“You lookin’ fer someun’, sweetie?” Tillie doesn’t let just anyone come into her stables. She cares for her horses like new mothers care for their wee babies. “Do ya need someun’ to answer yer questions?”
I stare at the luxurious interior of these stables. Each stall accommodates a perfect 10 specimen of a horse. “Yes, ma’am. My name is Bo and I have some questions. le Enchanteur sent me here to look for Tillie, a wondrous stablewoman, she claims. Tillie’s to get me a steed for a night sky ride to Duwamish.”
“She is, is she? I’m Tillie and I can git ya a sweet lil’ miss or a gran’ sturdy stallion. I have painters an’ morgansmiths, ‘loosas an’ mixes, too. All good tempers an’ fast, sleek an’ a lil’ magickal, too. My horses, all of ‘em are fine, fine horses. What’s yer pleasure?”
“I’m not too experienced with this animal. They all look awfully big. Do you have anything about half their size?”
“M’ dear, they don’t come half tha’ size. I’m not sure I should giv’ ya any a’ my horses, but if ‘Chantuer says, guess I mus’. Ride much?”
“Yes, I’ve ridden, but that horse was led on a trail by a man.” Tillie gives me such a look, that I fear to say anything else.
“Tsk. Tsk. Yer a true babe. Better give ya one a’ my best, one that don’t need a human ta tell ‘em what ta do. I’ll give ya my good boy, my Joey. He’ll do ya fine. My big man can nearly read yer mind, so ye’ll be in good care.” Tillie leaves me standing by a pile of smelly blankets and an insect-covered lantern. She disappears into the back of the barn where she spends many minutes rummaging through piles of papers and pictures. While occupied, she talks quietly to a nearby black and white horse, scratching it lovingly and beginning his travel instructions. Finally, Tillie returns to me leading a monster horse.
“This fella speaks perfeck English. No problem fer ya there, plus he knows ’bout ten other languages. Might help ya a bit if ya git in o’er yer head. He’s been trained by th’ best — he can read th’ minds a’ humans an’ most large animals. He ain’t mastered th’ languages a’ small’uns or all th’ magickal creatures, yet, but he knows some a’ their words.
“He knows what I say and he speaks, too?” Did I understand Tillie?
“That’s a’ what I said, ain’t it? Now, me horses don’t go fer metal in thar mouths or whips on thar flanks. None a’ tha’ sorta stuff, ever. You tell Joey wha’ yer want, he follows yer command. Or mebbe he has a better idea, then he tells yer so. Yer works as a team. He tells ya what he needs an’ ya help ‘im; ya tell him wha’ yer need an’ he helps ya. He’s not the best wit’ maps and directions, but he’s learnin’. And he’s mos’ gran’ with sports — racing, swimming, flying, deep sea diving. Don’ call ‘im short ’til yer give ‘im a try. Thas’ what I say.” Tillie nodded her head in certainty, pleased with her instructions. “A couple more things. Introductions. Bo, this is Joseph Arthur the Learned. He only answers to Joey, unless he’s in trouble with me. And Joey, this is Barbara, always called Bo, whether or not she’s in trouble.”
“Last, the only ‘quipment Joey needs is th’ softes’ possible blanket fer ‘is back. I’m th’ only one knows how ta’ felt ‘is cover an’ I only felt it from th’ magick flora a’ Lemuria.” Tillie smiles at Joey, rather a lovey smile, and gives me a dark frown for no reason at all.
“Bo, put Joey’s blanket on ‘is back — no wrinkles, now — an’ climb on up. Then he’ll walk yer ta th’ house. Don’ forget yer suitcase an’ yer neck bag. I’ll be up in a minute ta say my good-byes.”
Up at the house, Tillie does her last minute checks on Joey. Her heart is heavy, seeing her precious Joey leave for Duwamish and places beyond. “Well, Bo. To get Joey ready for his Journey was my life’s ambition, an’ he could be no more ready than he is. Good-byes ta ya both. Joey walk down th’ trail an’ talk o’er ya plans wit’ ya new mistress. I’ll be goin’ ta th’ stable an’ look after me other horses.”
As soon as Tillie is out of sight, Joey makes a confession. “Bo, I hid my map under the blanket, just under your right hand. Where are we going? Try to find it on the map.” Just then Joey whinnies and sneezes and that combination turns into a screech. “Maps aren’t my best academic. Maybe yours, Bo?”
“I’m afraid not, Joey. Always getting easts and wests mixed up.” Then I brighten. “Maybe Lemuria doesn’t have easts and wests. But, darn. I only got the directions in my head, which isn’t the best place for me keeping to the maps. I’ll give it a try, though. Ahead is the coast. At least, I think a coast is ahead. We follow that to the Bay of Duwamish. We’re either to take a night sky ride or to fly in the sky at night. Joey, are those the same instructions or different ones?”
“Hmm. We could ride on the land while we’re traveling at night. That is, you could ride and I could gallop. Or I could carry you on my back and fly in the dark sky. Or we could both fly alongside each other.”
“Joey, I can’t fly.”
“Oops! I knew that. Can’t ride. Can’t fly. I’m the one that can gallop and night-fly. Tell me which you prefer, and I’ll follow the coast until we reach Duwamish Bay. I don’t suppose there will be a neon sign giving us the location of the Bay, but perhaps some neon fish are swimming about or maybe it’s a bit of a horse town.”
“Joey, I think it’s a town town. And let’s fly. Flying sounds faster and safer.”
“Then fly it is. Here’s my plan. (I’m very good at plans.) See the star-shaped jewels loops in the sky. The sky looks like day-light, but it will soon be night. I fly straight into the air. You grab a strand of those jewels, throw it over my neck and fasten them tightly. The jewels will provide us light and give me energy for our trip. Do not drop your empty suitcase or your bag of talismans, EVER! Get the plan?”
“Yes. Grab. Throw. Fasten. Don’t drop times two.”
“Yes. Now we’re off to Duwamish Bay.” Joey shoots straight into the air while humming a sailors’ ditty. “Know what, Bo? We’ll make a famous pair.”
“Think so, Joey?” As I hang on to a jeweled star, we zoom into the night sky. “Uh, Joey, I think you’re going the wrong way.”
“Not me, Bo. My steering is right on, this evening. And the seahorses will help us along when we get lost.”
“When?”
“Yep, when.”
by Bo
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