The Mirror Mage | ONC2022

12. The Ride

(Author's Note: dedicated to Space_Queen_Q and her paranormal ONC story, Deep in the Forest, featuring Ste ye hah (Bigfoot)
The photo is one I took while visiting a Hungarian horse farm in 2019)

Ben was woken by a loud knock on the door.

"Fifth candlemark," called a voice. "Thou are due at the stables in an hour."

Ben sat up with a start, feeling groggy and disoriented. Where the hell was he? And why was he still wearing all his clothes? More importantly, why couldn't he see anything? The room was pitch black with not a single light showing, not even the faint glow from the laptop which should be sitting on his desk. Maybe the power was out, either that, or he'd gone blind. He rubbed his eyes. Then it all came rushing back, the fall through the mirror into Rider's Keep, his attempts at mirror magic and his meeting with the Rider.

He remembered there were no windows in this room, so if it was pitch black, it was most likely because the candles had burned out while he was asleep. He stood up and made his way to the door by touch.

Much to his relief, light flooded in from the passage when he opened the door. Someone, presumably whoever had woken him, had left a tray of bread and cheese outside his room and Ben picked it up.

Other mages might be able to conjure up light, but Ben couldn't, not yet in any case. Instead, he borrowed one of the candle lamps from the passage, placed it on the tray and carried both into his room.

Sometime later, after a brief wash and then breakfast, Ben made his way out to the stables. He was still wearing the clothes from yesterday but he didn't have any choice. There hadn't exactly been time to pack a suitcase. He wondered what the people here wore under their ubiquitous gowns... if anything! Perhaps he'd find out when he met the Rider in the stables. He grinned.

Ben strode across the open courtyard, relieved to be out of the mage quarters, which he found quite claustrophobic. The sun was shining out of a clear sky, hanging low on the horizon as if it had just risen. The air was crisp and fresh, and Ben took a couple of deep breaths then rolled his shoulders. He picked up his pace, looking forward to the ride.

The Rider was waiting for him, dressed in loose flowing trousers and a shirt, rather to Ben's disappointment as he had been hoping for something a bit more exotic. He held the bridles of two horses, each with stamping feet and ears pricked forward.

"Fair morning, Ben Lucas." He looked eager to get going.

"It is indeed, my lord." Ben looked beyond him to the horses. The bridles were made solely of leather, knots replacing metal connectors. The saddle worn by the horse nearest to him was unlike anything he had seen before. Intricately tooled, it had a high pommel in front and another at the back, and the stirrups were hung shorter than he would have chosen.

"This is Lio, I'm riding him today."

The Rider passed Ben the reins of the other horse, "And this one is Alizay. I've saddled him already for thee."

Ben took the reins and stepped closer to the horse. Using an old trick, he blew gently into its nostrils to introduce himself. "Hullo, Alizay." Alizay snorted in reply.

Then Ben got a proper look at the saddle on his horse. He stared. Half the saddle appeared to be missing. Was this some sort of joke? He didn't know whether to laugh or be insulted. It was a frigging sidesaddle! He'd seen the female extras practicing with them, for a movie to be set in Regency England. There had been a lot of giggling as he'd remembered, until they realized how hard it was to adapt to the new saddles.

He turned to stare at the Rider with eyebrows raised, expecting to see a grin, but the man looked perfectly serious. Maybe this wasn't a joke.

Ben supposed sidesaddles made a crazy sort of sense if the riders were usually wearing gowns or floor length cloaks. The Rider was the only person he had seen wearing something other than a gown. Perhaps he should take this at face value and not take offence, but there was no way he was going to ride sidesaddle. He began to undo the girth. He was not a heavy man, he could ride without a saddle for an hour or so, without hurting the horse.

"Uh... I'm sorry, my lord, but I don't know how to ride using this type of saddle. They are built quite differently in my world. We ride astride."

The Rider didn't answer and Ben glanced up. At first, he feared he had made some horrible faux pax. The Rider was looking at him through narrowed eyes, his mouth set in a thin line. Then he smiled, "Unfortunately, there is only one saddle like mine."

"That's okay, I can ride without one for a bit."

Ben was busy lifting the saddle from Alizay's back and didn't see the fleeting expression which crossed the Rider's face.

"Can thee? Show me."

Ben laughed, good naturedly. "That's my plan."

"Then let's not wait any longer." The Rider led his horse outside with Ben following closely behind. The Rider mounted smoothly and watched intently as Ben leapt lightly onto his horse and settled into position.

The grass was flattened near the Keep, but soon turned into a vast expanse of rolling pastureland, the heads coming up as high as the horses' bellies. Ben could see a road, or at least a trodden pathway, leading off in a straight line to the left but the Rider led them into the high grass. Soon they were galloping, Ben following in Lio's tracks, assuming that the Rider knew the terrain.

Alizay was a delight to ride; sure-footed and with an even gait, Ben had little difficulty managing the horse. He grinned, feeling confident and in control for the first time since his arrival. The sun was warm, the air was fresh, what could be better than this?

After a few minutes, the Rider slowed and they continued at a more sustainable pace heading toward a slight rise in the distance. When they reached the top, the Rider dismounted and looked back the way they had come. Ben slipped off Alizay to join him and they stood together admiring the view. Rider's Keep was only just visible, shimmering above the sea of grass.

Then the Rider put an arm around Ben's shoulders. Ben had scarcely time to feel startled before the grip changed and the next moment he was pressed hard against the Rider's body with a knife at his throat.