Kell's view

I was born in the spring of the year 2222 to my mother and father. My father was seen as King of the remaining fae in Ireland. We, according to him, were just marquis when in the fae, but here we had been promoted to Royalty (Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses) as we had the strongest line of magic remaining in the earth. Creatures came to us from far and wide to stay with us. My father said it was because of the magical circles planted by Kai, Susan and Leander when they had returned to our land from the fae 200 years ago.

No one had gone to the fae since, and magic was a quality that did not exist in this man-made world. Everything was harder than before. The lands that the Torbroks owned were vast and separated from the rest of Ireland, in that they did not have to pay taxes, but instead one kelpie horse was to be presented to the King of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales every 3 years.

The horses that left volunteered for the job, as most were magicless and sickly, sickly in that they would not live past their 25th year. The only ones left in our breed with the strong magic were those that were descended from Kai, but even our magic was weak.

My father said that this was ok as we were blessed in other ways, like long life, we were the few breeds of horses that lived longer than normal, the royal line even longer... This was a secret well hidden from the normal world as horses were only supposed to live 25 to 30 years. We lived up to 120 years like a human did.

When I was just a yearling, I watched the mistress of the house get fat. My father said she was in foal, not fat. I took his word for it. He said it was her second child, the eldest boy was born the same year as me.

It was sometime later; I saw the most beautiful creature I ever have seen. A human baby. The master and mistress bought it home from hospital roughly two years after I was born, and upon seeing the baby, I was hooked by its red hair and red eyes, her humanity shining through to me. There was something else in her too, her fae blood... I wondered what it was and went to the current king of our land, my father.

"Father!" I danced around him doing silly little cartwheels and kicks in effort to get his attention, I finally did.

"Yes son?" My father head butted me, calming me down instantly.

"Do you know what blood that child has?" I ask him.

He stopped and looked at me seriously, "I do. You are a bit young for that knowledge yet, so depending on your answer, to my question, I may or may not tell you. So, Kell, why do you want to know this?"

"It is like my whole being is singing her praises. Sunlight is dancing around her; golden fairies are present too. I know they are not there, but that is how it feels to me when I look at her. I want to be with her even now. I want to watch over her and...well I do not know!" I said exasperated, I did not understand my feeling towards her at all. All I knew is I wanted to be where she was and stay there.

"Well son, it sounds like you found your wife, and so young too," my father marveled at me, "However, you will not be able to be with her awhile yet, she is too weak and fragile. Humans are not like Kelpie children. They take ages to grow and be independent. You will be at least 6 before she will be allowed near you. Do you think you can wait that long before you experience her touch?"

I nodded, I would wait for an eternity for her touch, I thought, so long as we were together in the end. I was about to go away when I remembered that my father had not answered my question, so I turned back frowning, "You did not answer me father. Is there something else in that girl?"

"Yes, yes there is son," my father agreed with me, "she is part drow... talented horse whisperers and trainers. It is why her family is so good at increasing our numbers, despite our handicaps."

"Thank you, father, for telling me," I bowed to him and ran away to look at the child, trying to catch glimpses of her through the windows. Each time I saw her I would whinny, "Look at me, I am yours." She would look over then and I was content.

I did not do it too often as that would have earnt me a one-way ticket to the butchers. It did not happen very often, but occasionally we did end up as meat packages. It was more a euthanasia than anything – the broken hearted, lame, and untrainable.

When she was two her fiery red hair grew out. She had a headful of pretty red-haired ringlets circling her adorable button nosed, red ribboned full lips. I made sure I positioned myself so that she would see me whenever she was outside, and to my delight one day she toddled over. I put my face down so that she could touch it.

It was my first experience with her touch. Her touch went through me like an electric bolt. I felt it all through me and I felt myself become alive. Alive in a way that I had never felt before. I accepted the grass she fed me, even though it was atrocious, I felt I could eat anything she gave me just to hear her delighted laugh as I kissed her hands while eating.

"Horsy!" she garbled, and proclaimed, "Horsy, horsy, horsy. I lub you!"

Her mother came running then and snatched her away scolding her, "Sue...Sue-Anne, what am I going to do with you? Horses are dangerous, far to dangerous at your age to be around. Wait until your older, ok?"

"But I lub him, and he lubs me!" she proclaimed in her childish voice.

I wondered how she knew I loved her; I had said nothing the entire time she had been with me. I was too busy lapping up her baby touch.

"Fine, just not now. If you still think he loves you when he is 5 you can train him. No-one else can get near him, and he let you. Deal?"

"Deal!" she giggled conspiratorly with her mother, "Doont 'orget your 'omise Mum, when I am 5, I be with him!"

"Agreed!" her mother said, with a doting smile.

The next two years flow by. I rescued her once in a snow storm that she had wondered into when she was 3. I do not know why she had but she had. I picked her small body up with my teeth and put her on my back and she lay on me absorbing my warmth, while I headed to the closest shelter I knew of.

Ironically, it was the mill that we spent our wedding night at before we left to the fae.

I carried her into the mill, released my magic that had been holding her on my back, took her in my teeth again, depositing her on the ground in the warmest part I had access too. I then lay down beside her trying to wrap her cold small body as much as possible shielding her from the cold wind that blew in through the mill stable door.

I was starting to doze off when I was shocked awake sometime later to a commotion. Her father burst into the mill and found us. He smiled at relief at seeing us, "Thank you Kell, I will take her now," he said fishing his sleeping daughter from between my shoulder and head. "I will allow you near her when she is 5, ok?"

I nodded, my heart full, I knew my life would change then forever. I was happy, so incredibly happy.

After that incident I was better cared for by her father, as if he was grateful for me rescuing my girl. I did not know for sure if this was the reason, but I guessed it was.

True to his word, he started teaching her to handle me from the age of 5. If you thought I was obsessed with her before, it was nothing compared to now. I had to be near her, I had to follow her and do whatever it was she was doing. I learnt to read, write and count because of it. Not that I could as a horse but I was confident if I ever was human, I would be able to write.

Though I only got half the schooling she did as the windows of the school room were only open in the warmer weather. So, I could only stick my head into learn then. I was lucky though, she taught me herself things that she had learnt that day in the colder months. I was glad for that as schooling interested me. I was a prince after all.

I was a prince of the fae left in the world. My father lectured me whenever I was not allowed to be with Sue-Anne about the fae and my responsibilities and first-born prince. I would be king one day.... Yada yada yada. He also explained how if we somehow ended up in the fae, we would be demoted to Marquis.

I wondered at that, surely if I was a prince, I would stay a prince? I did not understand. I did not care, all I cared about was my girl.

As I said I followed her everywhere, like a dog, retrieving things she forgot that I could get to, helping her with her chores, everything I could do I did.

When she became a teenager, she began skinny dipping with me. I luxuriated in the feel of her naked skin against mine. If I could have transformed then, I would have, I wanted her so badly. It seemed my feelings were returned as she would do it on a regular basis.

She would sit naked beside me as we lounged in the sun, and talk about her day, and her issues. I do not think she was ever looking for solutions, but I was content for this time. Every now and then what she was saying was wrong, so I would get up and walk away. Her parents were right in what they had done, I would have too in their position. 

"Why are you leaving me Kell?" she would wail, "Don't leave me I need you!" I would turn back and assure her I loved her but when she started her rubbish again, I moved away. Eventually she would figure it out, "You think they are right don't you Kell?" she would eventually ask and I would nod my horse head at her, "I should apologize then, shouldn't I?" Again I would nod at her. She then would sit in a ball considering the problem before heading home. I would make sure she knew I was still there for her and that I loved her. Though in truth, I did not like these times. It felt as if I was a mile away from her instead of right beside her.

Despite these few times, she would sneak out to the stables on a regular basis to sleep beside me. I loved the feel of her body next to mine. Although it was unusual for horses to lie down and sleep, I did it for her as I wanted, no needed her touch. If we had been in the fae, my father commented to me after the 5th time he had caught us sleeping together in a private place, we would have been considered married from when she was 13. But we were not in the fae, and although the magic had been building up, it still was not enough for me to transform.

I trusted that one day I would transform and that she would love my human form just as much as my Kelpie horse form.

Sue-Anne, when she was nearly 16, came to me spouting how she wanted to promote our horses in an upcoming cross-country event. I knew that it meant she was riding me in it. I was somewhat worried about this event as I had never participated in an event like this before, what if I do not make the cut? What if I run out of steam? I do not want to disappoint my lady; I will do my best!

We practiced everyday going through difficult landscape, jumping gorse bushes and fences, running up and down hills, galloping through water. My favorite bit was galloping through the water, in the deeper water I wished I could swap to my water form but that would have been cheating, not to mention dangerous for my girl. I wanted her alive, not dead. I did not feel I knew her enough to use the kelpie magic on her, and she did not view us as married even though the rest of my people did.

I wished that she did view us as married so I could stop having to have cold swims, jacking off as a horse just looked weird and felt weird so I preferred not to do it. I was satisfied though at the end of our training that I was in good enough shape as I could now canter gallop, jumping anything required, swimming anything required all day. I just could not gallop at varying speeds. Sue-Anne tried to get me to change and quickly discovered that it was a bad idea.

"I will wait for the other riders to be out of site before I start," she mused at me, planning for the event, "I do not want you confused by their rush." And with that we were ready.

She let me rest every 7 days and the day before the event. We did go out the day before but it was only for a couple of hours to burn off my energy without tiring me out. She then washed and brushed me all over, her hands cleaning every bit of me. I have never felt so clean and good in all my life. I am sure if I were a dog, I would have rolled over showing my bits and begging for more, but I am not a dog. I was left instead with an unsatisfied ache.

I watched her then clean all my tack. I tried to help her, but this annoyed her more than helped so instead I watched her, nuzzling her whenever she was distracted, bringing her back. She would laugh each time, pat my face and go back to cleaning. Finally, she was done. She went inside and came back smelling of roses.

To her credit, she slept with me again that night easing my want just a little. I was left yet again wishing for my human form. I felt a build up of magic within me that night. It was the night before the full moon on the 2nd day of the month. I wondered at it. I kissed my girls face and went to sleep, excited for the new day.

I awoke to her frantically washing me again, braiding my hair and then disappearing inside to I guess shower and get herself ready. When she exited her home, she was dressed and carried a rucksack on her back. I was guessing it was our food for the day. I knew from experience that what she carried for me in that rucksack was high energy food. It would give me the energy I needed but I would still be hungry.

"Looks like it is eating grass again," I whickered at her, I preferred the oats she spoiled me with but I knew that she could not carry the amount needed for me. I made sure I ate every last bit of the food she had given me while she showered, knowing full well it would be a while before I got to eat again the rich food, she spoiled me with.

When we left it was a lovely autumn day, the sun was sparkling through the tree leaves, a gentle breeze was blowing, it was a warm breeze for Autumn, but the day itself was pleasant. Sue-Anne and I trotted along in a companionable silence.

Upon arriving onsite to the Competition, I patiently waited where she left me as she signed us. There was some nice grass there so I grazed on it, content to wait. When she came out, she took us to the stable allocated to us. It was the furthest away from everything. I was not really surprised as we were lucky to even be competing. I agreed with the prayer of thanks to the 2 Gods that we even had a stall.

Sue-Anne took one look at it and started to muck out the stable, it clearly was not clean to her standard. It looked fine to me, but this is my girl we are talking about here. Yes, she liked to sleep with me, but she also liked knowing what was in the room we slept in. As she did not know here, she recleaned it herself to her satisfaction.

I just waited patiently for her while she did this, I moved off a little as I saw another patch of grass I could graze on, but it was not too far as I knew I could not wander about like at home. I also wanted to keep an eye on her as she was beautiful and innocent about the world.

She was walking back from the stable store room with a bale of fresh hay to put out on the stable floor when she was accosted by a group of young men. I had noticed them earlier scoping her out and daring each other to approach her. The tallest had decided that he was going to marry her. I felt a ball of anger build in me at that. How dare he! She is my wife! You cannot marry my wife!

"Hello, little lady," The man had moved to block her way, leaning against the corral wall, trying to look cool, "What are you doing?"

"Mucking out my stable," she said, trying to get away from him.

"I can see that, but what are you doing here?" he asked again as if she was stupid. I could see it dawn on her that this oaf was trying to flirt with her.

"I am here for the cross-country event," Sue said trying to stifle the panic she was starting to feel, "What are you here for?"

"What a coincidence," he smiled a predatory smile, "That's what we are here for too. Isn't that right Harry and Paul?"

The other two nodded to his question.

"So pretty lady, what is your name?"

"Why should I tell you? You have not even introduced yourself?" Sue rightly pointed out.

"Oh, sorry, where are my manners?" he apologized before continuing, "My name is Kevin Atkinson, and these are my buddies Harry and Paul."

"Pleased to meet you Kevin, Harry and Paul," Sue said, "But I really must get back to work, my arms are killing my holding this bale," and again, I tried to brush past.

"Oi, little lady, I introduced us to you, be polite and introduce yourself now,"

"I honestly do not want to, I don't want anything to do with you," Sue replied, and on seeing his aggrieved expression she continued, "I do not mean to be rude, or anything, but the facts of the matter are that you will not see me again, nor will you have any way of contacting me. So why do you need my name? Little lady is fine by me."

"So, it's going to be like this is it?" He answered with a predatory sneer on his face, "This is fine by me Little Lady!" and he snatched the hay bale off her and threw it to his mates, took her by her shoulders and forced a kiss on her. It made me burn with anger seeing his disrespect of her.

"There is more where that came from," he sneered as he pushed her towards an empty stall. I could hear her fear as she screamed out, "Help! Someone! HELP!"

I reacted straight away. I galloped up and stuck my head between them, under his arms and lifted my head up breaking his grip on her. Once that was achieved, I maneuvered myself between them all, protecting her from them. I glared at the group of men, challenging them to just try again and I would take them down.

"Thank you Kell," she whispered touching my flank.

"What the hell?" Kevin spluttered, "What is with this horse? How can I be with you if this horse is in the way?"

"Let me be clear," she said as I then moved out of the way, so she could look directly at the perpetrators eyes, "I want nothing to do with you. I would rather be married to this horse then ever be with you!"

"So that is what you want?" he asked, "You could have been rolling in riches, being my girlfriend, but you choose a horse?"

"You never asked me to be your girlfriend," she pointed out, and seeing his expression she continued, "Even if you had, my answer would be the same – NO WAY IN HELL! And yes, I would choose that horse every time over you!"

Kevin went to reach for me but again I intervened, stopping him from doing so. I was feeling rather pleased by her words. So pleased I could have kissed her then, but I did not. It was not the time right now.

"Well then," Kevin sneered at her, "You can have your wish – You are marrying that horse today!"

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, "That is impossible! No one can marry an animal!"

"I do not think you know who I am, little lady. If I say you are marrying that horse, you are marrying that horse!" Although he looked deranged and was clearly angry, I was pleased by what he said, "I will arrange everything for your marriage after the cross-country event."

I could sense her reluctance, but I was pleased by the idea, you will finally be mine I though as pulled her into a horsey hug and nuzzled her neck.

She pushed me away with a laugh and picked up the discarded haybale and walked to the corral that we were allocated. She spread out the hay, lay down her sleeping blanket and fell asleep. I followed her inside and shut the corral door behind us. I did not like how those men were so I positioned myself to keep watch and guard her from everyone.

It was just as well I did as those 3 bastards came back and saw her sleeping. They watched her for a bit before deciding, "Oh look the princess is sleeping... Let's take her now while her guard is down."

They opened the corral door and blocked them by rearing and biting them.

"Shit, you bastard of a horse!" the person called Paul said.

"Well go!" I said, surprising me and them with my words.

I watched as the 3 grown men scrambled out of my corral on their backsides, fear etched into their faces, "What sort of horse is this?" they screamed.

"Since you ask so nicely," Sue replied calmly, bringing their wide frightened eyes back to her, "He is a purebred Eriskay stallion."

"That horse is the devil! See you at your wedding," and with that parting comment they were gone.

I turned back to her, utterly satisfied that I had succeeded in chasing the men off. Seeing her anxious I nuzzled the top of her head to comfort her.

She sat stunned for a little bit before it registered on her the time. It was mere moments till the race and she had not got me ready. She had removed my tack when she put out her blankets. It was nearby so I reached over and put my own blanket on. I grabbed the saddle and tried to put it on as well, but that was a failure. Sue laughed and finished placing it for me. She then placed my bridle and reins on, and we walked out to the yard where she hopped on and went to the start line to sign in.

At the start line we saw Kevin and his cronies on their thoroughbred horses. They nodded to us evil smiles in place. I looked at their horses and said to them My condolences for having such assholes for riders. They snorted their agreement.

We lined up and the gun went off. We stayed put. I assume so that I could start my race at my speed and only my speed, not be tempted into gaits that would ruin my ability to run a long fast race. It was not long before people started jeering at us.

"Should have stayed at home girl if that is how you are going to race!"

"Go home, you clearly cannot race!"

"Leave them alone, they will surprise you!" another said.

"Yeah? Want to bet on it?"

"Sure! And if they win you will..." I had enough then at the insults, so I left going straight to my easy cantalop (cross between a canter and a gallop).

I was worried by the distance that the others had gotten, but I had to trust in myself that I had done the right thing. I was relieved when we caught up with the last of the riders about halfway. I knew then that we had a chance to win as the horses were looking tired. They perked up a bit as we breezed past them, only to fade again once we were out of sight.

We were about 2/3rds our way past all the competitors before we saw a change in the horses being ridden.

Sue patted me saying, "So Kell, from here on out are the well trained and exercised horses, do you think you will catch them all?"

I snorted, of course we will catch them.

We finally caught up to the front of the pack with about 10 more kilometers to go. The front of the pack consisted of Kevin and his cronies. They were a little more difficult to pass as they were working together to block our paths. Not to mention they were whipping their horses to go faster.

This went on for 5 kilometers before I noted their horses were starting to foam from the mouth with exhaustion.

Stop, just stop! I said to their horses You will die at this rate!

"Slow down!" Sue yelled at them, "You will kill your horses at this speed! Please stop! Kell is use to this speed. Your mounts are not! Please, do not kill them because of me!"

They laughed at her and ignored her warning.

Their horses looked at me and said with their eyes white with fear Better dead then serving masters like these.

2 kilometers before the finish line their horses dropped down dead. I grieved at their loss, but I continued. There was nothing I could do for them but win the race and go back for their owners.

It seemed Sue was of like mind as she sent me back for them at the end of the race.

I rushed back to find the men angrily swearing and kicking their dead horses. I was so angry I headbutted the lot before pulling them up and onto my back with my teeth. I used the Kelpie magic to hold them in place not allowing them to move any part of their bodies so that they could not hurt me.

I then turned and galloped back to the start line. The men swearing at me and their situation. As soon as I was back in town I released the magic, but apparently, they had not noticed as Kevin yelled at someone "Get me off this horse!"

Someone pulled the 3 off, with little difficulty, to the surprise of the 3 men on him. I saw Sue smiling at the situation.

Kevin, after a brief scene with an attendant offering him water and he pushed him away in anger, "Leave me alone!"

He then stomped over to Sue and said to her, "You and your horse deserve each other, you red eyed freak!" and he waved at a woman. That woman came up to me with 2 others and pulled Sue away protesting.

I did not have long to wonder what they were doing as a groom, led me away explaining to me that they were getting me ready for my wedding. I was delighted, so I cooperated as best I could. They dressed me in a tux on my neck so I looked somewhat like a man. They then led me to an outdoor chapel and placed me where the groom should stand. The groom who had dressed me stood beside me as my best man. I was thankful for that.

I could tell Sue went through the ceremony in a daze, I in comparison soaked every word spoken up, taking them into my soul as instructions for our lives to come. When the ceremony came to an end Sue woke up from her daze as the priest or whoever it was said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." I gently leaned forward and kissed me Sue, begging to the Gods to allow my mouth to change to my human mouth. I felt them answer as my mouth tingled with magic.

Kevin smirked at us as he handed Sue our marriage certificate, "Now you cannot marry anyone you horse loving weirdo!"

"I would rather marry him then you! You sadist!" she shot back.

"Well, congratulations, Sue-Anne Torbrok, you have!" he jeered, "Get going now, before things get nasty."

"But my trophy..." she objected, before being overridden.

"Do not worry, princess, the winnings will be forwarded to your residence. No one wants you around now." Unfortunately, what he said seemed to be true. Hostility was growing around us.

"Ok, you win," Sue deflated a little and led me out of the chapel and hopped on me in a side saddle type way and headed home. I fixed her to me so that she would not fall, I did not want my wife dying on me after finally being recognized as her husband. Sue did not bother retrieving any of her clothes or tack. It was an expensive loss; one she would never make again.

Sue's grandmother Eliza came out to meet us, as she had been looking out for us from the kitchen window, "Sue- girl," she spoke with concern in her voice, "Where is your saddle and clothes that you went off with this morning? And why are you dressed in wedding clothes?"

I released my magic and Sue fell into her grandmothers' arms, the floodgates opened on her eyes as she wailed, "Grandma! I was forced to marry Kell or be raped. I chose to marry Kell!"

"Shhh! Shhh, darling," Grandma Eliza comforted her, seeing my discomfort at her words (didn't she want to marry me?), "It is not as bad as you think. You could have done worse than marry Kell. He is a handsome Kelpie after all."

"Are you still on about that?" She questioned her through my hiccoughs and sniffles.

"Yes, dear, because it is true. My grandmother Sue said it was true!" Sue buried her head into her chest and drew comfort from her hug as she continued, "This land might have recovered enough magic as Grandma and Grandpa carefully planted trees in circles to attract magic. That is why there are 7 circles of different trees planted around our central lake. You know the the alder, ash, apple, aspen, birch, blackthorn, elder, gorse, hawthorn, hazel, heather, holly, ivy, mistletoe, oak, reed, rowan, Scots pine, vine, willow, and yew trees.

It is also why it is important to keep those circles healthy. I know our other land is not included in the land Grandma and Grandpa bought, but it probably is just as well we have the other land to have the industries, we need without interfering with the magic pooling in the center of that lake."

"You really believe this don't you grandma?" Sue asked her.

She nodded with a smile. "Hopefully you will see Kell in his human form, he has devoted his life to you - you know. If what grandma Susan said was true, by fae law, you were already married, long before this ever happened."

"Fae law? Do you really think that is the case?" Sue questioned her.

"Yes, but we chose to follow the person called Gee and the God of Gods, so it may not affect us. I do not know. But regardless, Kell is a beautiful partner, even if nothing ever happens." She released Sue from her hug and kissed my forehead, "Come on in now, and tell your parents the good news!"

"Yeah, like telling them is a good idea," Sue muttered, as she was certain her parents did not believe in grandma's stories.

Upon telling them they told Sue her home was now the mill, where we spent most our time anyway. Sue took her belongings out to the mill.

That night under the full moon, I felt magic calling to me from the pond. Sue followed him, dressed only in her knickers and shirt and looked at where I was looking. A circle of moonlight hit the water and the water looked like a pale blue like fairies were dancing in a circle in the middle of that pond.

I knew then that we could go to the land where I could be a man, so I said to her, "Hop on Princess Sue-Anne, tonight we travel."

So, to my incredible luck, she did, and we travelled to the fae.

🍀A/N Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter. If you see any errors please let me know as this is unedited. Again apologies for the change in font... 🍀