Beka's POV-
My eyes fluttered open in the morning, and I yawned tiredly. It's been two months since Mitch's...departure. I wore his necklace every day to remind me of the pain and suffering that loving someone could cause. I sighed sadly and played with the silver chain like I did every morning.
Despite for my new hatred for even the mention of 'love', all around me there was nothing but love. The boy's relationships were going strong and they were extremely happy. Sure, there had been some rough patches, but they pulled through them all. There hadn't been many surprises. I half expected Liam to pop the big question to Isabelle, but he was keeping his mouth shut tightly, and I knew that it was annoying Isabelle a lot. The thing that surprised me the most was Simon asking Helena to be his bride. Sure I thought they would be a cute couple, but I didn't think it'd actually go all the way to those lengths.
The two weren't planning on having an elaborate wedding. They wanted something simple and down-low. I think considering Simon's track record with marriages, the couple were a bit nervous as to how long the marriage could last, and having a baby was a definite no, even though I begged them for a baby brother or sister.
Yes, a lot had happened in two months, but I was still the same. I was still sad, unbelievably sad. I wanted what the boys had with their girls. I wanted to be with Mitchell. I wanted to be happy.
I sat up in my bed and looked around the room sighing. Tiggers and Chester looked up at me and I gave them a smile, before they both drifted back to sleep. Much like me, not a lot had changed in the room either. The painting of my birth family still hung on the right wall, and my desk cluttered with piano music and scattered drawings, still took up the space in the left hand corner. The only new thing in the room was a new bed for Tiggers. She had grown a lot, and I couldn't fit both her and Chester in my basket. Again I sighed.
Through the window, I could see that it was a lovely day outside. The sun was out and warming the room, which was odd because it was winter. The birds were chirping loudly in a nearby tree. It was lovely, but it held no interest for me. It should have especially that day, of all days.
I could hear light footsteps and whispering voices outside in the hall, and I figured it would be Helena and Catherine coming to wake me up and get me ready for the day, but I was wrong. When the door swung open, rather harshly if I may add, the boys and the six girls were standing there with huge grins on their faces.
I looked at them curiously. "What are you guys doing-..."
My sentence was cut off when all twelve of them came rushing towards the bed. Tiggers, who still doesn't like people, ran towards the bathroom and hid. My eyes widened as they all piled on top of me, and started kissing my cheeks and forehead.
"I have to two words for each of you that you should seriously consider. Salad...Diet." I groaned under their weight, trying to shove them off.
The twelve laughed, and all got off me to sit around me on the bed. Even though it was king sized, I was surprised we all fitted on top of it. I looked at them all again.
"I was asking you guys something before you decided to jump on me." I said pretending to be calm.
"Oh yea, what were you going to ask?" Harry asked curiously, next to me.
"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU IN MY ROOM!" I shouted. The twelve covered their ears and gave me annoyed looks.
"To give you this." said Simon smiling widely, coming into my room with Helena on his arm. He was holding a box in his free hand, and I groaned again.
"I told you guys not to get me anything." I complained. The girls smiled at me, forgiving me for my outburst.
"How could we not get you anything Beka? You're a part of the family just like everybody else in this room." Liam said sternly.
I gave Liam a levelled look. The boys had been watching me closely for the last two months, and it had been bothering me immensely. They were waiting for me to snap, to break down again, but I couldn't do that to them. I saw how much pain I caused them, and I couldn't hurt them like that again. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Ok, fine." I said giving in. Liam sighed with relief, so did the five other boys.
Simon handed me the box and I pried it open, feeling intrigued. I peeped inside and found a note lying in the bottom of it. Picking it up and read Simon's neat writing out loud.
"On this day we will recognize,
that you, my dear Beka, must find,
the answers to riddles you will seek,
to find your surprise, it may take you a week.
Your first clue will be a resource,
and you may find it where there is a new horse."
I read the note again, racking my brain for answers. "You're sending me on a scavenger hunt?" I asked Simon.
Simon held his hands up in surrender, laughing. "It was Zayn's idea."
I looked at Zayn, who had Ally sitting on his lap. "I read about it in a book, and I thought it was a good idea." He smiled.
"Of course you did." I laughed. "Ok, all of you out, I need to get ready for today if I'm going to hit the town." I demanded, and they all laughed, clearing out of the room, except for Helena.
Technically Helena was no longer my servicewoman, because her and Simon were soon to be married, but she said she didn't mind helping me every once in a while. I preferred her to anybody else anyway.
"How have you been?" She asked.
"...better." I said clearing my throat uncomfortably.
"Look, if you ever want to talk about-..."
"I don't want to talk about it." I said looking away, and interrupting her. "Thank you though."
Helena sighed, and have me a curt nod, helping me get dressed. My closet had been stocked with new dresses as well; the girls insisted that I went with them on a shopping day a couple of weeks ago.
I was slipping my shoes on when Helena decided to speak again. "Have you figured out where to go for the first step yet?"
I nodded my head, and a small smile crawled onto my face. I was actually quite excited for the scavenger hunt. "I'm guessing the castle's stables, but I didn't know we had a new horse?" I asked questioning.
Helena smirked at me. "I'm not a loud to tell you anything, but you are definitely a smart girl Beka."
"I'm going to take that as a yes. I'll see you later." I said excitedly, rushing out the door.
"Beka, wait!" Helena shouted after me. I ran back to the door way, impatient, and gave Helena a curious look. "Happy birthday sweetheart." She smiled brightly. I smirked, and ran over to her, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"Thanks." I whispered to her, before rushing off excitedly.
-
I was trudging around in the stables, trying to find the clue, or a new horse, but it was proving to be impossible. I found one of the stablemen in the food-storage. "Sir Jeffery...?" I asked, trying to get his attention.
Jeffery looked up from trying to sort out the horse's food. He was an older man. His hair was an ash grey, and his hair line had receded back very far. His friendly face was wrinkled, and worn with age. I had spent a lot of time with him and the horses in the last two months, so it wasn't a surprise for me to ask him questions regularly.
"Ah, Princess Beka, it is good to see you. Happy birthday!" he said eagerly.
I smiled. "Thank you." I hadn't expected him to remember it to be my birthday.
"What can I do for you, child?" he asked kindly.
"I was wondering if a new horse had arrived since I had been here last?" It had been three days since I had been to the stables, so when I was told the news of a new horse I wasn't exactly sure it was true
Jeffery laughed heartedly. "Yes, actually, just yesterday. He reminds me a lot of you. He doesn't really like people." He said laughing again. I laughed as well, and shook my head at him playfully. "You'll find him in the paddock. I tried chasing him back into his stable, but these old knees don't carry me as fast as I'd like to."
I thanked Jeffery before I left, and he wished me another happy birthday. I ran to the paddocks hurriedly in search for the mysterious new horse. It was a while before I found him, because it was such a large paddock, but the horse was in the far corner, eating a patch of grass near the tall wired fence.
I gasped, he was beautiful. His coat was a shiny jet black that reflected the suns light, with white fur around his four feet, making him look like he was wearing socks, and a startling white streak down the centre of his face, and over his nose, between his eyes. His legs were long, strong and muscular, he easily towered over my smaller frame, but that only made me love him more. His mane and tail were black and soft looking. His little black fringe fell into his mahogany eyes, as he searched for more grass to eat.
I quietly, inched my way towards the horse, being careful not the startle him. A twig snapped under my foot, and the black horse whipped his head up and looked me dead in the eye. He held himself in a way that proved he had an attitude, and he huffed, warning me to stay away. I held my hands up in surrender, and he looked over me intrigued as to why I hadn't walked away yet. A gust of wind ruffled my hair from behind me, blowing towards the horse. His whole demeanour changed with the smell of my scent.
He seemed interested. His nose, ears, and eyes were directly pointed at me, and he cautiously circled his way over to me, sniffing me lightly. I kept very still, noticing that he had been already saddled up. The horse continued to circle around me, inspecting me fully, until he came back to my front, and looked down at me. My hands were still raised in a surrendering position, and the horse sniffed at it, trying to confirm the scent. When he seemed satisfied, he bumped his nose to my hand, and huffed friendly, encouraging me to pat his soft fur. I looked into his closest eye testing him. One thing I knew about horses is that you can never trust them, because they do unexpected things. To show his impatience, he stamped his back foot.
"Alright, alright, gosh Mr Pushy, aren't you?" I asked rhetorically, while stoking the soft fur on his face and over his nose. He closed his eyes lovingly, and I smiled happily.
"What's your name?" I asked myself, noticing the golden nametag that hung off his leather reigns. Mischief was engraved into the smooth golden metal. "Your name is Mischief, really? That's why you remind Jeffery of me?" I said shaking my head, laughing to myself.
I looked down the length of Mischief, and noticed a note, and a pouch of money, slipped in between the saddle blanket, and the saddle. Mischief tucked his legs underneath him, and lay down on the ground so I could reach the note and the pouch. I read Louis's note excitedly.
Dear Beka,
Ashley and I hope you are taking a liking to your new horse, Mischief. We were struggling to think of a present to give you, but I've seen you in the paddocks with the horses for the last two months, and when you spent that first date with me, I knew you were in love with the graceful animals, and like most angry animals, we had a feeling he would love you.
P.s: Yes, it was me that came up with his name; he is named after your mischievous side.
Love always,
Your very immature brother, and the love of his life,
Louis and Ashley
Flipping over the page, I found another riddle written on the back.
On this day we recognize,
That you, my sister Beka, must find,
The answers to riddles you will seek,
To find a surprise, it may cause an ache in your feet.
For you second clue you will need the money,
And no, for once, I'm not being funny.
Ride into town, against time that you'll have to beat,
To the bakery, and buy your favourite treat!
"Why is it against time?" I asked curiously, tying the pouch of money around my wrist tightly, making sure I didn't lose it. I gasped when I figured it out. "Cole shuts the bakery early on Mondays." I tucked the note into my pocket with the other one and quickly ran over to Mischief, who was waiting patiently on the ground.
Once I was sitting in the saddle comfortably, Mischief stood, stretching out his long legs. I felt a bit disoriented to be so high up, but I shrugged it off and adjusted the stirrups so my feet could rest in them comfortably. "Come on buddy. To the bakery we go, and step on it." I said giving Mischief a kick with my shoes. Mischief raced off, and I grabbed the reigns steering him in the right direction.
We cantered passed Jeffery, and he gave me a friendly wave. I waved back, as Mischief ran out the castle's gate, shaking his head excitedly.
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Heyoooo!,
Hey guys. Here's a new chapter. I liked this one a lot. An just a warning...THE END IS COMING!
I posted a pic of Mischief on the side ----------> he reminds me of my Gypsey :( he was the horse I used to ride. I loved him....ANYWAY! I hoped you liked the chapter, it actually took me A LOT of effort to do the rhyming stuff so I hope you don't think it's bad or anything :)
Let me know your thoughts or I just might have to send Mischief to squish you.... DUN DUN DAHHH!!!!!!!
Love Always,
Beka
xoxo