Most of the tribal heroes were killed in battle, an ambush bloodbath when the sun stood still. The others were executed the next day, along with their horses. A few dozen horses and a few lesser men, deserters, fled through mountain passes to rockier valleys. The invaders, the Not-of-our-Tribe, did not pursue them, and their Wanderer-kin called them cowards and turned their backs. This is not their story; they are mentioned only to reassure the reader some horses did survive to be trained the proper ways.
The Wanderersí king, first of their heroes, died in battle. His two sons died as wellóhis first cut down on the field, and the other prince in the next dayís hangings. This left in the kingís family only Seegahnah, a maiden. The invaders saw no profit in her death. They did not believe in female succession, but the Wanderers did. To render her completely harmless, the Not-of-our-Tribe Council ordered Prince Karlohn, heir to the throne and still unwed (much to his father Dagbadís consternation), to court her. With their marriage, Wanderers would have one of their own as queen, and perhaps be pacified.
Seegahnah, young and naive, did not understand the attentions of older, clumsy Karlohn. The prince, for his part, felt nothing for Seegahnah. She had the stereotypical Wanderer figureóshort, stocky legs and a pudgy torso, the body of one who could ride before she could walkóutterly opposite the willowy ideal of his people. So for two seasons he simply escorted her to dinners hosted by his father the king, without demanding anything in return.
A year after the battle, he took her to wedding after wedding. The widowed noblewomen of her tribe, coming out of mourning, took invader husbandsóboth to protect their families and because no suitable Wanderer men were left.
The last wedding Seegahnah and Karlohn attended as a courting couple was that of the princessí friend Feergah. Before the ceremony, as Seegahnah put the brideís hair in plaits, Feergah said, ìI have to marry for the sake of my children, but you are under no such obligation. Don't imagine you're in a hurry.î
ìI was not even thinking of marriage,î Seegahnah said.
ìWhat about Karlohn?î
ìKarlohn has expressed no intention.î
Feergah looked at her friend with pity. Seegahnah hated that expression on the older woman's face; it made her feel ignorant next to her worldly friend. ìHe intends to marry you, all right.î
Seegahnahís confusion was understandable. Though he came to call every week Karlohn never addressed her with the soft words a lover uses; though he treated her with deference he kept his hand on hers and not on her waist. Before his non-pursuit began to awaken her own desire, she had imagined his interest in her stemmed from blood-guilt. Indeed, perhaps as compensation for the loss of her family, he gave Seegahnah fine lodgingóthough she had never wished for a permanent home. (The Not-of-our-Tribe intended to make the Wanderers a settled people. Theirs was the first town walled not to keep invaders out but inhabitants in.) Karlohnís father, King Dagbad, built his fortress at the far south end of town. Near it, over the remains of a Wanderer rain-shelter, Kahrlohn built Seegahnah's cottage with an attached stable. Alone among her tribe, the princess was allowed to keep a horseóa mangy, ill-bred creature, nothing like the proud mountain ponies who had served the Wanderers for generations. Prince Karlohnís people had conquered not with the horse, but with the sword.
After walking her home from Feergahís wedding, Kahrlohn clutched the princessí hand, turning her to face him. He stammered, ìFor you to be my wife, to be the mother of my children, would make me very happy indeed. Will you marry me?î
Their wedding was a grand occasion, but all of the good cheer was enforced by the Not-of-our-Tribe. Seegahnah had come to believe Kahrlohn loved her, and so justified her choice. ìAnd I do love Kahrlohn, with all my heart,î she told Feergah in a quiet moment before the wedding. ìI am sure he loves meóhe just cannot express it.î