Custos Unicorium 2: Nova Turba~ New Company

Chapter Fourteen: Twin on the Run

"Well take it up to Josephine then! I'm taking Lelara and the horse now!" I was fed up after my argument was getting nowhere. Rathor was being a bitch. 

"No. For the hundredth time, no!" Rathor growled. 

My right wrist shot up again, my hand curved like a paw and angled down. I tossed my head. Glaring at Rathor I said, "come on Lelara." 

The sounds of a slight struggle came, I didn't see it though, my eyes still glued to Rathor. 

"This bastard won't let me fucking go!" Lelara spat. 

"Deverell!" I growled, pulling Howl around to face him. I didn't stop to think. How hard is it for them to trust me? They had no right to...to just...to be men! I urged Howl to leap, and urged her again when she hesitated. We landed right in front of Deverell and Lelara.  

"Shit Regina!" Deverell screeched, and dove to the side. Lelara made a run for it. 

"Back the way I came!" I called to her. Turning I charged towards Rathor. He tried to hold onto the horse, thinking I'd bail, and Howl wanted to, but she listened to me as I pushed her forward. Seconds before impact Rathor dropped the horse's lead. To my surprise I was able to catch it. I turned howl, the frightened young horse struggled momentarily but followed. 

Howl and the young gray and I raced at the fence of Koriun's pasture. Thankfully the young horse leapt with us and we could get away from Deverell and Rathor before they could regroup.  

"Lelara! Grab my arm!" I yelled, sticking it out towards her as we raced by. I slowed Howl some, but the excited gray didn't allow for much.  

Lelara listened to me, and I pulled her onto Howl behind me. 

"Thanks Regina," she said. 

"You're welcome," I told her, "but what's going on? Why are you here?" 

"I--I followed you." 

"I can tell. Where'd you get the horse?" 

"Bought her. Long story, but I thought if I came with you I could make a difference...for my family...and for myself. Where are we going?' 

The circumstances of Lelara's runaway obviously made her uncomfortable. I allowed the subject change. "Within earshot, actually. My other job--Keeping a unicorn-- is right here. Actually, that there was his fence." 

"I get to meet your unicorn?" Lelara asked in awe. 

"Yep," I smiled, "there he is." We approached the end of the pasture where I'd left Hayden and the unicorns.  

"Regina! What happened?" Koriun asked. 

"That was quite a commotion," Yonder neighed. 

"Yeah," I sighed. "I might have made it more dramatic than it needed to be." 

"You did," Lelara laughed. 

"Who's she?" Yonder asked. 

"This is Lelara. I met her in Lavetin. She apparently followed us home. I don't know why yet, but she's my friend.  

A laugh came from Hayden. "Regina has friends." 

"Hey now," I scolded, "don't be mean. 

"I was kidding." 

"Lelara, this is Koriun. The other unicorn is temporary while the migration's passing through. Her name's Yonder. And Hayden...is the hyper-active little kid over there." 

"Now who's being mean?" Hayden asked. 

"Regina," Yonder said my name cautiously, making me wary. "You do realize you have a twin," she giggled. Unicorn giggles were odd sounds. I looked at Lelara and she looked at me. I guess I'd noticed how similar she looked to me, but I'd never really let it sink in. Now it was, and I felt awkward.