The Princess and the Courier

Astra started her tale from the beginning. She summarized the tale as follows: By some sort of art, she was whisked from the Court of Aqualaria to Corona Beach. She was betrayed by a duke of Allaria and sold to Governor Gilder. She escaped, and was guided by an odd sort of horse that would not let her ride her, but that seemed to guide her to another horse.

Sabok interrupted her at this point. "That was Mercury. You are lucky that he liked you."

"I remember that a stablemaster, Asib, at Polabi Courthouse, also mentioned something about Mercury. He seems to be a legend here."

"The horse that cannot be broken. Mercury is considered by some to be something more than a horse. He not only will not be ridden, but often refuses to enter the stables at Corona. And more than one groom swears that the other horses seem to look at him as some sort of leader. In fact, visitors to Corona often request that chance to see him; he is that famous."

Sabok then broke into a song.

Mercury
Riderless
Unsheltered
Arrogant
Fight against
the fate that
left you as
a subject
to the whims
of the lash.

Mercury
Using his
Strength and his
Guile and speed
Masters his
masters and
becomes king
of the horses
against all odds.
Mercury.

Astra answered, "I guess that I should be honoured to add to the legend. I rode out on Gilder's Folly. Is there another story there?"

"Not much of one. Gilder's Folly was foaled from Mercury. Gilder overpaid for him, thinking that a horse with Mercury's speed and as docile as a normal horse would be unbeatable. Folly was good, but no horse could have been as good as what Gilder paid for him."

"So Gilder does not own Mercury?"

"No, the King himself does. At least, insofar as anyone can be said to own such an animal."

"Folly was good to me. He got me out of Corona and to Polabi Courthouse. I found a raft and drifted down the river."

"That is the first time that I heard anyone say that going from Corona to Polabi Courthouse to lower Polabi Satrapy was "good." I have been to Corona and Polabi several times. Polabi is a bit sleepy. I have not been south or west of there. Please tell me more - you are venturing into places that I have not been yet."

"Well, the coast is filled with bugs and this nasty tar. Don't give me that look, Hesht."

Sabok replied, "That is home, is it not, Hesht? Are you one of those who will defend your village to the point of blows while thanking the good lord for whatever brought him out of such a desolate place?"

Hesht responded, "It can be dangerous to t- talk about some of these th- things."

Sabok smiled and then said, "Oh, I am going to want to hear this. I promise that I can keep a secret. For a while at least. I have heard some stories about the Tenge, and I have always wanted to go there to see about it first-hand. What can you tell me?"

Astra said, "I cannot tell you much. I stayed in the village of Golabi for a while, and Hesht offered to help me cross the Tenge to Penhan. I did not want to go back, as I could be considered a horse thief, and I did not know what Gilder was going to do. There was a great rain, and the Tenge seems to be just gully after gully, followed by river followed by mud followed by canyon. We made it to a large farm, and then from the farm we took a trail that led to here."

Sabok did not press Astra for more detail. He had decided that he was going to walk with them to Darvazde Yepenhan, and spend the night there. He would wheedle the details out of them. A large farmhouse was a good thing. Once he had the information, he would go to it when he walked to through Tenge Province. Most likely the master would welcome him as an entertainer and for news for an isolated outpost. And if the master did not welcome him, some cottager undoubtedly would. For that reason, he decided that it was better for him to take a slight detour to Darvazde Yepenhan and Penhan with Hesht and Astra.

He readily admitted to himself that Astra's beauty did not hurt the case for following them westward.

The journey to the border town of Darvazde Yepenhan was an easy one, as Sabok passed on bits of gossip about his travels in the courts of the King and the Northern governors. He gave details about the building of the great pleasure garden of Shomal, at the behest of Khanoman Shomal, the governor's wife. He told of the rise of Nirumand, who was now the King's prime vazir. Astra laughed when Sabok recounted how quickly Nirumand was surrounded by courtiers who suddenly found wisdom in his every word, wit in all his jokes, and importance in his every whim. By this time Astra was much more at ease. Seeing the walls of Darvazde Yepenhan helped. She was almost across the border! All she had to do was to cross from Darvadze Yepanhan to Yepenhan itself, and she would be in Penhan. Not home, but it would do for now.

Light-heartedly, she reminded Sabok that he owed her a verse about her. Sabok replied, Khanomam, if you will indulge me, I will sing some nonsense, using you and your companion as the subjects. I don't know what I am going to sing until I sing it, so it can be quite bawdy, or funny, or provocative. It uses a traditional patter of my home province.

"That is fine. Let's hear it."

The Princess and the Courier
Walked into Franken Town
They hoped to pass through quietly
And acquire no renown
But alas that was not to be
For they each would wear a crown.

The courier he would not fight
He was a clever man
The quandom princess stood aside
And fell in with the plan
And both of them reluctantly
That day their joint rule began.

Astra smiled and laughed. "I shall have to hear more of it. Where is Franken?"

Hesht was not smiling. "Franken is a land of gh- ghosts. What you say scares me, Sabok."

Sabok replied, "Hesht, I am sorry. I was listening to the echoes that from songs that I heard as a child in the northeast. The bards sang very old songs. The Franken in those songs was a happy place, although a bit down at the heels and backwoods. Kind of like the way Astra described Golabi."

Hesht nodded his head, "The Northeast. You are from Sardargomi Province, then?"

"Indeed. Sardargomi Province - the land of the fogs. I had a choice of gutting fish, busting rocks, or singing for my supper." Sabok grinned. "It was not a hard choice. I learned many songs and stories from Porbod, and traveled with him for five years while serving as an apprentice. I also learned to cook, clean, and hunt - he made sure of that."

Hesht said, "Y- you are w- welcome to stay w- with us in Yepenhan, after we cross the border. I am sure that the sisters at the White Hospital will take us in."

Sabok replied,

1. "Thank you, kind Hesht."
2. "I know an official named Jegar in town, on the Hespaniard side of the border. He would welcome us warmly."

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