Wishful Thinking

Chapter 1

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The tree's arm broke, causing it to groan from the pain. It shifted like its cousins at the same time, wondering if the unforgiveable white stones would let up. It moved back into position while the rest of its arms rattled, fluffy white used-to-be-marbles fell on the ground, landing on a passerby. The tree froze when it realized what it done and seemed to stay still in fear of being noticed of doing something so wrong. It didn't want last year's fire to arrive again.

"Why must we go to town at this type of storm, my lady?" A man questioned, looking up at the person he must escort. His metal legs squeaked from the cold, but he kept going. Even though he was cold through the layers of both metal and wool, he still did not like appearing weak to his highness or any higher official at that. The lady he was speaking to did not give him a single glance but instead looked at her right shoulder to wipe off the snow. The green sleeves absorbed the water, making the girl grunt in annoyance of the cold.

"Their is to be an auction next week that I am very much interested in." she was bland, she did not care about his question. The only thing she wanted was for the nipping snow to leave her alone. The man gave a hum of thought before he jogged ahead to get to the top of the hill to see if he could find the town nearby. The madam tugged a golden deer skin over her shoulders more as she shoved her heels into her black stallion, Mercury.

The horse arched his neck and quickened his paste through the snow, going in a lopsided trot. The red blanket over him flapped in the wind, slapping his hind quarters roughly. A necklace on his neck contracted from the drag of the decorations, making the stallion raise his head higher. On Mercury's back, the lady pulled the reins tighter to not allow him free reign. In a matter of seconds, they were next to the knight.

"Only down this hill and at the base of the next is where the town lays," he reported, not sparing a glance to the lady. The girl stood up on the stirrups, getting a better view of the area. She plopped down on the saddle and looked over at the man.

"Let us go. We must hurry if we to ever get there on time." not wasting any more minutes, she edged her stallion on with a small slam into the horse's side. The man walked by the women as the Shire slid down the slope slowly and as carefully as he can. It's hooves slipped on the ice, making it slow down more.

"Why be so excited for a petty auction, mam?"  knightly as he was, he could not help to question his lady's actions. The noble looked over to glare down at him past a hooked nose.

"Petty? You do have no clue, you pheasant. This sale is not just any one, no. It is one said to be full of more of what I am riding. They come from the best of the best, so I could not ask more from the breeders." The man frowned at being called a pheasant, but held his tongue. He looked away from her stabbing eyes as he looked ahead to find where is the best parts to walk. Some areas, the snow was up to his knees. Other parts was icy but little snow.

Upon seeing the submission from the man, the lady looked back forward again to think of anything besides the cold. And the snow. And the winter scene. Anything in general except the auction. She wanted another good rider, as this one is getting too old and slow. Old and slow won't catch her a deer during the summer. It would only alert them, allowing ample time for them to escape.  She wanted a fast mount that won't stumble at any given moment.

A frown pressed on her lips as she remembered the last hunt she had with this horse. How the horse jumped above a trench and slipped before rolling, crushing her father with his weight. She was lucky to be riding the mare instead this freak who killed her damn father. She can almost feel each bone cracking from the weight, and how his lungs filled with blood from being punctured by the millions of shards of bone. The lady shivered at the thought and tried to go to a more happier time.