No Greater Love

Chapter Three

Thankfully, after searching for what seemed like hours, I had found a stream! Washing my face I found that it indeed was fresh water. Now I just needed to find something to put it in....Rummaging through my bag I found the glass bottle with about one half of a cup of milk left. Most of this I drank and the rest I poured onto a huge curled brown leaf for peppercorn. Wait....where was she? "Peppercorn!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. To my left I heard tiny footsteps crunching through the carpet of dead leaves. "Hey Pepper!" I said as I stroked her warm black back "I got you some milk! It's right here." With a 'brrrrrow!' She turned around on her white little mittens and walk from whence she came. "Pepper?!" I cried out. She didn't hesitate. I filled the water bottle, grabbed Goldie' s leather reins and followed her promptly.

The smell of a fire filled my nostrils. Consequently, my stomach growled loudly. As we stepped out into a clearing I saw a huge hollowed out tree with a mat of soft rich green moss on one side and what appeared to serve as some sort of trunk on the other. The campfire, surrounded by flat wide grey stones, was in the midst of the clearing and above it stood a roasting spit which looked as if it had been hand made by a blacksmith. As I inspected the curving details of the spit I heard crunching footsteps. My eyes darted to the edge of the clearing and there he stood....the 'thieving barbarian' himself.

He had apparently had just gone to get game to roast. As he stepped out of the woods his green eyes shone with internal laughter. His chapped lips parted as his surprisingly straight teeth appeared.

"I see you changed your mind."

"On the contrary." I said sticking my nose in the air. "I was looking for peppercorn. But..." I said regaining my normal airs, "I am hungry."

At the sound of 'hungry' Goldie nickered softly. I smiled. "Okay, WE'RE hungry."

"Well then," he said raising his strong arms, "welcome to the finest restaurant this side of the woods!"

Soon we had prepared dandelion salad and roasted rabbit to eat. We sat upon fallen trees and conversed as we ate, learning more each minute.

"I'm sorry I've never asked, but...what is your name?" I inquired with meat in hand.

"My name is Alexander Milagro...and yours?"

"Victoria Grace.....and...where are you from?"

"I'm from all over, but I was born in Ireland in a small rugged village. When I was about five, we moved to England. I've lived there most of my life but when I turned eighteen. I used my saved up money and moved here in search of a job."

"Did you find one?" 

He paused uneasily, "No...I...I haven't." 

"Oh..." I said awkwardly.

Coughing, he said,"Well, where are YOU from?"

"Andulusia. The kingdom Andulusia." I said also uneasily.

"Cool, I guess. I've never liked the people of Andulusia."

"Why is that?" I said defensively. Though I'd never conversed much with the people, they gave off friendly airs that made me appreciate them. 

"They...uh...well they rampaged our villiage a long time ago and...killed my parents."

"Oh no!" I said startled and compassionate. "Why would they do something like that? I've never even imagined they would do something of that sort."

"It wasn't necessarily the people but the royalty. The dirty scoundrels!" he said scornfully

I was silent for every word he said was a blow to my heritage. 

"Ah...I see." I said avoidingly. 

The day passed quickly at that time and after discussing several topics he offered to give me a lesson on swordsmanship. He drawing his own longsword,  battled with me for hours. I looked up as sweat dripped from my brow to see the sun glowing on the horizon. Then it struck me. 

"Oh my word!" I exclaimed. "I am so very late to go home. I'm so sorry but I have to go!"

"Wait! are you sure you need to go?" 

"Yes! of course! Thank you for dinner!!" I called as I mounted upon Goldie and set Peppercorn in her saddle bag. 

"Wait!!" he said as I galloped off into the woods. Dodging trees I heard him advancing. i didn't want to be seen with a commoner such as himself so I rode on even harder. "Come on girl!"

Looking behind me I saw him climb up a sycamore with the agility of a squirrel. He raced upon the treetops as if it were solid ground. Soon he was about  12 feet in front of me and he jumped from the strong thick branches...onto Goldie's rear! As he struggled to get on her back more securely, I shoved him in the face with such a force that he fell swiftly off of Goldie. "Ha!" I laughed harshly. But just then Goldie screamed and reared with fright and I too fell from her back. 

"Grab her you dimwits!" I heard a gruff voice call out. 

I looked up hurridly to see a huge burly man with long  brown hair, a rough long beard and a face scarred from apparently intense sword fights. His marbled grey eyes were intense with fierce anger as he ordered his men about. I tried to unhand his minion's large, dirty and gruff hands bu it was no use. Soon my hands were tied together with coarse, prickely rope and a gag was put in my mouth. As we, me and Alexander, rose from the ground the leader smiled an evil smile and said, "Well done Alex, you've brought the girl." He said coldly. 'WHAT.' I thought as I turned my chilling blue eyes to Alexander's. His face hung low in submission. He looked at me with regret as if to say, 'It was the only way.'