The Devil's Mask

Chapter 7

We traveled threw the night running for the most part, but then Pepper started galloping, trotting then coming to a slow walk.
I made him push on until the sun was starting to rise. We came across a small stream when i finally had enough courage to stop. Well mostly because my body was screaming at me to take a break.

  I pulled at hus reigns and he stopped gladly with a big huff.

I took off the bag off my shoulders and let it fall to the ground first. Then i lifted my leg over his bak and turned to slide off.
  As soon as my feet touched the ground my legs collapsed from under me.  I sat there stunned for a moment before i started laughing.

  Pepper looked at me and shook herself off before walking forward to drink from the river.

  I moved to where i was more comfortable sitting on the ground. I brought the bag to me and starting going threw it.

"A map, a canteen, some dried meat, 3 loafs of bread, a good amount of apples, a dagger and a rope."  I listed off the things out loud as i saw them.

    I sighed and brought out the map. It showed someone had put markings on it. It showed villages, towns, the kingdoms, the dark forest, and it showed our home.

      I sighed and put everything ,except the map and an apple, back in the bag.

I looked over the map trying to figure out where we were. We were already farther then i thought. But not far enough to bring me comfort.

So after eating a few bites of apple and sharing it with Pepper, and after we were both rehydrated i made the choice to get back on the road.

Pepper took it slow this time, grazing the grass and the leaves as we walked by. It gave me time to make sure we were going in the right way.

    After a couple of hour stops and hours of riding ut was finaly nightfall again. I made sure to stay off the roads, and away from villages. Just in the fear that the men trying to capture us was on their way back to the northern kingdom back to the Demon King.

  We stopped up on a big hill for the night. Underneath the shade of a few big oak trees. It was perfect to spot trouble coming for us.

      I laid down to rest after more food and making sure my horse was tied securely around a tree branch. He still had enough slack to roam a bit and graze, but not enough to go wandering off.

   I sighed softly and watched Pepper eat the tall grass as i fell asleep.

I was running barefoot in a forest i didnt reconized, wearing a lovely colored long flowy gown. It looked like it belonged to a queen or a princess. I had to hold it up to try not to trip over it.

  I was being playful, flirty even with the man coming behind me. I could hear his relaxed laughter as he chased me.

   I soon came to a stop when the trail that was on suddenly ended up by the ocean. Amazed, i forgot what i was doing. So arms quickly looped around my waist and pulled me against the chest of the man that captured me.

  He chuckled softly in my right ear and spoke softly, "you lost."

  The man pulled me back into the forest just enough to beable to swiftly turn me, and pin me up against a tree.

  I looked and stared in shock at who i saw. The man from the bakery, the man from my barn. He was the one who was with me, acting like we were a couple, in love. As soon as i relized who he was he seemed to relize it too. At that moment i heard a horn blast in the distance as a warning.

But for what?

  I sat up so fast that my head spun. I was so confused, so scared, i didnt know where i was or how i got there. I realized i was breathing heavily and my whole body was covered in sweat.

I looked around and sighed in relief. Still on the hill, with Pepper standing close by aleart ears flickering listening for danger as if he knew.
 
I looked to the sky, by the moons position we have slept half the night. I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"Im sorry, pep. But its time to start back up again." He only huffed at me.

I truly feel bad that we still had 2 maybe 3 days ride threw the forest and country side before we get to were we need to be. Avoiding roads, villages and people would make it longer.

I grabbed my bag and hauled myself up on the horses back.

   We rode as long as we could, we went threw pastors, little streches of trees, a few creeks. Pepper switched to running and walking on and off throughout the trip. When he walked i got off and walked with him to keep weight my weight off him as much as possible.

I kept feeding Pepper apples and talking to him, giving him praises he deserved. I dont know if it was because he was the only one that i could have taken from home, or because i was lonely.

By sunset we had reached a dark forest that had tall wide trees of every kind. We stopped a few feet short of it just so i could look for a clear path in it.

  After deciding there wasnt one i decided just to go for it and started towards the forest.
Only to be stopped by Pepper who neighed loudly.

"Oh come on! Dont be a scaredy cat!" I pleaded.

    I grabbed the reigns one more time and pulled him with all my strength in with me. I wasnt but a foot when a arrow came past me and hit a tree right behind me.

   I could feel that it had cut my face. Whoever it was that shot at me had either a good aim or a bad aim.
   I guess it just depends on if they wanted me dead or not.

 

Comments appreciated! Let me know what you like and what you dont! Thank you for supporting me threw this story!