling in front of the white stripe painting its face. It sniffed the air for a moment before sticking out its tongue again. Matt would have laughed had the horse not towered over him.

“Think of it as a challenge,” Chris countered, taking the reins and leading the horse outside.

“Which for you, Sir Matthew? I beg of you, a sane choice, please,” said the stablehand, clasping his worn hands together.

“Velvet,” Matt replied without hesitation. The other man nodded in agreement and went to retrieve the horse in question.

‘A being without its head up in the clouds,’ he thought as the mildly shorter animal approached. Its wavy black mane and tail rippled like silk, complementing its brown coat. Matt heard a nearly inaudible sigh as Dom passed by with Sedrik – his mount of choice – looking thoughtful. ‘I can’t say the same for him, though.’

Chris tightened his grip on the leather reins as he neared the large iron gates protecting the castle town. A crowd had gathered, and as he approached, the low murmur of their chatter grew to a louder buzz. Berry’s black-tipped ears were firmly fixed on the unfamiliar noise, and his hooves fell upon the worn gray cobblestones with sharp, rhythmic beats. He pranced in place, suddenly shying away from someone holding a colorful flag. Chris could tell he wanted to run.

A small, furry black dog darted in front of them, contrasting sharply with the gray stones and letting out a string of shrill barks as it chased an orange cat across the street. Berry stopped and planted all four feet into the ground, almost ready to turn and run. Chris tried to reassure him, but it would be risky to take a hand off the reins. He couldn’t do much other than talk in a soothing voice, and it didn’t seem to be working.

“Wait!” cried a frantic voice. A young child scampered after the dog, directly under Berry’s nose.

That was all it took. The horse reared to his full towering height, front legs striking the air as if trying to attack it. His form eclipsed the blinding sun, casting a long, dark shadow on the ground. The boy’s eyes widened in fear. Chris used all of his strength to pull the animal another direction before his feet slammed into the ground. The sudden sound startled Berry once again, and he tried to turn and run, but found himself facing a large dark horse staring him straight in the eyes. The gray horse fell still for several moments, breathing heavily and ears swiveling at the slightest noise. He was shaking.

“This was probably not one of your better ideas,” said Dom as Chris dismounted the quivering gray horse. Chris ignored the comment and watched as a young woman raced over to the child, protecting him with her arms and making sure he was unharmed.

“You should be more careful,” she scolded the young boy. He nearly started crying.

“It wasn’t his fault,” Chris responded. “Berry here is just new to everything. He’s not used to this yet.”

“Matt’s coming,” called Dom, patiently waiting atop his horse, almost seeming bored. Chris nodded, suddenly realizing how difficult it would be to remount the tall horse. The townspeople crowded closer, also wanting to see how he would accomplish this.

He was surprised when Berry lay down suddenly. For a few moments Chris thought he would roll – and consequently break the saddle – but he simply sat there. Chris took the hint and swung one leg over the saddle, barely having time to settle himself before Berry hauled himself to his feet. The people began applauding, and he managed a shy smile. He noticed Dom was smirking.

“Are we ready to leave yet?” asked Matt as he approached.

“I don’t think so,” called a familiar voice, sounding annoyed. Matt turned at the sound of it and immediately jumped off the horse. Dom grabbed its reins before it could run away and rolled his eyes.

“Sorry, Gaia,” Matt said apologetically. The woman crossed her arms as if she was mad at him.

“You should know by now that I wouldn’t let you just leave without saying goodbye.”

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Matt replied, taking both of her hands in his own.

“That’s what worries me,” she said almost sadly, embracing him. He returned it.

“Well, you shouldn’t worry too much. I’m not even sure this place exists. We’ll be gone for a few days at the most,” he said with certainty, giving her a half smile. She smiled back and retreated into the crowd, feeling a hint of regret as Matt’s hands slipped away from her own.

Dom watched the scene with sad, empty eyes. He sighed once again, feeling the same way he did every time they left on a journey. Chris was married and Matt was engaged to be. But he had no one. He admired someone, but knew that no chance existed for them to be together. It was life, it was unfair, and he knew he had to accept it.

Matt returned to his horse and mounted it easily. He took his usual place at the front of the threesome and called for the guards sitting atop the wall to open the castle gates. They did so, and Matt quickly spurred his horse into a gallop, flanked by his two friends. They heard the shouts and cheers of the townspeople quickly fade into the rolling green grass of Luna’s countryside.

After several minutes, Matt slowed his horse to a trot, then a comfortable walk. There was no sense in wearing out all their energy at once. Sedrik fell into step beside them, while Chris guided Berry to a spot a few feet away. The horse seemed to have enjoyed the run and did not want to stop. Chris didn’t trust him to be in the group just yet.

“I don’t have any idea where we’re supposed to go,” Matt said suddenly, causing Chris to roll his eyes.

“Through Palus, where we will restock our supplies, then on to the forests of Cydonia,” Dom said as if it were obvious.

“But Cydonia is not real,” Matt countered. “It can’t possibly be. There’s no such thing as a land with its castle floating above it on a rain cloud!”

Dom had heard enough. He nudged Sedrik with one heel, and the horse nipped Velvet on the flank, sending the sensitive horse galloping forward. The chocolate-colored animal carried a cursing Matt over the green hill they had been riding up. Chris couldn’t help but laugh, though he knew there was something more serious behind Dom’s actions. He knew better than to mention it, though. If the same event were to befall him, Berry would be unlikely to stop for several miles.