Rational thought had long since ceased by the time he was released and had they not
carried him miles into the country, he would have lain where they discarded him right
outside the doors. He did, in fact, lay there for an hour before they realized he
was going to die before he removed himself and they hurried to get rid of him before the
day broke. In relative silence, disturbed only by the horses and the cart, they hid
the evidence out of habit; carelessly tossing him into the river. They had no
concept of how strong the will to survive could be and they were convinced his life ended
when he hit the water. Had they known they no doubt would have kept him, but they
didn't and no time was wasted as they urged the horses into a gallop and headed home.
It was never known how he managed to make it to the shore, but there he lay when
the sun rose over the trees and that was where he was found.
It was an interesting time for the Fates, and they enjoyed the curious nature of humans.
That may have been why the excursion was pushed ahead nearly a week. If it
had not been, the boy would have died and the story would have ended there. As it
was, the day proved to be beautiful and no one cared to spend it indoors. Normally,
these cares would have been lain to the side so important tasks could be completed, but
the Fates intervened and pushed these humans. There was no other reason for four
youths, barely more than children, to drop their work in order to go riding in the
countryside miles from their home. The sequence of events started; the story begins.
* * *