How to Restrain a Warhorse
Sleipnir sat in his stall, staring down at the floor while deep in thought. When he heard footsteps his ears swiveled forward, his alertness sharpening. He heard clanking. Chains beside a hammer. When the guards came into view his eyes were already on them, as if daring them to step forward. They seemed adequately wary of nearing him. "This is madness." One of them muttered. "How are we supposed to get these on it" The man lifted a set of eight iron horseshoes as if to express the hopelessness of their situation. "when its flailing all eight legs around trying to kill us?"
A valid question. Sleipnir mentally growled.
"Shut up! We do as the AllFather commands!" The other guard shouted. "Get the chain over his head. If we keep his head in control his feet won't be so much of a problem."
The Doubter snorted in disbelief but moved to follow his companion's request. Altogether there were five men and the all approached him with uncertainty and fear. They were right to be afraid. He sidled slightly to the left and backward, away from the strangers. As they neared him he made a low groaning sound and his sides trembled, his breath coming harder and more audible. He refused to leave the stall even when they lowered the rope that blocked the entryway to the rest of the stable. The head guard approached him, stepping into the stall with him despite the doubter's scoff of protest. The guard's young face was full of concern as he laid a hand on Sleipnir's shoulder. "No need to be afraid, boy...it'll all be over in a minute if you stay calm..." He stroked a hand over Sleipnir's silky black mane. "Easy lad...easy...." he whispered in a gentle tone, the tone one used to soothe a beast of burden.
Sweet kid...such a shame. Sleipnir thought, his shivering ceasing, his breath leaving in a solid puff. The guard then knew that he'd been duped into entering a zone of danger, weapon sheathed, ill-equipped, and completely vulnerable. His face went pale as his hand dropped of Sleipnir's shoulder and he made a last desperate bid to step away from the eight-legged monster. Too late. Sleipnir shouldered him with all of his strength into the post of the standing stall. The post shattered from the force of the blow while the guard who'd attempted to soothe him crumpled into a bloody mess a few feet away.
There was screaming. He could smell their fear. Good. He shook slightly, a spray of blood leaving his coat. When the next guard came at him with a sword drawn he reared, one iron-shod hoof meeting the sword and throwing the guard off balance while another hoof found the man's chest. He barely made note of where that man fell before another was upon him, trying to fit the chain over his head. He twisted, and rather than trying to pull away from the single chain he practically leaped forward with his head down. Being headbutted by a man was painful, his skull included several pounds of power as well as the metal bridle over his brow.
Two. He thought as the man crumpled. He didn't even have to look when two more came at him. He bucked slightly, kicking the guards away like annoying gnats. The final guard cowered against a wall, watching as his companions were smeared beneath the warhorse's hooves. He raised a trembling sword, his eyes wide and his face pale. The doubter. Sleipnir recognized, then lowered his head. The sword cut across his shoulder but he paid it no mind as he placed his bloody brow close to the young man, meeting his eyes with his own blood-red gaze.
"Am I a horse?" He asked, his voice a deep gravelly sound, punctuated by the clink of his teeth against the bit in his mouth.
"N-no sir." the guard responded meekly.
"And you. Are you not one of the Kingsguard?"
"Yes sir." the boy whispered.
"Then go back. Tell him that if he wishes me restrained he should do it himself." With that he stepped away, trodding through blood-smeared hay back to his stall.
"Sir...he will execute me for my failure here." The guard said tremulously and Sleipnir turned to gaze over his shoulder.
"Then there are two choices open to you. Die for delivering your message to the king or remain here and die for your cowardice of hiding from me while your shield-brothers fell bravely before me. That is your choice."
The man shivered, meeting the stallion's blood-red gaze for a long moment before he turned and ran. Sleipnir didn't know if he went back to Odin or not. He didn't really care. Either way, his message to Odin was painted all along the floor and walls of his stable. He knew not why Odin had sent guards to restrain him, perhaps as punishment for last week's bite. Good. Maybe now Odin was getting the point that he would no longer bear being a beast of burden.