Betting on a Horse
As his boots struck the sand, the memory of meeting April Rivera filled his mind.
Sea port of Aquaiel appeared before them. Riding for months since the mono dropped them off at the station of Dodge Star.
Riding through streets in a pyramid formation, one leading two following. Building pasted them. Three men riding horses was a common sight in Aquaiel. Except Rath and Cort never been to a seaport before now.
The towns, they visited before, all had the same appearance. Dull color existed in those towns. It was the dust that gave them that dull sight. It covered everyone and everything. Aquaiel had a brightness to it.
They stared at the people walking on the wooden sidewalks. Men, dressed like them, were clean.
Sailors and fishermen had sense of dress style. But that didn't have them wide eyed. It was the women that did. Their bright colored dresses captured their attention.
"Stop gapping!" yelled short man on the white and brown lead horse.
They stared at the back of Cob, their master. He choose them cause their kept him on his toe or, as they believed, punishment for something Cob found out about. Being the Dinh, one thinks easy responsibility. Why Cob still takes apprentices? No one can figure. However Rath and Cort proved to be his pride and headache. Pride won't pass his lips, but headache will.
"Acting like you two never seen women before," he continued.
They didn't comment just followed his lead. Since he knew who they were here for, they'll let his temper stay cold until the new apprentice appears. They stopped at the post office.
"Stay here and no trouble making," Cob said sliding off the saddle.
After Cob's back disappear behind the door, the one on the gray horse slid off the saddle.
"Rath, where're you going?" asked the one on the brown horse. .
"To check out the local saloon, Cort," he answered.
Cort didn't remind him of Cob's warning because he would've done the same thing if he had thought of it first.
Rath came to the swinging saloon doors. Shells were carved in the dark wood. Half naked women with fish tails swam over the wooden sea. Waves crashed into each other at the center of the doors.
Peering over the doors into the saloon room. The room had barely any customers. Typical slow day. The few existing customers were scattered among the tables. Couple saloon girls served the drinks coming from the bartender. A table with poker players caught his attention. Pushing the doors inward, he walked towards the bar.
He ordered a mug. When dark liquor filled the mug, some went down his throat. He wasn't much a drinker, but learning from more experienced drinkers at Terra. He knew water down liquor when he tasted it.
"Hey!" slamming down his mug down.
"Yes," stammered the bartender.
Smart bartenders don't like being accused of tampering with the liquor. This was look like he needed to be somewhere else.
"This is watered liquor," he shot at the cowering man.
A hand landed on his right shoulder.
"Is there a problem?" asked a female voice.
He followed the hand to the voice. It belonged to a Chian woman. Her slanted eyelids stared into his blue eyes.
"Yes,"pointing to the mug, "this liquor's watered."
Her chin shifted back and forth.
"Well, sir we have tampered with the liquor cause the God's People temperance have shut down our competition."
"Maybe true, but men died cause of weak liquor."
Turning to the shaking bartender, she ordered, "Get the bottle on the bottom," turning towards him, "behind the pitchers."
The hidden bottle appeared after clanging of glass. She removed the cork and poured some of the liquid into his mug. Swallowing the liquid, he moved his tongue around his mouth.
"Good," taking the bottle and searching for a table.
"Welcome sir, anything else?"
"Yes, steak and eggs."
"Heard the gentleman," to a saloon girl, "steak and eggs."
"Didn't catch your name?" she asked towards his back.
"Didn't throw it towards you," he answered walking away.
He sat at the table. With his back to the poker players, his ears listened to their conversation.
"Are you sure she's here?"
"Yes," answered the man sitting behind Rath.
"Why must we speed up our plans if we know where she is?"
"Because gunslingers are arriving to take her to Terra and the rebellion will be harder to sell to the people."
"But..."
"But nothing. Mort expressed that if she become a gunslinger then her nobility will be useless."
"What about the gunslingers coming?"
"What about them?"
"The stories?"
"About moving faster then wind. Appearing from nowhere. Having never to reload during a shoot out."
"Yes."
"Exactly stories. People with small minds trying to cling on supernatural to hide their miserable existence."
"But..."
"But nothing. End of discussion. Shuffle the cards."
His ears detected shuffling of cards. His meal didn't arrive, but he heard enough. The deck rested on the table. They could be dealt, but Rath picked up the deck. He dealt a card to the twisted mustached man, who sat behind him.
He turned over the card. It revealed a nine of hearts.
Lacing the deck on the table, Rath revealed a ten of spades.
"What was the bet?" asked the mustached man.
"You never seen a gunslinger," Rath answered.
The man's eyes widen. The chair on Rath's right squeaked backwards as he grabbed the deck. Back of his right hand slammed into the nose of the man on his right.
Squeezing the deck, sent the cards flying into mustached man's face. Rath tipped over the table into the other two players.
Blood streamed from the backhanded man's nose. His fist swung and hit empty air. Rath's right fist slammed into the man's ribs. Rath stepped out of the way as the other two players slammed into the side clinging man. The momentum sent them through the glass window and into the dirt street.
Turning, Rath's left arm blocked a chair. It shattered. Mustached man looked bewildered as Rath's fist slammed against his stomach. Doubled over, Rath tugged at his coat. Placing in him front of the door, Rath's foot rammed against his ass and sent him out the door.
Stepping through the swinging doors, a crowd gathered. The mustached tried for his shooter, but Rath's boot to his face ended this fight.
Digging out their wallets, a familiar harsh voice asked him, "Rath, what's this about?"
Exactly it wasn't asking more like shouting.
"They didn't like the hand that was dealt," he answered heading back towards the Chian woman.
Handing her the wallets, he said, "There's for the damage they caused."
Before she answered, a voice bellowed, "What's ...going...on...here?"
More like puffing then bellowing. A pot-bellied man, sucking in air, stood from the crowd. A lawman star pinned to his chest.
"Who started this?" he asked catching his breath.
"This roughening," stammered the bartender.
The Chian woman didn't say a thing. She just stared at the cash in her hands.
"Miss Gensha, did he do this?" asked the lawman.
"No and I'll need to find a new bartender to worry about what men fight about," she said lifting up the hem of her skirt and entering her saloon.
Ignoring the stunned ex-bartender, the lawman turned his attention to Rath.
"Well, boy," said the lawman lifting his pants.
His huge stomach prevented further lifting.
"Who do think you are?" asked the sweating lawman.
"He's my apprentice," answered Cob.
The lawman stared down at the dwarfish Cob.
"Who the hell are you?" asked the lawman.
"Cob of Terra."
"Terra?" gulped the shrinking lawman.
"Terra," seemed to filter through the crowd.
"What's... what are gunslingers doing in Aquaiel?"
"To retrieve an apprentice," suddenly giant Cob answered.
Swallowing, the lawman tried to stay calm.
"Is that all your business here?"
"Correct."
"Will then," licking his lips, "Let me not delay me."
Turning to the crowd, "There's nothing to see here."
The crowd broken away and grew smaller. Finally the crowd disappeared as Cob stared at Rath. Rath headed towards his horse when the lawman said, "Finish getting your apprentice and leave. We don't like troublemakers in Aquaiel."
Cob lifted himself onto his saddle.
"Don't worry. The illusion of you being in charge will be preserved."
His horse left the gapping lawman behind.
Rath and Cort followed waiting for the lecture to begin.
"Rath, what was that about?" asked Cort.
"Cort," interrupted Cob, "don't be a dead cat."
Cort rode disheartened as metal being pounded filled the air.
Stopping in of the correl, Cob yelled, "Blacksmith!"
Tall black man stood in the doorway with a huge hammer in his hand. Hammering of metal continued.
"What's your business?" he asked.
Removing a folded piece of paper from his right breast pocket, Cob handed it to the blacksmith.
Sliding the hammer into a loop on his belt, the blacksmith broke the seal on the paper. His dark eyes read the lines on the paper. His eyes went from the paper to the three gunslingers on horseback.
Turning his head towards the door, he yelled, "April! Come here!"
Hammering stopped.
She stepped into the doorway. Rath leaned his arm against the saddle horn. Out of the corner of his eye, Cort's jaw dropped. Black dust covered her. A leather apron covered her front. Her black tied in a bun. Blue denim jeans were recognizable. One would think she was topless, but a white corset could be seen. She walked towards the blacksmith. She took the letter. Cob lifted his hat towards when her black eyes focused on him. Cort recovered from his shock to follow Cob's example. Rath just leaned on his saddle horn studying the new apprentice.
"You're a gunslinger?" she asked towards Cob.
"Master gunslinger, Miss Rivera," Cob said, "and my two apprentices," pointing with his hat, "Cob, and," noticed Rath didn't remove his hat.
His horse slightly galloped beside Rath's horse.
"Remove your hat," whispered Cob.
"Why?"
"Cause you're in the presence of a lady."
"What lady?"
"Miss Rivera."
"She's no lady."
Turning his horse to face April, he said, "And this is Rath. He needs a lesson in manners."
Rath' s vision got blocked as Cob's back handed him off his horse. The ground stopped his fall. Air got pushed from his lungs. For awhile blackness covered his field of vision. It cleared up and saw Cob leaning over him on his horse.
"Well?" asked Cob.
"Well, what?" answered Rath.
"Well you owe Miss Rivera an apology."
"I owe her an apology? The only one who's owed an apology, is me.'
"You do?"
"From you, dwarf."
Humor disappear from Cob's face.
"The only small man here, is you."
Getting up, dusted himself off.
Rath said, "Maybe you should meet the ground."
Suddenly he lifted up his right leg. Quickly pulled a knife from his boot and sliced through Cob's saddle strap. Grabbing Cob's right arm and pulled him off.
Cob hit the ground with a thud. Dust jumped in the air and settled around and on Cob.
Cursing in a language Rath couldn't recall.
Getting up, Cob growled, "When did you start carrying a boot knife?"
"Russell gave a lesson in stealth."
Cob and Rath stared each other down. Tension built up. Waiting for a movement to start sending lead through the air.
"Gentlemen, it doesn't look right if master and apprentice are killed in front of a new apprentice," interrupted Cort thumbing towards April.
"Don't think is over yet, apprentice," threaten Cob.
"I'll be waiting," answered Rath.
Cob turned and walked towards the blacksmith and April.
"Miss Rivera, as you read from the letter, we're from Terra and you can choose to return with us," Cob said holding his right hand out.
Gripping his hand, she said, "When can we be off?"
"How fast can you pack a horse?"
"I don't owe a horse."
"Really," Cob remarked staring at the blacksmith
"She does enough to pay for food and board," answered the blacksmith.
"Huh," Cob answered turning towards Cort and Rath.
"Both of you take Miss Rivera to the horse trader and get her a horse."
Before they could, Cob added, "And Rath sell your saddle to pay for the horse."
"Why? There's money in your saddle bags."
"That's to pay for the repairs to my saddle," Cob remarked, "Consider it, redemption."
"More like punishment," Rath said leaving with angry in his eyes.
Walking for awhile, he stop and leaned his back against a wooden wall. He wrapped the reigns around his hand then unwrapped the reigns.
"Bastard," he thought ramming the back of his head into the wall.
"Calm don't give into angry. It clouds the mind," words of Chiba rang in his mind.
Master Chiba saying that after knock his ass to the floor.
"After the third bell, he was still standing," a familiar voice said.
"How badly was he?" asked the female voice.
It was Cort telling April how he, Rath, got the saddle.
The saddle sat on this bench with light from a hole in the roof. It added to the power of having this saddle had on him. But he had no money. Cob wouldn't give him the money. Luckily a fair was in town. Wondering through the crowd, he come across this exposition.
The barker boasted the shirtless man in the ring was the toughness fighter of the Territories. The money the barker offered could pay for the saddle.
Rath took the challenge. All he had to do was still be standing after the third round. The ground became his spot to land on. Rath couldn't hurt this guy. He kept eating dirt. Finally end of the third round after the third ringing of the bell, Rath stood up and won the money. The saddle was few things he was proud of. He earned it. Months went by before he could talk, but he earned that saddle.
"After he healed up, he brought the saddle," Cort said.
"Understand why he doesn't what to sell that saddle. He really loves it."
"Not really. More like he learned something that day."
"What did he learn?"
"That to be the best, he have to learn from the best. See after that fight, he studied under Master Chiba to improve his fighting."
"Speaking of the devil."
"Depends on what's said about the devil," greeted Rath staring at April.
The black dust was wash from her tan skin. Her black hair was in a ponytail instead of a bun. A white shirt was tucked into her dirty jeans.
"Let's go and get that horse," Rath said.
"You don't have to sell that saddle for me," said April.
"Yes, I do have to sell it," standing beside her, "Now lead us to the horse trader."
"Before we do go, what did you mean by that I'm not a lady?" she asked staring at him.
"Simply, gunslingers are not ladies," he remarked.
"A woman shouldn't be a gunslinger," she commented.
"No, ladies are not gunslingers," Rath restated, "Didn't say anything about a woman, just ladies."
"What's wrong with ladies?" she asked.
"They're petite. Gunslingers are not. Don't let Cob keep insulting you or you don't deserve your shooters."
"So you're giving me a complement," she remarked.
"Believe she's catching on to you," remarked Cort.
"Might be hope for her yet," Rath said walking.
As they walked, a light conservation begin between them. Cort telling an adventure they had. Rath correct parts of the tale, but Cort did all the talking.
Loud neighing alerted to them that the horse trader was coming nearer.
April walked towards a building surrounded by corrals of horses.
Removing a clanger from the metal triangle hanging from the overhang.
"Let me do the talking," she said.
Rapidly she swung the clanger inside the triangle. The banging brought a tall beard man from inside the building. Not a full bread, it was trimmed. Covering his chin and upper lip. The sun seemed to shine off him.
Sniffing the air, Rath thought, "Neat's foot oil."
"Yes, April," said the glistening man.
"Tom, we're here to trade for a horse," she said.
"With what?" he asked.
"This saddle," she said thumbing towards Rath's horse.
"Looks used."
"It's in better condition then what you sell."
"What's your meaning?"
"Every time someone buys a saddle from you," she answered, "Paul, has to repair it."
Putting a toothpick in his mouth, Tom said, "Fine, properly have a worthy trade for it."
Following Tom, Rath noticed he didn't walk in the dirt, but stayed on the grass.
"Here's the worthy trade," he proclaimed stopping.
They stared at a brown spotted and white horse.
Rath tethered his horse to a fence railing. Entering the pen, he studied the brown and white horse. After rubbing neck, his right hand pushed down on its back. It neighed and moved in pain. After calming it down, he studied the front hoof. Finally he checked the teeth.
"This horse wouldn't make it to Terre," Rath proclaimed.
What's makes you the horse expert?" April commented, "I'm riding it."
"It's my saddle," Rath commented, "Don't trust me. Then check for yourself."
She did. Repeating the same the action like Rath.
"Well?" asked Rath.
"You're right," she answered.
"This got to be a worthy trade," Rath said staring at Tom.
"Then, boy," remarked Tom, "What would be a worthy trade?"
Rath's eyelids narrowed like he was trying to burn a hole through Tom. Ruckus from a holding pen broke the silence. They followed Tom to the pen where a man held a rope. The rope was around the neck of a black horse. It was fighting trying to break the rope grip. Another man had difficulty getting a saddle on this powerful beast.
The man with the saddle put it up and got a whip.
"This beast needs to know whose master," said the man snapping the whip.
Before it could strike against the black skin of the disagreeing horse, it got cut from the handle and a loud boom followed. The man stared from the ruin whip to the drawn shooter of Rath.
"What do you think you're doing, boy?"throwing down the cut whip handle.
"Stopping you from ruining a magnificent animal," answered Rath reholstering his shooter.
"Here we go again," Cob whispered.
It was more for April's benefit than the horse traders.
"Isn't that the animal sold to Dogberry, Philip asked Tom.
"Yes, he returned it after it threw off his wife's mother," answered Philip.
"Surprised it wasn't put out to pasture," commented Tom.
"More like the wife wanted it returned," said the man recoiling the rope.
"So we tried saddling this brute, but being stubborn is all it knows," remarked Philip.
"So you needed a whip," commented Rath.
"Correct, until you ruined it, boy," returned Philip.
Rath's eyelids narrowed again this time at the whipless man.
"Of course, I did. That beast is too magnificent to be whipped," Rath said.
"You're an expert judge of horses?" Philip said.
"Correct and it's worthy of being traded for my saddle."
April's eyes widen and Cort just crossed his arms to Rath's comment.
"What's makes you say that?" asked Tom.
"Asked what's a worthy trade and answer was given," remarked Rath.
"That's your opinion, boy," said Tom.
Again Rath's eyelids narrowed.
"Tom, let's talk," April said motioning to him.
Watching the palaver between April and Tom, Cort asked, "Did she push her breasts up?"
"Yes, she did," Rath answered.
When it ended, she walked towards them.
"A bet between me and Tom has been made," she said.
"What are the terms?" Rath asked.
"If you can put a saddle on that black horse and stay on it, then the horse is yours and you keep your saddle," she said.
"And if I lose?" asked Rath.
"If you lose, hope your neck gets broke doing your fall because I'll break it before we get to Terra," she said.
Rath felt like laughing, but suppressed it. He removed the saddle from the gray horse then placed it on the top railing. After removing the harness, Rath slid a rope around the neck of the gray horse. Climbing up the railings, he saw the two camps watching him, Cort and April on one side together and Tom and his two workers on the another side.
Taking the saddle, Rath laid it on it's side against the ground. He removed the lasso from the saddle. Enlarging the loop, stared at the black horse. His wrist twisting allowing the noose to circle over his head. Letting it go. It landed on the dirt ground not around the neck of the horse.
"He missed," Came from Tom, "Pay up."
"Deal was saddle on the horse and staying on," answered April, "Missing the neck with a lasso, doesn't count."
Recoiling of rope, Rath refocused his attention on the horse. Widening the noose, retwisting his wrist to allow the noose to cut the air.
The object of the noose's purpose tried escaping, but the fence blocked its attempt. Letting go, it sailed through the air. Landing around the black neck, Rath tightened the slack. It reared up its front legs.
Rath's boots dragged against the ground as the struggle began. This animal's strength put strained on Rath's arm strength. If the struggle with this beast didn't gain his full attention, a smile of respect was earned. The animal finally calmed down, but Rath knew alertness was still in order. Chance for this animal to escape would put his effect in vain and his neck to be broke.
Slowly pulling his four-legged opponent towards him. Each pull met resistance. Hoofs reluctantly carried the beast towards the boots pulling the rope. Inches separated them.
Gloved right hand patted the black strong neck. A red batch of fur running along its muzzle, reminded Rath of scar.
Slowly he directed the horse towards the laying saddle. Slowly forced the horse to lay near the saddle. Carefully he strapped the saddle on the laying horse. Slipping the harness on, he removed the rope as he tightly gripped the reigns.
Finally he allowed the horse to rise up. It kicked, bucked, trying to remove him from its back. During these bucking, a shot rung up.
"Rath, bet's won," allowed him to go from the horse to a railing.
Rath noticed Cort's shooter pointing at Tom, holding his hand, and his ranch hands.
"Bet spleather?" Rath asked.
"With this," answered April.
In her palm, a small metal ball existed. Pointing the small device away from her, she pulled the clip. A loud pop filled the air.
April clinched her fists in anger. She walked over towards Tom and punched him.
"Knew you couldn't be trusted," April said.
"Take the nag," Tom said rubbing his chin, "lest the pain in the neck will be gone."
Opening the gate, Rath grabbed the reigns and led the horse out. It slightly reared up.
"You left fight in that horse," April said grabbing the rope of the gray horse.
"Little fight good for what it will be needed to do," Rath answered.
Staring at Cort aiming at Tom's head, he asked, "Should he reholster that."
"Sure," April answered, "Tom's not stupid. His head will be blow off before his help could act."
After reholstering his gun, Cort slowly walked backwards towards Rath and April.
"Time to return," said Cort, "Cob's patience will be stretched only so far."
Rath agreed.
"You, guys hungry?" asked April.
"It has been awhile," Rath said.
"Good. Know this saloon ran by a Chian woman that serve eggs and steaks."
Rath and Cort looked at each other.
"Let's see Cob, first," answered Cort.
Suddenly April removed Rath's shooter. The bullet entered Philip's hand. The gun fell from his hand.
"Can't be trusted," April said, "Now remove ever weapon you got," pushing back the hammer.
"Cob had good reasons to get her," remarked Cort.
Rath nodded in agreement.
Cort got an empty feed bag. As April kept the barrel aimed at the cheaters, Rath put the weapons in the bag.
Tapping the bag, Cort asked, "What to do with them?"
"Ask her," Rath answered nodding towards April, "She seems to be fill of ideas."
"They can be retrieved from the lawman," April said returning Rath's shooter.
It was rehosltered as they walked away with no further trouble.
"What about your old horse?" asked April holding the rope tied to the gray horse.
"It's got some good years left," remarked Rath, "You can have it."
"Thanks," she said, "What about a bridle?"
"Save Tom from further disgrace," Rath remarked making a bridle from his lasso, "Use this until you can get one at Terra."
Taking the rope bridle, she slipped on the gray horse.
That memory lingered as his feet labored through the sand.