Chapter 90 The Cult of the Pegasi
The main corridor.
Chara and Volker waited, sitting on a bench next to the main corridor, while the royal court session was taking place. They exchanged glances of embarrassment, whispers, and giggles.
The royal court left the room and a guard approached. The priest and the queen listened to him for a few seconds and then turned to the riders. The queen gestured for them to enter the meeting room. Both messengers became nervous. All the riders knew the high priest, but none of them, except Nestor, had ever met a king or a queen.
The queen and the priest sat again. The riders bowed before them. They exchanged a brief, secret glance to decide who would speak to her.
Chara: Your Majesty, High Priest, the Master Rider wants us to deliver a message to you.
Danilo: Continue.
Chara smiled despite her nervousness: Two males arrived this morning from Puerto Blanco. They offered to let us ride them. Folker received his wings today.
Danilo, surprised: Males? How?
Volker: We do not weigh much. Even the other riders tell us we are thin. And Chara is so brave that she got on the male without fear.
Olivia looked at them with great respect: Do you know why they flew to our nest? Is it possible that the Duchess sent them?
Danilo: I do not think so. Pegasi do not usually do anything they do not want to do. And the males are even more reluctant to do so.
Volker: In my mind, I had the image of a huge Pegasus with white fur and a black mane, tail, and wings. I do not know, but I think Veisse Maske was trying to tell me that the All-Mother sent them.
Olivia: That is the description of the All-Mother that Clemente rode in the past. She has been dead for many decades.
Volker: I understand, but that was what he thought.
Danilo: I do not doubt your honesty. No one had ever flown on a male before. And today, two riders have accomplished this incredible feat.
Olivia: That is not true. A man once flew on a male in the past, during a time of great danger. And that man is very close to us now. Danilo, can we visit him?
The priest: Of course, but I do not know if it is a good idea.
The queen rose: High Priest, let us go and visit the prisoner. Please.
Danilo stood up and made a quick bow: Of course, my queen. Riders, accompany your queen.
The two were walking behind the queen and the priest. After a glance from Sergeant Raúl, four royal guards immediately joined them. The queen led the group towards a door guarded by two burly men. They bowed to her.
Olivia: We want to go in and talk to the prisoner.
Guard: Yes, my queen. Does Your Majesty wish to have guards inside?
Olivia looked at Chara: He is over ninety years old. If he tries to hurt me, will you be able to protect me with your dagger?
Chara nodded: Yes, my queen. My wings are at your service.
Olivia: I think I am going to be safe.
All the guards stepped aside. The entourage entered and saw a man with eyes closed, sitting on a bench.
Without opening his eyes, the old man spoke in a weak voice: Welcome, riders.
Volker stood beside his queen: Wake up! You are in the presence of your queen.
Chara felt something strange and pleasant when the young man spoke so firmly. She had never seen Volker behave so manly before. She lowered her gaze, realizing her cheeks had flushed.
Clemente straightened up and opened his eyes: Welcome, Queen Olivia. High Priest Danilo. It is a pleasure to see you. Please, sit down. I believe you need some information.
Olivia and Danilo sat down on the bench against the opposite wall, and the two young riders positioned themselves on either side of them as if they were guards. Both placed a hand on their daggers and looked seriously at the old priest.
Clemente: What do you want to know first? The reason why two males arrived this morning? Or how do I know that those two young ones are now riders?
Olivia: The daggers prove they are riders. There is a window on the outer wall of this room. It is the same window as the one in my room in the tower. You could have seen the males arrive this morning.
Clemente: The queen is as intelligent as her great-grandfather. King Gutierre the Wise granted me my titles of priest and rider a few days before his untimely death.
Olivia: The stories say that you were a hero of the kingdom on many occasions. They also say that you went mad and spoke to my father about the future, and that he sent you to a prison on an isolated island.
Clemente: You are right, young queen. But I was not mad. I know something about the future. I escaped the island to influence some people and guide them in certain directions, to secure a better future for the Pegasi, the bipeds, and the Unicorns.
Olivia: Why should I believe you? If you know the future, will I be queen tomorrow?
Clemente: Yes, tomorrow you will be the queen, but you will not be on the throne.
Danilo: What does that mean?
Clemente: Queen, with your permission, could the priest give me his bag of herbs and his pipe? The guards did not give me either a pipe or herbs when I asked for them.
The Queen: Yes, I do not mind. My caregiver, Monika, often smoked a pipe when she told me stories about you.
The younger high priest thought he should protest, but his hand went to the bag, and he handed it to the old man without saying a word. With old, trembling hands, he placed some herbs in the bowl of the pipe and lit it with a match, easily, thanks to the practice of so many years.
The power of the earth flowed into him through his feet, which touched the ground. The power of the air entered his lungs with every breath. And the power of fire penetrated him through his eyes as he witnessed the death of the fire and its spirit, something most people considered mere smoke.
Clemente inhaled deeply the vapors of the herbs and the spirit of all the forces of the world. The earth, the air, and the fire combined to create this spirit. He exhaled in a curved line toward the faces of the four bipedal creatures.
They inhaled the vapor without thinking. The smell was soft and pleasant. Their eyes began to close slightly. Danilo realized too late what the old priest had done. He stood up and grabbed his dagger.
The voices of Clement and the All-Mother spoke through the same mouth.
The voice: Sit down, my priest, my son. You know what is necessary. I need to speak with the others.
Danilo sheathed his dagger and sat back down. His eyes were almost closed, and he could not hear what the other priest was saying.