Chapter 42
It must have been around two in the afternoon when Avalina pulled herself and Mitternacht from the field, wishing with all of her heart she could stay and finish her work.
But she was expected elsewhere.
After wiping the harness marks off Mitternacht she saddled him.
He blew excitedly and switched his long, thick tail.
Other than being brushed, riding was his favorite pastime, as well as hers.
Looping his reins over the hitching rail by the porch, she fetched her saddlebags from inside, taking her time looking at the house as she went through.
She wanted to remember every single detail, even the unpleasant one at the upper left corner of the living room where the roof leaked.
She would have to tell Arran to fix that before the house flooded.
Going outside, her family was waiting for her on the porch, doing their best to keep their faces cheerful, but they were failing terribly.
After tying on the saddlebags, she hugged Arran first.
"I love you, Arran. Take care of Mother, ok?"
Arran only nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Going to her mother, Avalina hugged her tight.
"I love you so much, Momma."
"I love you too," her mother whispered.
"My song, never forget that. Or us."
"Never."
Pulling away, Avalina pulled the little bag out of her pocket and handed it to her mother.
"I want you to take this and buy a good heavy horse for Arran to work with. I trust your judgement with how to spend it. No, don't ask where I got it," Avalina finished, biting back tears.
"It won't make a bit of sense."
Hugging her mother one more time, Avalina stored it in her memory.
It was probably the last one she would have.
After shaking her brother's hand firmly, she mounted Mitternacht, who was a bit antsy, sensing something was off.
Avalina searched for something to say, something that didn't have "Goodbye" in it, but there was nothing.
Nothing that wouldn't break their hearts even more.
Nodding to them, she turned Mitternacht around and headed him toward the trees, kicking him up into a trot, then a canter after only a couple of strides, not wanting to hang around any more and hear the sobs that would no doubt come the instant she vanished from sight.
The chickens scattered before her as Mitternacht plunged into the trees, hitting the deer trail they had taken only three days ago.
He asked her to gallop and Avalina granted it. Whatever got them away from here!
Anxious to get away from whatever was bothering his rider, Mitternacht leveled himself out and picked up speed, his hooves beating a steady tattoo on the dirt path.
Now, away from her family, Avalina let her tears flow freely.
They ran down her face and fell into Mitternacht's pitching mane as she wept for all she had lost.
Sensing his rider's distress, Mitternacht ran faster, determined to outdistance whatever was hurting her.
But they couldn't outrun the heartache.
He effortlessly cleared a fallen log, causing Avalina to suddenly think he had sprouted wings of some sort, shaking her out of her deeply depressed state.
Although her heart hurt terribly with everything she had left behind, Avalina, oddly, somehow felt free from it all.
As if she had always wanted something more, but had never voiced it even to herself.
She had many dreams, but they would never come true now, she knew.
All that seemed valuable in some way to her was blissfully unimportant at this moment.
Time had no meaning, the past held no ties and the future held no worries, all that mattered was *This* moment she was living in, right now, with Mitternacht and her own self.
The forest colors and shapes blurred into a world of woodland colors that swiftly blew past them, seeming so far away.
Moving in sync, she let Mitternacht have his head, which he took with a fresh burst of speed.
She and her horse were now one.
And all that mattered was the thrill of the gallop.
Avalina sat underneath a massive tree, eating a lunch her mother had packed her.
She savored every bite, each one reminding her of home.
Mitternacht, his bit and bridle removed, grazed in a small open meadow in front of her on meadow grass and wildflowers, buried up to his neck in it.
On the far side, a herd of deer grazed, sometimes looking up to give a the horse a once-over.
Avalina and Mitternacht had frequented the entire forest so many times the herds of deer no longer held any fear for them, so long as they kept their distance.
Watching them, Avalina recognized it was the young one's herd.
He had beaten this herd's previous alpha buck last year and driven him off, despite being half his size.
He stood proudly now, a scar from the fight on his muzzle and the sharp spikes of his antlers acting as a crown for his head.
He was a six-pointer this year, she noticed.
Avalina could recognize nearly all the deer in this side of the forest, but there were always new ones coming in, old ones disappearing as humans and predators both hunted. . .it was the circle of life.
After drinking at the little stream that bubbled happily past the meadow, Avalina put Mitternacht's bridle back on and they headed out again, in the general direction of the castle.
It was at least four hours before sunset, she could take her time here and savor every last minute of the freedom she had left.
She and Mitternacht spent the last of their free time wandering aimlessly over the dozens of deer trails, listening to the birds sing, watching the deer, squirrels, chipmunks and various other creatures of the wood, drinking in everything possible.
It was in this manner they arrived at the edge of the treeline, where all the green things ended and they were met with nothing but an empty desert.
Avalina watched from the shade of the trees as the wind kicked up swirls of dust over the flat dead grass, feeling her fears return as she stared up at the castle a few miles off.
Where her prison and captor awaited.
The fiery orb of the sun was barely brushing the horizon, warning her that she had better get started.
Her horse instantly felt his rider's fear and apprehension and pulled at his bit, trying to turn back.
Turning him around, she walked him in the opposite direction from the castle, taking deep breaths to calm herself.
He needed her to be strong for him, because he was just as apprehensive about it as she was.
Turning him slowly back in the direction of the treeline, she straightened in the saddle and rubbed his neck.
She was not about to go crawling back like a beaten puppy. She would go back like a soldier, and at least pretend to be brave.
A song that her mother had taught her when she was younger came to mind, and Avalina decided that the best thing to do would be to sing.
Her throat didn't want to work, and her mind didn't either. A good part of her wanted to slip in quietly, but that would be surrendering to her fears AND her captor.
That was something she was terrified to do. She could not show that much weakness if she could help it.
And so she began to slowly hum it as she approached, her horse flicking back his ears to listen.
That small movement encouraged her more than any applause.
Mitternacht didn't even pause this time as he stepped out of the bushes and his feet touched that dead soil.
Walking in a steady, deliberate stride, his head bobbed up and down slightly, almost as if he were humming along.
Avalina softly began to sing the slow, almost mournful tune, her eyes fixed on her destination ahead.
Looking back would not do.
"How many roads must a man walk down
Before they call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?"
Taking another breath, she continued the verse, Mitternacht's hooves providing the best rhythm she could ever want.
"How many times must the spears and lances fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind."
Drawing out the last word, Avalina took another breath and raised her voice, speeding the song up a bit, as it was too slow to raise her spirits very much. She needed something a little faster!
Tapping her heels gently against Mitternacht's sides, he happily went into a trot, his hoofbeats now matching the faster tune.
"How many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
How many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind."
The breeze swirled dust fingers around them on the ground, as if to emphasize that line, as Mitternacht's hooves threw up puffs of of it that sprayed out over the ground for every step he took.
They were nearly to the drawbridge, but Avalina did not stop.
The sun continued to slip below the horizon as she continued the song.
"How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
How many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?"
Reaching the drawbridge, she trotted Mitternacht right over it, not daring to look up at the castle.
"How many deaths will it take 'til he knows
That too many people have died?"
She sensed eyes on her as she entered the courtyard, but she was going to finish this song.
"The answer, my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind."
Hearing the chains begin to work as it began to raise the drawbridge, sealing her in, Avalina did not turn around to see them as she trotted Mitternacht to the stable, singing the last line proudly, to mute down the sound of her dungeon closing in, drawing out the last line as slowly as she could, the syllables echoing off the stone walls in the courtyard for many moments afterward.
"The answer, my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind
The,
answer,
is blowin',
in. . .
the wind . . . . . ."
Ok, now for the answer ya'll have been waiting for! I've been asking the last few chapters if anyone can tell me what breed Mitternacht is, the correct answer is. . . .(Drumroll here). . .
A Friesian! *Throws confetti*
The two that dared to guess weren't entirely wrong in their guesses, a Friesian is considered a light Draft horse, (Not a heavy Draft by any means) but they have the speed and agility of a warmblooded breed, like a Hanoverian or etc.
I have a few special pictures I picked out off the Internet for what I pictured him looking like. If you want them feel free to PM me for them:)
Disclaimers! I own nothing but the story and my OC's, everything else belongs to Lloyd Alexander and Disney. The song is "Blowin' In The Wind," by Bob Dylan. I thought the version that Peter Paul and Mary did was the one that best fitted this scene. I love all the versions though XD.