The Laws of Chess

The Ruy Lopez

The air in the stable was pleasant. Stinking, but not of deceit, as life often smells, not of betrayal and insatiable hunger for success, a feeling often smeared by inks made of greed and selfishness; in fact, the smell of manure was almost pleasant, congenial, a reminder of nature and from nature, of the place where a human being was bound to rest at the end of life and before passing into another, unexplored realm.

"Sir, the vet has arrived. There seems to be some complications, but after a thorough examination, he seemed quite positive."

Taehyung wasn't fazed when his horse Zeus neighed and shifted his weight to his right and only available hindquarters, while the left remained between Taehyung's legs and in the grip of his hands, and if he heard the stable master, he made it clear that the man could continue without disturbing the already jitty equine.

"He said it would take nearly two hours, sir. After all, Elena is quite old, and delivering isn't easy for a mare her age."

"Easy; easy!" The horse neighed again, and with his annoyed sound, Taehyung finally let out his "Shh, it's almost over."

Hands remaining steady and fingers working just as fast as before the intrusion of the stable master and impatient stallion, Taehyung continued to work on the hoof without letting his attention be distracted by newly acquired information and worries, speaking softly and almost muffled in a voice that contracted his deeper sentiment, "You are going to be the big brother, so you better behave."

The barn was quiet despite the ranging colors of what was going on, an atmosphere different from the reality of his life and the margins it carried. A haven, the safety of an embrace similar to his mother's, and he relished the feeling, exploited it limitlessly, and for once he found himself thankful to his father, recognizant of his hard work and rejoicing in his less than dignified ways, which contributed in bringing him such a solace, that ironically served to heal him from the wounds he had inflicted.

"It's about time you entrusted your farrier with this godawful task, sir; it's so much trouble, not to mention the dirt."

Ironic, really. Trust. A very big word, depicted by little tiny brushes as a word for absolute honesty and honor. A word that meant chivalry, extinguished transparency and utter confidence, and as funny as it was, he actually trusted his farrier, trusted the stable master too, and wished he could trust the people around him as well; wished he could rely on them, close his eyes and put his fate in their hands. And if life was cruel enough to send him a farrier who wasn't careful with his hooves, he wished the stable master would be generous enough to take care of them, and he hoped the rider would also be kind enough to choose firm paths instead. But the reality is that Taehyung had long since lost trust; figured it would be better to do things his way, under his supervision, with his hands, instead of leaving a window open for deceit to intrude from it.

"I'm used to that. Don't worry about it, Mr. Song." His voice remained low, but the hinge of a shallow scar remained audible, almost visible; a wince, and had the stable master known him only slightly, he would have thought it was no big deal, but he knew him so well. He knew him from the days when his height couldn't reach the mares to feed them or stroke their hair, when he could not dare approach a horse for fear it would kick him in the chest. Yes, he knew him well enough to decipher his tone, to interpret it for what it was, but he preferred to remain the neutral man he had always been. "But I would appreciate it if you would stay with Elena during this time. She needs all the support she can get, and the vet might need you, too.