Famine: The Stables of the Mounts

“So these are the stables!” I skip inside, half-dragging Hyun’s coach behind me by the sleeve of his dobok. Without doubt, he’s stronger than his student, because I’m pretty sure Hyun would’ve fallen down at least once by now if I’d been dragging him along like this.

We walk quickly past the first three massive stalls to the final one in the back, where my own beautiful mount lounges lazily in the corner, her powerful tail flicking back and forth. I grab several carrots out the bucket hanging on her stall door and toss them in. She snorts in appreciation before going to town. Her munching sounds are so satisfying.

“Wow…” the human blinks, lips parting. “It’s so...so…”

“Gorgeous?”

“Clean,” he finishes. “I’m used to stables having, uh, a very particular scent.”

“Well it’s not like our mounts want to sit around in the aroma of shit all day and night,” I roll my eyes. “Besides -- they kind of just…” I wave my hand, “go off wherever they want when we’re not riding them.”

“Like the Earth?”

“Yup!” I grin. “My black beauty absolutely adores running around Serengeti when she’s not hanging out with me in my chambers or napping out here.”

He blinks at me, eyes searching my face. I can practically see the gears turning in his head and the only thing that could make this funnier would be if smoke began coming out of his ears. Holding in my laughter is impossible, but at least I remember to cover my mouth to make it more polite.

“I’m sorry,” I say between giggles. “It’s been so long since I’ve been around humans, that I’m all over the place.”

“No problem,” he says slowly, still eyeing me warily.

He must think I’m crazy, bless his little heart. Wait a minute…

“What was your name again?” I put my hands on my hips, wracking my brain. I know he said it...what the heck, why can’t I remember?

“Shin Sa-do,” he replies.

“Were your parents convinced you were cursed?” Conquest leans their head out from their mount’s stable. Sa-do lets out a little sound of surprise. I snicker; humans are adorable.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“I’m sorry,” Hyun’s coach rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. “What was that about a curse?”

“Your name,” Conquest fully steps out, wiping their hands upon their thighs. A few strands of hay flutter to the floor with the motion. “Doesn’t sado mean ‘thinking of with great sorrow’? Throw on your surname shin, your name means something to the effect ‘thinking of god with great sorrow’ or ‘god thinks of with great sorrow,’ doesn’t it?”

“Oooh, how interesting,” I clap my hands together lightly.

“I’ve never thought too much about it,” Sa-do shifts from one foot to the other, determinedly looking away from Conquest’s steady gaze.

We look at each other over the human’s head, eyebrows arching. Oooh, somebody has a story that they don't want to share. Matching grins turn up our mouth corners, and I clear my throat to smile back at Sa-do. “We’re big fans of significant naming around here, so no need to feel shy.”

“I guess my father knew ahead of time I’d be the family disappointment,” the human clears his throat, peering into the stall belonging to Death’s mount.

“I wouldn’t,” Conquest warns. “Silver could kill you faster than a single beat of a hummingbird’s wing and, trust me, if War wasn’t sulking--”

“He’d absolutely push you in there just so he could watch,” I finish with a snort.

“No offense, you sound like you wouldn’t mind shoving me in here either,” Sa-do eyes me nervously.

I can’t resist: I wink.

He blinks.

“Don’t worry,” Conquest snorts behind him. “Death said you stay alive, so you’ll stay alive.”

I shrug, “Conquest’s right. What Death says pretty much goes around here.”

“I noticed...why is that?” Sa-do frowns, still looking into Silver’s stable.

“Why is what?”

“Why do the Four Horsemen even have a hierarchy?” he cocks his head to the side. “I mean...it looks like Death is the one getting the orders from…” he points a finger up towards the ceiling. “And, like you said: what she says, goes. Despite your, uhhh...red friend’s issues? Even with his objections, neither of you have bothered to question any of Death’s decisions.” Sa-do shrugs, “It’s just interesting. From an outsider’s point of view, that is,” he adds on quickly, as if he’s afraid we’d be offended by his thoughts.

Why would we be offended? It’s not like any of the four of us have ever been able to talk about ourselves with a human -- I’d have never thought such droll things would interest him. He’s not asking at all about the things we’ve seen or places we’ve been. Instead, he only wants to know how and why we work the way we do. It’s all so managerial and not nearly as interesting as our respective adventures through the times.

What a curious little cat. I really do like this human.