In Favor of the King

CHAPTER 5

{I know some of y'all have been waiting for this, so here it is}

CHAPTER 5

Rose was awaken by the sound of a bustling town.

It was morning, she thought. She rose her aching body from the makeshift bed of an old blanket that she located in the corner of two ratty buildings. Rose gathered up the tattered blanket and jammed it in the cloth satchel she had with her.

She could hear the townsfolk as they yelled to one another across the street and the sound of rickety carts and wagons pass by.

Rose surveyed the busyness of the streets and tried to estimate the time.

"Maybe around 8 o'clock. Hmm, maybe 11. Ugh! I'm not sure! I'll just ask someone passing by," she sleepily said to herself.

She asked around, but many just turned their nose up at her and kept walking as if she didn't speak a word. Rose wondered about why they were being so rude, but then she considered the fact of where she was just sleeping, and even though a mirror wasn't present, Rose was more than positive that she looked a trip.

Giving up on that endeavor, she sat on a wooden bench; pondering on her next move.

She thought for a very long time about pretty much nothing, until an idea came about.

Rose had an aunt that lived a couple towns away, and she simply adored her. Aunt Beth would be more than understanding for this dilemma, and would help her. Setting her mind to this, she smiled, thinking her problem was finally mended.

Not until a horse and buggy came into view did she even consider 'how' she would come to be there.

Well, she knew she didn't have money for a horse AND buggy, but maybe she could trade something for the use of a horse. 'Maybe one of the stable boys will take pity,' she thought.

Rose quickly decided her plan, hitched her skirts, and bustled towards the nearest stable.

"Oh sir, I desperately need a horse for my journey,"

"Sorry missus.. What's yo name? No money no horse."

"I didn't give you my name, and when I get to my destination, I will be able to receive money; therefor pay you properly for this horse."

"I sayd no, so it bes no!"

At this moment, the owner of the stables enters.

"Well, what seems to be the problem here? Causin a big scene, y'all two are!"

The other man started to begin talking, but Rose cut him off.

"Oh mister, I need a horse to get to my destination, but have no money. But, when I do get there, I will be able to formally pay you. This employee of yours seems to think I will simply go away if he screams and argues enough!"

"Ok Miss. How important is it for you to arrive to this, destination, of yours? How far is it?"

"It's a necessity. I won't know what else to do if I don't make it there."

The owner eyed the girl curiously.

"Who's yo old man?"

"Mr. Edward Willman, sir."

"I know yo papa. Come talk to me in my office. Follow me."

The owner of the stables who later said his name was Fred, made her tell him what was happening. She was lucky that he didn't turn her in, but Fred despised Edward for the type of man he is and how much money he was cheated out of because of him.

Fred set Rose with one of the only available mares, gave her some supplies, and set her on her way.

Rose awkwardly trotted through the streets of the town and realized 2 more problems.

For one, she had no idea what direction to go in. Another thing was that she knew not of what town to head to.

Her largest problem is the fact that she's only ridden a horse once; so this was probably an interesting sight.

She clobbered all the way to where the town ended and entered the open plains.

"Where to go, where to go," she thought.

As soon as she decided her path, the horse jerked back on its hind legs and took off in the other direction.

Not used to horses at all, Rose could only scream and hold on for dear life.

Minutes later the horse was still bucking and going into random jolts. The frightened Rose prayed to God to protect her, for she was terribly sure that she couldn't hold on forever.

~~~~~~~~~~

Pierce slowed his horse to a slow gallop and breathed in the fresh oxygen. He couldn't help but notice the beauty of God's creation. Far off in the distance, he could hear the birds cawing.

He could hear the sounds coming closer.

Wait, was that a bird? It couldn't be, Pierce thought.

He squinted against the sunlight and instead of a cawing bird, he saw a young lady in distress; screaming her heart out.

The mare she was on was quite the energetic. No, more than energetic. It looked terribly frightened by something.

Knowing the girl couldn't stay on any longer, Pierce and his steed rushed toward the deranged horse. Getting close enough to converse with her, he told the girl to hold on and that he was gonna grab her horse's reigns.

Doing as he said, he pulled back on them and at least made it stop running around; but didn't stop bucking.

Pierce grabbed her tiny waist and swung her on his horse.

Letting the reigns of the other horse go, it started to run crazily everywhere.

Pierce whistled and gazed at the sight.

"That's one wild horse you were riding there. Are you okay?"

Rose turned around to face him.

Pierce gazed at her with an intake of breath. She was gorgeous. He wished he could take away that frightened look.

"I'm fine now, thanks to you. I wasn't sure I could've stayed on much longer!"

In a trance by looking at her, he lost his manners.

"Oh, umm.. I've forgotten myself. My name is Pierce. Who am I in the pleasure of meeting?"

"I'm Rose. Pierce is a nice name," she gave a warm smile, "You have the same name of the king!"

"Heh, yeah, well.."

Pierce stopped his words by seeing a deep cut on Rose's arm.

She noticed him looking and she looked at it too, just noticing it.

"This looks pretty bad. I should bring you to my healer. Hold on!"

Midnight, the horse, holding Pierce and Rose, was put into a fast gallop. He quickly came into the castle's view.

Pierce noticed the look of Rose's face upon seeing the castle and she looked back at him.

"Do you live by the castle?"

Smiling very charmingly, he said,

"I live IN the castle." He gave a wink.

At this new revelation, Rose being overly shocked and her previous exertion, she swooned.

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