Hey guys, I'm so sorry for not updating in like, forever. Life was pretty crowded, not to mention developing a fatal case of writer's block. So I made it extra long for ya. Enjoy, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and review please. ;)
otose: Yeah, I like it when Forbes and Robert are best friends, not worst enemies. Merry Christmas. :)
Beagle Bug: Haha, thanks for the reminder, he's totally coming up, don't worry, I won't leave out our adorable little drummer boy. ;D
IceDragonHikari: Lol, that was originally the plan! ;) Thank you.
Samantha Story: Thanks again so much, your review really brightened up my rainy day. :) I hope you feel better. :{D
Anonymous: Haha, well you did. Thanks!
BK Love-ah: Thank you thank you thank you! Haha, your user-name makes me want french fries...
smartyjonescrzy:Poor smarty, I hope you're feeling better now. :) Everybody seems to be getting sick. I am so glad that you liked the horse scenes. Thanks so much for your help. Ya, I did look up Stacey Westfall. Did you see the video of her in her wedding dress riding that horse? It looked so pretty.
YarisVamp: Haha, thanks so much for making me feel better on my describing abilities. :)
Hannah: Thanks a lot, Hannah, and I'll do my best to fit it in. :)
Anntrell: Thanks so much! Congratulations! Break a leg you guys. :) *Please, not literally.* :)
I stood on my tippy-toes behind Glory's broad back; with my over-flowing supply of feminine curiosity, it made me really want to find out what was going on. Robert politely told me to get lost so he can have a civilized convo with his buddy Forbes. Civilized is no longer the word I would use to describe their heated little argument...er...discussion.
Though I could not hear what they were saying, until they started screaming at each other that is, I could read their facial and body expressions. It was pretty sad. Both were angry, reminding me of some cartoon characters that had steam puffing out of their ears. Forbes's yell-attack was so sudden and loud, it made me jump, Glory snorting; annoyed with me."LEFT! RIGHT! LITTLE FINGER ALONG THE SEEMS OF THEIR TROUSERS!" Pardon my French but...
WTF?
Both of them refused to back down, retorting venomous comebacks to one another, firing sharp words at each other and having their own mini Civil War right there on the field. It was kind of like watching Superman versus Batman. Never mind; for Superman was a loser who changed in phone booths. What Forbes did next struck me off-guard, as it obviously did to Robert, as well. He bowed low and slowly to Robert, giving him one last smirking glare before strolling off into the direction of the barracks. I guess some things never change, no matter what century you're in, male 'bonding' doth exist.
Robert stood alone on the icy field, shoulders slumped, staring up at the silver sky. He must have felt my eyes on him, for he snapped his neck in my direction, his eyes boring into my own. Oh snap, he caught me eavesdropping. Perfect. Play it cool, Alex, play it cool. Yes it's a shame that Alex does not know what 'cool' is. I ducked behind Glory's big stomach, but he moved, exposing me again. Oh no, today was not my day. Tomorrow's not looking too good either.
Robert cocked his head, as if debating whether or not to approach Camp Readville's very own village idiot. Oh joy! I was just granted the honor of another reprimanding lecture from my cute, but nevertheless strict, commanding officer. I can die happy now! I dropped to the floor, pretending as if I was just tying my shoes, totally not looking at him.
I felt him stop a few feet away from me, clearing his throat."Miss Janeiro, did you loose something?" A twinge of teasing in his usual, knowing tone.
I looked up at him from the muddy ground, blinking like a fool."No." I murmured."I just wanted to, you know, tie these laces." I added, pointing to the almost unrecognizable pair of Converse.
Robert clasped his hands behind his back, arching one shapely eyebrow."You don't say." He murmured quietly. He gave me a look that said I should not consider acting as a possible career future.
"Excuse me." I muttered, scrambling up before he offered me a hand, remembering what happened last time.
Awkward.
He looked up at the sky, as if searching for what to say. I kept my mouth shut too, learning from experience that nothing wise ever comes out of there. We stood like that for a few minutes, while Robert's eyes fell on his horse, jumping back and forth from me to Glory, making myself feel like some bloody science experience, the way he stared at me, it got under my skin, how he looked at me as if there was something wrong me.
He wouldn't be too far off.
He bit his much abused lip, while I pushed my annoying hair away again."Miss Janiero, do you know how to ride a horse?" He asked.
I thumped my fist against my thigh, twisting my face nervously."N-no." I replied, refusing to look at him.
He let out a sigh, and when I looked up, his face was polite, but his eyes wore a 'now why does that not surprise me?' expression."Someone should have to teach you then."
I grew up in a suburb pal, where would we keep a horse, in the garage? Robert continued."We are in a war, and one can never know when riding may prove handy."
"Uh-huh." I retorted, scratching my head like an ignorant backwoods hillbilly."Is he hard to handle?" I asked, truly curious.
Robert didn't look at me, too engrossed as he affectionately patted Glory's head. Lucky horse, ahem."Well, he is a very large animal." Robert trailed off absentmindedly.
You've seen things bigger than that, Godzilla Boy.
"That's cool." I replied, ignoring the fact that he didn't answer my question.
That got Robert to strip Glory of his attention. Of course he doesn't miss mah slip-ups."Pardon?"
"I said 'thats nice'." I shoved my almost frost-bitten hands deep into the pockets of my jeans. A girl in pants, the scandal!
Robert wrinkled his forehead, surveying the field."Where is Major Forbes?" He muttered, probably to himself.
After he yelled at you? Hmm, he probably went to vent about it to Charlie.
"I don't know, Sir." I shrugged, helplessly. A lot of good that did him.
Robert looked me thoughtfully, the kind of look your doctor gives you when debating if you really need that flu shot. I stiffened. Robert handed me the reins."Please take Glory back to the stables, you know where they are."
I sure do, I still have manure on my heel to prove it. Lovely.
Robert, scratch that, Colonel Shaw, mouthed a thank you, striding away from me with grace and finesse. I envied that. I didn't like calling Robert 'colonel' or anything to his face, it felt too weird, the guy was barely older than myself. So I just called him 'Sir', but mostly 'Hey'. I tugged on Glory's reins, falling into step with the four-legged creature, walking about an arm's length away from him.
He was so big it kinda freaked me out, making me feel so small and unimportant. It was really humbling. I reached out to tentatively brush my fingertips over his beautiful mane. He did not seem to notice, following me obediently to the stables, like he knew the drill. The mushy wet ground was replaced by a thick layer of golden straw as we passed the threshold into the large wooden stables. Though it wasn't that much warmer in here than outside, it was comforting and cozy.
Until he showed up.
I ducked my head behind Glory's broad neck, his smooth, brown coat grazing across my cheek. I tried not to get him to notice me. Fat chance. I was invisible in the 21rst century, but here it's like I have large neon signs attached to me, saying 'look at me!' Of course he noticed. Trip stopped shoveling oats into a large wooden manger, and leaned against a wooden post, smirking at me.
I pretended like I had no idea he was even there; acting like he, his ignorant lackeys, and Jupiter weren't didn't exist. I guided Glory into a wooden stall, thankfully he did not give me any lip. I backed out of it, hoping to get out of here in just one piece; instead of torn apart by Trip's jeers. I admit that I was afraid of the guy. My Converse foot landed in something warm and squishy. I looked down.
Ah, but of course.
"Ew." I groaned, as the sharp odor of the manure invaded my nostrils, forcing me to breathe through my mouth. I dragged my foot through the straw, trying to wipe the greenish-brownish mess off of the rubber sole. Trip's laughter was hard to miss. I looked up, his Goon #1 was doubled over, shrieking, even wimpy Jupiter was grinning.
I arched an eyebrow, what could possibly be funny? Jupiter tossed me a dirty rag, probably from a burlap sack that had once contained oats."Thanks." I muttered, wiping the remaining...junk off my shoe.
"You s-stepped in it didn't ya?" He asked in his usual stuttering.
I jammed my tongue into my cheek. It always annoyed me how people ask the obvious. I mean, we're in a war, man, there's no time for stupid questions. Ya dig? I should have your hat for that, snatch it right off your big head. I didn't say that, of course, the poor guy was trying to be nice. I was just a little touchy, like I said today was not my day. I smiled at him instead."Yes, yes I did."
The bugle sounded.
Ah, saved by the bell. I realized it indicated training time, as the men dropped what they were doing and rushed outside for another tongue lashing from the ever so gentlemanly Sergeant Mulcahy. But there were some things that took my a while to get. Like 'dinner is at oh six hundred.' What the heck was that supposed to mean? There were only twenty four hours in a day, not six hundred! Believe me, I know, I watch the TV show.
Forbes was in the kitchen when Robert found him, getting a hot, black cup of tasteless coffee from Jerry the fat, but friendly, cook. Though there was no more 'static' between the two friends, there was no bonding either. They were empty, and it would be awkward for a while, even though they never had trouble recovering their friendship after their bombing fights.
Rob asked him to train Miss Janeiro to ride a horse, saying that one never knows when she might need that skill. It took very ounce of Forbes's self-control not to burst out laughing at the ridiculous notion of Alex on a horse. If she can manage to break her neck by tripping over her own two feet, on the horse she will manage to kill herself, Forbes, and the poor horse as well.
But Robert's word was law, and here he was, standing at the opposite end of the stables, smirking as several privates shuffled past him when the training bugle sounded. Alex was shooting daggers at Glory, dragging her manure encrusted foot over the blonde straw, trying to get every ounce of the revolting substance off of her odd looking shoes.
Forbes laughed, approaching her, causing her jump. She glared at him too."Geez Forbes." She exclaimed."Don't do that, sweeping in here so suddenly like the bloody plague." She sighed, murdering the manure on her shoe with a lethal stare."Knock next time."
Forbes grinned."It's nice to see you again too."
She loosened up."Sorry." She must have realized that he wasn't leaving, and she stopped and stared at him, crossing her arms."'Sup Forbes?"
He frowned, he had a hard time keeping up with he peculiar intellect."Pardon?"
She shrugged, dismissing his question."Did you want something?"
"Actually, I'm here to help you. Robert wants me to show you how to ride a horse." He explained, smirking at the amusing thought.
She muttered something incoherent.
Forbes leaned forward."What?"
"I asked what makes you think I can't ride a horse?" She responded indignantly.
"Alex, are you trying to develop a sense of humor?" Forbes retorted, quirking an eyebrow.
Her frown broke into a large grin.
Forbes smiled back."Come on, you lost cause."
He led her to a large horse. A tall, long-legged blonde mare with huge black eyes and a long, tan mane."Who's this?" Alex asked, cocking her head at it."Lemme guess, Honor, Praise? I mean, Glory's taken."
Forbes smirked at her."Alex, you're really not that funny."
"You're not exactly a stand-up comedian yourself." She retorted, grinning at him.
Forbes raised an eyebrow."Touche." He muttered, turning his attention to the beautiful, long-legged mare."This is the horse you're going to be riding today."
"Wow." She murmured, a ridiculous sounding word that Forbes did not understand either."Is it yours."
"No, this is Charlie's horse." He replied, grinning."I don't trust you on mine."
She smacked his arm, laughing."You're just like my brother and his stupid pick-up truck."
Forbes was confused."What the devil is a pick-up truck?"
Alex looked a little panicked. She squeezed her eye lids together tightly, closing her them shut. Forbes decided that a 'pick-up truck' must have something to do with feminine issues and Forbes liked to avoid that subject all together."Never mind." He muttered. Alex gave him a grateful smile in return. Forbes took hold of the horse's reins and continued to lead it out of the big stable-barn.
Gosh that was embarrassing. I felt like kicking myself as I followed Forbes out of the stables. What the heck? Slipping up and saying 'stables?' I knew I wasn't exactly Einstein, but come on, that was even pushing it for me. We approached the training field, one that I was sick and tired of seeing, surprised to find it empty. I asked Forbes about it, and he replied that the troops were training indoors today.
Lucky them.
I thought, pulling the navy uniform jacket tighter around me to block out the cold. Forbes stopped in the precise middle of the frozen field, the thin brown sheet of glass broke as we stepped on the ground, crushing the ice."Climb on." Forbes gestured up at the brown leather saddle on the horse's back.
No way. That horse was huge. Did he honestly think I was up to it? My bravado was ripped away and I sulked, crossing my arms."What do you mean?"
Forbes frowned."What part of 'get on' do you not understand?"
The 'on' part."It's just that I don't think this horse will like me." I replied, which was only part of the truth.
Forbes snorted, stepping over to the horse's side and doing something to the saddle. He strapped it in tighter, a belt like thingy around the horse's tummy, then slipped a couple of fingers under the belt. Seemingly satisfied, he slipped them out and looked at me, leaning on the horse."Don't be ridiculous, Nelson could not possibly hurt you."
So he was Nelson, the little bugger. Well, not exactly little."I'm so sure."
Forbes quirked an annoyed eyebrow."Stop acting like a quivering milk maid, Alex. Just get on it, it isn't difficult."
"I don't want to." I whined like the pathetic little baby I am.
Forbes swallowed hard."You seemed fine with Glory." He reasoned.
"Glory was ten times smaller than Nelson." I can't believe Charlie actually rides this thing. The horse was scary. He was fat-ish, more like muscly, with a long flowing mane that made him look like he was some kind of Fabio. His black eyes seemed to glare at me, his nostrils flaring, as if every fiber of his being was daring me to get on.
"Alex, just climb on." Forbes retorted, cupping his hands by Nelson's belly, ready to give me a boost."It's perfectly safe."
"Are you sure?" I cried, earnestly searching his face for a clue that he wasn't lying.
Forbes shrugged, glancing up at me."Alex, he worst that could happen is you getting thrown off." He spoke calmly. Yeah, thrown off and breaking my back in a century where people cut off broken body parts. Nice.
"Thanks." I snapped sarcastically."That makes me feel so much better."
He waited for me to set my foot down into his palms. I grabbed his shoulder, and he boosted me up. Gathering momentum I swung my left leg over Nelson's side, landing (astonishingly gracefully) on to his back. Forbes stared at me in surprise, as if he had been expecting me to fall off the other side and snap my neck. Alas no broken bones! Life's good.
I was right, Nelson did not like me. At all. He swung his head back and forth, snorted, and stomped his hooves. C'mon, buddy, chill. Forbes barked orders at me. Things like: 'slacken the reins, it's too tight!' or 'Alex! Sit up straight! Don't slouch!' I could tell Forbes was annoyed at my slouching, but he didn't loose patience. And he didn't make me ride side-saddle either, saying how ridiculous he thought that method was. I guess I did have some luck. I lasted ten minutes on that horse, much to our surprise, before Nelson's patience finally wore thin.
He jolted, ever so slightly, but I guess the saddle was not tight enough, and I ended up kissing the ground. It didn't really hurt as bad as I expected it to. Everything was sore, especially my thighs. The movie Spirit was coming back to me. Forbes 'whoa'ed at Nelson, calming him down, then lurched to me. This was like deja vu, from that horrible first day when my long chain of over-reactions was triggered. I still had a faint scrape on my knee from falling off of that bloody podium.
"Alex, are you hurt?" His voice and face were concerned, but his eyes were dancing with laughter.
"I'm fine." I spat, pretty peeved."But I'm never getting on a horse again."
"What's the matter Alex?" He made his tone sound teasing, like that of a little boy."Are you frightened?"
Yes, Alex scared. Alex did not know she could be so scared. Alex's pants are a little damp."No." I retorted, pulling myself up, ignoring his outstretched hand.
Forbes smiled apologetically, then exhaled a long, tired sigh."Let's try this again."
On his way to the horse stalls, Robert passed the fields, stopping in the sketchy shadows of a bare tree to watch Cabot's training progress. Miss Janeiro seemed to be reasoning with Forbes, gesturing wildly at Nelson to make her argument clear. Forbes replied to her with short monosyllables that Robert could not hear, but see the major's eyes gleaming with amusement.
Robert was just glad that they were finally doing something resourceful, instead of loitering, their usual hobby. He entered the wooden stalls, manure odor attacking his nostrils and crisp straw crunching under his black leather boots. He led Glory out of his stall, showing the beautiful brown creature outside. He mounted on the left side, grabbing hold of the reins.
"Walk." He ordered, guiding Glory to the make-shift gates of Camp Readville.
Robert had a thick stack of letters in the inside pocket of his woolen navy coat. He had decided to deliver them himself, instead of commanding somebody else to do it. Mostly because his eyes were tired of the dull, peeling brown color of Camp Readville's buildings, structures, and endless slushy dirt, and he badly needed a change of scenery. Even a brief one.
Robert sensed the stares of men and women as he rode into town, his horse's hooves splashing the puddles in the almost frozen mud. He tried to keep his eyes down, but the prickly feeling of stares on his body made him turn around. His eyes fell on a small group of young women, pulling their flower-print bonnets over their ears. They giggled when they met his eyes, causing Robert to blush and look away.
The remainder of the ride was uneventful. Robert stopped at the post office and 'parked' his horse in front of the wooden sidewalk, connected to all of the shops, wrapping around the entire block. He wrapped Glory's reins securely around a tall wooden post, serving for just those purposes. He trusted Glory enough to know that he would not go anywhere, regardless. But it was routine.
Robert deposited his letters, stalking out of the small dressing room-sized post office, beginning to undo the tied reins, when a small shop across the street caught his eye. Robert arched one shapely, dark eyebrow. He felt drawn to it; which was ridiculous since the store only sold accessories for women, judging by the window display.
Nevertheless, Robert stepped off of the wooden 'sidewalk' and strolled across to it. He opened the small white door, a shiny silver bell jingled as he went inside. The shopkeeper looked up, instantly ghosting to Robert's side."How may I help you, sir?" The balding man with gleaming gold spectacles asked him, a slight English accent noted in his speech.
Robert was about to decline, he himself having no idea why he even thought about going into that small shop; but the old shopkeeper beat him to it."A Christmas gift for a young lady, perhaps?"
Christmas, was it that time of year already? He felt slightly homesick. But the 'young lady' idea was a bit embarrassing. Robert felt himself blushing. The shopkeeper took that as a yes."Then might a suggest a hair ribbon, Colonel?" He asked, glancing at Robert's kepi, clutched securely in his hand, to determine his rank. Robert couldn't speak, only nod like a fool.
The shopkeeper led him to a small display of silk ribbons, with small crystal charms attached to one of the ends."Newly arrived from Paris." The shopkeeper gave him a toothy grin, a gleam in his eye as if he was telling a good joke."Confiscated valuables from captured Southern blockade runners."
Robert was drawn back by the blockade runner statement, but he did not say anything about it. He reached for a midnight blue, almost purple silk ribbon, with a small rose charm at the end. It would match her jacket as well as her eyes. Robert swallowed and felt like kicking himself when he realized he was about to purchase something for his camp assistant. His whole body burned but his hand refused to put it back. Besides, Miss Janeiro's hair was always falling into her face, andit was Christmas. Robert convinced himself that this was for professional purposes only.
The shopkeeper looked as if he could dance."That would be a quarter, sir."
Robert nodded, digging into his pocket and producing one, whole, shiny quarter. The shopkeeper smiled at the quarter."Thank you, young man. Merry Christmas!"
"M-merry Christmas." Robert spoke softly, for the first time since he entered the store.
He stepped out into the cold air, the clouds threatening him with snow. But Robert didn't mind, he was too busy thinking about the unusual, yet pretty Miss Janeiro; and her dancing eyes that reminded him of Christmas on Shaw Island. He glanced down at the small red box in his palm, wondering if he would ever have the courage to give it to her.
Ha! Rhett Butler was a blockade runner! Is it just me or does that title sound...dashing? Excuse my randomness for the comment and the chapter. I've got a sugar rush going. =p BTW, if you haven't seen that horse cartoon 'Spirit' then you might not get the chapter name. Merry merry Christmas (my absolute favorite holiday) and a Happy New Year!
*Sings opera style* Revieeeeeew!