Stuck in the Mud

By Donna and Abs

The passengers in the stage were dozing as the horses drew it along at a steady canter. They were well past the farms now, and heading to a small way station where they would stop and rest the horses before continuing on to their final destination, Camelot. Rob Roy was one of the passengers, and he was snoring lightly as the stage rocked back and forth. He opened an eye when the sound of rain hitting the roof above him woke him up. A gust of wind buffeted the stage, making it sway, and making the passengers grab something to keep from getting thrown on the floor. 

Up on the driver's seat, Con Madigan slowed the team down to a walk as the rain started to come down so hard he could hardly see the road in front of him! The nearest shelter was the way station, so he continued on in that direction. The only thing that worried him was the stream they had to cross not too far from where they were at that moment. 

Even though it had not been raining long, it had not taken long for it to start coming down in torrents.  The wind was abnormally high, also, and when they got to the stream, it was swollen and running very fast. 

The horses eyed the racing water nervously, but with Con's encouragement, they stepped into the water. The coach was in the middle of it when a huge gust of wind hit the side of it, and that, combined with the fast moving water, actually pushed the coach off the rocky ford that Con was crossing into a deeper area of the water! Con yelled at the horses, trying to get them to pull them out, but it was too late. The right wheel of the coach was hopelessly mired in the mud! 

Everyone jumped out of the coach.  The icy water was flowing inside anyway.  With the help of the passengers, they were able to unhitch the horses, who were terrified.  Once the team was out of the stream they could be calmed, but they would not go back *in*.  The question now was, how to right the coach and pull it out? 

They stood there in the pouring rain, talking about their options. It was suggested that they gather rocks and dump them in the stream to try to give the coach something solid to be rolled up onto while the back was levered up with a large pole. That was a possibility, but Con was more concerned about getting everyone out of the rain for now. He would worry about the coach later. 

"The way station is only about half a mile from here. We can ride the horses there. Once it stops raining, we can come back and figure out a way to get the stage out of the mud," he told them. 

This they did, and when they got there they were surprised to find it inhabited.  The girl was dark-skinned, but lovely, and she was holding out cups of hot, steamy coffee to them.  "I was worried," she said when they came in.  "You're late." 

Con opened his mouth in surprise. "Are you running the way station now?" he asked. Up to now, it had been just an empty building he had used for a rest stop. He sniffed the air. A pot of hot stew was on the fire! 

The others didn't care where the mysterious girl had appeared from, they were just relieved that she was there! Clutching their hot mugs of coffee in their cold hands, they huddled around the fire place under the warm blankets she draped over their shoulders, trying to drive the chill out of their bones. 

"Not exactly," she said.  "I won't be here all the time.  Just when you need it.  Why don't you warm up by the fire, and have all the stew and coffee your bellies can hold.  I'll be right back." 

It was past dark now, and with the horrible storm outside, it was blacker than pitch.  The fire at least offered some warmth and light in the small cabin.  It was very inviting. 

Con and Rob Roy left the warmth of the fire to look outside. There was a soft glow in the barn, so they figured the girl was checking on the horses. Con was going to head out the door to help her, but Rob Roy stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I dinna ken tha' wee lass is wha' she appears to be," he said softly. As they watched, something dark seemed to fly out of the barn and back towards the stream they had crossed, followed by several bursts of light. 

The men exchanged surprised glances as the lights disappeared in the distance. "Let us get somewha' of tha' mucklin' good stew in us," Rob Roy suggested, resisting the urge to cross himself. "I ken tha' one can take care of herself!" 

Satisfied at last, with warm food and drink in their bellies, the men fell into a deep sleep.  They were not going to go on in this storm anyway!  After the storm, the following day, they were amazed to find the coach outside the way station already hitched up and ready to go.  There was no sign of Chandra, or anyone else.  It was as if it had been a dream, except for the coach no longer being in the stream!