Chapter 2
- Are you alright? – the little boy haltingly asked his young master
- Yeah…- Oscar answered while trying to abate the pain on his face with the cold water at the fountain
- Let me help…- André raised his hand to touch Oscar's face
- Thank very much! – Oscar avoided it – if you had come with me at the first place, this would never have happened!
- You would meet those boys in the party room anyway!
- And now I can't go in there with a face like this! – Oscar shouted angrily
- Ok, I'm sorry! – André yelled back – What do you want me to do?
- …haven't known yet…- Oscar sat on the ground – but I will cut that kale head and ask nanny cook a soup…
- Kale head? – André stared at Oscar then laugh loudly – be careful with your word!
- I'm serious! – Oscar said laughingly – and that time would come early, you'll see!
- What do you mean?
- Father will bring me to de Girodelle's mansion to apologize… - Oscar looked at the ground, something had made this place become uncomfortable…
- But if you do anything, then…- André said confusingly, he knew Oscar didn't want to received any punishment from the master
- Oh I won't do anything – Oscar looked at him with big eyes and big smile and André started to understand…
- No, Oscar…not again…
For the "kale head", everything turned out not too bad after all. Now count de Girodelle noticed his second son could fight very well, right after they went back to the party, he started to introduce Victor with other generals…
Normally, Victor would feel extremely happy. But tonight, the feeling of guiltiness had encroached the happiness territory inside his heart. Father had never hit him, and he always thought father hated him. General de Jarjayes had just hit his precious son and seemed like he that wasn't abnormal for him to do that…
- Hey, why do you make such a face? – Vincent nudged him secretly and whispered, tried not to let their father know
- What?
- Cheer up, smile or something, I thought you always want this…
- Well, I…
- Hmm? – Count de Girodelle turned back – Perhaps you want to say something? – He asked Victor
- Ah…- uh oh, he needed an excuse immediately – I…may I come and talk to monsieur de Balzac? – "at least that ignominious boy could be helpful for something"
- Monsieur de Balzac?
- I mean his son, Edgard Quesnel de Balzac…
- Oh, you've known his son already? – yes, he was right, father was happy to know he had made friend with de Balzac's son – I'm going to introduce you to him…
- Let the children play as they wish, count de Girodelle – another gentleman said – it's the best way for them to learn how to behave in noble world…
- I agree! – count de Girodelle smiled – then, you can go, but don't get into any trouble again!
- Yes, father! – Victor said and gave them a salute like a real mature gentleman
- You don't want to take to Edgard, do you? – Vincent whispered again, after they had walked away far enough
- Of course not!
- So what's wrong?
- I don't know, I'm a little confused…
- About what?
- About…- Victor looked around and grasped Vincent to a safe corner – About general de Jarjayes and his son…
- You met Oscar?
- Yes, and... wait a minute – he remembered something – you know him? Why didn't you tell me?
- Tell you about what? – Vincent said – he's just like what everybody talked!
- Yeah, lovely, strong, great and better than me! – now Victor forgot the thing made him confused already
- Lovely? – Vincent frowned lightly then laughed – so you know that too?
- Know what?
- Oh, you don't? – he laughed louder – ok, I won't tell you. Sorry, I can't…
- Oh...Vincent, should you not tell me what I want to know…
- What do you want to know about me? – a young voice reached their ear
- De Jarjayes! Victor said unawarely
- If you're thinking that I was ear dropping – Oscar said as seeing the expression on Victor's face – Then I was not! But I heard my name so I stopped for a second and then I heard you said you wanted to know something…
Yes, Oscar wasn't ear dropping, spying on them or whatever, but he did want to see how the kale-head who'd just caused him a big punishment for no reason was doing.
This's some kind of curiosity but nothing's wrong with investigating the person who you will give a huge revenge
By that, Oscar had convinced himself to listen to what the two brothers said, and he couldn't help but asked when he heard they were talking about him.
And the kale-head, it was true that a moment ago, he felt guilty, he felt worry for the little boy who was standing in front of him. But right now when finally he was standing in front of him, Victor just wanted to push him on the round and hit him again! Oh, he hated that boy!
- I was wondering how long you would cry because of that small hurt on your pretty face…- Victor said jestingly
- And I was wondering if your trousers had get any wet since you had shaken and hidden behind your father's back like a little girl…- Oscar spited out
And another fighting would have happened if Vincent hadn't interrupted
- Oh, so we were thinking about each other! – he smiled – I've the feeling that we may become good friends!
Fortunately that he had interrupted in time before count de Girodelle and general de Jarjayes arrived
- I see you two had made up! – Count de Girodelle said – then probably you don't have to …- he turned to talk to general de Jarjayes
- Please don't refuse, count de Girodelle! - general de Jarjayes replied – it was our fault! So in case you really don't mind about the previous behavior of my child, please accept my invitation to our humble mansion for dinner…
Oscar was walking forth and back in the big luxurious room. One reason was his father had ordered him to stay and wait for their special guests, the second reason was right now father was sitting in the armchair and watching him, even though seemed like he was reading something. And the last reason was Oscar was thinking about the situation, his situation…
Oscar had gotten 50% of the answer. He knew father would do something to apologize, but Oscar thought father would bring him to de Girodelle's mansion, turned out he invited them to their mansion instead. But this was good, right? Good for his revenging plan. Of course he had better chance to perform it here and better chance to escape, to pretend that he didn't do anything. He knew every single cranny of this mansion! Well, perhaps he didn't, but surely that André did! And André, where was he now?
A maid came into the room and asked general de Jarjayes something about the meal.
Take the opportunity when father was too busy to keep an eye on him, Oscar sneaked out to find André. And it wasn't hard to find his loyal servant at the stable
- André!
- Oscar? You're supposed to be waiting for…
- Yes, I'm! – Oscar stopped him – and you're supposed to be helping me with my revenge!
- You were serious? – André sighed
- Of course! You've been here for nearly a year! I thought you've understood me already!
- I was hoping a miracle would happen and you change your mind…
- Now you've learned this's a real world, so no miracle! – Oscar said, staring at the beautiful white horse, the one father said he would give to him when he was older – come here Oliver! – he called the horse, even though he wasn't old enough to ride, he came here every day to take care of the horse and so the animal had a strong attachment to his young owner- good boy! – Oscar giggled as Oliver rubbed his head with its – hey André, do you know how to ride?
- Ah, yes, but I don't know how to handle wild horse.
- Why anybody wants to buy and ride a wild horse?
- No, I mean a horse which has never been ridden before…- André scratched his head – like Oliver…
Oliver was the child of a thoroughbred sire which was a cavalry horse but had broken his leg, he should have been killed if general de Jarjayes hadn't brought him home. Oscar didn't know how father could convince the cavalry general, but he knew why he did that. The reason was Oliver: he wanted to have a purebred. After Oliver was born, he sent the "werecavalry horse" to somewhere Oscar didn't know. And didn't care either. Now all he cared about was: Oliver is a restive horse! He could be nice, could come when his owner call, but who know what happens if some one tries to mount him?
- Have you ever tried to mount Oliver? – Oscar asked André
- Are you kidding me? – André laughed – I'm not allowed to mount any horse here, and if I want to break the rule, I won't choose this one!
- Why not?
- Because he's a wild horse!
- Thank you! – Oscar creamed and jumped to André, hugged him tightly
- What? Why? – André was surprised for a second then tried to free himself from the strong circle on his neck. And when he could be able to look at Oscar's eyes, he suddenly understood something that he wished he hadn't …
The dinner was so boring, at least to the children. When their father were talking to each other about the court, about the King, about everything, they just kept focusing on their plates, their spoons, their folks and their meal. What else could they do? Vincent didn't have anything to talk to an 8 years old boy. And Victor couldn't even look at Oscar without thinking of punching him in the face, let alone talking to him.
- I agree! – count de Girodelle said politely – a horse is a man's best friend, not a dog.
- Yes! – general de Jarjayes said after sipped his wine – I don't know why he always says changing the horse when it get tired is the best way! – he let out a chuckle – the best way's let it rest and then use it again!
Oscar didn't know who father was talking about. But he knew this was the perfect time for his little plan.
- So, monsieur de Girodelle, I bet you can ride very well! – he asked Victor
- Well, I know how to ride…- since his father was here, Victor answered carefully
- He's studying riding with a tutor – count de Girodelle said – and I intend to give him a good horse after he can ride properly.
- Oh, then probably he would be interested in Oliver, right father?
- Sure… - general de Jarjayes looked at Oscar for a while "nah, I'm thinking too much", he told himself since he was having an unreasonable suspicion – If you've finished, you can take your friends to see Oliver.
- Thank you father! – Oscar said obediently
Horse riding was the worst subject in which Victor had the worst result. He could fence very well, he could fight very well, but he couldn't ride, well, couldn't "ride properly" actually. He could got on the horse, could sit there steadily even when it step slowly for a few feet, but when it begin to run, then it's the problem. Victor didn't know how to control it. Still, he had an interest in horses, simply because all soldiers need horses, but since he had fallen from a brown horse's back, he lost it. Then back there he just wanted father finish the meal and they will go home. And that boy asked him about his horse riding!
There were tons of things he wanted to do with Oscar, or maybe "to do to" the little boy now looked like a little evil. And those tons of thing didn't include going to see a horse with that boy but again, as his father was here, it's obviously that he had no other choice.
- André, bring Oliver out! – Oscar said as walking into the stable
- Oscar…- the young boy hesitated
- André! – Oscar said with a threat in his voice. The boys noticed the strange short conversation between the servant and the young master, but their attention soon turned to the imposing healthy horse.
- What a splendid creature! – Vincent said in a whistle.
- Yeah, yeah…- Victor said slackly
- Do you want to ride him? – Oscar began doing his revenge
- Oh, may I? – Vincent asked eagerly, he wasn't interested in anything related to the army but he was interested in animal, and horse's a kind of animal.
- Ah... well…- Oscar was confused, was awkward when facing the unwanted situation. It was supposed to be Victor who wants to mount the horse and then get what he deserves! But now it was Vincent who held the rein and put one of his feet on a stirrup.
Normally, Vincent wouldn't do something like that, something so indecent and so embarrassing…but he couldn't resist the charm of the beautiful horse, and he convinced himself that the stammering "well" meant "yes"…
André was watching the young nobles, and he was trying his best to act naturally as he knew what would happen if the boy get on that "splendid creature". But Oscar was secretly sternly looked at him, so he didn't do anything. And now, the young master didn't look at him anymore…and now, the situation went on the wrong way, he thought maybe, maybe he should…
- I…I won't do that if I were you, monsieur…- André said when Vincent stamped his foot down.
But it was too late.
Feeling the weight on his sight, the "splendid creature" became a "splendid monster".
The boys were scared to death, especially Vincent as Oliver jumped and jumped and jumped, the horse shoes struck on the ground making the sound like a typhoon hit to the rock. The loud angry importune neigh echo in the air, and after a strong firm kick, the horse fling the poor boy out before jumped over the fence and bolted away…
Now the situation had gone out of control.
To be continued