The Black Rider
"Suns down, black velvet, and a mask of night."
My china dish broke today. It was a great tragedy! After all, I only have seven cooking utensils. Two dishes, a pan, a knife, a cauldron, and a bowl. This particular dish was big, sturdy, and easy to wash.
Dear reader, you may wonder about my sanity at this beginning, but I assure you... this is the start of my story. Its not a fairytale its only a tale. In which the ending is only a slight bit better then the beginning.
So now dear reader I resume my tale...
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It was a great loss. My other dish was small, fragile, and chipped. I am a very clumsy person. Besides, eating out of the cauldron is absolutely out of the question. Its too deep, my hair would fall into the food, and my neck would end up aching.
But I suppose that the reason for my frying pans loss, is a pefectly understandable reason. For after all, its not everyday that my house has an intruder.
It began like this...
It was evening. The sun was barely going down into its cozy palace under the hills. An orange wave of light stretched across the sky. I weaved through the forest, stopping occasionally to see the progress of the lights above. A lilac aura had started forming in the highest parts of the heavens.
I quickened my pace trying to reach home before a veil of black fell over the sky. It was like this every evening. Just before the sun started to set, I would head off to the spring and fill my wooden bucket with fresh water. Often I got distracted, and nights veil had fallen long before I even reached my destination.
I finally reached the glade where the cottage was. Or should I say, my cottage. I coul tell you about how I ended up in the forest. But personally, I would rather not. All I can say, is that before the forest my life was one long slob of misery. I mean that quite literally. Misery!
Anyway, back to the cause of my broken dish... I kicked the door open and gratefully put down the heavy pail. Finding I had a sudden appetite, I went through the few cupboards until I found my measly stash of food.
Living in the forest alone is hard work. But that is how it should be. Wake up early as possible, go food scavenging, fetch the water, feed the animals, make breakfast, wash the dishes, mend my clothing, mend the picket fence, guard the gardens, water the plants, prepare lunch, eat lunch, etc, etc... The list could go on and on. Usually by the time I have finished all my work, it is evening and time to fetch some more water. I rarely have any free time.
Well, I prepared a snack and I sat down in the creaky rocking chair and warmed myself by the fire. A fireplace gives a place such a cozy atmosphere... I do not know what I would do without it. So, I was munching on a carrot and lazing around when I heard a sound.
I immediately shot out of my chair and went to my door. The noise I had heard, was from a very distant memory. It was the rumbling of the ground beneath my feet. My mind searched its fuzzy contents until it was able to produce a vision. Of course, it was a horse!
I approached my window and peeked out. My eyes adapted to the mask of black that covered the skies. Then I saw it.
A long-legged black steed with a dark personage on its back. My heart began racing. Never had anything like this happened to me. Especially in all the time I had lived in the forest.
The forest in which I lived was a huge one. It was three weeks from the nearest civilization. I guess you could call me wild and independent because that is exactly what I am. The only thing I depend on is the forest. Before I moved here, as a girl I had heard tales that the forest was magical. But thats poppy-cock, nothing even remotely miraculous has ever happened to me here.
My heart raced because no other human had ever came this far into the forest. I backed away from the window, and immediately set out to extinguishing the fire. It was only the work of a moment and instead of a roaring fire there was a beacon of smoke that filled my home.
But let me tell you, the moment the fire went out, the house became deathly dark. I realized that it was way past bed time. Foolish me, I would be sleeping in tomorrow. I let my eyes adapt to the darkness and then I waited, my hands searching for a passable weapon. My fingers closed around a burlap bag and a long heavy object.
Now, dear reader, you must realize that at the time that I picked up the object, I had no clue that it would be my precious china dish. So I held the big object ready to hit the intruder if he got too close. I had nothing of value except for my dishes but I still didn't want to take a chance.
Soon the door squeaked open. My eyes stared at the dark figure. By that time I had made up my mind. The intruder was a thief. Because he was quiet, he wore all black, and he behaved suspiciously.
The figure paced my little home and right when his head was in view I let the smooth object slam down on the head.
"Take that, you-you bloke!" I exclaimed just as the object crashed down on the figures head.
The object in my hands shattered and I stepped back, my night-sight eyes appraising the collapsed figure on the floor. Reaching about blindly I was able to locate a match. Then, feeling around the cupboards, my hand closed around a wax cylinder. A candle!
I pulled the candle out and I lit the candle with my match. I slowly walked over to the sprawled figure and studied him/her. The figure was tall, slightly muscular, lanky, and a male. He had on a black velvet cloak, an elegant vest and some polished boots. The man was a noble.
My heart raced faster. The man was probably innocent! What would he do when he woke up? Would he race back to his home and bring soldiers to arrest me. I was feeling quite guilty about my actions until my eyes beheld the shattered object.
Oh no! It was my beautiful china dish! I could feel the unreasonable heat of rage filling my mind like boiling water. I turned furiously on the man, who was still not moving.
I'm not sure what made me do it. But my hands moved of their own accord. Tying his legs and his hands together. I blinked Then the strangest of all things, I had stuffed the burlap bag over his head.
Instead of feeling guilt as I should have... I felt complete satisfaction. No matter that he was an innocent traveler, he had broken my Best dish. My revenge was complete. But the best part of this whole event was... for the first time in such a long time, I had company!
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So just a little one-shot. I was riding the bus today and my mind started revolving around some of my favorite fairytales. It happened to settle on "The White Cat" and so from that story came this story although it is one of my most foolish by far.
If you like it, please review! My mind has more scenes for this story. But I thought that this would be good for posting. For once I did not get my sisters approval. Astounding!
I left the girl unnamed because I think it makes her more mysterious. Quite truthfully though, the girl doe not know her own name. The black rider comes up with a name. But I just wanted to know what people thought of this idea. So please, I will request, that you review.
By the way... what do you think of my quote at the top? Cool isn't it?
You rock socks!
-Lightzing : p