the Leathermines

Back to part 9

We left within minutes.  They pushed more of the milk-beer onto the Prince, because, well, alcohol helps to deaden pain and this was going to be fast and painful riding to the portal before it closed.  I could almost feel the opening drumbeats of Conan as we sped across the plains.  Six of us, all on horses, one having to be carried like a saddlebag, as night came and we pushed through until we could not ride safely under the stars.

We did not have the shelter of the rocks, but we were able to make a small camp on the lee of a hill as the night winds started up in earnest.  We walked the horses and I showed the herd how to take care of their horses to make sure there weren’t any saddle sores, or the horses developed muscle cramps by just stopping moving.  I didn’t even think of it as unusual, just something that needed to be done, though Nate seemed to be bewildered at some of it.

And I chose.  That sounds all prophetic and stuff, but I knew Nate was going back to Earth with us, but I didn’t know if Ilsin would.  And all I wanted was to have Ilsin tell me one of his stories and to hold me while we were sleeping.

It was really a group sleeping arrangement, we did not pair off or anything stupid like that.  It wasn’t a sleepover.  We started out kinda lined up with the Prince in-between Heather and Steve, coats and stuff being used as blankets.

I did wake to Ilsins arm under my head and his hand wrapped around mine.  It was the best thing to happen that entire adventure.  And, even though I was slightly cold and hurt in places I still can feel, I didn’t want it to end.

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Back to part 8

I hate to admit it, but stories with flashes of other places and times and stuff usually put me off.  It’s like you get invested in one scene and then you have to reorient yourself to what the heck they just switched to.  And I’m sorry.  To try to tell this story without going back and getting everyone to tell their version means I am doing the silly flashes.

As the Prince and I were fighting for our lives and forcing our way out of the city(which I still don’t know the name of, to be honest), there were some of the beautiful golden horses being led across rocky fields by some of the nomads.  I’ve been told that Heather was up on one of the horses with a nomad behind her.  Supposedly, it was because of her ankle, but I was told of the big grin on her face as he held the reins around her and kept putting his nose in her hair to smell it.

They had not only gotten out of the yurt alive, they had been successful traders.  Steve had exchanged things for one of the long wool coats and Nate had real boots, not just the gym shoes he had worn through the portal.  They were in a group of the younger nomads, being escorted towards the capitol city.  They were taking their fine time about it, too.

One of the nomads stopped, dropping the lead of the horse he was walking alongside, to listen.  I can tell you that the wind through that golden-red grain could be very loud, but so can horse hooves on rock.

The others didn’t even have to talk, confusing the herd.  Heather was helped down from her ride as the men started forming a defensive line around their guests.

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Back to part 7

Until I ran away, into this really strange world, I had not really paid attention to what was outside of me.  I was very self-centered, even though I didn’t think I was.  Not everything had to do with me in this world, no one knew who I was and I had to fight for what I had.

When it was about me, I wasn’t always there to see and participate.  I hadn’t thought of that aspect of how people interact really before now.  Not having communications with my phone, not having the internet and t.v., I was finding that I had to wing it, and go by what other people tell me.  And trusting that what they said was the truth.

From bits and pieces, I have a scene of the confrontation between the Prince and his father in my mind.  They are in the King’s chambers, some servants with the red and gold sash standing against the walls.  Even though it is daytime, there are candles and torches in some of the room to brighten it.  Even the fire is lit in the fireplace.

The King is a very physical man.  He would pace when he was angry.  And he was very angry at his Son.

“Father, I-”

“Don’t you ‘Father’ me!  My boy, it didn’t work on my father, and it doesn’t work on me.”

“I talked to her and-”

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Back to part 6

I can only imagine the days and nights that my friends had when they came into this world for me.  Heather is a girly-girl and has the fashion sense of a runway model, but not for the outback.  Nathan and Steve had some better luck, but they are city boys, not country wild men.

I think that it kinda went like this.

They were huddled around a little fire, cold and tired and lost.  Like I had been.

Steve would be snarking on Heather.  “If you had worn real shoes, not heels, you would not have twisted your ankle.”

“If I thought this was really happening, I would not have come.”

Nathan, the peace-maker of the group would have to get in between and say something like, “Will you two stop bickering?  You sound married.”

“You watch your mouth!  It was not my idea to use that thing.”

“I just thought it was a fancy digital picture frame or something.  Between Tammi’s video and notes and the stuff you found, Nate-”

Then they would be frightened by the sound of a horse.  Ilsin came up to them and said, “You look as lost as she did.”

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