Stubborn Mule by Al K. Line

Author:Al K. Line [Line, Al K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-18T16:00:00+00:00

A SILENT REUNION

Being out in the world once more was bewildering. Always rather insular, preferring my own company and that of my family and the zoo, I often went the full year seeing and speaking to almost nobody else. Now we were in the new place, I saw Job and Shae regularly, and went out more than usual, but life in a sleepy village hadn't prepared me for the wide world at large. And this was just a small town!

People knowing about Necros, potions everywhere, drug abuse, rabid dogs, murderous drones, and on the list went. It was disconcerting and more unstable than I'd expected.

The envious, coveting glances Bernard and I had received as we exited Shrewsbury had also been a real cause for concern. Horses—which is how he appeared to regular folk and even many Necros—were worth an absolute fortune, yet even they were frowned upon by those completely indoctrinated into the propaganda machine that told the young ones that any form of transport was tantamount to setting off an atomic bomb.

But we made it out, and here we were moving sedately through the open countryside, not a soul in sight. Nothing but me, the birds, and a whiny, annoying, dumb unicorn.

"But why can't we go home now?"

"Because we haven't gone anywhere yet."

"But I'm tired."

"No, you aren't."

"And I'm too hot."

"Again, you're a magical unicorn. You don't feel the heat. Or the cold."

"And hungry."

"You're always hungry. But again, you don't actually need food. I'm hungry though."

"Then let's go home," he sulked.

"We have to go make sure Jen and Tyr are alright. And maybe find a way to kill a faery."

Bernard gasped. "You can't do that! She's Queen."

"I know. And she stole my daughter. Again. I won't stand for it. She's gonna pay," I growled, knowing I would do nothing, as what could I do?

"We're here."

"How did you do that?" Bernard the barmy stopped, so I looked up and found we were beside a familiar oak tree in a field with a babbling brook not far away.

"You keep getting distracted."

"Hmm, or maybe you're doing something. A skill you haven't revealed before?"

"Don't know what you mean? Can you get off? Your bum is too bony."

"And yours is too fat."

"That's not nice."

"I know. It smells too." Nevertheless, I dismounted, then removed the packs from Bernard and took them over to the stream where it was nice and cool under the shade of overgrown hawthorn and beech trees. I made a small fire, then set out a rather meager meal for Bernard and a much grander one for me.

"Is that all I get?" he asked, eyeing it dourly.

"You refused to let me load the large sack of food for you, so yes, that's it."

"You should have said it was my dinner."

"I did. Seven times."

"Oh." Bernard began to snuffle about sourly, so I told him that Mawr would have plenty of treats tomorrow and he brightened.

With the fire burning bright and clear thanks to the plethora of dry kindling, I rested against the tree and munched on an apple.

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