Chapter 2

Audravarians can live for a maximum of five thousand years, so dying at the age of nineteen is a hilarious joke even the ants would laugh at.

But here I am, feeling so proud that at this age, I ended my life and was able to escape the suicide-inducing kind of situation I was in.

Anyway, I never imagined what the place would look like after death. Even if I had a hard time keeping myself alive, I never thought of it until I finally experienced the sensation of likely bidding my goodbye to all the problems I long carried on my shoulders. I never got to thank the dagger that helped me escape my reality back there, for it truly helped me dodge a bullet.

I had always have my crown with me, but the only moment when I feel at peace is when I remove it from my head—on my sleep. Finally, I have the chance to realize how I used my nineteen years for worthlessly playing my role. I was really in dire straits.

Yes, I did not live to create who I am. Who I am was the one who controlled how I live. And dying, really, was my last resort.

However, since I was successfully saved by the bell—at least I consider my father as the bell for the first time since I got here because of his spell—I might as well start thinking on how to survive for the second time.

Above all, where am I? I half expected a red-hot lava flowing like a stream in between dreadful demons with horns, thick blood dripping from their long sharp teeth, hands that are fresh from eating some kind of flesh are opened outstretched for my grand entrance.

Of course, I did not think that I would still be a princess if I die and go to hell. The truth, I did not really believe that I would be going either in heaven filled with angelic hymn nor hell of seemingly endless abyss possessing a never ending fire where I am soon be tormented. Because after all, I am not the type to believe in such whatsoever I haven't seen.

So . . . where am I? I did nothing but to obey the kingdom’s order in my past life, but killing myself is no doubt a heavy sin. I don’t think I deserve a hairy bed to sleep on, soft and foamy that is just a little less comfortable than my bed in the royal chamber.

Yet the crux of the matter is the atmosphere feels off, the place is nasty and hot breeze caresses my skin from time to time. As I sniffs, my nose is being bombarded with the scent of I think an abundant grass rotten since immemorial, dust, dirt, decay from pieces of lumber and . . . manure.

Aside from that, as of now, it feels like my eyes are the only part of my body that I am capable of moving. Worry not. I do seem to have big eyes, anyway. But I feel strangely heavy, really.

Looking around, I see several horses lined up in rows. The number of the ones in the right is the same as in the left. There are also on the other side of the row, and I conclude that these animals are quite cute compared to those we have in Audravaria who have doubled their height.

I see. While I was imagining either monsters or angels to welcome me in the afterlife, I was greeted by horses.

The truth, I never dreamed of anything that night aside from being able to get away from the King’s control by successfully dying. Not in my memory that I thought of the day that I’ll be waking up inside of a stable.

Stable . . .

Stable?!

Adrenaline spun through me, and I staggered up. Yet as I did, something feels off.

I looked down on my feet and saw that . . . that . . . that I have four! I have four feet! And they are covered with hoofs!

No, oh, no. This can’t be. This can’t ever ever be.

Like a person going berserk, I harshly moved my entire body and I felt some hair slapping on my neck, which I conclude is the mane, and a tail that I am capable of wiggling.

I raised one of the feet that I’m seeing and it moved! I can control whatever this body I am trapped into. I am not just being consumed by it. It is me.

I am really . . . a horse.

That fact made me feel dizzy, my feet weakened and I fell to the ground. It was as if the impact had knocked every wisp of air from my lungs, and I just lie here, mouth hung with lips slightly parted, my eyes are as wide as they could stretch. 

I feel like I am trying to remember how to breathe, totally stunned as the word bounces around inside my skull, like how it bounces when it runs: Horse! Horse! Horse!

I shut my eyes as I shook my head. Of course, this is not true, right? He he. This is just a side effect of suddenly waking up in a different world, is it not?

I spent a couple of minutes blinking and breathing, waiting for my white-furred body turn into my real ivory pale skin. But my eyes already feel sore by the light coming from the morning sun that trespasses through the holes of the roof, nothing changed but the sudden sound of water that reaches my ears, loudly dripping from somewhere I can’t locate.

Huh? Dripping wha—

“Hades! Son of a horse!”

I hysterically took my stance to move away from the horse peeing beside me. I felt that it wetted my hips—I think it is gaskin since I am no fail a horse—and I couldn’t help but to enumerate all the strongest spells I used to cast back then.

As predicted, nothing happened.

Yes, I can naturally move my body since this is me, but the feeling is strange and bothersome—one, because I’m aware I was a human, and two, I know I’m not supposed to be like this. I can accept it if I became at least a cat or a dog, or a bird. But, horse . . . ?!

God of heavens, can I just go back to Audravaria? I promise I won’t run away anymore. I’ll protect the crown, I’ll aim for the throne, I’ll rule the Kingdom of Oqazia. And first of all, I would gladly let my good-for-nothing husband deprive my virginity so we could produce an heir since that was the first reason why I ran away.

God of all glory and of sovereignty, I can’t live like this. I was a princess, living in a gigantic castle that reaches the skies, walking in an everlasting staircase made of gold. There’s no way I can survive as a horse!

I tried moving my body. Hades! I even look worse than my pet back there, Haira, the Pegasus. I don’t even have wings!

What is this place? Is this Rimalaya, the planet of magical animals? But I am obviously magic-free! I bet this isn’t Thepsis either, the world of creatures that are half human and half animal. Lastly, I am sure not in Xoutadhel where the humans have characteristics of an animal, because if there’s something I learned about that planet, there is no single animal living in there. And at least, they are humans!

What is this place, then? Or is this . . . Earth? If so, then why am I not a human?! From being a princess in the planet of Audravaria, the world of magic and strength, becoming a lower being with a weak body and short lifespan is quite a disgrace already. Is it not yet enough that I even turned into a horse?!

I scanned myself as much as I can. This body is not even flexible so I can’t see much, except that I know I am taller than these on my sides. And observing the other horses, I’m the only one who has a white, sihiny fur—a shade of fallen snow soaked in an olive oil.

Whatever. I may look better than the other horses, I’m still a horse. However, I am thankful that unlike them, I’m not tied.

My eyes widened with the realization. I can escape from this stable if I want to. Maybe I am no one’s property. Maybe I just happened to wake up here after falling from the sky, or whatever.

Alright. Somehow, the situation got a little better. I approached the balustrade and easily jumped out of it.

I was about to step out from the narrow exit when I heard voices from the outside. To my calculation, there are two of them talking just behind the wooden door.

“J-Jeric! Huwag sa leeg, pinagpapawisan ako.”

That . . . that language is new to my ears. Our language in Audravaria is different, but strangely, I can understand them.

At anong leeg ang pinag-uusapan nila?

Wait. I can even talk in their language! Hades, this is cool. I’m now a bilingual. Audravarians use a single language, be it an Oqan or a Crane. And if I am not mistaken, this planet has thousands of languages, and I only know this language for sure. Technically, I was born here and that makes it justifiable.

These lower beings really love to complicate things, huh?

“Mabango naman ang pawis mo, e. Pakagat na kasi sa leeg.”

That’s gross. What are these lower beings talking about? At dapat ko bang marinig ang mga ’to?

I felt my tail elevated as I heard the girl giggled.

“Ang landi nito!” she said, but sounded like she’s actually liking it. “Papagalitan tayo ni boss kapag nagtagal tayo.”

“Dadalian naman natin. Sige na, Myra. Gawin natin sa loob.”

Ano ang gagawin nila rito sa loob? This place has nothing but horses and manure and fresh excrement. In short, this place stinks!

I tried stretching my body. I did not wait for them to enter before deciding to go out. And as soon as I did, what I saw got the hell out of me. There’s a boy pinning a girl on the wall and their lips are pressed together. For someone who haven’t seen such erotic scene before, maybe it is natural for me to react as if I am getting killed.

In my head, I’m screaming like, ‘Aaahhhh’. But my horse self noisily let out a humiliating sound, “Neeeiiigghhhh!” 

And the next thing I remember, both of them are already shouting loudly, even their feet were raised from the ground as they hugged each other.

“S-sino ka?!” the girl hysterically asked. “Sino kang kabayo ka?!”

I just blinked my eyes, hoping that this body is capable of making her sense how stupid she is to ask that. At gusto ko ring bigwasan ang sarili ko dahil nagawa ko pang isipin saglit kung paano siya sasagutin.

“Myra . . . ” The guy scratches his head after recovering from the shock. “Sa tingin ko hindi sasagot iyan.”

Sa tingin niya lang? Of course, I can’t answer them, like totally can’t! These lower beings are really . . . really . . . uh!

I looked at the wide path on the left side of the stable and saw that it will head to the forest with gigantic trees. That’s the only option I have, because I think the road on the right is where these two lower beings came from.

I looked at them one last time before marching away.

“Jericho! Ano pa ang ginagawa mo? Huliin mo 'yung kabayo!”

“H-hindi, hindi iyan ano, hindi yata kay boss—”

“Anong hindi? Nanggaling nga rito!”

So they will also dare to get me now, huh? My apologies, but I am no one’s property.

Since horses are known for their speed, I bet those two have no single chance to catch me, especially when I started galloping straight through the density of the forest. I spent minutes of taking turns and entering narrow paths until I can barely see the sunlight.

Observing my surroundings, I had yet to see any sort of wildlife. I never thought about my safety before entering this not-so-mysterious looking forest. Pumasok na lang ako dahil wala naman akong ibang pagpipilian.

Though being a horse doesn’t make me at the bottom of a food chain, I’m still worried that something stronger than me might appear. A lion or a tiger, perhaps. This body is weak, and it’s not that I can separate my soul from it anytime there is danger for me to feel unconcerned. Isa pa, hindi ako napunta rito para lang mamatay dahil sa kapwa ko hayop.

This is my body, my soul. I better take care of it for the time being.

I am constantly on the lookout for any indication of fauna while making my way towards the inner part of the seemingly endless forest. Mukhang wala naman.

Perfect. It seems like I will be on my own now. But getting away from being caged in a stable is just the tip of the iceberg. Thinking about my entire situation, how can I ever survive? Where am I headed? I don’t even know my destination.

Can I just die once again? Mukhang pinaglalaruan ako ng buong daigdig.

This is not exactly what I dreamed of. Being a horse is already distressing! What else could get worse?

“Neigh!” I helplessly cried when I stepped into a particular land and the next thing I knew, I am already caught by a net trap.

Slowly, from the darkness of the woods, two humans came out walking with nothing in their hands but guns.

I don’t know how they use that tool, but I have read in my books that people from Earth mostly use that from killing. I admit I am afraid, and it’s frustrating because I used to be the reason of someone else’s fear. But at the same time, I’m relieved since I think heavens heard again my prayers.

I will die!

“What a beautiful horse it is.”

I shivered upon hearing the lady’s voice and the language she just used. It’s Audravan, the language of Audravarians! Galing ba kami sa iisang mundo?

The guy beside him nodded his head while looking at me. “Nakapagtatakang may kabayo na umabot sa parteng ito ng gubat. Aside from that, I don’t think I know someone who owns a horse like this.”

“So strange. Akala ko kanina, sayo iyan.”

They are using two languages at a time, the Audravan and the earth language I don’t know how it’s called. Siguro, pinag-aaralan sa mundong ito ang lengguwahe namin. Pero maliban dito, ano na ngayon ang gagawin ko? Aren’t they going to shoot me with those long guns in their hands?

The woman took a step closer to examine me. And when our eyes met, even with the praises I have received because of the beauty I possessed, I couldn’t help but to feel amazed by how lovely she is.

“Rio, I’m taking our captive alive. Whoever the owner is, I’m taking it.”

“Ano naman ang gagawin mo riyan? Marami ka nang alagang kabayo.”

The lady smiled meaningfully. “Who said I’m taking it as mine? Ireregalo ko siya sa isang tao.”

The guy laughed in return. “Hay nako. Hindi ko na kailanga’ng hulaan kung sino.” He shook his head. “But I don’t think your lifetime crush will accept this. At higit sa lahat,” he breathed out, “aanhin ni Devon ang kabayo?”

Now, these strangers are planning to take me as a present for someone who is an equal stranger.

These lower beings . . . ! Once I turn into my real self, I will devour them with no fail!