Hello everyone!

I'm glad to announce that I've finished the first chapter of my new sequel.

I highly suggest reading the original story, links to which can be found in my signature, before reading this, as you'll be completely lost otherwise.

The original story was also reposted by a forum member here:
http://www.beastforum.com/showtopic-124715.html
if you wish to read it all in one spot.

I had quite a bit of fun with this first chapter, and hope that I've taken the story in a direction that current fans of the story and (I hope) future fans of the story will all enjoy thoroughly.

All further chapters will be posted IN THIS THREAD, so be sure to check back often as I update the sequel with new chapters!

As always, feedback is always welcome and appreciated.

Without further adieu, I present for your reading pleasure:

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Mare Mistress: Newhaven
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Chapter 1
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The robed, hooded figure stood before me.

"This is serious business." He said. "I knew this day would eventually come."

Joran's tone amplified my already exponentially growing nervousness. I was shaking so much it felt like I was sitting on an off-balance clothes washer during the spin cycle. My knees felt as though they would buckle. My mouth went dry, and never in my life had I had a more difficult time choking back tears.

"Are you ready?" Joran asked, with a devious smirk on his face.

"Yes..." I squeaked out, sounding tinier than a field mouse.

"Then let us begin!" He bellowed with a hearty laugh. I smiled sheepishly but still felt like my legs were turning into jello. I couldn't believe this was happening. In all my life, in all of the various scenarios that danced around in my mind when it wandered, I would never have guessed in a thousand years that this would be my fate. Nearby Saphira stood silently, her demeanor only betraying a tear trickling down her muzzle.

Organ music began playing, and I could feel my heart beating in my throat. I couldn't speak now if my life depended on it. I could feel nervous sweat beading on my forehead, and dabbed at it with a handkerchief. Some of the witnesses to what was about to take place that were sitting rose to their feet in eerie unison and silence, and directed their attention to the back of the room.

The two large, over-sized doors in the back of the cavernous, ornately decorated room slowly swung open not making a sound. From the darkness beyond the doors, a palomino mare emerged, adorned in the most delicate, luxurious, fine white material I'd ever seen. The cloth was draped around her shoulders and fastened to a collar made entirely of an assortment of beautiful flowers, and flowed all the way down her rear end and onto the ground.

The music seemed to slow down and for a moment time for me almost stood still as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As I slowly inhaled, I felt time stop, and all at once fly into reverse at warp speed.



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"Me, married? Come on dad, you know better than that," I chuckled, my father letting out a great belly laugh of his own "with my domestic habits there's not a woman in the world that would have me. Too much cleaning involved."

My father slapped me on the back and let out another hearty laugh, tears forming in the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard.

"You'll find her one day, son" he laughed, putting his hand on my shoulder and smiling, "and you'll know it from the very first moment you lay your eyes on her that she and you were meant to be together."

"Do you really think so, dad?" I replied, still smiling but taking on a bit of a somber tone.

"I know so, son. You're an incredible human being, and some day you're going to make some lucky little lady very happy." he grinned. "Now come on, let's get these fish back to the house so your mother can fry 'em up for us!"

"Yeah, I guess we better start getting ready to go," I said, starting the small fishing boat's engine, "I have to work a double shift tomorrow" I sighed. "I need to visit you and mom more often."

The scene started to shimmer and grow dim as organ music filled my head again.

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A single tear rolled down my face as I silently said to myself "Bet this wasn't what you had in mind, eh pops?"

Part of me ached that my parents weren't there on the happiest day of my life. The day I was finally to be married to the love of my life. Even with all of the joys my new life brought me, it was still difficult from time to time, knowing that I'd never see my family again.

I opened my eyes to see the palomino mare now halfway between me and the door through which she entered. My excitement and nervousness rose to such a height that I unwillingly let out something between a sigh and a squeal, startling several of the witnesses in the front and bringing a smile to my beautiful mistress' face. The face that I had woken up to every morning for the last five years, much to my heart's content.

Before I knew it, she was standing next to me. The music ended, and the congregation fell silent as they sat back down. I looked out at everyone who was there, most of them I'd never met before. The room was completely packed with Equans and quadruped equines alike, although the Equans' numbers were far greater. It was Adara's idea to have the wedding open to the public, a decision I wish she would have given more consideration to. It felt odd having all of these faces staring at her and I, sharing in what should have been a very personal, intimate moment, gawking at us as if we were some sort of oddity on display for all to puzzle over.

Oh how I wished for there to be more familiar faces about. I was happy that Saphira was there, and that Joran was performing the ceremony. However, there were two faces absent that I would have given almost anything to see on this special day. Esyro and B'rial had been gone for nearly a year, but it was still difficult to adjust to their absence. Their decision to strike out on their own into the wilderness and live their lives free from technology and civilization took everyone by surprise, but we respected their wish to return to a simpler way of life. There were plenty of tears and laughs shared over fond memories on the day of their departure. We all missed them deeply.

I looked into my love's eyes, and for an instant that was an eternity unto itself, she and I were the only life in the universe. Those dazzling onyx orbs that sang symphonies of undying love captured my soul, and were mine to gaze into forever on this day.

A deep, familiar voice brought me back down from the heavens to the room filled with unfamiliar faces.

"Greater is no miracle on this Earth, than when two souls destined from the beginning of time to complete each other finally come together in harmony and become one. On this day, we celebrate such a miracle by joining two lovers together in a bond that will forever proclaim to the world their eternal love for each other, before these witnesses and whatever omnipotent power of the universe there may be. The couple has written their own vows for the occasion, which they shall now read to each other," proclaimed Joran.

All eyes fell upon me. I had the nervous pleasure of going first.

"Adara, my love. Five years ago this very day, a man died. A man who had wandered this dreary Earth without purpose, without meaning. A man whose soul was all but extinguished by the dread of facing life alone. A man going through the motions of his daily routine in his own personal Purgatory with no passion or vigor, doing no more than was required of him.

Yet on that same day, a new man was born. A man whose soul you set ablaze with the fire of passion that he had never known was capable of existing. A man whose only purpose in this new paradise he had discovered was to cherish and worship you, to do everything in his power to cater to your every desire. A man who now stands before you today, announcing to the entire world his undying and eternal love for you, and his desire to be yours and only yours until the end of all time.

I swear to you Adara my love, my goddess, my reason for being, that forever will I stand at your side and love you with every fiber of my existence. In pain and prosperity, no matter what obstacles life throws at us, I promise to see you through every bit of it with unequivocal loyalty and adoration, seeking none other than you and serving you. I will be yours until the day I die and beyond" I said, the tears flowing freely now.

Adara's eyes were beginning to water as well, and Saphira was full-on weeping.

“If you would have asked me five years ago if I would have thought about marrying a human, I probably would have laughed and told you that you were crazy. Never could I have imagined how compassionate and emotional a human could be, especially toward one of my kind. Before the Awakening, I had associated only hardship, servitude, and misery with the word ‘human.’ However, something about you was different, I could sense it from the moment I first discovered you laying unconscious and helpless in that debris. Never for a moment do I regret rescuing you and nursing you back to health. Even then, I was still completely unaware that I had made the most important discovery of my life – my soul mate.

Now looking back, I don’t know how I ever got along without you. My existence was only partially complete until you came into my life. We exist as one now, you and I. Without you, I would surely wither and die like a delicate flower deprived of sunlight.

I swear to love you for all eternity. I swear to put you before all others, to honor you and be faithful to you. To give you the life you deserve and desire. To never abandon you under any circumstances and to never do a thing to hurt you” Adara said.

At this point, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Joran snapped his finger to two unseen Equans behind curtains on either side of the platform we were on, who joined us on the platform and stood by both Adara and I. In their hands, each held a red-hot branding iron with a tip about the size of a silver dollar, emblazoned with the Equan symbol for matrimony. Joran nodded to me, and I silently complied.

I picked up the branding iron and held it out in front of me.

“I place this mark upon you my love, so that all the world may see it and forever know that you are mine,” I said as I gently pressed the branding iron into her shoulder just long enough for it to leave its mark. She didn’t even blink, though it must have been painful. I then returned the iron to the Equan who was holding it before.

Adara then picked up her branding iron in her mouth as I rolled up my sleeve.

“I place this mark upon you my love, so that all the world may see it and forever know that you are mine,” Adara echoed, gently pressing the branding iron into the soft, supple flesh of my upper arm. It was all I could do not to cry out in agony as the red-hot metal seared my flesh, permanently marking me as Adara’s mate.

“By the authority granted to me by the Equans of the New World Equine Confederacy, I now pronounce you as married. May your love and devotion grow every day, and may your cup overflow with abundance. You may kiss the bride,” Joran said with a grin.

I took Adara’s muzzle into my hands and kissed her passionately to uproarious applause and whistling.





The reception was brief, to say the least. Most of the onlookers were already gone, the novelty of the first human-equine marriage having worn off by then. Joran had been recalled due to some urgent matter of state, and Saphira had joined him.

We arrived home shortly after the reception to our quiet house on the outskirts of the city. Newhaven as the Equans called it, was one of the larger of the remaining cities, and had been named as the new Equan capital after the destruction of the original capital by the humans’ assault. We lived in what could almost qualify as a mansion by most human standards, but quite modest by Equan standards. It had been custom-built for us by Joran as a token of his gratitude for helping to end the war, and brokering a peace treaty between the Equans and the humans.

I approached the door and placed my hand on the scanner, which promptly read my fingerprints.

“Identity confirmed. Welcome home, sir!” an overly cheery, annoyingly automated voice chirped as the door slid open.

I looked at my lover and smiled. “Sorry I can’t carry you over the threshold” I laughed.

Adara smiled “Oh don’t worry, the only threshold I’m worried about is in the bedroom, and you never have trouble carrying me over THAT particular threshold” she said deviously as she nipped at my shoulder.

“OUCH! Hey that hurt!” I said, feigning pain.

“Aw, do you want me to make it feel better?” Adara asked as she carefully pulled off my tuxedo top and licked me in the same spot she had just nipped.

“Ooohhh… definitely” I moaned.

As I turned from Adara to head toward the bedroom, I stumbled over a large box I had failed to notice before, and nearly hit my head on the floor.

“What’s this?” I asked, standing back up and snatching a piece of paper attached to the box.

“Hope this makes your honeymoon interesting! Love, Joran and Saphira” I read the note out loud.

“Ooh open it, open it!” Adara said as she pranced in place like a nervous thoroughbred before a race.

I took a knife from the kitchen and cut the tape on the box, and all at once a bizarre assortment of items spilled out onto the floor. Cans of whipped cream and chocolate syrup, candles, a saddle and bridle, riding crop, chaps and spurs, handcuffs, a blindfold, leather straps and harnesses that I couldn’t even begin to imagine a proper use for, an artificial stallion penis, and a spritzer bottle labeled simply “try this on, she’ll go nuts” in Joran’s handwriting.

I immediately burst into laughter upon seeing the indescribable array of perversion before me. Adara simply stood mouth agape, not knowing whether she wanted to laugh or find Joran and promptly kick his skull in.

Still laughing, I stripped the rest of my clothes off. I tried on the chaps and put the spurs on my bare feet, and stood a few feet in front of Adara.

I took the riding crop and rubbed it under her chin, smirking with mock-perverse pleasure as I said “does my naughty little pony need a good whippin’?” before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter yet again.

Adara finally broke down at the sheer ridiculousness of how I looked wearing nothing but chaps and a pair of spurs on my bare feet and whinnied with laughter. Then I eyed the saddle and bridle and nodded toward it, saying “Think I can ride my little bronco-ette for more than eight seconds?”

“Try it, and your head will suddenly and violently become separated from your neck” she said with fake seriousness as we both fell to the floor with painful laughter, tears streaming down both of our faces from the hilarity of it all.

It was then that I noticed a picture in the bottom of the box, with several of the objects in use by two familiar beings. The photo depicted Saphira laying down on her front legs and standing on her rear legs, wearing a blindfold. She had a bridle on and her mouth was agape from the reins being pulled backward with one hand by Joran, who was standing behind her with nothing on but a pair of chaps, his head tossed back in seemingly intense pleasure as he buried his dick deep into Saphira and swung the riding crop down onto her rump with his other hand.

“Oh my…” I said, picking up the picture, “I had no idea Joran and Saphira were so kinky!”

“Let me see,” Adara said as I held the picture up for her to view. “Wow… that’s… wow…” she said.

Ever since Joran and Saphira were married to each other a little over two and a half years ago, we saw less and less of them. Apparently this was what they were doing on those lonely nights when Adara and I wanted their companionship. What a shame they didn’t include us in their fun.

“I’m getting so turned on, Adara” I moaned as I licked the palomino mare’s muzzle, “let’s go to the bedroom and have some fun.”

“Oh?” she replied, pretending to be disinterested, “and what exactly did you have in mind?”

I leaned in close and slowly breathed hot air onto her left ear, whispering “Well, I thought I’d start by getting a taste of that oh-so-delicious pussy, my beautiful mistress.”

I felt Adara shudder and saw her tail move up ever so slightly as she closed her eyes.

“Mmm… that could be fun” she said, her façade of playful disinterest quickly crumbling.

“And once you’re horny, I’ll lay in the floor while you squat over me and cover me in your hot, steamy urine so I get your delicious scent all over me” I continued.

I could see Adara’s tail lift a bit higher and heard the ever-so-familiar faint sound of her clit winking in and out.

“Then… I’m going to screw you so hard you’ll pass out from having too many orgasms” I said, biting down on her ear and running my finger up and down her chest.

I was so thankful every time I made passionate love to my mistress for the gift that Joran had given me of infusing me with Equan DNA. My penis had gotten substantially bigger, my stamina had increased, and I was now able to bring Adara to climax after sloppy climax, wearing her out long before I became tired myself.

“THEN DO IT, HUMAN!” She roared, pinning me against the wall and shoving her tongue down my throat, no longer able to resist. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sloppy tongue-kissing, even though I could barely breathe with Adara being so forceful. Not that I was about to complain. I threw my arms around her neck and continued kissing her as we somehow made our way to the bedroom, banging into everything we encountered along the way and knocking pictures from the wall.

When we got to the bedroom, Adara climbed up onto the massive bed and laid down letting her rear end dangle over the edge while I got on my knees beside it.

“LICK!” she commanded, nearly sitting on my head pressing her pussy into my face so hard.

“YESH MISHTRESSH” I moaned, my tongue abruptly parting the lips of her pussy, launching a full out assault all around its lips and as deep inside as it could physically invade. Adara bit down hard on the other side of the bed, snorting and panting heavily. Without warning, a flow of hot, steamy liquid burst forth from those delicious vaginal lips, some making its way into my mouth and being greedily swallowed by me, the rest pouring down my chest and puddling on the floor.

“MMMMmmm, Thank.. you.. mishtressh” I moaned as I continued frantically licking her pussy, covered with the delicious aroma of her urine.

Without warning, Adara rolled over onto her back.

“SCREW ME!” She commanded, “SCREW ME HARD YOU LITTLE HUMAN SLUT!”

My throbbing erection was eager to carry out her orders. I scrambled up onto the bed and laid on her belly as I pushed into her pussy, instantly overcome by the intense pleasure that her warm, wet passageway greeted me with. She brought her muzzle to my lips and stuck her tongue in my mouth again as I made love to her missionary style.

We both snorted, panted, whinnied, and moaned as I thrust into her harder and faster, feeling her first climax within a few minutes as her head fell back onto the bed and she let out a shrill whinny. I continued plowing into her, as deep as I could go, my balls sometimes finding their way into her love canal only to be ripped right back out a split second later. Her second orgasm came much faster than the first as her breathing quickened. I laid my head on her chest as I drilled her even harder, I could hear her breathing get faster and her heart beating more rapidly than ever as I finally tossed my head back with a deafening roar and came inside her as her third orgasm clenched my manhood tight within her, her pussy squeezing every bit of sperm out of me it could. I fell down onto her chest and kissed it.

“I love you mistress… And now I’m yours forever” I said, running my finger across the mark of love I had lovingly placed on her shoulder earlier that day.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way” she said, rolling back over onto her belly after I moved out of the way for her. I climbed up onto her back and sprawled my naked body out on top of her as I pulled the heavy-duty blankets over us.

“I’m never letting you go” I said with my face buried in her mane as I drifted off to sleep.


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To be continued…
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it is hard for me to put in to wards how i feel about this start of the new story. sory to hear about the lose of two members but i am sure things have to change. as to the marage. i hade a varey close horse lover a copel years back that if stil with us i woudl mare right now. this story is realy starting off good. i will be checking back quite ofton hoping for new chapters.
curt a
evel4x4

bump back on top. and thanks for voting for me horseybutsdrivemenuts.

186 views and no replys this is a realy good begning to a story. come on people lets get some replys going.

I thought I'd commented on this before, but I guess not. I liked it a lot. I'd give you a 10 if I could. Continue. :]

hum no replys back on to you go

A big ten for this story...

I only found it today, and will usually comment on stories and pictures, etc., that I like.

This story makes me want to go mare poochie hunting, ha ha ha...
My 4rth favorite kind of poochie...

a much needed bump. this needs to stay on top. i realy wish horsebuts was closer to me as thear is 3 outher horsey people near me and we try to get to gather twice a mounth just to viset and talk. and of corse if we have time we head to the barn. but that is neather hear or thear. do keep up the good work.
evel4x4

bump

time to get this back in the publick vew. come on every one lets get so comonts going for this hit.

:thinking: bump

Chapter 2 coming soon, look for it to be posted here by the end of the day :)

i have just finished reading the first chapter of newhaven, an excellent return looking forward to the next chapter , thank your for continuing the story.

Unic0rn69

I loved all of the previous chapters you wrote & this chapter is no different! To be honest, I did not see this coming (which is a good thing[keeps me on my toes]). Like I said, great work my friend :friends: ! Keep it going :beer:

And for everyone else, let's keep this alive!

Here's chapter 2, at last. I hit a bit of a snag with some writer's block, but I finally got over it and was able to finish chapter 2.

There's not much sexual material in chapter 2, just advancing the story. Hope you enjoy it!

Please, keep the comments coming! Suggestions and criticisms are welcome. Tell me what about the story you like and don't like, and even maybe a little about what you would like to happen next. I welcome all feedback and it helps keep me writing.

So if you read the story and liked it, didn't like it, or have something to say about it, let me know!

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Chapter 2
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Joran sat astride the paint mare as she trotted toward their home, which was only a few blocks away from the reception hall. Any casual observer might have thought it should be a struggle for the mare to carry so much weight, but she moved as gracefully and with as much ease with her lover on her back as she did riderless, even if he was almost as big as she.

“Are you alright, darling?” he asked the paint mare, “you seemed a little emotional at the wedding.”

“Oh, I’m fine… it’s just that… the human and I… there was a time when I wished I was his only love. A time when I would have given anything to be in Adara’s place, especially at the wedding tonight. A time when I loved him so much I would have jeopardized my friendship with Adara if it meant getting closer to him. Don’t get me wrong, there was a lot of passion between us, but deep down inside I always somewhat resented sharing him with Adara. He and I shared so much… he really helped me heal from the emotional scars of my past” Saphira said, sounding somewhat dismayed.

“Well, you have ME now, Saphira…” Joran snorted with indignity.

“Joran I’m sorry… I didn’t mean… you know I love you, I wouldn’t change what we have for anything” the paint mare quickly offered, suddenly realizing the wound she had inflicted on her husband’s feelings.

“It’s okay. I know you love me, I just hate to think that there was ever a point of time we weren’t together” Joran said lovingly as he slid off of Saphira’s back when they arrived at their home.

“Before I return to the city center to attend to whatever business the Council has with me, there’s something I need to tell you Saphira. By the time I leave the Council chambers tonight, I plan on stepping down as Praetor. I want us to have more time together. It hurts me so much that I barely get to see you. I’ve led my people for six long years, I think it should be someone else’s turn to shoulder the responsibility.” Joran said with his back turned to the black and white paint mare, sulking as he looked at the ground.

“I just want you to be happy” Saphira said, putting her head on Joran’s powerful shoulder from behind. “I know what a sense of pride and satisfaction leading your people gives you. I just don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret because of me.”

Joran turned around and immediately kissed Saphira passionately.

“As long as I have you, there will NEVER be any regrets” Joran said as he put his arms around Saphira and hugged her tight. “I love you Saphira, more than words can say.”

“I love you too, husband” Saphira said as she closed her eyes, fighting back tears. “Joran… promise me you’ll give this a little more thought before you make the decision final. Things are going so well for us right now, I’m just terrified that if anything changes something bad will happen between us, and I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”

“There is absolutely no danger of that happening, my love” Joran said reassuringly. “Now you go on inside and get to bed. I’ll be home as soon as I can, it shouldn’t take more than a couple hours” he said, giving her one last kiss as he started off toward the government building.

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A sudden warm, wet, moist sensation moving up my cheek woke me from my slumber.

“Good morning my dear” I said, smiling as I opened my eyes to see Adara lovingly lapping at my face as she lay next to me.

“Can I get you something for breakfast?” Adara asked, continuing to lick.

“Mmm… just a little more of what I had last night, please.” I said, raising my head and opening my mouth to let her tongue occasionally poke inside. After a few minutes of licking, kissing, and tongue-wrestling, I let my head come to rest on my pillow again. Adara laid her head on my chest, and I let my fingers wander through her mane as I gently stroked her.

“They’re going to have to invent a new word for how happy I am right now” I said, continuing to caress my lover, here eyes beginning to close as she nickered with pleasure.

“Hmm.. the bed is nice and dry. How did you manage to change the sheets without waking me up?” I asked.

“Very carefully” Adara said, eliciting a gasp from me as her tongue unexpectedly glanced over my left nipple.

A loud computerized chirping startled us and interrupted the intimate moment, with its typical overly cheery annoying automated voice, “Visitor at front door. Retinal scan indicates 99.993% probability visitor’s identity is Saphira.”

“Well let her in, already” I said, continuing to lay there and stroke Adara’s mane and neck.

A few moments later, the gorgeous black and white paint mare entered our bedroom, with a panic-stricken look about her. I immediately rose to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Saphira, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s Joran… he still hasn’t returned… he wasn’t supposed to be gone all night. I contacted the Council and they told me that he resigned as Praetor, and none of them have heard from him since he left the government building last night around 1:00 a.m. Something doesn’t feel right about this, he should have contacted me by now to let me know where he was going. I’m worried to death, I didn’t know where else to go…” she said, on the verge of sobbing.

“It’s okay, Saphira. We’ll help you find him, won’t we Adara?” I said, Adara nodding in response. “I’m sure I can pull a few strings and find out what’s going on, after all, I do have some influence as the government’s ambassador to humanity.”

“Thank you…” She said, putting her head on my shoulder as I raised my hand to stroke her neck reassuringly.

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“Tell us what we want to know, NOW!” The harsh voice said to the powerful Equan, whose hands were bound and tied above him. He was helpless to stop the onslaught.

The human nodded to another human who was standing behind him. Joran heard the whoosh of the thin leather flying through the air, and the nerve endings in his back protested greatly when the whip found its way there with a loud “THWACK!” causing him to grimace in pain.

Joran’s naked back ached from the lashes he had received since early that morning when his abductors took him prisoner as he made his way home. He stood naked, bound, and helpless.

Maybe if I just tell them what they want to know…he began to think to himself… Maybe this will all end. I can’t stand the pain much longer. I’m going to break, and they know it. So what’s the point in prolonging it? ..no NO… I can’t betray my people. They’ll have to kill me first. I must stay strong.

“Still not feeling cooperative, eh?” The man asked with an evil smirk on his face. “Ten more lashes. Then we’ll give him some more time to reconsider” he said.

Joran closed his eyes and braced himself as the man began to count.

“ONE!” *THWACK!*

“TWO!” *THWACK!*

“THREE!” *THWACK!*

“Oh, and find that paint mare he’s so fond of” he said to another man standing nearby. “Saphira. That’s her name, right?” he asked Joran, a look of sadistic pleasure and satisfaction on his face as he continued to count.

“FOUR!…….”

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“I’m sorry ambassador, I wish there was more I could do” The female Equan on the computer screen said.

“It’s okay, I know you’re doing your best, madame councilor” I said. “End transmission.”

The computer screen flickered off and I slammed my fist on my desk.

“I’ve contacted all sixty-five members of the council, and NONE of them have any leads. They assure me they’re using all means at their disposal to find Joran, though. I’ve never felt so… helpless. I’m so sorry Saphira, I wish I knew what else to do” I said, beginning to tear up, greatly concerned for my friend.

Saphira put her chin on my shoulder and closed her eyes as tears silently began to stream down her cheeks.


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“EIGHT!” *THWACK!*

“NINE…”

“WAIT! Wait…” Joran whinnied loudly. “I can’t take it anymore. I’ll tell you what you want to know. Just please, promise me you’ll leave Saphira out of this, she knows nothing about this.”

The man held up his hand to signal the man with the whip to stop.

“I thought that might get your attention” he said. “Now tell me, where’s the temporal inversion generator at?”

“In the ruins of the old capital. I’ll have to go with you, the building is coded to only allow a select few Equans in, and its defense systems will incapacitate anyone who tries to enter without the proper authorization” Joran said with a defeated tone.

“Let’s escort our guest to the ruins of the old capital, shall we?” The man said with a triumphant laugh as he motioned for two armed guards to cut Joran down. Joran fell to the ground, blood seeping from the whip marks on his back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Saphira, maybe we could try to go to the government building and start asking some questions. SOMEONE had to have seen SOMETHING” I said. “He’s been gone nearly a day now and I’ll be damned if I’m just going to sit here and wait for the Equan authorities to come up with something. Joran’s my friend. More importantly, he’s your husband. We HAVE to do something. We can’t just…”

“Visitor at front door,” The annoying computer voice interrupted, “Retinal scan indicates 99.9953% probability visitor’s identity is Joran.”

I immediately jumped to my feet and ran to the door, Saphira and Adara close behind me.

“LET HIM IN!” I yelled to the computer.

The front doors slid open, and Joran took a few steps inside before falling to the floor.

“HUSBAND!” Saphira whinnied in terror seeing the welts and wounds on his back.

I took Joran’s arm around my neck and attempted to help him up. “Adara, help me get him to the bedroom. Saphira, get some towels and warm water.”

Adara complied, and slid her head under Joran’s other arm to lift him off the ground. We struggled to carry him to the bedroom, where we laid him on the bed and dressed his wounds with the warm water and towels Saphira brought us.

“Joran, what happened?” I asked him.

“Humans… they’ve got access to the temporal inverter… no time…” Joran gasped, handing me a disk. “Security footage… from the research center’s cameras… I managed to get my hands on it when I escaped them… they’re going to use the temporal inverter to change the past… they’re going to stop the Awakening from ever happening” Joran said before passing out.

I suddenly felt a great sense of dread come over me.

“Computer, put me through to the Equan Leadership Council, emergency frequency” I said, quickly taking a seat at my desk while Adara and Saphira tended to Joran.

A large, dun-colored Equan’s image flickered onto the computer screen. “What can I do for you, ambassador?” He asked in a friendly manner.

“I don’t have much time to explain. Joran is here, he’s been assaulted. You need to send medics here right away. Also, I need you to tell me everything you know about something called a ‘temporal inverter.’ The future of the entire Equan people may depend on it.” I said quickly.

The dun Equan immediately took a more serious tone. “I’ll send the medics, but the information you’re asking me for is classified. I’ll have to assemble the council and take a vote on….”

“COUNCILOR! Joran made it clear to me that we have precious little time to prevent a catastrophe. He said something about humans taking control of this… ‘temporal inverter’ and planning on somehow using it to prevent the Awakening from ever happening. Now I don’t give a damn HOW classified that information is, I NEED IT NOW!” I yelled, slamming my fist on the desk.

The Equan thought about it for a moment, then sighed. “Very well. I’ll probably lose my seat on the council for this, but if there’s any chance that what you’re saying may be true, it’ll be a small price to pay.

Temporal inversion technology is extremely experimental. I won’t bore you with the scientific details. In a nutshell, a temporal inverter is basically a time machine. It allows the space-time continuum to be altered, and matter to be sent to different points in time and space. The humans you described will most likely attempt to use it to travel back in time and kill the scientist responsible for the Awakening. I’m uploading the coordinates of the nearest temporal inverter to you. It’s most likely non-functional, as we abandoned our research in the field of temporal mechanics long ago. However, being in the presence of one when the timeline is altered should allow you to at least retain your memories of all of the events of the past five years, and transfer them to your past self at the point in time the temporal inverter the humans are going to use is directed at.

There will be no way of telling when that may be. You may not have long to stop them.

We’ll dispatch police to all of the known temporal inverters to try to stop the humans, but in all likelihood we won’t get there in time. You are our only hope. Good luck” The Equan said, the screen flickering off shortly thereafter.

I inserted the disk Joran gave me to view the footage. My jaw dropped as a dumbfounded look took over my face.

“I recognize these people…” I said to myself “…they’re the ones that captured Esyro and B’rial, and tried to capture Adara…”

“Adara, I need you to take me somewhere as fast as possible” I said, “no time to explain.”




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Adara slowed from a gallop to a trot as we approached the guarded Equan building. One of the guards approached me and said “I’m sorry sir, this area is restricted. I need to see your security clearance authorization to allow you to enter.”

“We don’t have time for this, I need to get to the temporal inverter, NOW!” I yelled.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to lower your voice.” The Equan guard said.

Just then, a bright white light and a loud thud pulsed through the atmosphere.

“Oh no…” I said “..we’re too late.”

The pulses grew louder, and brighter, occurring with more and more rapid frequency.

Adara began to fade away, and I put my hands up to her faint image, unable to touch her.

“Adara… NO!!!” I yelled as she began to vanish.

“I love you, husb…” she said as she disappeared.

I hit the ground in agony as the bright light blinded me and I lost consciousness.

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“ADARA!” I yelled, bursting upward in my bed covered in a cold sweat.

“What… happened?” I asked, looking around. I was shocked to see my mother at my bedside.

“Mom… MOM? Is it really you?” I asked, beginning to cry and then throwing my arms around my mother, hugging her tight.

“We were worried about you son. You’ve been sick for a while now. Your father and I came over here when we couldn’t get ahold of you on the telephone. That was a couple days ago. Your fever just broke this morning” she said.

“Who’s Adara?” She asked, with a grin on her face as she offered me a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. “You kept talking about her in your sleep, saying you loved her.”

“Oh… just… someone at work… a woman I met the other day, she just started working there” I lied, knowing my mother would think me insane if I told her what was really going on.

“Mom, this may seem silly… but it’s really, really important… what’s the date?” I asked, taking my mother’s hand in my hands.

“August 15” she said.

“What year” I asked.

“Oh dear.. you don’t know the year? Maybe we should get you to the doctor” my mother replied with concern.

“Mom, please… what year?” I asked again.

“…2002” she said, with a puzzled look on her face.

“..exactly one week before the Awakening.” I said to myself.

“The what?” my mother asked in reply.

“Oh, nothing… mom, I need to go. Thank you for taking care of me… but… um… there’s this really important project at work that I NEED to take care of right away, it’s very time-sensitive” I said, hugging my mom as I walked out the door, stopping to take one last look at her, knowing I may never see her again and trying not to cry.

I paused for a moment and began thinking to myself.

You know… you don’t have to stop them. You lost your entire family in the Awakening… maybe this is just fate… how often to people get a second chance?

…but what about Adara? And Saphira? I don’t even know where they are. Can I really allow them to continue living their lives as servants to a bunch of cruel, uncaring humans?

But am I really willing to sacrifice everyone I care about for the sake of a bunch of horses?

Well… I don’t have to decide right away. I have an entire week. I can at least spend a bit of time with mom and dad first. This might be the only chance I get to ever see them again.

“On second thought mom, I think I’ll stay here with you and dad for a bit. I hardly ever get to see the two of you. I miss you.” I said.




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To be continued…
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