I hate horses, they ruined my life, well maybe not mine, but definitely that of my whole family. And you know how they ruined it? Simple, they were killed. Killed by a couple of horses much like this one. The only reason I didn't die was because I had been mad at my mother for making me wear a dress and ribbons in my hair.
Now here I was, dressed like a man, talking like a man, walking like a man, basically acting like a man, and to everyone around me I was a man. All this thanks to a decision I had made a couple of years ago. Usually I was happy with my life, or as happy as I felt I could be in this situation. But on days like today I really wished I had my old care free life back.
"So Jack my boy, are you getting on the horse or not, I'm not going to stand here all day and freeze my ass of any longer than need be."
Snapping out of my stupor I concentrated on the problem at hand. In front of me was one of the largest horses I have, and hope to, ever see. It belonged to someone inside the high-class pub that loomed over me from not all that far away.
Most probably it belonged to a noble who had slipped inside quickly for some business and could not be bothered to stable his horse properly, I mean after all, who would be stupid and crazy enough to steal it? The answer was simple… me.
It was the last task that I would have to complete successfully to gain access and become a member of this empire's best resistance group. I would be the first female member to join. Not that any of the men knew I was a girl, but still, you get my drift.
Called thieves by nobles and a great big nuisance, any members caught meant a lot of money for the capturer. There are even people who make a living out of capturing members. These men are pure evil, and enjoy torturing people. Simply seeing them as things that can be used to gain, not thinking of what it might mean to the person captured.
Anyway back to the subject at hand. The last challenge I had to complete before becoming the youngest member to join this resistance group was to steal the horse and ride it through the city without being caught for 20 minutes.
I could only actually start riding the horse when the owner decided to leave the high-class pub just in time to see his all mighty horse be stolen. Which would be now.
Grabbing the horse's reigns and mounting as I had seen people around the city do, I tried to steer the horse into the street I had chosen as my means to escape.
There was one slight, tiny even, problem, I don't know how to ride a horse. Because I have always been scared of horses it never occurred to me that one day I would actually have to be able to ride one.
To my defense it was a logical thought. Most people that I associate with see owning a horse as a hindrance or they a simply to poor to afford one.
Now here I was, sitting on a humongous horse that I had deemed the devils offspring, with no idea how to manage it. Basically I was dead.
Having no idea what to do I just kicked the horse hard in his sides, clicked my tong and hoping with all my heart that I would succeed no matter what.
The horse however was having none of it, and I was starting to feel desperate. And desperate times call for desperate measures. So bending over I whispered in the horse's ear.
"I know you are supposed to be a noble animal, but I really doubt that you are. I mean a noble animal would be a proper bread one who knew what its rider wanted no matter how he or she asked it! Now because it seems that you are having a hard time understanding I tell you simply. START MOVING OR YOU WILL BE GLUE SOONER THEN YOU CAN SAY…"
I didn't get to finish my last sentence because the horrendous beast seems to have understood and is now moving at an increasingly scary and dangerous pace for the crowed city streets.
Not that I was complaining. I wanted to put as much distance as possible between myself and the noble man. The man who was currently screaming his head off behind me.
While the horse ran I held on for dear life. It wasn't fun, but somehow my horse managed very well on it's own, and avoiding all the guards that where undoubtedly running around the city at this point looking for me.
After about 15 minutes I decided it was time for me to take control of the horse I was on. So I managed to steer it toward the high-class pub where it had all started.
So far it had been easy, but once the pub came back into view with a couple of minutes to spare, I knew it wouldn't be easy any longer.
The man was still bellowing on the top of his very powerful lungs, pieces of food flying everywhere. They're where armed soldiers all around and they didn't look friendly.
I unsheathed my own sword and preparing for the fight. It would only have to last another two minutes before I could make my wonderful escape.
Basically a piece of cake, after all I was rumored to be one, if not the, best swords man in the empire. What would they say if they new I was a woman?
Never mind, I'll tell you what. First they would deny it. Secondly they would arrest me accusing me of witchcraft, and last but certainly not least they would either lock me up for life and use me, or more pleasantly, chop my head of using my own sword.
Woman worriers are forbidden by law, like so many others things in this once happy kingdom. The resistance group I would hopefully soon be part off fought hard to regain this kingdoms former justice and glory.
I jumped of the horse quickly, nearly slipping on the ice in my haste. Nobody could ever call me graceful. I was clumsy and often managed to trip over my own feet. It still surprised me, and many of my friends, that I was such a quick and agile swordsman.
The fight lasted no longer then the necessary two minutes and was all a blur to me. I hurt some of my attackers, but not enough to kill them. I never kill my opponent unless it deems to be absolutely necessary. Up until now it thankfully has never been necessary.
While the guards were running around in a frenzy trying to find me I slipped silently and ungracefully into a side alley, falling on my behind right when I was no longer in the clear view of the guards.
"I don't know how you do it!" I heard I gruff voice exclaim good-naturedly.
"Do what?" I shot back at the smiling middle-aged man who was staring down at me.
"Fight so well when you can't even walk without tripping over your own feet!"
"That's a secret I will take to the grave with me." I replied while grabbing the man's extended hand to help me up.
Jade brushed herself off while looking around at the men who had gathered there in a half circle. All of the tough looking men where members of the resistance and they did not lead an easy life.
Most would never marry or have kids. They usually broke all contact they had with their family for their protection as well as their own.
Whole families have been known to be executed simply because a member was suspected to be a member of the resistance.
Thankfully Jade didn't need to make these sacrifices. Her family being dead and herself being dressed as a man made marriage impossible.
One of the men was closely exacminating me, and I wondered if he could tell I was not all that I claimed to be. Surely he could not?
My heart started pounding a little to fast for my liking. This was the moment I had been waiting for, for what seemed like forever. I had to repress a girlish squeal of excitement that welled up inside my voice.
I managed to mask it with a cough instead.
Silently the man who had been examining me closely gave me a sealed letter and one by one the men slowly started disappearing into neighboring alleys.
It was tradition that the first letter one received from the resistance was read alone. In it you were informed if you were or were not accepted.
Soon enough Jade found herself alone, and with slightly shaking fingers she managed to open the letter. She didn't know if they were shaking from the cold or nerves. Probably both she promptly decided.
Jack,
We are honored to welcome you to the "Resistance". We will contact you soon with more information concerning your upcoming assignment.
Hopefully you will soon be able to visit our headquarters. Here you will be given a room and some other material possessions you might need.
Signed
Spider
It almost seems as though we were long lost friends, not like he was a man quite a lot of stations above me.