Chapter 45 Messengers of the Realm
In the air over Isla Real.
Grey Wing was the last Pegasus born to the All-Mother who was ridden by Clemente. She remembered the days when twenty Pegasi flew daily from the stone nest. They carried riders with messengrs to the far reaches of the kingdom. They also carried riders to see soldiers and castles in the other human nests. Pegasi never understood the war of the bipeds. They killed each other to gain land, but lived in large nests where they were so close to one another that they fought over tiny parcels.
Grey Wing: I see the small island.
Nestor thought to his Pegasus: It is the biggest island.
Grey Wing: We took off from the largest island.
Nestor: An island is surrounded by water.
Grey Wing: All the land is surrounded by water.
Nestor: Yes, I suppose so.
When they were closer, the Master Rider slapped Luis on the leg. The young man took a piece of white cloth from his vest and tied it to the rope of a leather bag. Grey Wing flew in circles above the main house that was near the ruined castle. After a few minutes, the attendees unfurled flags in a clear field. She flew at a steep angle to the ground. When she was three wingspans above the ground, she thought to her rider.
Grey Wing: Now.
Nestor: Now! Now! Now!
Luis held the rope to the right of Pegasus, towards her back. When he felt the wings of the matriarch begin to change position, he let go of the rope. Grey Wing swerved to the left. The bag fell forward, toward the ground. It landed in the shadow of an assistant. A young man grabbed the bag and ran towards the noble house of Isla Real.
In the house, he ran to the room of Lord Beñat, grandson of the youngest sister of Edgardo Long Lived. That thirty-one-year-old man was noble in name only. His people lived in poverty. He had been lord of the island for fourteen years and had only visited the royal castle four times.
Beñat: Page, find my scribe, the steward, and the port master.
As Grey Wing flew towards Isla Pájaro, the lord of Isla Real began to prepare. When he gathered his most important servants in a hall, he gave orders to all of them.
Beñat: Scribe, I want a statement of support for Olivia of Costa Lunas to ascend to the throne as Queen of Costa Lunas and the rest of the titles. Steward, order all servants to search the house and, if necessary, the castle for useful weapons. Sharpen all weapons. Search for armor and shields. Master of the Port, when our warship arrives, tell the captain that tomorrow, my knights and I will go to Colinas Gemelas and the royal castle. Everyone, prepare for war.
Cresta de Flores
Snowfall landed easily on the southern ridge. Hernando tossed the case to a blonde girl who smiled at him.
Hernando: Hello, beautiful. It is for a man named Oleg. He lives...
Assistant: In Cresta Rojo. Is he a winemaker?
Hernando: Yes. Do you know him?
Assistant: He is my grandfather. I will see him tonight.
Hernando tossed her a small bag: The Count said the message had to be there immediately, but he did not want to leave it on his roof. With these coins, you buy a ferry trip, the rest is yours.
Assistant: I understand, I can go now. It is a shame I cannot offer you a beer.
Hernando: That is a great shame. But I need to fly north.
The two set off to fulfill their duty. Snowfall ran down the grassy path and took off with great flaps of her wings. The young woman ran to the shore of the enormous lake and looked for a ferry.
Forty ferries crossed the lake several times a day, Normally, a ferry would wait for more people or goods to arrive, but two gold coins changed that. The men pulled hard on the rope stretched across the lake, following a precise line. They reached the other side faster than usual. She thanked them and ran toward a large vineyard. After fifteen minutes of searching, she found her grandfather. Oleg hugged his granddaughter and took the message. He read it and shouted at his servants.
Oleg: Gather everyone.
When he had more than a hundred people in front of him, the old man began to give strange orders.
Oleg: Find fifty barrels of wine. Take them to this field that gets plenty of sun. Look for the moldy grapes and pick them. Open each barrel of wine, remove three bottles from each, and seal them tightly. Add honey to the moldy grapes and place them in the wine; then reseal the barrels and leave them in the sun.
In a week of sunshine, the small lake of wine would turn into poison.
Puerto Blanco.
Red Sunrise was twenty-six, a year older than her rider, Corsino. She had reddish-brown fur, with a blond mane and tail. Her wings were red with yellow feathers interspersed. When she flew, she resembled the sky when the dawn breaks through the clouds. Corsino was the shortest rider that the Master Rider could remember. He had been trying to become a candidate rider for six years. Finally, he had climbed into the nest without permission. Nestor was ready to arrest him when Red Sunrise appeared and approached Corsino. At twenty-three, he was chosen by a free Pegasus. Two years later, he became an expert rider.
Floriano and Hernando sometimes said that Corsino was the best rider, except for Nestor. Nestor knew that was a lie. Corsino, with two years of practice, was the best rider since the time when Clemente served as Master Rider. He had delivered the message and rode a pony back to his Pegasus.
Red Sunrise: Do you like riding cows?
Corsino: They are horses, not cows.
Red Sunrise: What is the difference?
Corsino: We bipeds do not ride cows; we eat cows and drink their milk.
Red Sunrise: Why do not bipeds eat horses or drink their milk?
Corsino: Because they are different animals. Horses are more intelligent and faster to ride.
Red Sunrise: They both walk in their own shit.
Corsino: Yes. But horses are prettier. They look more like you.
Red Sunrise: Never say that again! I do not look like an ugly horse.
Corsino: It is not an insult...
Red Sunrise: I will fly so high that you will freeze death! I am no dirty horse!
Corsino: I am sorry, my beautiful Red.
They prepared and took off into a clear sky. As they gained altitude, the man noticed some interesting things. He had never seen the port so full of ships.
Corsino: Please, could you fly in a great circle over the bay?
The Pegasus completed a circle at a height that allowed him to see them in greater detail. People loaded weapons and supplies onto the ships. Hundreds of men in chain mail and armed for war waited on the shore.
Corsino: To the nest, my beautiful one. I need to speak with the priest.