Chores

10 weeks earlier..

"You should count yourself lucky that I even allow you to stay in this house with me and my two wonderful daughters. Let alone that I let you eat our food!"

Paula exclaimed, watching telly in the front room.

Her two daughters Ivy and Holly, were sharing nail polish on the sofa next to her, laughing and joking over boys. Amelia could see they were reading Twist magazine.

"ARE you listening?!!" Amelia snapped her eyes back on her stepmothers firm, staggering stare.

"Yes, I was."

"Yes what?"

"Yes Mame."

Her stepmother scoffed, a smirk played on her lips.

"Good. Repeat what I said." She challenged.

Amelia looked to the floor.

"I should count myself lucky that I stay here, let alone that I share your food." She recited, out of her memory.

Paula nodded. "Go and do your chores then, and remember," A smile played on her lips as she recited the daily list,

"You have the washing to do, after you mucked out and cleaned, and filled the horses feed buckets, which you have to do first of course. Oh, and there’s washing the dishes." She locked her eyes back onto the telly.

"And,"

Amy stopped in the doorway.

"Pick out Solo and Berry’s feet. I’m having them ridden today."

"Very well." Amy replied, hiding the sigh that was trying to escape. She left the room.

Near Jouneys End

They made their way though the fields, into the glen where they last met Shadow. Nether of them said a thing.

 

The bushes and everything seemed cold and distant.

“So, do you think that we’ll see one another again?”

Sparkle said nothing for a moment, his ears lowered, clearly upset. He wasn’t going to say anything and Asha knew this.

 

 

A rustle in the bush made them both swing round. There stood the shape of the most glamorous woman in the world, looking kind and calm at the pair of friends.

The Truth

“It's not easy being the Stag of The Winters Herd, fearing humans all the time, that might come and take a Fawn or Buck from you.” Molly stopped, then looked at Shadow, for help.

 

The Stag did not move. His antlers rippled with a glittering light,

 

“I came to earth before and, to two sisters. They were both entraced by the magic I held,” He seemed to be reliving a VERY painful memory or thought just then, “One, your mother, tried to trap me. The same way that she tried to do the same to my son.” He breathed slowly.

 

“You looked like her when you came to take Sparkle from me in this very forest,” He stopped, shifting his hoof across the grass, uncomfortable.

Got it.

“That’s why you attacked me? I looked like my mother?”

The Stag locked eyes with her then and, Asha knew, with a sinking feeling what he would say next.

“Yes.”

Unknown Love

She held her daughter close and then eased her back into her chair, feeling very sorry for her daughter, Asha could see it in her face as she came up to her and held her arms out to Asha, offering a hug.

Asha stayed where she was standing, not knowing what to do at this act of kindness. The last time she was hugged, she was jabbed with a needle and she had been kidnapped by her own mother!

“Have you got anything in your pockets?” Said Asha, thinking something was in the ladys pockets, that she was hiding something from her.

Molly laughed gently. She then put her hands into her dress pockets and pulled out mints, a rubber band and her pink mobile out of the other pocket.

“This is all I have darling,” She insisted softly. “Come.”

Asha silently, and nervously, stepped forwards. She was then gently pulled into the woman’s kind hold. Molly kissed her head and stroked her hair.

“Your hurting, I know. It’ll get better.”

Asha then tried to escape the hug and the woman held onto her, a little forcefully. “I know your mother. I’m her sister. She told me you escaped her.”

Asha tensed.

The woman breathed out slowly before talking again.

“I’ll never give you or your Fawn over. Please trust me Asha. I love you. You are my niece after all.” She stroked her golden hair then let the girl go.

Asha was dumbfounded. She stud there, not ever was she talked to like that! Not EVER was she shown as much love and kindness as that! NEVER.

She said nothing for awhile, then, with one flush, all of her hunting tears flushed out of her eyes.

Hiding

“You’ll hide in here.” She said.

The Fawn eyed it sceptically, thinking. His spots glowed now and it could be seen as much as the moon could on a clear night.

“Oh no…” Asha quickly looked round and found, by chance, a spare piece of fabric that was trying to fly away, trying to catch flight on the wind.

Asha quickly tore it away from the boat and laid it across the Fawns back. She was feeling much more relived now that, his shiny spots wouldn’t be a giveaway to anyone who was searching for them.

“I’ll just be inside the boat; and I’ll come to see you soon. I promise.” Asha said, touching his velvety ears.

Sparkle then stepped inside the row boat, one that hadn’t been hosted yet, and folded his front legs under him, laying down, to wait for his human partner to return.

“I’ll come out to you and bring you cress from my meals or some other plant I can find.” The Fawn eyed her in loneliness.

 

“I’ll miss you..” He said unhappily

Leaving.

Asha went up to the Stag, Seth, now. She felt timid and shy to be touching such a shining, noble and proud animal. She reached out and touched his thin, bony chin.

“Will you come with us?” She asked. She could hear it in her voice. She was tearing up. She never teared up now!

“I shall not.” He replied, as if he delivered bad news everyday, as if it was normal for him to do so. “I need to stay here for awhile.”

He noticed the girl now had tears coming down her pale, gentle face. He opened his mouth and reached forwards, making Asha flinch, as if she was expecting pain.

He licked her salty tears as they fell from her face. He withdrew his pink tongue and smiled his thin lips.

“Do not be sad.” He said gently, “I shall be watching over you from the Tundra, keeping you safe.”

Asha took a shaky breath and looked over at Sparkle.

Could she do this? Could they travel on their own and help people and animals over seas, all by themselves?

“Do not dout yourself so.” Said the Stag. His head was now streachede out, across Asha’s arm. “You can and will do this.” He lifted his head and looked at his son. He smiled to himself.

 

“You both need freedom and friendship. You will both get that where you are going.” He locked his soft yet, noble eyes with Asha’s. “I promise you. I will look out for you and come if ever you need me.”

Asha took a deep breath and forced a smile that she did not feel. Not at all.

“Promise?” She asked. The Stag nodded. “Yes.” He said,

“Now go.”

The Tea-Time Clash

After a few moments of silence, Sally Glass looked eager to get talking.

She took it upon herself to place her hand onto her daughters. She smiled sweetly.

“Come dear, may I pour you some tea at all?” She asked, her voice syrupy sweet, too sweet to be real.

“No.” Asha replied simply, “I’m fine.”

“No, ‘thank you’?” Sally questioned, a tone of steel in her voice now, creeping in there. Her rosy red lips were pressed into a tight line now, clearly trying not to get what she wanted, for Asha to talk.

“No.” Asha replied simply. This, made Sally give out her famous, ‘You’ll tell me one way or another,’ look, to her daughter.

“I see.” Sally replied tightly. She then lent and poured some more tea into her own cup, all with her thin legs crossed and retaining her wealthy, and posh posture.

Asha did nothing but waited until her mother would talk again. The thing was, her and her mother never talked unless she had something to brag about in her writing. A new plot or characters mean streak.

“Now dear, about that fawn that’s outside, in the barn,”

This caught Asha’s attention right away. She sat up right then, her eyes wide