Redhawk
Always and never changing
Chapter 2
Not for love of family nor title would I be wed to an old man who acted with two faces in his behaviors and evil morals. Not at my age of ten and six, it was not as if I were an old maid yet! I should have at least three more years of freedom before that would be the issue. No, there was no other choice for me but to leave in the night as a thief and a liar and the disappointment of my parent’s hearts.
The Rogue was a perfect gentleman, even in the rain, and picked his way across the mote bridge, as dainty as a cat, his feet wrapped in cloth to silence the sound. I pushed back what was left of my hair, having hacked it off to shoulder length. The strands of gold I wrapped up in a pouch and stuffed into my pack. Ryan had mentioned having seen hair of such a length for sell in the bigger towns, for wig maker’s shops, perhaps I could sell it somewhere.
I had taken all that I could carry of my own that had value, in his efforts to help Ryan said if I planned to avoid anyone that I could simply stay with based upon my good name, I would need money or a way to get some. Nannine claimed that in my rough clothes I looked like a boy more so after cutting my hair. So I left some trifle for the groom’s boy and took every bit of clothing he had not on his self that night.
Once we had passed the low curving hill leading to the Keep, I touched Rogue with my heels lightly and he broke into an easy canter. We had but gone a short way when the rain seemed to grow stronger and I feared leaving prints in the mud that even now was beginning to pull at my horse’s legs. With no thought of turning back, I reined my lad for the wood in hopes that the ground would provide more gentle footing and the trees perhaps some shelter from the rain.
I did not wish to be seen at all and so our first rest was during the day, after the rain had slowed to a soft drizzle and a wan sun tried to filter down through the tall pines and birch trees. Six days did we travel thus. Not once did we leave the woods and I counted it lucky that there were small creeks and occasionally streams to slack our thirst.
On the sixth morn I tethered Rogue close at hand with the last of the sweet feed I had brought and slowly ate a moist oatcake. There were yet some apples left in my bag for us to share of an evening and some cheese Nannine had nipped for me. After cutting some branches and piling them around us both I would lay down to rest in the thicket covering. It was the rain splashing down my neck from one of the friendly limbs that woke me just before dusk, my face covered by my hat as it were.
“Oh bother the rain,” I muttered gathering up my things in the shadow of another damp evening. The mist of the rain seemed to have become a fog that was everywhere. “Well, old boy, we are yet in for another night of it I see.” The Rogue nickered softly and pawed at the fallen pine needles as if to express a wish that he be put in a warm stall this evening. He had managed to eat every possible bit of forage within the space of the long line I had tied him with and I worried he might soon need better feed than could be found on such paths we traveled.
I mounted and we took off at a walk. “I hope you have some vision that I am lacking sir, I cannot see hardly a thing here.” Rogue was willing, so I trusted him to move us through the forest and the thick stuff that surrounded everything. “Perhaps if we could try finding a higher ground laddie, we could see better?” Barely could I see how his ears moved back and forth at the sound of my voice. I wondered if he hoped to come to the dry and friendly stable he had once known?
The rain slowed to a gentle mist, but the fog seemed to thicken still more around us and the only good thing was that it seemed to be slightly less cold than other, recent nights had been. I could feel Rogue climbing more than before, but the trees that were within reach were the only forms I could make out. The woods were so silent in the fog, it felt as if we were the only ones there now or ever. The crackling of Rogue’s hooves were the only sounds except for his breathing.
I pulled him back for a true rest hours later, for even at a slow and easy walk he had gone on all night, with only short stops, into the false dawn. I had just slipped off and offered him a drink even as I took my own when we heard a high bawl of terror! Both of us snapped out heads around and I dropped the bladder of water just as the second cry rang out!
Rogue began to dance in place wanting nothing more than to be gone. Since we were of one mind, I jumped on and put him to the trot away from that place. The screaming seemed to echo around us. High pitched and frightful, and screams they were now, of what I did not know! What sounded like a calf or deer bawling from attack at first did not seem to cease but grew!
Realizing that whatever was screaming could not simply be that of a normal prey beast being attacked, I felt a clear and growing panic! I had no sword, no bow! Hardly would my belt knife be of any true help with such as this might be! I had never heard such a horrible sound before.
When my poor frightened horse jarred to a stop and reared, pulling the reins from my grasp, I could not hope to hold his head; the slick leather reins slipped right through my hands! With my legs wrapped tight I grabbed at his heavy sodden mane just as his front feet hit the ground and he bolted.
The horrid fog was no less thick and glowed white as the sun continued to rise behind us. My fear now was not that we could not out run that fright which so did move us, but that we would crash into a tree, or other hazard being quite blinded by the fog! It was all I could do to hang on and pray that my horse had more vision than I did, or that the One God or even the Goddess of the woods was watching and would protect a fool!
[FONT="]I suppose I'm looking to see if there is any "hook" here...of course, I'm grateful for all assistance, [/FONT][FONT="]structural[/FONT][FONT="] and [/FONT][FONT="]perspective. Greatly[/FONT][FONT="] appreciated! I have no clue why the fonts change on the post......too bad I can't blame any other oops on the computer fairy...<wink>
[/FONT]
Not for love of family nor title would I be wed to an old man who acted with two faces in his behaviors and evil morals. Not at my age of ten and six, it was not as if I were an old maid yet! I should have at least three more years of freedom before that would be the issue. No, there was no other choice for me but to leave in the night as a thief and a liar and the disappointment of my parent’s hearts.
The Rogue was a perfect gentleman, even in the rain, and picked his way across the mote bridge, as dainty as a cat, his feet wrapped in cloth to silence the sound. I pushed back what was left of my hair, having hacked it off to shoulder length. The strands of gold I wrapped up in a pouch and stuffed into my pack. Ryan had mentioned having seen hair of such a length for sell in the bigger towns, for wig maker’s shops, perhaps I could sell it somewhere.
I had taken all that I could carry of my own that had value, in his efforts to help Ryan said if I planned to avoid anyone that I could simply stay with based upon my good name, I would need money or a way to get some. Nannine claimed that in my rough clothes I looked like a boy more so after cutting my hair. So I left some trifle for the groom’s boy and took every bit of clothing he had not on his self that night.
Once we had passed the low curving hill leading to the Keep, I touched Rogue with my heels lightly and he broke into an easy canter. We had but gone a short way when the rain seemed to grow stronger and I feared leaving prints in the mud that even now was beginning to pull at my horse’s legs. With no thought of turning back, I reined my lad for the wood in hopes that the ground would provide more gentle footing and the trees perhaps some shelter from the rain.
I did not wish to be seen at all and so our first rest was during the day, after the rain had slowed to a soft drizzle and a wan sun tried to filter down through the tall pines and birch trees. Six days did we travel thus. Not once did we leave the woods and I counted it lucky that there were small creeks and occasionally streams to slack our thirst.
On the sixth morn I tethered Rogue close at hand with the last of the sweet feed I had brought and slowly ate a moist oatcake. There were yet some apples left in my bag for us to share of an evening and some cheese Nannine had nipped for me. After cutting some branches and piling them around us both I would lay down to rest in the thicket covering. It was the rain splashing down my neck from one of the friendly limbs that woke me just before dusk, my face covered by my hat as it were.
“Oh bother the rain,” I muttered gathering up my things in the shadow of another damp evening. The mist of the rain seemed to have become a fog that was everywhere. “Well, old boy, we are yet in for another night of it I see.” The Rogue nickered softly and pawed at the fallen pine needles as if to express a wish that he be put in a warm stall this evening. He had managed to eat every possible bit of forage within the space of the long line I had tied him with and I worried he might soon need better feed than could be found on such paths we traveled.
I mounted and we took off at a walk. “I hope you have some vision that I am lacking sir, I cannot see hardly a thing here.” Rogue was willing, so I trusted him to move us through the forest and the thick stuff that surrounded everything. “Perhaps if we could try finding a higher ground laddie, we could see better?” Barely could I see how his ears moved back and forth at the sound of my voice. I wondered if he hoped to come to the dry and friendly stable he had once known?
The rain slowed to a gentle mist, but the fog seemed to thicken still more around us and the only good thing was that it seemed to be slightly less cold than other, recent nights had been. I could feel Rogue climbing more than before, but the trees that were within reach were the only forms I could make out. The woods were so silent in the fog, it felt as if we were the only ones there now or ever. The crackling of Rogue’s hooves were the only sounds except for his breathing.
I pulled him back for a true rest hours later, for even at a slow and easy walk he had gone on all night, with only short stops, into the false dawn. I had just slipped off and offered him a drink even as I took my own when we heard a high bawl of terror! Both of us snapped out heads around and I dropped the bladder of water just as the second cry rang out!
Rogue began to dance in place wanting nothing more than to be gone. Since we were of one mind, I jumped on and put him to the trot away from that place. The screaming seemed to echo around us. High pitched and frightful, and screams they were now, of what I did not know! What sounded like a calf or deer bawling from attack at first did not seem to cease but grew!
Realizing that whatever was screaming could not simply be that of a normal prey beast being attacked, I felt a clear and growing panic! I had no sword, no bow! Hardly would my belt knife be of any true help with such as this might be! I had never heard such a horrible sound before.
When my poor frightened horse jarred to a stop and reared, pulling the reins from my grasp, I could not hope to hold his head; the slick leather reins slipped right through my hands! With my legs wrapped tight I grabbed at his heavy sodden mane just as his front feet hit the ground and he bolted.
The horrid fog was no less thick and glowed white as the sun continued to rise behind us. My fear now was not that we could not out run that fright which so did move us, but that we would crash into a tree, or other hazard being quite blinded by the fog! It was all I could do to hang on and pray that my horse had more vision than I did, or that the One God or even the Goddess of the woods was watching and would protect a fool!
[FONT="]I suppose I'm looking to see if there is any "hook" here...of course, I'm grateful for all assistance, [/FONT][FONT="]structural[/FONT][FONT="] and [/FONT][FONT="]perspective. Greatly[/FONT][FONT="] appreciated! I have no clue why the fonts change on the post......too bad I can't blame any other oops on the computer fairy...<wink>
[/FONT]
But, if y'all don't give up on me, mayhaps I'll manage to GET A CLUE! Stranger things have happened, hope shines eternal...eh?
