The Stallion in the Shadows

10

I had been followed as a branch snapped loudly. I stood and hauled my sword from its scabbard. My horse also rose and came closer. "Who's there?" I called.

"The rumours are true," the figure said walking closer to me. He was dressed in armour.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Someone you can trust," he said.

"I don't trust knights," I said. He slowly placed his blade down. 

"I have no reason to hurt you, I was sent out to hunt," he said.

"Then why do you not carry an animal? You can tell I am not from here. You come for me," I said.

"No you misunderstand, I haven't caught anything yet," he replied edging closer.

"No, don't move," I told him. "I don't want to kill."

"You don't have to," he said continuing to move towards me.

"Stop! I won't warn again!" I exclaimed now lifting my blade higher. My horse now walked forward rearing up and kicking out at him.

"Your beast doesn't trust me," he said.

"He shouldn't as I don't," I replied. "You from the modern world, modern people not nice to us."

"I am not like them, I even placed my weapon down," he said, he was now within reaching distance. My horse swung his back towards the knight. I pulled my horseback by his mane.

"We are leaving," I said and hauled myself onto his back.

"You have a long journey back to Vaes Dothrak," he said.

"I am aware," I said nudging my horse in the ribs as he began to walk past the knight.

"You will regret turning your back on me," he said.

"I don't think so," I answered, and trotted away from him. I had been away from my Khal for a few weeks now, I was beginning to miss home and I had found the answers I was looking for. I was back to my normal self, all guilt of killing that child had perished, it was a simple accident. We travelled through the night, although my steed and I were weary.

It wasn't till we reached the edge of the water of Dragonstone. Boarding a ship was going to busy, I wouldn't be questioned. I dismounted my horse and pulled my hood up over my head. "That's a fine steed," the captain says as we clamoured up the wooden slope. I only offered a nod. We walked to the back of the ship, and tied my horse down I stayed with him, he always got frightened on the crossings. "Easy boy, we'll be home soon," I said and stroked his snout.

The ship rocked violently, I reached for a bucket and threw up into it. "Not used to ships?" an elderly man mocked me. I shook my head. "You and your horse look the same, no sea legs."

"We don't travel much," I replied.

"I can tell you're most certainly not from this far," he said.

"I'm not," I said pulling my hood over my head a little more and prayed to the horse god of the sea to hasten the journey.