"Persuaded your father to let you keep him, eh?" I heard Edward say from behind me.

I turned from the foal, which I had released into his own pen on the Swan land, and smiled at him.

"I'm surprised, considering he nearly booted me for taking you out without his permission." He sighed. He looked anguished and I felt a pang of regret and shame.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I gasped. Had my father really tried to fire him for helping me?

"Apparently though, a maid from within the house stood up for me…quite a respected one at that." He told me with a wink. "So, I'll let it slide."

Mrs Lovett.

"What are the conditions of you keeping him, then?" He asked.

Of course, my father had told me that all of the care that the foal needed would be down to me; if he didn't make it, it would be on me and I would have to take that responsibility like an adult. As I had when I acted today, without my father's permission. I could see his point, even at such a young age, but the foal would make it. He had beaten all odds so far.

I explained all of this to Edward and he nodded in agreement. Smiling at my faith in the beast. He said that he could see a lot of himself in me, in my love of horses, and it comforted me to know I had a friend in on this.

"So, what are you goin' to call him?" Edward asked after a while. I looked up at him in confusion. "Don't tell me you haven't even thought of it?" He gasped in mock-horror and I giggled.

"To be honest, I was so preoccupied with finding him and being happy with that, that I really hadn't." I admitted with a blush.

"You'll need something strong. Not just any foal could make it through its first night alone." He said, tilting his head in thought as he leaned against the pen that the foal was now walking around inquisitively. We had made sure he had milk, solid food, hay and water…anything his instincts called him to take. Apparently, he was fond of all of them.

"And smart." I added. Edward gave me a sideways glance and I rolled my eyes. "He knew we were looking for him, that's why he waited by the carriage." I explained, as though it were obvious. He let out a chuckle. I wasn't sure why he was laughing, it seemed all rather logical to me.

"Alright then, something strong and smart." He smiled. "Anything spring to mind?" He asked.

"Hm…" I thought for a moment. What would suit an animal like this foal? It had to be smart, like I had said; also strong, like Edward had said. What denoted all of that into one being? "Abaccus." I said. "With two c's." I clarified.

"Oh right." He said, chuckling. "Why two, may I ask? Not that I'd know the correct spellin'." He said, tilting his head, weighing out his reply.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"I don't read too good, little Miss." He shrugged. "Not a big thing for someone like me."

"Oh…" I felt bad for how I had been so thoughtless…a lot of people from Edward's kind of background weren't literate in the sense of reading and writing, and I must have sounded rather callous making a joke of that nature to him.

"I'm sure if you explain, I'll still find it mighty funny." He said, shoving my shoulder with his arm. I looked up at him and found a new kind of respect. He knew we were different, and that it was my place to say we could be friends, but he offered it anyway. He didn't patronise me, or treat me like I was someone he shouldn't speak to. I could learn things from him…why couldn't he learn things from me as well?

"An abacus is a historical device for mathematicians, it's for adding numbers. But, it's also a part of making a building strong in architecture. I said to put two c's in it for style…because he's so beautiful. They're also a sign of good luck in some cultures." I informed him.

"That's mighty interesting…and clever, little Miss." He congratulated me. "It suits him." He said, motioning out to the foal in the pen. He was trotting towards us, but staying more to my side, avoiding Edward.

"Do you like that, Abaccus?" I asked, stroking along his small nose and placing my small hand on the diamond design on his head. He lifted his head a little and I took it as agreement, laughing.