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Dear Herdmates, Friends, Readers and others...

_I apologize for the lengthy time between updates. As always, the other reality where I spend so much time has distracted me from updating these journals. I shall endeavour to make more frequent updates, but as always unicorns have short attention spans and it is more likely that I will be grazing and putting these writings off for another day. _

Connie, Gulthar, Farhain and I stood together in the stable preparing for my journey. "This is an odd looking saddle," Farhain commented as he tightened the girth, then stepped back to survey it.

"It is quite comfortable," I replied. Connie had conjured up an image of a western parade saddle, and Gulthar's leathersmiths had made one. I doubted that many horses would enjoy one that was custom made to fit their back, and certainly none would have real silver and diamonds- there were no stainless steel trappings or rhinestones available on the planes of the demons, and Gulthar's craftsmen had to make do with what they had on hand. I shifted slightly as he placed on two heavy saddlebags, one with the warrior's gear and the other containing several pounds of diamonds- shiny rocks common and near worthless here, but for some reason considered desirable and precious to the humans.

Farhain himself looked somewhat out of place. The trappings and cape he normally would have worn as a warrior of the house of Gwilellen were replaced by human clothes. It had been easy enough to find a tailor and make a shirt from silk, but difficult indeed to find denim, and instead of the rough cloth the humans favored it was soft and finely woven. He came to my head with the bridle and bit, and looked in my eye with a touch of sympathy. "Are you sure you are willing to bear this in your mouth, unicorn?" he asked.

I didn't particularly mind bits, through it was hard to speak with one in my mouth. In comparison I disliked bosals and hackamores, as they rubbed the soft skin on my nose. Opening my mouth, I reached forward and took the bit. The elf slid the headstall over my ears then buckled it. Taking the reins he sprung lightly to my back as Connie wrapped her arms around my neck. "Come back soon," she said in a trembling voice.

I felt the dampness of her tears and bent my neck, nuzzling her on the shoulder. She hugged me for a long moment, then Gulthar took her hand in his and pulled her back. "It is time for them to go," he said.

I walked forward, my hooves sounding softly on the cobblestones as we walked to the gate. The guardsmen watched as we approached, then silently opened the trellis. Cobblestones turned to wood for a brief moment as I walked over the drawbridge, then onto the firm clay of the road. Unbidden by my rider I broke into a canter, then a gallop. We had a small distance to travel to the rift that would take us to the human plane, and on to our task. Farhain leaned forward a bit in the saddle, keeping in balance with me, and I extended my gallop, feeling the cool air rush by as we raced down the roadway. For a brief moment I felt the mindless exhilaration of just being a horse, and pushed aside all the concerns in my mind, enjoying the day. Farmers looked up as we raced past in the morning mist, perhaps amazed by Farhain's strange garb or perhaps by my odd looking saddle.

All too soon, we came to the glade where I could see a faint blue shimmering of the gateway between the worlds. I slowed to a trot, then a walk as I approached. Summoning my magic, I focused on the rift, and it began to darken in color and become more solid. Within I could see the purple and blue haze of the rift, and I walked forward, feeling it close behind us. Farhain stiffened a bit- I realized that he was uncomfortable, here between the realities, though for me as a unicorn it was just another place to be. I rolled smoothly again into a canter, so that our time here would be as short as possible. We quickly arrived at the opposite gateway, and again I willed it open, then stepped through.

On the human plane, we emerged in a clearing within a forest. It was much warmer, and the humid air portended a coming storm. Farhain had brought very few items of clothing, as we had decided it would be better for him to purchase some from a human trader once we arrived so he could blend in better. I looked about, as did my rider.

"There is a path," Farhain said as he pointed. "Let us find a lodging or inn."

I trotted over to the path, noting a small sign that had a circled picture of a snowmobile with a slash through it. Willing my alicorn to vanish, we two were now another rider and horse out for a trail ride. A distant rumble of thunder warned that the storm was not far off, and I broke into a canter, mindful of the twisting narrow trail but ignoring the small branches and leaves that occasionally swatted my face. I didn't pause to smell the small piles of manure we occasionally passed, though their freshness let me know that there were other horses about.

Rounding a sharp turn, we came up behind another horse and his rider. The appaloosa gelding bolted, startled by my sudden appearance, and his rider teetered imbalanced for a moment then plunged to the muddy ground unable to hold on. The curb chain of the bit pressed against my chin as Farhain pulled on the reins, forgetting for a moment I was not a common horse and would have stopped anyway. He sprung lightly to the ground and knelt by the rider, who was already sitting up.

"Are you injured, my lady?" Farhain asked, his voice full of concern.

"Are you some kind of idiot?" she snapped back. "Running up behind someone on the trail?" She pulled herself to her feet and looked down the trail. "Noodle? Noodle!" she called out as she began to walk away.

Farhain looked back at me. "Call her horse back, Thardor."

She stopped and looked back at Farhain. "He's probably going to run all the way back to the barn."

I could still hear his hooves. She was probably right, he was at a full gallop, but I'd try anyway. I raised my nose and whinnied loudly, picking up my ears. The horse ignored me, likely blinded by panic. I almost spoke to tell this to Farhain and the woman, but remembered I was supposed to masquerade as a horse and said nothing, and instead turned to regard the rider.

She was rather short, with blonde hair. Though a bit overweight for her height, it was not apparent due to her small stature . I guessed she was about thirty five years old, as humans judge age, and she wore a green blouse and now muddy and torn breeches. I noted that she field boots she wore were of fine leather but showed little wear, so either they were quite new or she seldom rode. I could see her anger was already gone, instead replaced by curiosity as she regarded Farhain and me. "Do you study mythology?" she asked Farhain. "Or are you a historian?"

It was almost the last question that I would have expected, and clearly surprised him as well. "No, my lady," he replied. "I am... retired."

"Your horse- you named him after the son of the unicorn king, at least as I've translated the scrolls. Few outside of the university's archaeology department even know of them." She was now walking around me, her horse Noodle forgotten. "The son was as the father, a great silvery white stallion but with a scar upon his face from a grievous injury at the hands of humans." She paused, running her hand across my forehead. She stopped and looked at Farhain. "The translation is quite difficult, as the scrolls are damaged from age and written in a strange dialect."

Elves are bad liars and poor at deceit, as it is against their nature. My hopes that Farhain would remain silent were dashed. "I did not name him, my lady."

"Gina. So did his last owner name him?"

"Lady Gina, we should make haste, as the storm approaches," Farhain desperately tried to change the subject.

"I don't mind getting a bit wet." It was actually starting to drizzle and she stepped away from me to stand close to Farhain. I turned and stepped up, prepared to intercede if needed. I'd distract her by stepping on her foot if the questions got too hazardous.

"Let us go to a place of shelter," Farhain suggested.

"Both of us- on your horse?" Human females are sometimes difficult to understand, though this time I could tell from her voice that she hoped the answer would be yes, and Farhain did not disappoint her.

"He can easily bear our weight," the elf replied confidently. She was a bit surprised as he picked her up and placed her on my saddle then sprung lightly behind her from the ground without touching the stirrup. I didn't wait for him to cue me but again jumped into a fast canter then gallop, drinking in the wind and rain. My ears forward, I listened for the sound of Noodles' hoofbeats as well as any other horses- I did not want to have another encounter.

We dashed along. I could feel Gina's weight shifting every time I turned, though Farhain held her firmly in the saddle. Coming out of the trees, I could see Noodles standing beside a gate that led into a pasture. "That's my house," Gina said.

I slowed to a trot, whinnying again, and Noodles called back to me. He looked at us, snorting as we approached, his nostrils flared and eyes wide. I lowered my head to be nonthreatening and nickered quietly, and he began to calm down. As I stopped beside him, Gina and Farhain dismounted. She seemed a bit flushed and excited.

"I can't believe how smooth and fast he is," she told him as she took her horse's reins. "What breed is he?"

"He is a... horse of the..."

I snorted and tossed my head, then whinnied loudly. Gina was looking still at Farhain, with a mixture of wonder and something else. "Let's get them in the barn," she suggested. The rain was coming down quite hard now, and the lightning seemed too close.

She opened the gate, and I followed her horse into the pasture. The barn wasn't too far off, and she led us inside. Stopping Noodles at a set of crossties, she removed his bridle and put on his halter, then loosened his girth. "My saddle's soaked," she said as she took it off, putting it on a saddlerack.

"Forgive me," Farhain replied. "I apologize for having disrupted your ride."

"I'd have gotten wet anyway," she said. "Do you need a halter?" she asked.

Farhain had already removed my headstall and was loosening my girth. "I do not need one," Farhain said. I stood quietly as he removed the saddle and pack, then looked about.

"Put it on this rack here," Gina said, motioning to one close to the stall I stood by. She came over, looking at the saddle. "It's dry already. What's it made of?" She touched it, running her hand over the tooled leather, then stopping and drawing her breath in as she touched the silver concho on the saddle's skirt. "This symbol is from the scrolls." She looked sharply at Farhain. "Who are you? What is your name?"

I pinned back and ear and stomped my hoof, trying to warn the elf, but was too late. "Farhain," he replied, bowing slightly. "Of Gwilellen Fane."

She sat down heavily on a bale of hay. "Either I landed on my head or you've just ridden up out of Arcaean mythology."

Farhain appeared confused. "We did not ride from any myth, my lady Gina. We are merely travelers seeking lodging. Have you a stall where my horse might rest?"

I looked around the barn. One stall had Noodles' name on it along with a funny picture. The rest appeared unused, and I walked into one, checking the water bucket and finding it empty. The stall was a bit dusty but otherwise relatively clean, with fresh shavings on the floor. Farhain latched the half-door shut and turned to Gina. "Do you have a well where I could draw water?"

She got up. "There's a hose over there. I'm forgetting my horse." She unsnapped Noodles from the crossties and led him into his stall, removing the halter and shutting his door as well.

Farhain looked at the hose, then the faucet, then looked at Gina. "What is the incantation?"

"The what?"

"The incantation to make the water spring forth," he said.

"Turn the faucet." She came over close as Farhain struggled with the handle, then took the hose from him and reached down, turning on the water. She put it in the bucket in my stall, filling it up as the elf stood close by watching her, then walked back and turned it off. "So what stable are you at?"

"I do not live in a stable," he said.

"The horse, silly," she said.

"We have just arrived, and have not yet found lodging," he said truthfully. "We are...traveling."

She drew in her breath and looked at Farhain. I could tell she was intrigued by him in several ways. "Why don't you both stay here for a while, then? You seem to know quite a bit about archaeology, and Noodles can use some company. I had a boarder but she moved out a few weeks ago."

"I would be most grateful to stay at your inn," Farhain replied as he opened one saddlebag. "We have none of the local coinage, but do have some gemstones." He brought out a handful of diamonds. "Would this suffice for a week's lodging?"

"Those can't be real," she said, more a question than a statement.

"I am no illusionist," Farhain said in reply. "Is this insufficient?" He reached again into the bag. Imbalanced, the saddle slid and the large duffle bag that he'd strapped across the back fell open to the ground.

Gina bent over to pick it up, paused and reached inside, pulling out Farhain's sword. "What exactly are you 'retired' from?" she asked. "Most people don't take weapons on trail rides." She held it in both her hands, examining the blade. "This is too light for steel or silver and it's not aluminum. And the symbols..." She traced her finger across one. "This says something about dragons. Some kind ofstory or tale about them."

"Please be careful, my lady. The edge is very sharp," Farhain said, taking the blade.

"What does it say?" she persisted.

"They summon the magic to the blade, as dragons are immortal and immune to normal weapons," he replied simply. "It does not have a tale or story, and is merely a magic rune." He replaced the blade in its sheath, then returned it to the duffel bag.

"I see," she said. "Only common, everyday magic runes on an ordinary everyday magic sword."

"Yes," Farhain said, somewhat relieved. "It is nothing special."

"Would you be able to come up to the house and look at pictures of the scrolls? Maybe tell me what ordinary things they say?" she asked him. "Maybe a bit of coffee?"

Connie had given Farhain coffee before, and I knew he was fond of it. "I would be most pleased to do so, my lady...Gina," he said.

He picked up the duffel and the saddlebags, and I watched the two of them leave the barn. I could only hope that he would be a bit more circumspect regarding his discussion, and also hope that they would soon return with some hay for Noodles and me, as it was lunchtime and I was rather hungry.

It was nearly three hours later when Gina returned to the barn. Noodles whinnied a greeting and stuck his head out, as did I, our ears up and hopeful for a bit to eat. She didn't disappoint either of us as she loaded hay into a wheelbarrow and rolled it to our stalls. Tossing a bit in to her horse, she rubbed his face then came to my stall. "So, Thardor. How did you come to have the name of a unicorn from a scroll that was only unearthed six months ago?"

I was rather hungry and ignored her question, stretching my neck to try to reach the hay in the wheelbarrow. It was a little bit old, and I suspected it was from last year as it didn't smell very fresh. I grabbed a mouthful and stepped back, regarding her as I chewed. She was a bit nervous, or maybe just highly strung. I could smell the coffee in her breath, along with a bit of something else- if she had been a mare I'd have taken her to be in heat and wanting to be bred. I pawed at the door of the stall.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Here's your hay." She scooped up a couple of flakes of the hay and tossed them over the door. "You're so much different than Noodles. He's my first horse." I put my head down and started to eat, hoping that she wasn't going to tell me her life story, but my hopes were in vain as she continued. "I really wanted a horse all my life. Actually, I even dreamed of being one, but that's silly, don't you think? My parents wanted me to be an archaeologist, so here I am. I really wanted to be a Grand Prix rider, but it's so hard. Noodles and I have been taking lessons, but he doesn't really seem to enjoy jumping." She paused for a moment, and I hoped she'd leave, but went on. "So...I specialized in ancient language. Did you know that almost all of the original written languages were based on Aramaic? So I understood the structure and they called me in when the scrolls were found. It's really hard to tell what the phonetics were sometimes, but I can tell that the ancient Arcaen kingdom was called Gwilellen."

She seemed rather bright and enthusiastic, so I didn't want to tell her that Gwilellen was a Fane and not a Kingdom, or that Arcaea was actually on a different plane of existence than the Elven plane where Gwillellen was. Actually, I reminded myself that I was pretending to be a horse and didn't plan to tell her anything at all. She rattled on for another half hour, finally leaving. I finished the hay about the time that Farhain came out to the barn. I pinned an ear back. "Where have you been?" I asked.

Farhain seemed distracted. "I have been speaking at great length with the Lady Gina, unicorn."

I snorted. "Did you find anything useful? Such as where we might find Ming?"

"I have been arranging for our lodging, unicorn. Our search may take us some considerable time, and Lady Gina has requested that we stay here. I would consider that greatly fortunate."

"Do not get distracted by the human female," I retorted. "We are here to find Ming, not for you to go courting."

"I believe you have gone courting more human females than I, unicorn. And recall that Ming is only one of them."

I reached down with my teeth and flipped open the latch of the door, stepping out into the barn's aisleway. "If I need to I will go to find Ming myself."

"You cannot go about the countryside alone, unicorn." Farhain stepped in front of me. "Fortune has brought us here, and we must plan our search carefully. Lady Gina knows much of this land, and will be able to help us."

"Help you, more likely." I stepped to one side, and Farhain moved in my way. "I have spent more time among the humans than you, and clearly your judgment has become clouded. You have forgotten your duty."

Farhain's face clouded. "It is your carelessness alone that has caused this misfortune, wantonly breeding every female that presents herself to you- regardless of kind. But for the necessity of having you open a rift better you had stayed with Gulthar. I will not permit you to leave."

Buttons was stirring about his stall- I should have paid attention, but Farhain's tirade had annoyed me. I willed my alicorn appear. "No elf shall dictate the comings and goings of a unicorn," I snapped back. "Now either you may step aside, or..."

Farhain suddenly had a look of surprise as he looked past me toward the barn's entrance. "He talks." Buttons nickered to Gina as she walked slowly into the barn, but her eyes were locked on me. I turned my head to one side to see her, and she caught sight of my alicorn. "Oh, my. Oh, my." She sat slowly down on a bale of hay.

---

"My lady," Farhain started then paused. "Forgive us for deceiving you. But we are on a mission of great import."

She slowly looked up, with a blank look on her face. "You're real. You're both real. But the scrolls are from so long ago. How can you be here now?"

Humans cannot grasp the concept of time. Things will happen whenever they have happened, we just may not know about it yet, and if we decide to take a different course of action than what will happen, that becomes part of it. Unicorns accept it for what it is and do not dwell upon it. Elven philosophers dwell upon the subject, and Farhain tried to explain. "My lady Gina, time is not sequential. The past has not happened yet and is not fixed, it can change."

"But how are you here now?" she asked, wrinkling her nose slightly. I watched her carefully, and could see she was getting over her initial shock. If she was reasonable, our mission would secret. I guessed that if I had to change her to a horse to guarantee her silence that Farhain would become upset.

"We can step through rifts," I said as I walked over close to her. "From other planes. And some rifts also lead to other times." I tilted my head slightly, regarding her with my right eye. "As Farhain told you, we are on a quest and our presence here needs to remain secret. Can we count on you?"

Her face flushed slightly. "No one would believe me. A unicorn and a man from another plane?"

"Elf," I corrected. "Farhain is an elf."

"Oh." She turned back toward him. "So you're immortal as well?"

"Unless I die," he replied simply. "We are searching for one of our friends, who has by mischance ended upon this plane. A human woman, brought here by careless magic of unicorns, who bears a child. Do you know where we might find her?"

"That sure narrows it down, Captain," I said sarcastically, raising my head and turning it toward Farhain. "Perhaps some additional information might be of use."

Farhain scowled at me and went on. "Her name is Ming, though she has lost her memory. I surmise that the good Unicorn might also provide additional detail should he feel the need to state anything productive."

Magic and time have a way of funneling what seem to be improbable circumstance together, and Gina's face suddenly lit up. "Clairmont Farms. There's a woman there, who suddenly appeared and has no memory. I read about it in the paper. They're letting her stay there. It's about twenty miles from here, just this side of town."

"Let's go," I said, turning and walking toward the stable door. "Are you coming, Farhain?"

"Wait," Gina said. "There's a problem."

I turned back, setting a small whorl of dust from the floor as I flicked my tail. "We just have to go get her, then we can bring her across through the rift in the forest."

"The Clairmonts are very wealthy. The place is like a fortress. You can't just walk in the front gate." Gina stood. "But there is a way in. This weekend, they're sponsoring a show, and it'll be open for the public."

"What kind of show?" Farhain asked. "Jousting? The Unicorn and I can participate, then we will find Ming and retrieve her."

Gina shook her head. "A three day event. Show jumping, dressage, and cross country jumping in the forest preserve." She looked at Noodles, who had been patiently watching us the whole time, unfazed. "I really wanted to enter, but Noodles just can't clear the heights. It's an A rated show." From my own time with Lydia in Wisconsin, I knew that an A rated show was the elite, and would attract the caliber of horses and riders who would compete for spots in the Olympics- at least the pathetic level of Olympics that the humans held. As confirmation, Gina went on. "It's the last step for the open tryouts for the national Equestrian team."

That was a slight problem, as it would not be a sleepy and quiet affair but likely would have television crews and reporters, plus hordes of spectators wandering about. I wasn't quite sure how Ming would take to Farhain and myself spiriting her off. "We will go, then," Farhain announced.

"You'll need a proper saddle and attire," Gina said, looking at me and drawing in her breath. "What if I were to ride you? Then Farhain would be able to look about for your friend. And I've all the right attire, and my saddle is too small for Farhain."

I'd done a fair amount of jumping and dressage when masquerading before as a lesson horse, and knew quite well that most riders flopped about like a sack of potatoes. The brief time I'd seen her riding Noodles mostly involved her falling off, but her idea seemed sound and it would only be for a short time so I agreed. "I should be pleased to be your mount for the competition," I said formally.

Her eyes lit up. "Great. I'll go get my boots so we can practice together." She turned and rushed out toward the house.

Farhain and I watched as she departed. "This all seems rather fortunate, Unicorn," he said drily. "That we should find by chance a person that would take us in, that knew the location of Ming, then could gain us access to a well guarded keep."

"Just accept it," I replied. "Not every challenge must be difficult and fraught with peril."

"Still," Farhain mused, "I fear that we may suddenly encounter an ominous turn of events."

"Other than Gina's questionable riding skills, there seems to be little risk," I replied as she came scurrying back toward the barn. Other than wearing field boots, she was otherwise dressed much as before, and I watched with trepidation as she started dragging equipment from her tack room. I walked over an inspected the saddle she'd selected. It showed little evidence of wear, likely being reserved for shows. "You're going to ride me in this?"

Gina stopped. "Why not?"

I willed my alicorn vanish, and tapped the saddle with my nose. "It's not very well designed. The saddle you were riding Noodles in is better."

"But that's just my working saddle." She suddenly giggled. "I can't believe I'm discussing tack with a horse."

"I'm a unicorn," I replied. "Your working saddle is better quality. Clean it well tonight, the judges won't mark you down for it."

"He has been to many horse competitions," Farhain advised. "Though his advice is questionable on other topics, I would defer to Thardor on this."

"Okay," Gina agreed. "Anything else? What kind of bit do you prefer? I have all kinds."

I wasn't surprised. Most humans don't realize that a bit is nothing more than a communication tool, and I had experienced that the more inept the rider, the larger their collection of bits. It mattered little to me; if the bit were harsh they did not realize the pain it might cause to my mouth, if mild they tended to yank harder on the reins and had the same effect. "Ride me with the same equipment you ride Noodles with," I suggested. "I'll tell you what he cannot."