Chapter 59: 059 A Fair Mare Exchange

It took me a while to come up with the idea of a mining operation. Maybe an international mining operation. It wouldn't take much to lay claims in different countries around the world and then hire office workers to take care of the paperwork. They wouldn't even have to be actually mined. I had several hundred tons of pure ore in my inventory for everything. I would just need to find the proper places on my Earth where the majority of those metals can be found and then open a mine there.

If I did that, I could also invest into an ore refinery. It would be a bit superfluous, since the ore is practically pure; but, it would let me funnel my gold coinage into it and I could legally convert a lot of it into spendable cash. The best part about it would be if I became a recognizable international organization, because I could store my gold in the United States Federal Reserve and I wouldn't have to worry about trying to sell it off as coins anymore.

I was just getting into a little fantasy where I was appointing my government worker Mr. Graham to be in charge of my gold and stocks reserves when the door to the office opened and Marie stepped out.

“Miss Paula will see you now.” Marie said with a smile.

None of us said 'finally', like I was sure we were all thinking, and we all stood up and went into the office. Like everywhere else, it was huge and sized for ten foot tall horses. We were led through the smaller outer office and into a much larger inner office and I was once again surprised to see a horse woman.

Paula was just like the other horse women I had seen, with extended body, muscular bottom legs with hooves for feet, and an ample chest with a long neck and a mostly normal human female face... except that she was completely white. Her skin, fur, hair, hands, nose, hooves, and eyes were so white that if it had been snowing, you wouldn't have seen her. The only slightly different color was the rim around the pupil of her eye that was a light winter blue.

She sat in an oversized chair with her powerful legs crossed, her tail lightly swaying to the side, and her odd hands clacking the partial hooves together as she waited for us all to enter her office. Her odd eyes observed us all and then she looked directly at Steve.

“What have I told you about looking for a mate outside of the approved list?” Paula asked.

“I wasn't looking and I haven't been looking for the last two neighs.” Steve said. “Then suddenly, this absolute beauty appeared on the road near where I was plowing...”

Paula raised a hand to stop him. “I don't need the details.” She said and turned her head to look at me. “I assume you can speak to her heritage and her breeding stock.”

“Actually, my Freemartin can do that.” I said and waved to the woman next to me. “She lives in the settlement where the Tup gave us the horse and cart.”

The Freemartin nodded. “It's true. We are a small settlement and keep strict breeding rules in place. Only the strongest may mate to ensure the best stock and we keep them pure until such time as they are chosen by a stallion.”

Paula nodded her head and let out a soft neigh. “That's very good.” She stood up and she was eleven feet tall, even taller than Steve. Although, if her neck wasn't so long, she would probably only be about nine feet or so. She stalked over to us with an odd gait, as if she had hurt her leg or ankle a long time ago and it had healed badly.

Steve stood proudly as Paula inspected his life mate, even her teeth, and then she stood up and nodded.

“You have chosen well, Steve. She really is a prime female.” Paula said, her voice full of approval and her face full of amusement.

Steve and the mare let out neighs of happiness.

“You will be moved to an appropriate stall that will be necessary for your needs.”

“Thank you, Stable Master.” Steve said and looked like he could barely contain his enthusiasm.

“I assume you are going to start breeding as soon as possible?” Paula asked.

“I already have.” Steve said and puffed his chest out. “I could not resist this beauty for even a second.”

The mare let out a neigh and both Paula and Marie let out matching neighs as if laughing.

“Give her a bit of a rest as you both settle in.” Paula said and pet the mare. “Welcome to The Stable, (undecipherable horse sounds).”

The mare let out a neigh of thanks and Steve turned her around.

“Thank you, strange armored man.” Steve said with a nod and led the mare out of the office. Both he and the mare waved their tails happily as they left.

“Strange metal man?” Paula said with a neighing chuckle. “He didn't even ask your name?”

“He was a bit besotted with the mare to bother with things like that.” I said.

“Why are you not angry about losing your means of transport?” Paula asked.

“I assumed that I could buy another one.” I said and the secretary chomped her teeth. “I guess that's a bad thing to assume?”

“Horses are treated differently here.” Paula said. “They are not things to be owned and burdened, unless they choose to be.”

I had to think about that. “Is there anyone around that I could... say... hire to carry our burden?”

Paula waved my question away. “We owe you for bringing such a fine mare into our community.” She said and walked over to her desk. “I have several people that need to redeem themselves for our society, and having them be a beast of burden for you should punish them enough to regret their crimes.”

“I don't want criminals pulling my cart or around my people.” I said and the cat women purred, the wolf woman growled, and the Freemartin softly bleated.

“Our definitions of crimes might differ.” Paula said as she turned and sat on the edge of her desk. “Mating with another mate's mate. Colt culling. Urinating in or taking a neighbour's food...”

Loosely translated into adultery, murder or disciplining, mischief and stealing. I thought. “Can I see these people and maybe hear their crimes before choosing one to suffer the indignation that pulling a cart will give them?”

“I don't see why not.” Paula said. “I will warn you that we have both males and females that have committed those crimes.”

“I'm an equal opportunity reformer.” I said with a smile, even though she couldn't see it.

“I would normally let Marie handle this part.” Paula said and walked back over to us. “However, I think I want to learn more about you, strange armored man.”

I chuckled and the reminder of not introducing myself. “My name is Damon.”

“Day Man is an odd name.” Paula said and waved at the door behind us. “Where are you from?”

“To be honest, I started my journey a far way away to the east at a bovine village and I've been slowly making my way here to the West Wall.”

“I sincerely hope that you are not going to try crossing it.” Paula said as we walked down the hallway towards a different part of the stable. “All passage up the wall is strictly forbidden.”

“I'm tempted to try, just to see if I could.” I said and they all let out sounds of surprise. “I'm going to just send a message, though. I need to find the main research station and see what's going on first.”

“Our people can lead you there.” Paula said, confidently. “Our destination is over there.”

We left the main building and walked a good distance away to a smaller structure. Inside were caged stalls. Most of them were empty, except for a few. Four had people in them, one each, and three were males and one was a female.

“Who would like to have their sentence of confinement commuted to service as a beast of burden for an unknown amount of time?” Paula asked.

“ME!” The female yelled immediately and pressed her face to the bars and gripped the bars tightly. “I'll do anything to get out of here! Anything!” She said and looked at us. “I'll even wear a saddle like a common mare and let the armored man ride on my back!”

The other three prisoners let out neighs of shock and backed away from the bars of their cells.

Paula closed her eyes for a moment, let out a neighing sigh, and looked at the female. “You poor deluded woman.” She said and shook her head. “Are you so desperate to leave?”

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“Yes!” She said. “It's not my fault that stallions like me! It's not!”

“It's not the stallions that worry me, it's your decision to not bother choosing just one.” Paula said. “How many fights over mating with you have you caused so far?”

The female sighed. “I've lost count.”

“As have I.” Paula said in a sad tone. “I am tempted to refuse, just because you are going to come back and cause more trouble.”

“It could be a week...” I started to say and then laughed, since I had been there for a month so far. “... it could be another month or heaven forbid, years before my mission is over.”

“I'm out.” One of the males said.

“As am I. It's not worth leaving The Stable, even for freedom.”

“I refuse to leave.” The third male said.

“I'll still go.” The female said, her voice clearly desperate.

“I will bind you to the armored stranger and you cannot run free.” Paula said.

“What if he dies?” The female asked and everyone around me made growling noises. “I didn't say I would kill him.”

“The binding can be cancelled, either by choice or by force.” Paula said, for both my information and the female horse. “Whichever you want will be up to you.”

The female horse woman nodded. “I agree.”

“Day Man, your hand, please.” Paula said and I held my armored hand out. “Your actual hand.”

I stored the gauntlet and every horse person let out neighs of surprise.

“You are very brave, Day Man.” Paula said and carefully took my hand, as if it would break or damage easily, and slid it through the bars to place it on the horse woman's head. “Man and Beast, shared as one. Be they bound together eternally.”

I felt a pulse of magic flow through her hand, through mine, and into the forehead of the horse woman.

____

Binding Spell: Conjunction Compulsion. Marks intended targets with joining emblems. Targets share bond of mutual benefits.
Spell Alteration Spell: Conjunction Corruption. Sharing changed to one way benefits between Owner and Owned.

____

Your mastery of magic has allowed you to learn two new spells. Conjunction Compulsion and Conjunction Corruption. No incantations needed.

____

Okay, that was awesome. I thought with surprise. I wonder if I need to touch the caster when they cast a spell or just be near when a spell is cast to learn it?

“You are now bound to do his bidding.” Paula said and stepped back as she pulled my hand away from the horse woman's head. There was a half circle with a weird looking emblem there and the other half circle was on my palm and the rest of the emblem was there.

The cage door was opened and the horse woman stepped out. She wore short shorts that barely covered her ass and a top that was just a strip of cloth that held her large breasts in place. She stood up to her full height and stretched her arms up as she took in a huge breath.

“Ahhhh, freedom!” She said and put her arms down to her sides. “Where is your cart and saddle?” She asked me. “I want to get out of here right away.”

“You can wait until we leave The Stable to enjoy your reprieve.” Paula said.

“Not on your life.” The horse woman said and then looked at me. “My name is Sugarlick.”

I stopped my laugh before it escaped and equipped my gauntlet to shake her hand. “I'm Damon. Welcome to my little group.”

“I'm your beast of burden, not your friend.” Sugarlick said as I let her hand go. “Where's the saddle?”

“I only have the straps to secure you to a cart.” I said and she nodded.

“All right, I guess I do have to wait until we're outside before I can assume my duties.” Sugarlick said.

“I need to go to the main research station.” I said as we all walked out of the holding stable.

“That's easy to find. It's built right in the middle of the city against the wall.” Sugarlick said. “If your cart is a good one, we can be there in half an hour, assuming the guards let you in looking like that.”

“I guess I need to take off the helm.” I said and she nodded.

“They need to visually identify you and record your appearance for the records.” Sugarlick said. “They do it for everyone, even if they are born here.”

Paula took us out to the edge of The Stable's grounds and stopped. “You are to behave yourself, Sugarlick. I don't want to see you back here for a long time, even if you are freed.” She looked at me. “By any means.”

“I understand.” Sugarlick said and then neighed in surprise when I took the cart out of inventory.

“You have a hero's power?” Paula asked, shocked.

“I do, since I'm a hero.” I said and Sugarlick let out a very loud and happy neigh.

“It seems I've gotten out of this even better than I thought I did!” Sugarlick said and lifted her arms. “Hook me up, master! Hook me up!”

Paula neighed a sigh. “Good luck with her, Day Man.” She said and walked away.

I took out the straps and carefully wrapped them around Sugarlick's abdomen and adjusted them to fit, then secured her to the cart.

“You did that really well.” Sugarlick said and checked them herself. “I'm a little disappointed that you didn't rub my ass or grab my breasts.”

I had to laugh at that. “You can keep living with the disappointment.” I said and everyone climbed onto the cart. “We're pretty light, so you won't have to drop to all fours to travel.”

“I do if we want to go fast.” Sugarlick said.

“Save it for when we leave the city.” I said and waved at the wall. “Please take us to the nearest guard station to get into the city.”

“Right away.” Sugarlick said and leaned forwards slightly to get us going, then she walked for a few seconds and sped up to a trot.

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