The Lost Thunderstorm

Chapter 16 - Cavalcada

A few hours before Isadora left home...

The silver stallion ate away at the ground before coming up toa large mahogany tree on a hill, and behind that a large fort stood in front of the ocean.

"I made it to Fort Julius. Now I have no clothes, so much for a magical horn. Well,  no modo."

He made his way to the tree as the skies finally ripped with lightning. He paid it no mind, but he took refuge underneath it. 

"I hope General Finn will understand me."

As the rain did not let up, the stallion got tired of standing and turned towards the fort. He began at a gallop again kicking up the mud and snorting out his breaths. He soon found the path leading up, and he jumped down and landed on it. With his horned head held high, broad chest puffed out, and lightining show going off behing him he saw the big wooden double doors closed. He approached the corrider leading up to the gates, knowing full well there were archers on the roofs. They all pointed at him as he stopped in front of the gate and reared up and neighed hard and long. Started pawing at the wet ground and snorting. 

The gates finally creaked and opened wide. Behind the gate were five calvalrymen all on big horses. Knights.

"Lower your bows!" they all shouted.

"Lower your bows!" the one in the middle front said. "Lower your bows, men! Lower your bows for the Crown Prince!" he looked at the stallion. "It is hard to believe you are here. Nevertheless, I knew you were coming at one point. Come! I have not alerted your father yet so we still have time. Come, before they come for our balls!" The General turned his horse, the Prince followed him and the rest of the mounted knights closely behind. 

The gates closed behind them, and they started going up towards the castle fort. They passed tents of soldiers readying for the late evening and smiths still going at swords. Fires cooking beefs as they kept climbing up the hill to the castle fort. They kept going until they finally got to the Courtyard. The General stopped his horse before the stairs to the fort itself, he dismounted and stood before his men and the Prince. The Prince in his form stopped too and could see from his new vision that the men too had stopped and dismounted from ther rides. All of the knights stood as if waiting for the General to speak. But as the General's mouth was about to open, he closed it...

Alexi summoned from within him a force that can only be described by him...

"Dear Gods, help me. And please do not let these men cower."

Just then, his body gave off a light and soon enough his body bent back into that of a man. The two hind legs turned straight with shapely strong thighs and feet and toes at the end and the two front bent at the elbows with biceps and triceps with hands and fingers at the end. The abdomen and chest also straight and into rock hard abs. Finally, the muzzle turned into a face with blue-grey eyes and features of a god. Once the grey turned into that of a tannish humanly color...

"General Finn, old friend, it is good to see you," started Prince Alexi.

All of the men, including the General, took to one knee and bowed their head and averted their eyes to the floor. 

"Please, stand up. Be at ease. We are not at court. Here I am just another soldier," explained Alexi.

The General and the rest of his men stood up, "My Prince, it sure is good to see and have you here. But, though we are not in the strains of court, your are our future King."

"Well, I am just another man among you now that needs warm food and a bed. Is it possible I might find that here, General Finn?" asked Alexi.

The General laughed and answered "My Prince, of course. A bed and warm food for an old friend, but we do need an extra pair of hands. So, to maintain those, you are going to have to help around here."

The Prince laughed and approached the General, "Something to keep me busy, even better."

"WHOA!" exclaimed the General, "first some clothes, man." He laughed.

"Yes, please. I almost forgot," Alexi covered his genitalia. 

"Come. Let us all catch our breaths. You had us on full alert. I thought your father was on his way also. He had messaged two days prior, telling me about your little escapade. Care to explain young man," started the General. They walked up the stairs and into the fort. A big chandelier made of candles illuminated the entrance. Two sets of stairs, each on a side going up. 

"Well, it is not an escapade Finnean. I felt caged up in the castle so I thought it was only fair to come visit you. See what my father's best General up to," said Alexi.

"Mmhmm. Yes, well. Let's get you settled."

They walked up the stairs to the left and sets of doors aligned the long hall. Walking past two doors on their right, the General went into one on the left.

"These will be your chambers my lord. Nothing extravagant, but it is warm. My room is next door," said Finn.

"This will suffice, Finn. Thank you."

"Here," the General grabbed clothes from the small queen bed and hurled them to Alexi, "Put these on. I will show you what we need help with while you are here." He left as Alexi started putting on the clothes.

Alexi grabbed the pants, the white long sleeve and tied it at the chest. He put on his boots and Finn came back and stood at the door, "You might want to wear the chainmail and grab your sword. I found some of your clothes in a trunk, I will have the others help you later to bring it up."

Alexi rolled his eyes and shook his head. He grabbed the chainmail on the bed and started to put it on and turned around. "So, what is this special mission you are requesting of me?"

The General moved the tie the chainlink mail on the Prince. "Some of the new boys that came in are having a bit of trouble. I was thinking maybe you could make them more comfortable and get them going."

Finn moved back to the door, Alexi took an all black tabard off the bed and pulled it over his mail, just then another knight came rushing towards them, "General Kieffen! A fight has broken out between the new men!"

"Gods! They are boys! Not men. Boys," they both followed him out of the hall. 

*The picture above is of the Fort*