The Truth

Chapter 6

Frederick stared blankly at me and blinked slowly.

"I-I don't believe you." He whispered, staring at his fidgeting feet.

"Why not?" I hissed impatiently, ready to leave.

"Well, that's just not the man I know."

"And who is the man you know?" I inquired sarcastically, as if I cared.

"Well he's brave, he's loyal, he's friendly, he's kind, and he's even won a medal for his work. He's honestly the best-"

"Shut up." I growled.

"What?"

"I said shut up." I emphasised each syllable, ready to attack.

"Why should I?"

I stepped closer to him so that my face was almost parallel to his, if not for the height difference. He seemed intimidated and cowered back a little, but I glared relentlessly.

"If you choose not to believe me then that's your ignorance, not my crime. But understand that it kills me to hear someone talk of him like that. I hate him. More than anything. He's made my life and the life of those less fortunate than your privileged self living hell. He is a coward-"

"He is not a coward! He won a medal!"

"Don't interrupt me," I continue firmly in what must have been a worryingly calm voice, slowly getting louder and more forceful as I went on,  "He is a coward who picks on the weak, he is loyal only to his own evil rules, he is about as unfriendly and frankly mean as it gets, and if you bring up that medal one more time, I swear to God I'll show you where to stick it."

"How very dare you!" He said resentfully, stepping back into my stare off. "You're nothing but a lying peasant! You deserved what came to you when you stole that meat, if it really is true. And I hope one day you rot in hell with your cheating, criminal arsehole of a grandfather!"

I opened my mouth indignantly to argue back, but instead slapped him hard around the face and stormed off. I may have made my most dangerous enemy yet. I hoped to God that he never told his father. Otherwise I was dead. Literally.

****************************************************************************************************

I kicked Ash, my powerful jet-black Friesian gelding, on so that he was practically galloping. When I stormed off away from the Wheeler boy, I didn't wait for my family to come out and I didn't even care if I was caught leaving by soldiers. I just stormed straight home, tacked up Ash and rode him out across the fields, just like I always did when I didn't want to think about something too much. Ash was incredibly quick and strong, but also very gentle and we had a strong bond that had been formed since his foal days. He knew just how I was feeling and what I was thinking, and acted accordingly. For instance, then he knew that I was angry and upset, so he willingly ploughed at full speed across the large flat fields and jumped whatever I pointed him at with great scope and energy.

As we neared the forest I caught sight of a fallen tree that would be perfect to jump. I contained his speed a little so he didn't jump flat, and steered him towards the trunk. His ears pricked as he locked-on and I felt him prepare to go. Ash was supposed to be a farm plough and cart horse, and that he was, but he didn't half have a good jump on him and lots of hidden speed that you wouldn't think he had just by looking at him. He took off flawlessly and jumped big. It felt as if we were flying through the sky with the birds, and I couldn't stop a sound of joy from escaping my lips. I felt free and my face lit up with a smile when we landed and powered on into the forest, weaving through the tall, green trees. I looked back at the trunk, and felt proud of ourselves for jumping such a big thing. It must be nearly the highest that we'd ever jumped. Suddenly Ash slowed to a trot, and then stopped altogether. The sudden change of pace threw me off balance and nearly sent me tumbling over his neck. Luckily I caught myself and turned back to see what had spooked him. Initially I didn't see anything so whispered in Ash's ear and tried to push him on, but he refused to move and danced around on the spot, threatening to rear.

"Wow boy, wow," I whispered, squinting into the trees. "What is it boy?"

All of a sudden a figure draped in a black cloak and wearing big boots and a hat stepped out from behind a tree and held their hand out in a stop signal. I shrieked as Ash reared up high with me clinging to his neck, and I tried to turn him around quickly.

"I won't hurt you." A grizzly man's voice said from under the hat.

"Funny, because that's exactly what someone who wanted to hurt me would say," I panted, struggling to turn a panicked Ash.

"I need you to come with me. By order of the mayor."

"Why should I believe..." I trailed off when I caught sight of the official mayor's badge dangling from the figure's outstretched hand. "Oh."

"Dismount your horse please and lead it-"

"-him-"

"-lead him this way."

"Very well." I said respectfully, dismounting Ash and crossing the stirrups over the saddle. He still seemed wary of the stranger, as was I, but he walked politely alongside me. The man signalled for me to follow him, however he didn't seem to be arresting me as such. In fact he seemed quite chummy. I just hoped that this had nothing to do with a certain Frederick Wheeler.