Chapter 12: "Stolen"

A knock at the door had Theodore to his feet and opening it in seconds. He had really started to enjoy his sparring sessions or maybe he was just starting to enjoy this new friendship. Ky and he had been forced into sparring on six different occasions by Master, but he actually felt like he was learning something and Ky had almost smiled. Once. He rather liked the challenge actually.

As the door swung open, Theodore’s mouth dropped. Ky stood, eyes downcast, hands holding a torn paper package. Blood and dirt smeared his face. His left arm hung limply at his side. His clothes were covered in mud and torn.

Theodore stepped forward and threw an arm around Ky, leading him in the direction of the living room. “Tell me what happened.” He turned and shouted over his shoulder. “Master!”

Ky dropped to the couch and Theodore sat next to him. He felt the urge to get tea but the look of despair on Ky’s face made him fight it. Big tears welled in Ky’s eyes and Theodore pulled him in, hugging him to his side.

Ky resisted at first and then melted. The tears fell and he buried his head in Theodore’s chest. A moment of uncertainty passed through is mind, but he remembered how young Ky was. This is a time he should be showing him some tough love and telling him to man up like when the blacksmith caught him after his first fight, but Theodore couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and squeezed.

The smell of dirt, sweat, and blood assaulted his nostrils but was followed by a strangely musky sweet scent. He dismissed it as the herbs he carried, but he made a mental note to find out which herbs they were later. There was something about it that was alluring.

Theodore heard a sniffle as Ky rubbed at his eyes and pushed away from him just as Master walked in.

Master’s face fell into concern as he caught sight of Ky. He sat in the chair next to the couch and leaned forward. “Oh, my dear.” He snatched up Ky’s limp hand. “Take your time, then tell us what happened.”

Ky wiped at his eyes with his free hand, a small flourish in the movement. “I’m okay.” His voice came out small and childlike, again reminding Theodore how young he really was. Theodore’s arm instinctively tightened in a protective movement.

After two big breaths, Ky began. “Two boys jumped out of the bushes and spooked my horse. I came off. They took her. I followed them to a field with white fences and a red barn, but I got too scared to go in.”

Theodore shared a look with his master. Master nodded.

Ky wiped at his eyes again, drawing their attention back.

“Is anything hurt?” Master asked.

“My arm feels weird.”

“Weird how?” Master asked.

“Tingling and a little numb. It just really aches.”

Mastered turned Ky towards him and probed his shoulder. “Hold tight.” With a deft movement, the shoulder popped. Ky screamed and then sighed in relief.

“Thanks,” Ky said, wiping fresh tears from his eyes.

“You rest here, now. Let me make you some tea and we’ll get his all straightened out.” Master patted Ky on the head as he stood and headed for the kitchen. “Theodore.”

Theodore rose to his feet. He gave Ky a kind look and couldn’t help but pat him on the head, too, before he turned to leave. Ky caught his hand, drawing Theodore’s eyes downward.

Ky’s big brown eyes were soft and dewy. “Please find Cherry. She’s all I’ve got,” Ky whispered.

Theodore’s voice caught in his throat. He wasn’t sure if it was the tears or the soft voice, but at this moment Ky looked downright pretty. He felt his heart race and turned away before a flush graced his cheeks.

Theodore cleared his throat. “You can count on me.” He quickly left the room. He wasn’t sure what he meant by that. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to say, but it was already out there. There was nothing he could do about it now.

He met Master in the kitchen as he brewed a pot of water in the large stone oven.

“Do you think you can handle it?” Master asked.

Theodore nodded his head. ”I’ll ask Oric from next door.”

Master nodded. “Smart. You’re learning well.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Now, go. “Let’s take care of this for our young friend.”

Theodore bobbed his head once and left out the back door. He jumped the small fence to the neighbor’s yard and let himself in the back. Oric was sitting at the table with a beer in one hand and a hunk of turkey leg in the other. He smiled at the sight of Theodore.

“My friend. What brings you to my humble home?”

“My friend’s been hurt and his horse was stolen. Will you help me get her back?”

Oric gave a hearty laugh. “Of course I will, son.” He finished off the turkey leg, wiped his hands on his pants, and stood. “Lead the way, boy.”

Theodore nodded and flitted out the door. He set a fast pace, but not so fast that Oric couldn’t keep up. He led them through the backyard to the stone path that led through the back of all the houses. It led to the middle of the village, then through the busy streets and out to the outer edge where the land opened into fields. Theodore navigated to a white fence line and followed it up the drive passed a house and to a red barn.

Horses neighed from their paddocks as they approached. Theodore scanned the many breeds and colors as he looked for Cherry. He spotted a familiar blaze at the far end of the pasture behind the barn and pointed.

Oric nodded his head in the direction of two young men near the pasture gate. “Is that them?”

Theodore shrugged his shoulder. “I’m guessing so.”

The two boys stood leaning against a fence. One of them swung a pouch of coins back and forth, admiring it.

Theodore drew in a big breath, filling his lungs full of air and puffed out his chest. He let the air go slowly but held his frame. The steady presence of his large friend just behind his left shoulder lent some reassurance. He strode forward with deliberate steps.

The boys’ heads turned in his direction. The short boy’s eyes widened but the other sneered as they approached.

“You took something that didn’t belong to you,” Theodore said.

The taller boy shrugged his shoulders. “Prove it.”

“I don’t have to prove it. That’s my friend’s horse and I’m taking her back.” Theodore whistled. Cherry perked her ears and started trotting towards the gate. “See? She knows me. You don’t have any papers to prove ownership.”

The boy grinned. “I’m not claiming she’s mine. If you take this horse, you’re going to have to deal with Boss. That’s not my problem. That’s yours and his.”

Theodore looked back over his shoulder at Oric. The corners of Oric’s mouth turned down into a deep frown.

“Where’s your boss?” He asked in a deep baritone.

The taller boy nodded his head in the direction of the barn. Oric took two steps forward until he towered over the boy. The boy didn’t move, but his eyes went a little wider as the big man pinned him against the fence with a stare.

The boy gulped. His Adam's apple moved in a big motion.

Oric’s eyes bored into him, then in a quick movement, Oric snatched the coin pouch from the boy’s hand.

The boy went to grab for it, but Oric’s other hand slammed him back into the white fence.

“This is for causing our friend trouble.” With that, Oric turned away from him and strode to the barn.

Theodore watched the look of shock turned to outrage. The boy started after Oric, but before he took two steps, Theodore slammed his fist into the boy’s nose. The boy reeled backward with a cry. Blood trickled down from his now crooked nose.

Theodore shook his hand out and fixed the two boys with a purpose-filled stare, then turned and followed Oric to the barn. When he arrived, Oric was speaking with a middle-aged man. Theodore gave him space, but edged close enough to hear the conversation.

“How was I to know the horse was stolen?”

“It doesn’t matter if you know or not. That’s my friend’s horse and he did not sell him.”

“Show me the papers, then.”

“I’ll do you one better. I’ll give you the money you bought her for and then you can beat what you spent out of that boy, too.”

The man’s hard mouth slid into a smile. “Alright, take her.”

Oric handed over the pouch. Theodore didn’t wait. He jogged back to the fence. The boys were gone, but Cherry stood waiting by the gate. She gave a low whiffle at his approach.

Theodore stroked the velvet nose and slid the halter over her head. She ducked her head politely as he fastened the buckle. He brought her through and was closing the gate just as Oric appeared holding her tack.

“Is everything okay?” Theodore asked.

Oric nodded. “I didn’t even have to hit anybody.”

Theodore raised his eyebrows. “Nope.”

Oric chuckled. “You’ve got a good aim, son. Let’s get your friend’s horse back to him, then I’ll treat you to a nice pie.”

Theodore laughed. “I always know where to go when I have a craving. I think Ky would like to try some, too.”

When they returned, Theodore penned Cherry in the backyard. Oric swung the saddle over the fence and lay the bridle over it. The back door opened and Ky burst through, showered and dressed in baggy clothes that Theodore recognized as his own.

Ky ran straight to Cherry who whiffled again at his owner and nudged him. Then Theodore found himself wrapped in a tight hug. Ky head tucked into Theodore’s shoulder and the scent of him wafted up making Theodore’s heart beat fast again. His arms came up and encircled him in a quick hug and then he stepped away uncomfortably.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.” Ky’s voice sounded almost musical and it was the most he’d ever said in front of Theodore that he could remember. For some reason, he didn’t want it to stop.

“He even punched that guy in the nose to get her back for you.” Oric was grinning.

Theodore shot him a look and could feel his cheeks grow pink. Oric shot him a wink back.

“What?” You hit him?” Are you okay? Let me see your hand.” Ky reached for his hand.

Theodore tucked his left hand behind his back and took a step away from Ky. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.”

Ky looked at him, his brows creased in worry. “Are you sure?”

Something about the way Ky said that made Theodore surrender his hand. Ky’s small fingers probed each of his, then traced the bruised knuckles.

“Let me get some cold water.”

Before Theodore could say a word, Ky darted off into the house.

Oric nudged Theodore’s shoulder. “I think you might have an admirer.”

Theodore looked away.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. She’s pretty cute.”

Theodore’s head turned towards him. “That would be great, but Ky’s a boy.”

Oric’s smile was amused. His eyebrows raised and he let out a little laugh. “Are you sure about that?”

Ky returned before Theodore could answer. He held out a wet cloth and snatched up Theodore’s hand with it. He wrapped it around the knuckles. All the while, Theodore stared, pondering his gender. Boy? Girl? He couldn’t see it. Ky looked like a boy to him, but if he was a girl… His heart fluttered. No, no. He couldn’t think like that. Ky was a boy and he did not like him. But… that didn’t stop Theodore from enjoying the gentle caress of Ky’s fingers over his hand.

“Alright you two, how about a nice celebratory pie?” Oric chimed in. He waved his hand in the direction of his backyard, welcoming them to follow after.

Ky smiled up at Theodore. “Do you like pie?”

Despite Theodore’s unease, he found himself smiling and nodding.

“Me, too.” Ky turned and started following after Oric.

Theodore stared after him. He walked light-footed but not necessarily gracefully. His hips were straight and his chest flat. There was no way he was a girl.

Ky stopped and looked back over his shoulder at him. “Are you coming?”

The brightness in his voice did something to Theodore’s insides. His stomach fluttered and his voice caught in his throat.

“Are you okay?” Ky asked.

Theodore steadied himself and with a silent breath. He nodded. “I’m just fine. Let’s go get some pie.”

Ky smile beamed. Theodore joined his side as they walked through Oric’s backyard.

Copyright Ava Altair 2019

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