Heyy, you little beauties. I'm gonna do my level best not to babble on about random inconsequential stuff that doesn't matter and get right down to actually writing the story. This doesn't have any of the new characters in but they will definitely be in the next chapter. Hope you like this!
Song I listened to while I wrote this; The Naked And The Famous by Young Blood
Can't help myself but count the flaws
Claw my way out through these walls
One temporary escape
Feel it start to permeate.
"No, Mama. Look at the poor horse." 9-year-old Nico reprimanded his mother seriously, his cheeks red from the cold, a warm blue scarf and wool blue coat protecting his shivering body from the worst of the chilly November nights.
An emaciated carriage mare nosed the frosty cobblestones listlessly, her hipbones jutted out sharply as a meatcleaver.
His mother didn't even glance over, instead peering impatiently down the side street lined with shops,"Nico, we have no time for petting and stroking. Once Bianca has fetched her scarf, we are heading home." Maria, her delicate fingers numb within her leather gloves, was far colder than she cared to admit, and Bianca was taking a suspiciously long time returning from Angelica's coffee shop; probably chatting and dawdling again while her family froze out at the square, waiting anxiously until she appeared.
"Mama!" He tugged her coat insistently, his voice determine as he whispered, as though he were about to depart a very coveted secret,"She is sick."
Maria sighed. She knew her son well enough that he would not give up until she had at least had a look.
"Okay then," She relented, stamping her furry shoes in an attempt to rid her toes of the dawnings of frostbite,"But no longer than five minutes!"
Nico dashed over, dragging his mother behind him as she exclaimed and pulled her coat tight; until she was the horse, her coat dull and scruffy, ribs protruding at a garish angle, crusty little sores scabbing on her skin from the cracked harness.
"You are right, my cariño. This horse is not well." Maria smiled at Nico, who was furiously patting the thin chestnuts shoulder, her head trailing dejectedly. His driver was wrapped in a soaked blanket, his pinched white face staring dully across the square, shivering uncontrollably, his wheezes deep and painful.
"Have you not fed you're horse, sir?" Nico inquired solemnly, his dark eyes serious.
"I have no bread for myself, little chico. No bread for my horse either."
"If you have no bread, then give her cake." Nico's huge, dignified eyes bored into the man's, who smiled slightly.
"But what if I have no bread nor cake? What then, little chico?"
Nico frowned,"But surely you must have one or the other?" Nico's indreculous tone of voice didn't match with his childish face. The horse rubbed his wet muzzle weakly on Nico's chin, who immediately started grinning widely.
"I have no money, little chico. No bread and no cake. Nothing."
Nico deliberated for a moment, before turning his solemn little face to his indulgent mother, her expression amused,"Then we need to buy you some cake. Mama, we need bread for the man and cake for his poor horse."
"Of course, dear cariño. We will go right away." Maria reassured Nico gently, marching off across the square with Nico, after one last, tender stroke upon the mare's wet forehead, running after her, his face focused.
"Well, well. It isn't often you meet genuine chico's. God must be feeling generous today, especially for poor families like us, right Bella?" The man chuckled hoarsely, patting his horse.
"He's is a good little chico, is that child. He shall grow up to be a fine Italian man, mark my words, Bella."
"Bella is a pretty name." An older girl, about eleven, smiled demurely at the man, her dark eyes watching him from the folds of her blue velvet scarf, intruiged. The man wondered if this girl and the little chico were related. They shared the same eyes.
"Yes, little chica. She is a very pretty horse."
"She is too skinny."The girl replied disapprovingly.
Definitely related.
"Nico and Mama just walked away, but I think they're going to come back." She confided easily, tucking her dark hair behind her ears, red with cold.
"I think they like Bella."
"I think they like her too."
"We have bread and cake! And fruits and nuts and oranges, and even carrots! The seller said horses like fruits and carrots." Nico bounded up, the bag of carrots swinging from his arm, before spotting Bianca, and giving her a hug.
"Me and Ma- I mean," Nico hastily corrected himself, "Mama and I have been buying food for this man and his horse!"
"Her name is Bella. And I'm sure that she will love the carrots." Bianca smiled, ruffling Nico's dark hair.
"Bella suits her. She is very beautiful."
"We have food for you and your horse," Maria appeared, laden down with bags groaning with the burden of so much food.
"We have carrots for Bella, as well as apples, bread and nuts which should give her strength." Maria began unloading the bags onto the back of the cart, the man looking on in stunned, over-whelmed silence.
"And a blanket for her, and one for you. And then we found some oranges, which we know will keep you warm. Then there's the cake, and that's it, I'm afraid."
"Thats it?" His voice was almost squeaky,"That's more than my whole months intake of food! Izobel and Roberto can have a veritable feast, my dear Annalise can eat until she is full..." His eyes were misty, and his voice became choked up,"I don't know how to thank you. You're generosity is beautiful, and I am over-whelmed in gratitude. If there's ever anything I can do to help..."
"Actually, there is." Unbothered by the man's emotional speech, Nico spoke nochantly,"Our neighbours, Alfonso and Frankie, need a man to take care of their horses. They are kind and the wage will be fair. Bella can stay there as well."
"Nico!" Maria admonished, ushering his bewildered face away,"We can't just offer other peoples jobs!"
"But why Mama? They would be pleased, and so would this man, and his family, AND Bella." Bianca pleaded, Nico chiming in, his earnest face glowing.
"We will deliberate. But now we really must be getting home. Enjoy you're holidays!" With a cheerful shout to the estatic man, the family walked away, boots crunching in the snow, dusk settling it's golden light.
"We didn't ask his name."Bianca remembered suddenly, looking regretful.
"No matter. Alfonso and Frankie will tell us once he starts to work, won't they Mama?" Nico spoke decisively.
"Yes, my little cariño. They will." Maria smiled softly, catching one more glance of the cab driver tenderly laying the new wool blanket across Bella's back before stealing away into the night, hurrying her children along with her.
It was gettint dark and she wanted to be home in time for Hades to visit
I really want Maria to appear in the House of Hades. I don't know exactly how that would be possible but I really, really want it to happen.
Cariño=Darling
Chico=Boy
Chica=Girl
I really hope you liked this one and remember; please review because reviews make me smile and I will love you.
Thanks for reading guys!
~Zoe~TheInternetGoblin~
