With a small bag containing only a few articles of clothing, Pan made his way to the royal stables and had one of the horses saddled. Without a second thought, he climbed on and rode out of the palace enclosure and along the main thoroughfare towards the palace gates. The ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ and the pointing fingers of surprised subjects registered only subconsciously. He was numb. He felt nothing but dazed.
Once he’d passed through the palace gates and left behind the few huts and stalls immediately out the front, he brought the horse to a gallop. Gripping the reins, he focused on the way ahead, his mind empty of thought and his vision blurred by tears. He continued to ride without stopping until the position of the sun told him it was well after midday, and it was with great relief he fin
