WinterField

Chapter 9 - The Explanation

They found their horses in a field about a mile away. They were calmly grazing and wandering around.

They led their horses back to the path and brought them to the stables in WinterField. They then went to Ash and Sophia's house, which was kindly rebuilt by the people of WinterField.

When they got there they went strait to their new living room, and sat down on the couch and chairs.

"What happened between you and Mason?" Sage asked.

"It was my birthday party and I was turning ten years old. Mason was one of my really good friends, but he went to the village of Diamondsands, which belongs to a group of other villages. Quinn, you were sick with the flu that day so you couldn't come, and you, Sophia, were away on a family trip to RoseWood."

"No, I wasn't. I remember that party. We had a lemon cake with vanilla frosting, and you got it all in your hair." Sophia protested.

"No. That was my ninth birthday." Ash told her.

"Oh, that's right." Sophia said.

"Mason was also a child with magic in his blood. He got his magic from his mother who was a Valkyrie. Mason was putting on a magic show for all of our friends when his father showed up. Mason isn't very fond of his father, and he was always getting beaten."

"Mason was abused by his father?" Melonie asked.

"Yes. His parents are divorced and he prefers to live with his mother, but every so often he had to be with his father."

"Why didn't he go to the guards when he got beaten?" Sage asked.

"I'm not sure, but I do know that when Mason's father showed up he wanted to speak with Mason about his mother. Apparently Mason's father wanted to flee the village because he had killed Mason's mother. He didn't want to be caught, and didn't want Mason to be left alone. Mason was infuriated and didn't want to go with his father. He blamed me for his mother's death, and told me that if I had never invited him over she would still be alive."

"So he set you lawn on fire because he blamed you for his mother's death?" Quinn said.

"Yes." Ash replied.

"Then why is he still coming after you now?" Sophia asked.

"My aunt is the lord of another village far far away from here. She has the power to take and give magic as she pleases. When Mason tried to hurt me, she used her powers to take away his powers, but now he has learned the art of potion making, and knows how to take magic from others."

"So he's going after me because I have magic, and he thinks you don't?" Quinn said.

"Yes, and your a close friend of mine." Ash said.

Melonie noticed a figure in the window near the door.

"Guys, what's that?" Melonie asked fearfully as she pointed at the window.

Ash quickly grabbed her sword and swung open the door.

It was her most trusted guard, Sebastian.

"Sebastian! You frightened all of us!" Ash yelled at him.

"I'm sorry my lord. I wasn't sure if you were in here, so I decided to check the windows." Sebastian said.

"Next time, please knock on the door." Ash said sternly.

"Yes my lord. I came to tell you that Mason has been captured. All his potions have been taken away, so he cannot escape." Sebastian said.

"Thank you. All guards may return to their normal posts around the village." Ash said.

Sebastian nodded and walked back to the guard tower.

Ash spun around quickly on her toes and waved everyone over.

"Mason has been captured. We have to go to the guard tower right away." Ash said.

Every quickly grabbed their weapons and raced out of the house. They ran past all the houses filled with happy children and families. They passed flower gardens,and animals in the fields. They got to the guard tower and dashed to the the cell holding Mason.

Ash took the keys from the guard stationed at the guard tower, and let herself into the cell. Ash beat Mason mercilessly, and Mason let her. Mason stood there and took every punch and kick Ash threw.

When Ash was done Mason's face was bruised and bloody. He had a broken nose and a few cracked ribs.

"Why!? Why do you do it!?" Ash screamed at him as tears poured down her face.

"I had no choice." Mason said, ashamed.

"What do you mean 'You had no choice!' I watched you hurt my friends, hurt me, steal, and destroy homes! That was your choice to do it! You didn't have to!" Ash cried.

"No I didn't! I didn't have a choice!" Mason said infuriated. "After loosing my temper at your house on your tenth birthday I was sent to a concentration camp for boys. They helped me. They fixed my anger problems and I'm fine now, but a woman came my house and threatened me, and my family for ruining his life." Mason explained.

"You were threatened? That's why you did everything?" Ash said, shattered.

"You hurt her! You should be in here for the rest of you life for what you did to her!" Quinn yelled.

"I know. I do deserve to be in here for what I did. I was tired of running and fighting." Mason said.

"You tried to kill me!" Sage yelled at him.

"I was ordered to. I was told any acquaintance of Ash should be killed, except for Quinn who could be used for magical purposes."

"So you were going to kill off all my friends, one by one, until the woman threatening your family stopped. You would hurt my family, my friends,...me?" Ash asked heartbroken.

"Yes." Mason said ashamed.

Ash turned and ran out of the guard tower, and to her no longer secret hideout in the woods. As she ran out her friends called after her, but it was no use. She was gone.

Word Count//1012