To the greatest of all magics
Somewhere in La Mancha, whose name I don't know, were two unusual characters. One dressed in silver armor, with a basin for a helmet and a long lance, he rode a horse that looked malnourished and called himself Don Quixote de La Mancha, formerly known as the Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance, but now as the Knight of the Lions. The truth is that this individual was a nobleman named Alonso Quijano, who from reading so many stories of chivalry, the greatest of literary evils, his brains dried up and he believed himself to be a knight-errant! At his side and with a donkey, he was accompanied by his squire, Sancho Panza. A farmer who was a neighbor of Don Quixote, whom he had convinced to accompany him on his adventures in exchange for ruling an island. Sancho, who was with very little salt in his head, did not recognize his neighbor's madness, and accepted.
After three hot days of traveling the roads after their most recent adventure, Sancho, his Rucio, which is how the squire referred to his donkey, and Rocinante, Don Quixote's "steed," were exhausted. Unlike the knight, who looked ahead with determination.
"My Lord. Please. We must rest," Sancho begged his master, barely standing, leaning on his Rucio. "My Rucio refuses to carry me and my feet are sore. Besides, I'm dying of hunger. I won't be able to continue like this."
"Very well, friend Sancho," Don Quixote responded. "It is of the wise to know when to repose. And I think Rocinante seems to need it too. However, we will resume our journey as soon as possible," With that said, they went to take shelter in the shade of some nearby trees, where Sancho opened his bag and took out some of the few provisions they had left.
"We'll have to buy more food when we get to the next town or another inn," declared Sancho. They really needed some more food. Despite that and his great appetite, Sancho decided to extend his arm and offer his master a piece of bread.
Don Quixote looked at the bread and then at his squire. "I thank thee for thine offer, Sancho friend. But I must decline. For I am a knight-errant, I cannot fall into the sin of gluttony. Although I would like to taste something pleasant, my figure must please my beloved Dulcinea, so I must keep my body exercised as it is."
"If your worship says so," replied the squire. "But my wife has never shown dissatisfaction with my body, so let me eat as much as I like. Also, I need it to follow our path, that with bread and wine the path be walked."
"Thou always with thy gossip and sayings. Sancho, speak clearly!" Don Quixote complained. "Besides, we have no wine."
Don Quixote then retired to sit on a nearby rock, where he began to recite verses and poetry in a dramatic manner, imagining that he was speaking to his beautiful lady, Dulcinea del Toboso. For their part, Rocinante and Sancho's Rucio fed on the not dry grass that they had found and Sancho did the same with the bread. The comfort of the plump squire with a full belly and under the shade was such that he fell asleep, releasing great snores.
When suddenly something interrupted Sancho's peaceful sleep, waking him up confused and disoriented.
"Do not fall asleep yet, friend Sancho!" Don Quixote shouted while kicking the side of his squire to make him react. "For we have a new adventure! And as knight-errant, I need thine assistance so that my exploits may be contemplated and corroborated before historians! Real ones! Not like that miserable who wrote falsehoods about our persons."
Still disoriented by his sudden awakening, Sancho stood up with the help of his master and directed his gaze towards where Don Quixote was pointing. It was a large clearing nearby full of vibrant green grass, but what his master was pointing at was some horses running through the green landscape, which stopped slowly in the middle of the clearing.
"It seems like a large group of horses my lord, but what are they doing here?" Asked the squire, more awake than a few moments ago.
"They might escaped from a nearby stable," answered Don Quixote. "In that case, it is my duty as a knight-errant to take them back to their owners."
With their objective clear, knight and squire mounted Rocinante and the Rucio and discreetly headed towards the fugitive horses. As he got closer and closer, Don Quixote noticed with admiration the great beauty and elegance of the animals, such that they surely belonged to some kind nobleman. But his surprise was enormous when he reached where the steeds were. His face made a grimace of pure astonishment and he raised his arms in stupefaction. But the one who was most surprised was Sancho, when seeing his master land with a jump on the ground and kneel before the animals, as if being before royalty.
"What is your worship doing, why are you kneeling before these horses?" Asked Sancho, dumbfounded.
"Be silent! Oh, you damned traitor! Foolish Sancho," Don Quixote shouted with fury after turning to his squire. "Speaking as if these creatures were any crude animals, why don't thou recognize the royalty in front of thee?! Now kneel down too to show the respect these beautiful creatures deserve and don't put me to further shame."
Sancho, still bewildered by his master's actions, but fearful of his fury, obeyed him, bowing as best he could before what to him and any sane person were mere horses.
"Please excuse my squire, oh venerable princess. He is uneducated and illiterate, ignorant, but still loyal and a good helper," Don Quixote apologized, kneeling in front of what apparently was a mare. Sancho looked at her, she was a tall mare with the purest white and well-kept fur, she observed his master silently while her cream-colored, similar to pink, mane and tails, slightly waved because of the power of the winds.
Sancho continued to look dumbfounded at his master's words. The squire was more of a realist than his master, and did not see the world in the same way as him, but as someone sane and grounded. However, he always believed what his Lord told him.
After a few seconds, Don Quixote stood up and took Snacho by the shoulder, moving away from the mare while Rocinate and Sancho's Rucio approached her. "This, my dear friend Sancho," Said Don Quixote, pointing with his open palm at the white mare. "This is the venerable Princess Celestia of the Sun. She is one of the diarchs of the distant and magical kingdom of Equestria, a place only known by legends and tales to which no knight has ever reached. She is accompanied by her sister, Princess Luna of the Moon," Don Quixote again pointed to another of the horses, this one was smaller than the supposed "Princess Celestia" and with a dark coat. "And by some of her subjects. Look there!" Sancho was hugged by his master while he showed him other of the horses. "That group there are the Elements of Harmony!"
"What your worship says, I can't understand it," Sancho shook his head. "Because for me these are simple horses, just a little better cared for than Rocinante."
For a few moments, Don Quixote looked like he was going to get angry again, but this time he just scratched his beard and nodded in understanding. "I now see what the situation is. An enchantment must be blamed for all of this! Obviously, the princesses of Equestria and their subjects have been victims of the dark arts and that is why they are here. Furthermore, this same curse must have turned them into horses and hid their true radiance before all those with weak minds and thin heads, like thee, friend Sancho! It is only because of my great knight's eyesight and experience against enchanters that I am able to see their true and pure nature."
Sancho was convinced by this explanation. They had already had problems with enchanters before and strange things always happened that seemed like they were not. Sancho had ended up believing his master's word in each of those strange situations, because he knew that he could not trust in his own head.
"It is now up to us, Sancho my friend, to help these people and free them from this vile curse," Don Quixote raised his spear determinedly.
"But how will we accomplish such a feat, my Lord?" Sancho hesitated. "None of us is a sorcerer, I'm just your squire and a former farmer."
"Do not doubt! I know exactly how to get rid of this malicious spell. We must kill the vile villain who cast it! However, I'm sure this is no work of my enemy, Friston. Not even his powers could be capable of such feat. There's only one option left!" His master sounded emboldened and confident, but Sancho couldn't stop thinking thoughts of doubt and dread. "This has been done by the evil Discord!"
"Who is this enemy?" Sancho asked. "Another enchanter?"
"Much worse, friend Sancho," Don Quixote answered. "Discord is a malevolent spirit of chaos and disorder who enjoys tormenting innocent souls with his deceitful tricks. He is the only one with enough power to cast an enchantment like this."
"But do not worry, Sancho!" He continued. "For I will make this beast persih with my powerful arm!"
"If this enemy is so strong, is your worship sure you can defeat him?" Sancho asked, worried about his master.
"Coward of little faith!" Don Quixote complained. "Haven't thou seen me face similar dangers before? This is not a battle I can ignore, Sancho! Discord has taken the equestrians' freedom, which is the right of every living being. As a knight-errant, I must defeat Discord and aid his victims and right this wrong. Do not frighten for me, Sancho, as that beast should, for I am willing to face anyone, even Satan himself if he dares!"
Sancho calmed a bit down upon hearing his master's words and remembering that, indeed, he had already faced several obstacles placed by his enemies, the enchanters. Then he said: "Very well, my Lord. I will stay here with the hors-, I mean, the princesses," He corrected himself before unleashing his master's rage.
"Nonsense, Sancho," Don Quixote replied. "Thou will come with me in the search for Discord.:
"What does your worship say?!" Sancho asked with disbelief, confused and scared. "I am no knight, no fighter of any kind. I'm just but a squire, I cannot go! I will most likely perish if I face that beast, and if I perish, I won't be able to rule my island or return with my family. Furthermore, I will become a burden to you."
"Calm down, dear Sancho," Don Quixote ordered. "If I go alone to the encounter, I do not know if I will emerge victorious. And although I am not daunted by the idea of dying with honour, if that were to happen I would not be able to keep my promise to grant thee the government of thine island. It is true that no knight has ever fought alongside his squire, but no knight has ever faced a situation such as the one we are facing, Sancho. That is why I need thy company," He explained.
"No, no!" Sancho refused. "I will not go!"
"Cowardly traitor!" Don Quixote angered. "Thou will follow my command, for thou are my squire!" He made clear. Sancho, in his dread, nodded. "Very well. Now wait here while I do one last thing."
Turning away from his squire, Don Quixote turned to the mare he had referred to as "Princess Celestia". "Good and wise diarch of the great kingdom of Equestria. By my honor as a knight-errant, I swear in the name of God and my Lady that I will find the villain Discord and defeat him, thus freeing thee, thy sister and thy subjects from the horrible enchantment of that boorish creature. In return, I only ask that thee spread the stories about me, the flower of knight-errantry, Don Quixote de la Mancha, Knight of the Lions, and my exploits, so that they are immortalized in history and written in more books. In addition to spreading the knowledge of the infinite beauty of my Lady, Dulcinea del Toboso, whom I hope to soon save from a horrible enchantment, just as I am now going to free thee. With this said and thy worship's permission, I withdraw, for I must engage in combat with the beast."
Determined to accomplish his goal, Don Quixote set off with Sancho following closely behind him, who, although frightened, did not dare to move away from his Lord, towards a nearby forest where the vile Discord was surely hiding.
They rode and rode through the trees, until after a long time searching for Discord, Sancho noticed how the sky was darkening and the sun was hiding behind the treetops.
"My Lord," Sancho said. "Look, your worship, it's already getting late, and it will soon be night, so we won't be able to see anything. Besides, that guy Discord has probably already fled, so no matter how hard we look for him, we won't find him."
"What are thou trying to tell me, friend Sancho?" His master questioned.
"That you should make the best of your time, my Lord, because it's worth the heavens," He answered. "We should retire."
"But what are thou saying, Sancho?! Give up on this adventure? Impossible!" Don Quixote shouted. "I have given my word that I would kill the monster Discord. I have never heard of a single knight who did not keep his word, therefore, I will not stop until I fulfill that promise!"
"But, my Lord. What if any dangerous animal appears?" Sancho protested.
"In that case, I will protect us, fighting and defeating the stupid creature that dares to stay in our way."
Sancho was going to question his master again and try to convince him to stop this campaign, but before he could do anything, Don Quixote silenced him with a gesture and they both stopped. Then Don Quixote pointed behind some bushes and asked for his squire's attention.
"Observe, Sancho," Don Quixote commanded. He obeyed and looked. Behind the bushes, Sancho’s eyes found a rotten trunk lying on the ground, leafless and twisted. "Behind these bushes, do you see it? We have found him my friend!"
"My Lord, what are you talking about?" Asked Sancho. "That is, indeed, a weird trunk, but just a trunk after all."
"Do not fool thourself, dear Sancho!" Answered his master. "Or have thou forgotten that Discord is a master of mischief and lies?! What to thee appears as a fallen trunk, is just a disguise obtained through enchantment, so that fools cannot recognize him," With a light and cheerful clap, Don Quixote continued. "Luckily for us, the beast is asleep and we can surprise him."
"Fortunate we are, my Lord!" Sancho proclaimed. "With the beast asleep, your worship can surely finish him alone! I will stay behind these bushes ready to glorify you after your victory," Sancho excused himself, trying to stay away from the fight.
Don Quixote, with a finger in his beard, thought about Sancho's words. His squire was clearly shying away from battle, which was expected and normal, but his reasoning was correct and made sense. Although it was a change in his plans, these were no longer necessary for the situation, as the knight-errant hoped to confront Discord awake, which would not happen, so he finally agreed.
"Very well, Sancho," Don Quixote said solemnly. "Stay here and watch over Rocinante and your Rucio. Take out of the saddlebag some remedy for a possible wound too," He ordered. "Because unfortunately, I do not have Fierabras' balm."
"Good, my Lord. Although I'd prefer to not remember that damned potion," Sancho said. "May your worship have good luck in your fight."
"I appreciate it, good Sancho," Don Quixote thanked. "But I do not need any luck to accomplish this goal," And he charged bravely with his lance in hand to destroy the trunk that he saw as Discord.
With strength and determination, Don Quixote used his lance, piercing the rotten wood. Unfortunately, the weapon got stuck inside the trunk and no matter how hard he struggled, Don Quixote was unable to get it out.
"Vile and damn villain!" He shouted furiously. "Thour sleep was just another trick to make me fall into this trap, wasn't it?!"
"Sancho! My good squire and friend, come and succor me!" Don Quixote shouted, seeing the predicament he was in, unable to wield his weapon properly.
Sancho, alerted by his master's shouts, quickly went to see what was happening. When he arrived and saw his master struggling against the trunk, which he had been told, was Discord, his blood ran cold with fear
"Friend Sancho!" Don Quixote shouted again. "Thou know I wouldn't ask thee for help in combat, but this fight is like no other ever seen before."
Looking at his squire and acknowledging the terror within him, Don Quixote continued. "I know thou are scared. Thou are coward, silly, uneducated, fat and too talkative for my taste, as well as unfamiliar with many words and with proverbs that only thou understand. But thou are also wise from time to time, humble and kind, pragmatic and above all... loyal! That's why I know that thou will come to my aid just as I would help thee!"
Motivated by his lord's speech and remembering the good times they shared during their travels and adventures, Sancho ran towards his lord ready to fight. But his fear closed his eyes and added to his clumsiness so that he stumbled against a rock and fell, stopping his race.
But for once, luck smiled on our protagonists, because in his fall, Sancho ended up upon Don Quixote, landing him on the ground. The knight-errant was hurt bearing the full weight of his squire, and the squire was hurt as felling on his master's hard armor. But it was the force of the impact that made Don Quixote's lance act as a lever and shatter the rotten trunk, causing part of it to fall.
"Look, friend Sancho. We have triumphed!" The knight-errant celebrated. "The beast is defeated and- ughhh...- Sancho! Get off of me, please! I cannot move!"
"Sorry, my Lord," He apologized as he stood up, still feeling a pain from his fall comparable to that of a beating. But his master, although seemed to suffer a similar ailment, seemed much more cheerful.
He also stood up, straightened his weapon and his back and spoke: "Dear friend, the beast is defeated, our adventure over and my promise fullfilled," He proudly proclaimed.
"I'm glad that Discord is dead too," Sancho said. He still wasn't sure if everything his master had told him that day was true, but his pain and exhaustion undoubtedly were. "Your strength is unmatched, my lord."
"Oh no, Sancho, thou are wrong there," Don Quixote told him. "It was not my incredible strength what ended with Discord. He was a spirit of chaos and conflict, therefore, our unity and joint work weakened him. I doubt my lance could have been enough to decapitate him without thine forces too.:
"Amazing, my Lord. But please, don't ask me to fight ever again," Said Sancho, tired from his race
"Ha! Don’t worry my friend, this was a special occasion. I do not think it will be repeated. But do not forget that thou are my squire first of all, so thou will continue follow my commands, understood?"
"Yes, my Lord. I wouldn't dare to do anything else, otherwise I'll never be able to govern my island. Now can we get out of this forest?" Sancho asked nervously. "It's almost night.:
"Of course, of course. Let's go, our next adventure awaits!"
