The Centaur’s Slave – Part 2

Lillian rode the rest of the way to Anchius’s herd on his back. After their encounter with the wolf, and perhaps certain other activities, he was more protective of her. If the wolf hadn’t been enough, the unfamiliar landscape they passed through was all the proof needed to convince Lillian that the phantasm had been real and that this was another world entirely.

There were no towns, vast fields of crops, no roads, and no people. She’d never roamed the country side this long without running into a person. It couldn’t have been her world. They’d been talking about it as Anchius swiftly carried them across the miles.

“What do you mean ‘another world’?” Anchius asked.

“I mean what I say, you said it yourself, you’ve never seen humans before, yes?”

“Well… no,” the centaur conceded.

“Exactly! And where I come from, there are no centaurs. But there are a lot more humans like me,” Lillian explained.

“A whole world of Lillians? Well now you’ve intrigued me,” Anchius mused.

“Last I checked it only took one of me to do the job,” Lillian said with feigned dignity.

“True, true. I suppose I mustn’t be greedy. But if you’re not from here… then how did you come to end up in that field?”

“That’s… complicated,” Lillian said. Though the Anchius wasn’t looking at her, galloping as he was, she cast her gaze down at the swiftly passing ground. How could she tell the story of her family? It was a fresh wound. She laid a hand over her mother’s necklace. It would be hard to explain the theft and chase. That was a discussion for another time. This world felt like a fresh start for her, even if it was filled with horse people.

“Everything about you seems to be complicated. Two legs, slow as a sloth, and yet you attack a wolf twice your size with a flaming branch. Hopping worlds and showing up inexplicitly in fields. What will you decide to take up next, flying?”

“Oh be quiet,” Lillian said, gently slapping Anchius’s side. They rode in silence for a while. The strangely flat countryside sped by. Anchius was as swift as any steed Lillian had ridden on her family’s old estate, though he made for much better company. All this flat open space made her feel vulnerable. She missed the gently rolling hills and forests of her home. Would she ever see it again? The phantasm had said that she’d be the bridge between worlds, that had to mean she’d get back, didn’t it? What did it mean to be a bridge anyway?

“You’ve grown mighty quiet back there, haven’t fallen off, have you?” Anchius inquired.

“No, just thinking,” Lillian replied.

“Oh? Dare I inquire what about?”

“Your herd, are they all like you?” Lillian lied. She just didn’t have it in her to dive into that discussion yet.

“Certainly not. I wish I weren’t so handsome, strong, and charming, I fear my herd will all pale in comparison,” Anchius said sadly.

“Really, I’m a surprised they don’t cast you out,” Lillian said with a grin. Anchius suddenly came to a stop, his hooves tear up grass. Lillian had to wrap her arms around his waist just to keep from flying off.

“What’s going on?” she yelled.

“Don’t joke about that,” Anchius said coldly, half turning his head back towards her.

“About what?” Lillian asked confusedly.

“Exile. Being cast out is the ultimate punishment amongst my people. Worse than death.”

“I… I didn’t know,” Lillian said.

“Nor should you have, but you must watch yourself, the others, they will not be so forgiving as I. They will not understand.”

“I promise, I’ll watch what I say,” Lillian said, placing a hand on the centaur’s shoulder.

They rode in awkward silence the rest of the way. It was midday by the time they came within sight of Anchius’s herd. It looked different from any town Lillian had seen before. There were tents, fires, and centaurs milling about everywhere. It was hard to tell from this distance, but she could see groups of tiny centaurs running around in groups, children? Somehow she hadn’ t been mentally prepared for kids. It seemed so strange.

Anchius came to a halt, though gently this time. “You’ll have to walk the rest of the way,” he said.

“What’s wrong with riding?” Lillian asked, already sliding down from his back.

“It would be… unseemly. It’s best to show my people your strongest front. Strength is what centaurs respect,” Anchius said seriously.

“I understand… but I’m afraid I’m not going to be up to centaur standards of strength,” Lillian said.

“Yes, but we’ll worry about that when we get there. You’re physically smaller, to some degree it’ll have to be expected, come now, prepare to meet my people.” Anchius kicked up into a trot and Lillian had to jog to keep up with him, her cloak fluttering behind her.