Fire and Ice

Chapter 2-A new town

 So chapter 2 at last! Phew! I know it took a while but I will get chapter 3 up soon! Happy reading! x

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I huddled in a corner watching a horror movie happening around me. My 14 years of life flashed before my life, the joyful memories of being in Thordon, our home town. The sweet memories of running with friends around the thick woods with the slight fear and excitement of getting lost. The time I remember when me and my parents when to visit a neighbourly village. The sweet and spicy smells, the rushing of people getting reading for the daily market. The moments that were sucked from my life in a few seconds by the kings soldiers. I wished I could have helped them but I swore to my parents that I would not interfere not matter what. It would be so easy, killing them myself. It sounds extreme and absurd, a 14 year old killing soldiers. But people underestimate me so much. No one would ever understand me, what I am capable of.

I woke up sweating, remembering the happenings of yesterday. I had travelled long into the night until I was exhausted and couldn’t go on anymore. I had set a place to sleep in a tangle of large tree roots. They emerged from the ground, making it easy for me to sleep safely in there. I set my things down and pulled out the blankets my mother had packed for me. They were thin but kept enough heat in for me not to freeze. I used one of my bags as a pillow and the other i kept close to me, keeping the memories near me. I settled down again and tried to get as much sleep as possible.

I woke in the morning to the sound of whinnying coming from near by. I slowly say up, making sure that I didn’t make a sound incase it was one of the kings soldiers. I poked my head out of the tree roots, searching for the horse which had made the noise in the first place. A stray horse wondered about the woods, stopping every now and then to either eat some grass or cry out again. It sounded as if it was in pain so I decided to go and see what the matter was. The horse jumped back in seeing me emerge from the tree and at that moment I saw a deep cut on his hind leg. I slowly walked up to her, coaxing her and tempting her with an apple I had found on the floor by me. The horse slowly walked towards me then started munching on the apple I held in my hand. 

The sun was slowly rising and I needed to get moving. I strode back to the tree that I had slept under and stuffed all of my things into the bags. I then grabbed them and walked back to the dapple grey horse and thought for a second. This horse has run away from something. Maybe it was the kings soldiers attacking my town. Maybe something else... I started to panic, searching for soldiers around or spies that could be watching. The horse sensed my fear and reared, suddenly cantering towards me and rubbed her muzzle against my arm. I stroked her detailed, beautiful face. It comforted me some what, calming my thoughts about this madness I had been thinking about. I suddenly noticed that this horse was already wearing tack. Her bridle was a bit scuffed from where she had brushed against bushes and trees but her saddle was intact. I slid my bags on to my back, grabbed her reins and a handful of mane and pushed off the ground. 

The steady canter of my dapple grey horse made me feel more at home. I used to ride at a nearby farm where they had many different types and colours of horses. They had thoroughbreds, shire horses and even shetland ones. I would spend ages saying hello to each one and stroking their soft faces. I remember the sweet smell of horses in the morning and then the thrill of riding was great. 

The town steadily became closer but the darkness was drawing in. My horse started to tense up, nervous about the ascending darkness. I reassured her and then kicked her on into a faster canter. The town eventually became brighter, and noisier too.

The bright lights hurt my eyes as I stared around gazing at the colourful stalls and delicate hand finished gifts. My horse stated to crab-step, getting uneasy from all the fuss and commotion. I tried to calm her but it didn’t work. After a minute or so I hopped off her back and pulled out an apple from my bag. She nudged my hand with the apple in back towards me. “Don’t worry, I’ve got more.” I said quietly to her rubbing the side of her neck and then continued, “plus I have money.” I whispered then started laughing slightly. She seemed to sense that I had made a joke and nickered loudly, turning heads of people nearby. I started walking a few steps just to be welcomed by a swarm of sales men (and women) trying to get me to purchase a number of different things from necklaces and spiced chocolates to clothes and apples for my horse. I breathed in the sweet smells of the sweets and fruit and stared in awe at the fantastically designed bracelets. I resisted the urge to buy everything in my path but bought a few food supplies for me and my dapple grey and wondered down the road to see what lay ahead.

I found a small inn at the corner of the road and knocked on the door. I waited for a minute until I heard footsteps approaching. A middle aged woman came to the door and greeted me. She called to inside and suddenly a young boy appeared. “Welcome, dear. This is my youngest son. His name is Charlie, he looks after the horses.” She sad sweetly and smiled at me. “Charlie, go and take the horse to the stable!” She snapped at her son and then beckoned for me to join her inside. I quickly looked back at Charlie and my horse and then reluctantly stepped inside. 

The inn was warm enough to welcome me in further, making me feel almost at home. I sat down in a chair and dropped my bags beside me. The chair was right in front of the fire and I warmed myself up next to it. The woman who had first greeted me disappeared for a moment and then reappeared with a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands. I felt happy until another person knocked at the front door. Several people walked in including the inn keeper’s son, 2 men and 2 women. They all looked from the inn keeper to me and I watched for a moment as they signed in and payed some money. Charlie crept over to me and whispered in my ear. “My lady, your horse is secure in the stables.” I hesitated for a moment thinking of a reply. I wondered what to say and how much I should say to him. I finally came up with a reply just as he started to walk back to his mother. I grabbed his arm lightly and he returned to the side of the chair. “Thank you for attending to my horse, Charlie.” I said quietly and then continued, “And please, call me Viha.” He gave a small smile and then rushed to his mothers side as she scolded him for talking with guests.