Fate – Part 3

This is the conclusion to Clever’s short story, “Fate”. Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 before continuing.

…

You shall tame the greatest creature known to man, and become a legendary Beast Master.

The Premier was wrong: I did not mishear the whispers of Fate. That I knew. What I didn’t know was why they were seemingly doing nothing to help me come into my destiny. My people felt much the same, but since they couldn’t hear fate, they took out their frustrations on me.

There was another raid while I was gone. They nearly emptied our stores of desam, the unbreakable fibers used to make the lariat. They were a rare crop that could only grow in lands with magic in the soil, like ours. Though our village is small, it would be wealthy if we weren’t raided so frequently. 

The townsfolk were angry that I was gone. They thought I could have heard a warning from Fate. I was in no mood for their grumbles and tried to go straight to my house. Footsteps followed behind me, and I hurried my pace. 

“Eyonli, slow down!” a frustrated voice called out.

I turned to see my friend – if anyone here could be called my friend – following me. Islwyn and I had been close as girls. She was the only person in this town that didn’t treat me differently after I became a Perceiver. I waited for her to catch up, before continuing toward my house. 

“What’s going on, Eyonli?” she asked.

“I’m just tired of the complaining. I want some peace and quiet.”

“That’s not what I meant. You’ve become distant this past year. You never visit me anymore,” her voice broke towards the end. 

I stopped, surprised by the hurt in her voice. About a year ago was when Fate whispered to me of my own destiny. After that, I thought I would be leaving soon to become a Beast Master. I spent my time hunting beasts, and building friendships seemed pointless. I never thought I would spend another year here, and I also hadn’t thought about Islwyn’s feelings.

“I’m sorry,” I responded, feeling guilty now. “Do you want to go for a walk in the woods? I’ll explain everything”.

We walked a little ways and settled ourselves by the nearby creek. We sat on a boulder, feet dangling in the water. For the first time, I told someone about my dreams and my fate. 

It felt good to unburden myself of the fear and worry. Once I started, all of my thoughts and emotions spilled out. What if I was wrong about what Fate was saying? What if I was right?

Islwyn listened, nodding along. When I finished, she spoke. “Don’t give up on your dream, Eyonli. You have to keep fighting, despite what the Premier says, but don’t forget to still enjoy your life. Don’t wait until all your dreams come true to allow yourself to be happy.”

I was silent, letting her words sink in. She was right. I had been miserable the past year, focusing on what I didn’t have instead of what was right in front of me. I looked around me, seeing the leaves beginning to change color and feeling the refreshing breeze on my face, as if it was the first time. I turned to my friend beside me, wondering when the last time was that we laughed together.

I hopped off the boulder, landing in the creek, and splashed water on Islwyn. Her jaw dropped, and she blinked at me, as water dripped down her face. I laughed at her expression and flung some more water at her. A mischievous grin spread across her face, and she jumped in after me. We waded through the creek, slipping and splashing, laughing and squealing. It was the lightest I’d felt in a long time. 

…

Islwyn and I laid on a spot in the sun while we dried off. She filled me in on all the things going on in her life that I hadn’t noticed before. I hadn’t realized how much I missed our easy conversation and laughter. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement. I turned to look deeper into the woods, propping myself up on my elbows. As I skimmed the woods, even my hunter’s gaze didn’t spot anything, but something caught my eye with a second look.

A translucent horse was watching us warily, nearly blending into the woods. Its eyes found mine, and I didn’t look away. I tried to convey that we wouldn’t hurt it. Islowyn prattled on completely unaware at first, until she noticed my silence and followed my gaze. Her mouth popped open, but she didn’t move. 

The horse dipped its head in my direction, and on instinct I dropped my head in return. It took a couple of steps forward into the light. That’s when I noticed the sparkling horn atop its head. A unicorn. 

After a moment more, the unicorn walked to the creek and bent to take a drink. My thoughts turned to the lariat strapped to my pack. It was within reach, if I sat all the way up and leaned over. If I moved carefully, I thought I could get it without startling the creature. But something made me pause. It trusted me.

I thought of all the other beasts I’d leashed and tamed and brought to the Premier, those creatures stolen and assigned to another Beast Master. For the first time, I wondered how they were being treated. 

Somehow, it seemed wrong to tame this majestic unicorn.

I simply watched as it drank, then shook its iridescent mane. It was mesmerizing. A flick of the tail was all the warning it gave, before it leaped across the creek to land near us. Islowyn gasped. I scurried to my feet, bowing deeply this time. 

Without thinking about what I was doing, I reached out my hand. The unicorn came closer and nuzzled my hand. I began to stroke its silky mane. It shivered and a feeling of warmth spread up my arm. 

I pulled back, startled.

The unicorn looked at me for a long moment, as if contemplating some deep question. It nuzzled my hand again.

“This time, do not pull away, Bestia Cognatio.” The unicorn’s voice was a song.

I had never heard a beast speak. I didn’t know they could. 

“Bestia Cognatio?” I asked.

“It is what we call those who we choose to bond with, in your language it is translated as—”

“Beast Master,” I finish.

“Yes,” the unicorn replied, “although I believe Beast Bonded is a more accurate translation. Though not of the bond between master and servant, but the bond of kinship.”

My mind was a whirl of emotions, but I tried to calm them and listen for the words Fate carried to me on the wind. I had heard the words Beast Master in the past, but it was known that Fate spoke in terms the Perceiver could best understand. This sometimes led to different interpretations based on who was hearing a prophecy. The whispers of Fate came again, this time with a new translation.

You shall bond with the greatest creature known to man, and become the Beast Bonded of legends.

The unicorn nodded, as if it had heard the words also. “You must have heard the tales of those humans who bonded with us through a powerful connection that needed no spells or lariat?”

“I did, but I thought them just exaggerations of the Beast Masters’ glory.”

“To you they are legends, but to us they are fond memories of a time when we willingly joined with humans. It is a much more powerful connection than that with a tamed beast. I should like to become bonded with you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and reached out my hand again. The unicorn touched its nose to my palm. The warmth spread from my fingertips up my arm. I did not pull away. I began to glow with a soft light, until warmth filled my entire body. Islowyn, who had remained silent through the whole interaction, gasped. There was one great surge of light, and the warmth dissipated, leaving my body tingling. 

“Would you like to go for a ride?” the unicorn asked.

I nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. With a shimmer, wings seemed to sprout from the unicorn’s body. They looked like clouds when sunlight reflected through them. I swung onto the unicorn.

“I’ll–I’ll meet you back at the village,” Islowyn squeaked, before we launched into the air.

Gliding through the sky, a thought occurred to me. “I don’t know your name,” I told the unicorn. 

“My name is Lunaria.”

…

Legend spread through the surrounding lands of the first Beast Bonded in generations. The Premier himself came to return the beasts I had tamed, and offer me the vest of a Beast Master with four badges. I declined, and told him I would be starting a group of Beast Bonded right here in my small village, by the woods where my bonded creatures call home. Our bond with our beasts would be one of mutual respect and kinship, given freely. 

Mythical creatures and those who wished to follow the ways of bonding flocked to my town. Even some Beast Masters came to change their ways. Islwyn helped me feed and care for the creatures, and even bonded with a phoenix that could often be found sitting on her shoulder. 

The first time the raiders returned, the beasts defended our town. When I took to the skies with Lunaria, the villagers cheered. It was the last time the raiders came. The townsfolk came to respect me, but I stopped sharing the whispers of Fate. It was better that way. Now I realized that Fate had something better in store for us than I could have ever imagined or predicted, even with all my gifts.

…

What did you think of the story? Would you follow the ways of a Beast Master or a Beast Bonded? Which mythical creature would you like to bond with? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks so much for reading!

-Clever & WTF