Chapter 11: Leaving Iron Heel

Rowan tugged Amy’s reins and led her out of the blacksmith’s shop into the pressing mass of the marketplace. Amy whinnied her unease about the constant number of people who touched her and bumped into her, Rowan stroking her face and whispering nonsense in his own ancient tongue, soothing Amy’s nerves as he led her through the mob. Amy wasn’t sure when they reached the end of the marketplace, but finally the crowds began to part and people returned to the sidewalks.

She let out a thankful whinny, tossing her head and swishing her tail back and forth, grateful for the space. Rowan stroked Amy’s face and told her she’d been a very good girl with all those people around. He held up a small treat in front of Amy, a small almost square sugar cube. Amy licked it up from his hand and sucked on the sweet treat. It made her laugh that she could return home and buy a bag of the sweet treats and they’d never taste like the ones Rowan fed her by hand.

Amy then licked his hand for the lingering taste of the cube, tasted his own lunch of some meats and some tangy sauce. She whinnied as he walked around her and swung himself back into the saddle, gripping her reins tightly. Amy picked up her head, backing up as he kept the pressure hard against her mouth, obediently following the command. Rowan cursed and gave the reins slack, Amy stopped with her tail swishing back and forth. Rowan apologized and pressed his heels into her sides, starting off in the proper direction.

Amy didn’t pay as much attention to the scenery around her as she had when she’d first entered Iron Heel; her attention remained firmly on the road and the chain between her legs. She could feel her clit throbbing almost painfully between her legs, her warm juices running freely down her leg. She vaguely wondered if she could get the chain to swing enough that she could find relief. Trotting down the cobblestone streets, Rowan led her down the sloping alleyways into the main street.

The main street was the life blood of the city with countless wagons full of imported food and supplies came through the open gate. Stallions and mares pulled the wagons, tightly harnessed and obediently walking towards the gate. Amy was a little out of place in the crowd of ponies, her long blonde hair and fair colored skin a drastic contrast to the dark haired and black ponies around her. Amy assumed their bodies had adapted to the Waste’s almost unforgiving sun, while she was grateful for whatever prevented her from burning.

Rowan slowed her at the gate’s exit where a dozen guards stood checking the wagons and drivers with almost critical interest. The farmer up ahead of her was talking with the guard as he inspected the four young mares pulling his wagon. The guard was using his sword to check the empty wagon bed for something. Amy was surprised when the farmer conceded to the search and slipped the guard a small silver coin, which the guard pocketed.

The farmer climbed back into his wagon and whipped his four ponies along, Rowan forcing Amy up to the inspection point. Amy kept her head down and tried to act dumb, thankful for the chain distracting her enough to appear like a very skittish animal. The guard held Amy’s rein, preventing Rowan from attempting to bolt.

"Beautiful animal you have here, not from around here are you?" The guard asked.

"No, I’m from further west around Tevan." Rowan lied.

"Ho, explains the beast it does. She’s beautiful, but if I were you I’d trade her in for a Waste pony, not very pretty they are but hardier enough."

"Thank you for the advice, but she’ll do." Rowan said, thumping Amy on the side.

"Well, sir, I’d be careful. Most thieves would kill for a beast half her worth without blinking, you should be wary. Deeper into the Waste you go, less influence the kingdom has on the activities. I’d sharpen your sword and oil it for your own sake. Beautiful animal, she is." The guard said, releasing Amy’s reins.

Rowan nodded and kicked Amy, throwing her into a quick trot from the gate, where the guard stopped another wagon and began inquiring. Amy snorted and broke into a harder trot, eating up distance without appearing as if Rowan was running. He slowed Amy well outside the sight of Iron Heel and checked his map on which direction to take to reach the Aspen Mountains.

Amy plodded along while her wise master checked his directions against the hundreds of miles of landscape. Amy busied herself with the sparse green shoots of grass along the edge of a reddish boulder, slowly walking in that direction. Rowan seemed oblivious to Amy’s choice until she came to a stop and bent her head down to nibble on the long blade.

Rowan complained and jerked Amy head back up before giving her a chance to bite down. Amy tossed her head and snorted at him, as she had decided she deserved a snack. Amy lowered her head again and found it jerked back up and the bit pulled into her mouth, forcing her to back up. Amy obeyed, turning around so she didn’t face the boulders but the shadow of the mountains in the distance.

She snorted her impatience simply walking around in circles while Rowan figured out where he was headed. Amy whinnied as they passed another spot of growth, Rowan too distracted to notice Amy walking over to the slender green plants who invited her to graze. She stopped before the plant and began chewing on the bitter blade.

Rowan looked down and jerked Amy’s head up pulling her away from the plant, dismounting quickly. Opening her mouth he scooped the bitter weed from her mouth and tossed it to the ground and pulling out Amy’s tongue. Confused Amy backed up, Rowan holding her bridle as he forced her mouth open and scooped out the little wedged on her teeth.

"No!" Rowan said to Amy, "Anything green out here is Wither Weed, deadly to all that eats it. You should know better. I told you when we entered the Waste, only the short brown shrubs nothing more."

Amy felt humiliated holding her head low as he pulled himself back into the saddle with an angry grunt. Amy whimpered as he kicked her hard and gripped Amy’s reins with a firm grasp, turning her around and forcing her into a hard gallop in the direction of the mountains. She obeyed out of fear and her own love of running as she broke into a harder gallop. Amy knew she could go faster, having proved it long ago to Rowan.

Her pony girl body was an incredible thing, making Amy understand why pony girls were so readily used. It wasn’t just a normal person with hooves and a tail, everything about her muscles and movements had been altered. Amy could run for miles and miles without growing tired even with a passenger riding her, she could eat up distance with speeds rivaling real horses back on Earth. Amy was proud of her body as she galloped, picking up a trail of dust.

Chapter 12: Company

She skidded to a stop, rearing up as Rowan pulled her reins to an abrupt stop after only a few minutes of riding. He turned Amy around to see a small dust trail in the distance racing in Rowan’s direction. Amy couldn’t make it out, but knew it was only one rider. Amy obediently turned around and rode behind a boulder ringed with Wither Weed.

Ignoring her instincts to pull the plant up, she remained alert listening to the sound of the galloping hooves. She heard the sound of Rowan’s sword leaving its scabbard, Amy wishing it was some lost messenger. She had seen a lot of bloodshed as Rowan’s steed, having participated in a number of small battles and fights, and having been cut and lamed by an arrow. The miracle of the transit back, after suffering the painful administrations of the war doctor, had removed all cuts, bruises and scars.

Regardless, Amy prepared for a fight, having learned several skills as a war horse under Rowan’s care, vaguely wishing for the battle armor she’d worn at the last battle. Amy remembered the taste of blood and the sting of retreat from the battle, Rowan riding her away from the gore she’d aided in. She snorted and listened for the hooves to grow closer. They waited for several seconds as the rider rode straight towards the boulder.

She came out from behind the boulder with Rowan atop her ready to fight. Amy surged forward at the fair skinned mare ridden by a young man, balking as Rowan pulled her reins painfully back. Amy snorted and bucked her master, who out-waited her frustration. She looked up to see the slender and saddled form of Olivia, the little mare, ridden by a frightened Tivoli.

Tivoli raised his hands slowly, demonstrating he was unarmed, while Olivia gaped wide eyed at the naked blade still in Rowan’s hand. Amy noticed the mare seemed to be holding her own, breathing heavily from the long gallop across the plain Amy had mostly walked.

"Ho, Rowan, it’s only me, Tivoli from the Yawning Wolf, to petition you for a job as your loyal servant."

"What’s this, Tivoli? You’re seeking me out for a job?" Rowan said, sheathing his sword, calming the little mare significantly.

"Yes, Rowan, I am. My mother agrees you’re a good man and will gladly pay the price for you to train me."
"What about you’re life at the stables? And the inn?"

"The stables isn’t where I plan to be all my life, I’ve got plenty of brothers and sister who are more than willing to take over the few duties I had. My mother decided my talents were being wasted in such a small town in the middle of the Waste, and sent me out to petition for your compassion and to allow me to join you as your loyal servant."

Amy paced slowly towards the boy, looking at the young mare fully harnessed and saddled in tack a tad to big for her smaller frame. The younger girl chewed on her metal bit quietly while the large metal ring rested on her upper lip. Tivoli guided the girl slowly forward towards Rowan, who seemed to be still thinking about Tivoli’s request.

Amy could see Rowan thinking about how having a traveling companion, especially one as young as Tivoli, had as many benefits as disadvantages. A traveling companion on his quest to return his kingdom meant a person to watch his back and to talk to on the long rides, including the trek into the Aspen Mountains to find an old sage. Rowan was wanted and being hunted by the King’s guards and having someone to watch also decreased his abilities to simply flee. Amy was quietly thankful for not having a say in the matter, trusting Rowan’s decision.

Rowan sat quietly on the saddle, torn with a choice of allowing an innocent boy into helping him out and sending him away to spend the rest of his life in a wayward city. He glanced down at Amy whose attention seemed to be on the little mare Tivoli rode. Amy wished she knew what Rowan was thinking, watching him eye the boy.

"I’ll make a deal with you, Tivoli. If you can keep up, tonight we’ll talk about your request; if you can’t you’ll go back to Iron Heel." Rowan said with the icy calm Amy assumed only one who’d once controlled hundreds could muster.

Tivoli’s eyes burned hot at the challenge, Amy curious if Olivia could keep up a similar fervor as her master. Looking into the little mare’s eyes Amy didn’t doubt the girl would run herself to death for her young master. Tivoli nodded his acceptance of the challenge; Rowan gripped Amy’s reins and turned her around. Amy grunted and bucked for a moment as he kicked her hard in the ribs, urging her into a hard gallop down the barren wasteland.

Amy couldn’t see or hear if Tivoli was following her, her mind focused on the ground being covered, the pressure of the bit, and the very noticeable sensations rising from the triad chain. Her hooves broke the ground, riding as if being pursued by the King’s guards. Rowan pushed her hard, using her reins as a riding whip, forcing her into a faster trot. Rowan kept himself low against Amy’s back, his body centered on Amy’s lower spine.

The dull brown and sandy colors raced before Amy’s eyes as she ran long and hard, noting the Wither weeds scattered amongst the huge boulders. Amy wasn’t sure how long she’d been running, her mouth open and drool dripping from her lips. Her body was slick with sweat as she fell into a trance, her body simply obeying the bit and the pressure of Rowan’s boots. She knew she was better conditioned than normal ponies, but even she couldn’t keep up the pace Rowan set. It was late when Amy felt Rowan slow her to a gentle trot towards a stream that pooled into a small pond.

Chapter 13: Camp

Amy was heaving and exhausted as Rowan led her towards the water, allowing her to dip her head into the water. While Amy drank deeply, Rowan dismounted from her back and produced a hobble, which Amy half-heartedly watched him lock around her hooves. The hobble forced her into small mincing steps and insured she couldn’t wander far unless the hobble broke. She could hardly care about the long chain he attached to the spike he’d pounded into the ground. Amy busied herself with the cool water, drinking her fill, as Rowan removed one of the saddlebags.

The sound of a single horse came a few minutes later, after Rowan had set up his own blankets and started a small fire. Tivoli rode into the warm firelight with his little mare barely able to stand. Tivoli seemed to be hardly controlling Olivia any more as she rode pass the firelight and straight towards Amy and the stream. Amy felt sorry for the little mare that collapsed at the stream’s edge before Tivoli dismounted.

Tivoli clumsily freed himself from Olivia, who lapped up the water in desperate need. Amy knew she’d hurt later if she drank too quickly, so she pushed the little mare’s attention to the green growth around the stream's edge.

The little mare sat on her knees nibbling on the grass, pulling them up by the roots and chewing on them with the bit. Amy watched over the young girl, glancing over at the fireside where Rowan and Tivoli sat talking amongst themselves. Amy walked along the water’s edge bending down to lap at the gentle flow. She was still amazed at how she was able to bend down while standing up, able to touch her hooves with her tongue, though she could hardly manage to touch her toes prior to her transit to Jenova.

The water was cool, with a sharp taste of metal, partly from the bit Amy wore in her mouth. Likely Rowan meant to leave it in for the next couple days. She was used to it, something she’d grown to accept as a necessity of Jenova. She was an animal and Rowan was a criminal on the run. Leaving Amy harnessed had saved him more than once. Searching the edge of the pond further from the stream to just about where her hobble chain allowed, Amy found a lush forest of greens.

A whinny to Olivia about the growth brought the exhausted little pony over. Amy lowered her head into the growth, smelling the moist earth around the grass shoots. Pulling up the slender root, Amy rolled the grass into her mouth, dirt and all, swallowing it to her satisfaction. For almost an entire year she’d lived entirely on a horse’s diet of hay, oats, and grass, with the only adverse side effect being gas.

Amy’s ears perked at the sound of Tivoli coming over to hobble Olivia, who nuzzled him affectionately as he bent down and shackled her hooves, preventing her from wandering off to far. Amy nuzzled Tivoli, who patted Amy’s side and walked back towards the firelight, leaving Amy alone with Olivia, who returned to grazing. Amy tried to listen to the men at the firelight, but her own hunger and the device between her legs distracted her.

Rowan had ridden her hard, trying to prove to Tivoli he’d been completely serious about joining him, draining Amy. Amy glanced up at the little mare, face nestled in the plant growth, who had now regained an energetic sway to her tail with food before her. The chain between her legs had made her wet and hornier than she’d ever been, but food clouded her need for sex. Taking Olivia’s approach to eating, Amy grazed well into the night, munching on the grass and the odd earthworm.

Amy heard Olivia approach her from behind while she grazed, not giving it a second thought. Amy turned her senses out towards the endless wasteland. She never realized the young girl had been drawn by Amy’s scent and the wet parted lips of Amy’s exposed slit. Amy gave little notice while grazing even as Olivia poked her head beneath Amy’s legs.

Amy whimpered and almost collapsed when the little mare’s tongue darted out and tasted Amy’s nectar. Amy turned her head around to see the cautious little mare step closer and begin licking Amy’s puffy outer lips. She moaned through her bit, her body pushing Olivia closer to her throbbing clit. Amy had never imagined herself a lesbian, but the young girl’s tongue danced between Amy’s legs, eliciting gasps and moans normally reserved for men.

A part of Amy told her the sensations coming from her pussy were wrong, but her body moaned and panted as the girl ate Amy out. She wondered through the haze of pleasure how many other mares had been treated to Olivia’s precious mouth. Shey screamed out as Olivia’s tongue struck Amy’s ringed and clamped clit, sending shivers up and down Amy’s spine. Moments later, a day’s worth of sexual frustration and teasing exploded and released Amy, crumbling to the earth.

Lying on the ground, panting, Amy looked up as Olivia nestled against her flank. Amy licked the girl on the face, surprised when Olivia tongue and mouth pressed against Amy’s bitted mouth. Lips pressed together, Amy kissed Olivia, feeling their tongues intertwined and dance in each other’s mouths. Amy could taste herself on Olivia’s lips as the two of them settled in on the ground. Minutes later the two mares drifted off to sleep, Amy wondering if Tivoli knew his little mare was capable of such pleasure.

Chapter 14: Alliance

"You rode her very hard trying to keep up with me." Rowan noted over the firelight.

Tivoli looked up from his meal of stew and bread, mouth full. Rowan could see the wear the long ride had been on the boy. Tivoli seemed to be almost falling asleep but his own hunger kept him awake enough to eat. Rowan would have allowed him to sleep, if he didn’t want to see how the boy had actually fared. He hadn’t spoken much since he’d almost fallen off his exhausted pony.

Rowan was worn from the ride too. He glanced back over to the pond, where his own pony was almost out of view. He’d ridden her hard, nothing she hadn’t done before, but still hard enough. He’d seen how tired she’d looked and the pain of the chain he’d punished her with. He wondered how much of her stamina had gone to ignore the throbbing pain of the clamps. The only reason he’d hobbled her was concern she’d try to do something stupid to alleviate the pain. Rowan hadn’t ever enjoyed using the triad chain, but had learned its effectiveness. His father had called it negative reinforcement, the pain and experience forcing any pony to recall why the triad had been used.

Rowan wondered about his pony for a moment. Tivoli chewed his food, watching Rowan warm himself in front of the fire. Rowan knew Amy wasn’t some ordinary pony. It was without sense, where he’d found her walking like some young foal in the Badlands, well beyond the Wall of Men. Rowan had known for a long time nothing lived beyond the Wall of Men, one of the reasons Joshin had abandoned him there to die.

Yet Rowan had stumbled across Amy, a pony well out of the usual. She had never even acted like a normal pony during the months he’d spent training and breaking her in. She’d been more intelligent and cunning than any pony he’d ever encounter and she seemed to understand him. She’d known when she’d done something wrong and understood why Rowan had been mad, the pony submissively bowing to his power. Unlike normal ponies that were broken to obey, Amy had simply submitted her will to his control.

Many had assumed the brand upon her flank made her a daughter of some Rohan bloodline. But Rowan knew she was part of no known breeding line. Amy was faster, stronger, and capable of more stamina than most powerful stallions. She’d proven her loyalty to him dozens of times and her willingness to obey from the fields of grain to the battlefields where she’d fought with a disquieting bloodlust.

Her disappearances and vanishings weren’t uncommon, something he’d come to expect from the pony who’d return to him with a single whistle. Her strangeness came from her lack of scars, his pony capable of healing with speed beyond his own, while scars he’d given her had melted away days later. He could recall during a small skirmish she’d been deeply cut by an enemy spear, having lost enough blood while retreating to pass out. She vanished before his eyes for the first time and returned hours later when he’d called her, amazed to find her unharmed and ready for battle.

Rowan quietly admitted the chain had been too much, but he’d never apologize or concede to an animal. His pride wouldn’t allow him to simply free an even clever and special beast like Amy. He told himself that he was the master, and that she, the animal, would bend to his will. His thoughts were deeply troubling at the idea he rode something close to a deity.

Tivoli interjected the answer to Rowan’s question. "I wanted to keep up."

"Huh?" Rowan asked.

"I rode Olivia as hard as she’d go, but I could barely keep up with Amy. I’ve never seen a pony run like that. Olivia collapsed, but Amy was still standing looking only a little worn."

"Yes, I was just thinking about that."

"So tomorrow I’ll return to Iron Heel, I won’t slow you down."

"Tivoli, you misunderstand me. Amy is used to long rides, Olivia isn’t. Given time, she can more than keep up with Amy."

"So I can ride with you?" Tivoli asked excitedly.

"Yes, Tivoli, though I expect you to honor you’re agreement to me, you’ll be my servant and handle Amy properly."

"I understand, Rowan." Tivoli said.

"For the record, when we’re in the company of friends, I’ll have to ask you to call me Lord Rowan or Prince, a simple honorific nobles need. I never preferred them and so we continue with just Rowan."

"Prince?"

Rowan smiled, "Tivoli, you do realize who I am, don’t you? Heir to the throne of Rohan, son of the Horse King, wanted criminal of the Empire. By the time we return to the civilized world, count yourself a helper in the terror I’ve bought the empire."

Tivoli was quiet for several moments as he comprehended who he was eating stew with. Rowan could only grin; knowing half of what the Empire spoke of was lies, the other half true from the vicious battles waged between the rebelling nations.

Rowan watched the boy stumble to his own mat, and fall asleep.