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I awoke to the sound of a muffled ringing. Yawning, I shot out of bed, landing with a thump on the hard wood floor. I reached my hand under my pillow and switched off my alarm clock. Glancing at my watch i read the time, 2 am. Perfect timing, and for once I wasn't being sarcastic.
Quickly I slipped on all-black clothes and shoes, grabbed my night bag and slipped out the cabin. I tiptoed past the sleepy guards and sprinted towards the unicorn stables. Pausing briefly to greet the snow white unicorns I headed straight for the only two pegasi in camp.
Reyna's pegasus, Scipio, Skippy for short, snickered at me, her peanut butter coloured coat rippling. She only stopped when I fed her a carrot. Quickly I moved on to her compatriot who was angrily stamping his foot on the floor.
Smiling, I gazed at my baby. His glossy, mottled grey coat gleamed in the light of the full moon, his muscles rippling as he stamped around his stall. It almost made me want to cry the way he was locked up in here. He had the most gorgeous silver wings you have ever seen, perfectly grafted for the graceful flight he was made to do. He calmed down a bit when he saw it was me, and not one of my fellow soldiers, who all insisted on trying to ride him. Not that they ever succeeded of course.
I rubbed my hand up and down his silky nose as I fixed a halter around his neck and unlatched the stall door. "Easy Caesar boy" I whispered soothingly, as I led the Pegasus out the door using a long lunge lead, which I had tied to a post outside. With a long neigh of ecstasy he soared out the stable door and up into the sky.
I chuckled as I sprinted after him, coming to a stop in the dewy grass. Sighing I lay down and watched him fly around. If I had the choice I would let him free, but I was only a soldier, still on probatio, and therefore had no say in any matter.
I lay there for some time, perfectly at peace with the world, before glancing at my watch. Seeing that it was three thirty I picked up the lunge lead, and began my nightly battle of getting my baby back into the stables.
He, as always, did not want to go back in. Heaving a sigh I gave the lead an almighty tug, and, to my never ending horror it snapped in my hands. Shocked, I gave a tiny scream. If someone found out I let him escape i would be drummed out of the legion for gross misconduct, disobeying orders and endangering the camp's secrecy.
Therefore, I did what any sane thief would do. I ran.
I reached my bed, gasping for air and ripped off my clothes, replacing them with my purple pajamas. I slipped into my bed as quietly as I could. My heart pounding I lay unmoving, trying desperately to swallow the lump in my throat, consoling myself. This was what I wanted right? The legion had no right to hold Caesar, he was a free agent, he deserved to fly free. Oh gods Reyna is going to slaughter me, I thought giving a small whimper.
Eventually, however, I fell into a troubled sleep.
For once I woke up at the correct time, but not wanting to appear too suspicious I lay still and snored, getting up only when a bucket of ice cold water was thrown on me.
"I'm up, I'm up." I grumbled throwing the covers off, and jumping unsteadily to my feet. Carefully I grabbed my glasses from the bedside table, my usual grin on my face, the lump still present in my throat. I grabbed a towel and sprinted to the shower section of the baths.
I showered and dressed in well-under three minutes (as I usually woke up late, I had to master speed showering). I donned my armor and marched to the parade ground with the rest of my cohort.
"Legion!" screamed Reyna, a vein in her temple pulsing angrily "Earlier this morning someone released the Pegasus, Caesar, from his stall. We have been unable to locate him. If anyone has any idea of who did this I ask that you step forward now." Her gaze, as well as all of those of my friends' instantly snapped onto me. Thanks guys, really appreciate it.
The second Reyna had finished screaming at us for our pathetic inadequacies, the legion disbanded, each member going their separate ways. I myself went to Bombilo's coffee shop to buy a box of triple chocolate chip donuts with cream fillings. What with the tongue lashing I was plainly going to get from my friends, I was sure I was going to need them.
I was hiding in tree, munching on my third comfort donut when I heard the enraged tones of my friend.
"Get down here right now." Whisper screamed Marcus.
"No." I replied, stuffing a chocolaty pastry down my throat.
"We know you did it Helen." Said Marcus.
"I did not. Honestly, just because I have a history of stealing items and sneaking round after dark doesn't mean I'm responsible for everything that goes wrong in this god-forsaken hell-hole." I spat angrily, taking a brief hiatus from shoveling the fattening treats down my throat.
I heard a sigh from below me as Marcus' tousled head appeared among the foliage. He hauled himself up onto the branch next to me, pulling a few stray leaves from his curly, black hair. His eyes burning holes through my face he grabbed my last donut and sat there staring at me. Without blinking. For several minutes. And he refused to look away.
"Fine, I did it." I said miserably, staring moodily at the empty donut box in my hands. "Will Reyna kill me?"
"Yup." He replied, grinning.
"Oh, well thanks for being supportive you-you…" I racked my brains for a latin insult (I really needed to learn some new ones), before finally saying "you os porcus."
Marcus, of course laughed at that, clapping me on the shoulder. "Pig-face, yourself. Just don't be late for evening muster, or else Reyna will kill you. And I am not saving your ass any more."
"You always say that!"
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