Battle Horse

Chapter Twenty One

Ena slowly rose from her chair, staring at Ulf in horror.

"You what?" She asked bitterly.

"Ena, please hear me out! The horse was out of control! He was trying to kill me, but Wilfred pushed me out of the way. After the horse's hooves had made impact with his skull, there was nothing we could do to save him." He said. Ena shook her head in disbelief.

"I would still have a father if he hadn't saved you." Her voice was filled with hatred towards him. His eyes widened with alarm.

"I can assure you, Ena. Wilfred was my best mate. I wish it was me who had been killed, many times." He said in barely a whisper. Ena shook her head.

"No. That's not good enough. I grew up fatherless because of you." She spat bitterly. She made her way towards the door.

"Ena, please!" He called, but she opened the door, slamming it behind her.

   She couldn't even begin to think about forgiving Ulf. He didn't tell her, and he had made her suffer her whole life. She looked up to him when she was little, in hopes of being like him one day. But he didn't deserve that kind of respect from her. Ena marched back to her closet and quickly changed into one of her dresses. She was more comfortable in them since she was more familiar with them. She wrapped a dark blue cloak around her shoulders that matched her dress, and pulled up the cowl. She than headed out of the school. It didn't take long until she was at the village. Many people were still out and about as she headed down the roads. She had her gaze focused on the little road that led into a clearing some ways down in the forest.

Once she left the light of the village, the forest made everything dark. A soft glow could be seen up ahead as she approached the cabin. She climbed the steps of the veranda and hesitantly knocked on the door. Footsteps could be heard behind the door as the gruff looking ranger opened it.

"What do you want?" He asked grimly.

"I need to speak with Will, sir." She said. Will peeked over Halt's shoulder and smiled.

"Ena!" He said cheerfully. "Can I have a minute? Please Halt?"

"One minute. You have to pack." He said gruffly. Will nodded.

"Thank you Halt." He said. He slipped out the door, grabbing Ena's wrist and pulling her into the stables. Tug and Halt's horse glanced at the two of the curiously.

"What is it, Ena?" Will asked. He noticed the hurt look on her face.

"I just found out from Ulf that he's the reason my father is dead." She said in a bitter voice. Will's face fell.

"Really? I'm sorry Ena." He said. She let out a deep sigh, leaning over Tug's gate and petting his head gently.

"I can't be around him, Will. First he puts a time limit on Dancer, then he tells me he is the reason I grew up without a father! The least he could have done was take me in rather than throw me in the ward!" She exclaimed.

"What are you going to do?" He asked warily.

"I need you to give me directions to Old Bob's." She said. Will rose an eyebrow, something she noticed him doing more often now.

"What are you planning, Ena?" He asked.

"Nothing. Now how do I get to old Bob's?"

***

Within a few minutes, Ena was walking down the darkened path that led from the rangers cabin to Old Bob's place. Halt had provided her with a torch so she wouldn't loose the path. She held the flame closer to her feet so she could see the feint trail that only Halt and Will ever used. It was very dark, and cold at that as well. She hugged her cloak tighter around her shoulders. In an hour, she finally came to a collection of buildings. The largest hut had a soft glow emitting from it. She set her torch on the ground and quickly stomped it out. Approaching a wooden door, brandishing a large torch didn't sound like the greatest idea. She retrieved it once again and hid it under her cloak, approaching the door. She knocked on it firmly. She could hear the sound of clattering a bit of cursing as the door opened. He was a bent figure, with a long white matted beard. Feint wisps of hair could be seen across his almost bald head.

"What are you doing out here at this time of night?" He exclaimed. He grabbed her arm, pulling her inside. Ena was slightly surprised at the introduction.

"Are you Bob?" She asked.

"Old Bob, they call me. What's your name?"

"My name is Ena. I'm a friend of Will and Halt, the rangers." She said. His eyes widened.

"Are you now? I didn't know Halt was capable of having friends!" He grinned. Ena smiled at the response.

"I've come because I need your help." She said.

"There's nothing I can do for you, young un. I'm an old man. Can't do much." He said, sitting down in a chair. She followed to where he sat beside the dying fire. She knelt down on the hearth and placed another log on the fire, prodding it with a metal rod slightly to move around the embers. She than stood and brushed off her dress, sitting in the chair beside Old Bob.

"You see sir, I am an apprentice to the Redmont horse master." He rose his bushy eyebrows in wonder. "This morning, something terrible happened to a battle horse I care dearly about. A battle school student stabbed him in the shoulder." Bob gestured with his hands for her to continue. "The physician looked at him and said he'll be fine, but it's possible he won't make a full recovery. If he doesn't look better in two days, my master will kill him."

"He needs time! Three days won't do him any good!" Old Bob scoffed, clearly disgusted.

"That's what I thought. I thought it was unfair to him when he has a fighting chance. Ulf said that if he does recovery there's the chance he'll have trauma, and go wild. He said it's a waste of time and energy to keep him around." She felt tears welling up once again. It was unfair to Dancer. She felt as if she had cried a lot that day, but she had good reasons too.

"I want to have a word with your master." Old Bob said standing. He hobbled to the door, fetching a cloak and tying it around his shoulders.

"No sir!" She slammed the door in his face as he opened it. He rose an eyebrow, glancing at her.

"Well what else do you expect me to do? Kidnap the horse?" He exclaimed. Ena gave him a smirk.

"That's exactly what we're going to do."

***

Do you all think Ena had a reason to be that mad at Ulf? I thought she was actually reasonable! More of Ena and Old Bob in the next chapter!

~Avis