Fuck.
I have no choice but to leave my weapons and my dagger is still at Richard’s. I’m fucked. I run outside accepting my fate, ready to flee.
“Ada!” I shout in a panic. Where is she? “Gray!” I panic more. Did she leave me with the other animals?Please no, Ada.I put my fingers to my mouth and whistle as loud as I can. Surely enough, Ada slowly walks towards me from behind the blacksmith hut. I sigh in relief but worry overwhelms me at the sight of her. All grey apart from the black on her legs. My heart hurts.
“Ada,” I whisper as she limps towards me. I apologise to her over, and over and quickly give her a sweet treat that I managed to grab from my rations. She perks up a little and bows her head. I take the opportunity to climb back on her and she neighs in pain. What have I done to her? To us? I don’t have time to think about it; I hear shouting in the distance and soon it will be dawn.
I need to hide.
Now.
I click my heels into Ada, steering her towards Epping Forest and hoping I can lose Richard there. I know that forest inside and out; I grew up in it, searching for animals to break and kill.
It takes longer than I’d like to get to the edge of the forest. The moonlight is just peering through the branches, and I can just about see where to go. Ada hesitates and I try my best to encourage her.
“This will all be over soon, sweet girl. I promise. We just need to get in there deep enough that they can’t find us, okay? Trust me,” I whisper near her ear, and she snorts, bowing her head again. She takes a slow stroll into the forest, trying to mind her footing and I look over my shoulder. The glowing lights closer and we need to run. Now.
“Over here!”
“I saw her!”
“Murderer!”
“Die!”
“Ada, run!” I heel Ada so hard she cries out, surging forward. It worked and I'm ashamed, but it had to be done. Sounds of other horses neighing and galloping follow behind me. The shouts of men carry through the trees as the forest starts to light up behind me from the glow of their torches. Arrows whistle by my head and I pull Ada left to dodge them. She jumps over trunks and goes around the trees best she can. Flaming arrows pass my head and I can see better thanks to the fire, but so can they. My heart pounds in my chest, the sound almost entirely drowning out the men's cries. My body grows stiff in this riding position and I hurt all over. I have to get through this. Ada needs to get through this. It will end soon.
“Split up men!”
“Go left!”
“Give me more arrows!”
“Don’t let her get away!”
“You’re doing so well, Ada! Keep going, girl!” I encourage her. She runs as fast as she can but it’s not fast enough. The men are getting closer and so are the flames. I dare to look back and spot Richard’s horse and his hat, dodging around the trees, hot on my trail.
I’m dead.
I can’t escape this.
But I must.
Gray! Please help me, I’m going to die! Do something! It’s not my time! I’m not ready…
Suddenly, the world becomes topsy-turvy and I can’t tell up from down. I hear Ada crying out in pain, and I shout with her before my vision goes black.
My eyes open and I shake my head, dizzy and hurting all over. Looking around, I realise I’m on the floor. What happened? I lift my head and look around.
Ada lies on her side.No…
I crawl over to her and see red glistening in the glow of the approaching torches. Her leg.
Fuck!
I crawl to her head, shifting my legs around her so I can hold her head the best I can.
This is it.
