It was a cool moist morning in a swampy German field. The English decided it was best to camp there before they ambushed a nearby German camp. Tents were set up and soldiers were quietly enjoying their day off. Tired horses gnawed on some grass while their owners cleaned their mud caked coats. Captain James Nicholls smiled and walked along beside his friend and commander Major Jamie Stewart who was explaining to him how and when they were going to ambush the Germans tomorrow morning. Nicholls really only half listened as he gazed towards the grazing horses. Ever since he was a young boy on his papa's farm, he loved horses. His papa was the first person to allow him to ride on their family's plow horse named Claudy, after the breed the horse was. The horse was slow and grumpy but in contributed to what Nicholls believed was one of his best childhood memories.
He was quickly and roughly was taken out of his flashback from the loud noises of rifles and shotguns being fired afar, but not too far. Major Stewart began yelling out orders as he and Nicholls ran to saddle up their horses. Men and animals began to holler and run every which way. Some soldiers hoped onto their already saddled horses as other quickly grabbed rifles and grenades from the main weapon tent. Stewart saddled onto his trusted black stallion, named Topthorn, and unsheathed his sword. He galloped around the camp getting soldiers in order. The few who were on horses got ready to charge to unseen enemy as the ones who remained on the ground loaded their guns to protect their makeshift camp.
Nicholls, who was saddled onto a tan mare, galloped next to Stewart. He unsheathed his sword and stopped beside Stewart who faced where he thought the enemy was. Before any of them could react, German forces sprang out of the nearby trees. Horses and men appeared everywhere it seemed. Nicholls and Stewart circled around and took in what was going on. They were surrounded. "Captain, we need to get us and our soldiers out of here." Stewart yelled over the sound of horses grunting, men screaming, and guns firing.
Nicholls glared, "Yes. And I believe I have an idea. We need a distraction."
Stewart frowned, "What are you thinking Captain?"
Nicholls circled his horse around a moment looking for possible volunteers, "I and some others will charge towards the Germans distracting them a short while so the rest of you can retreat the other way."
Stewart scoffed, "Nicholls do not try to be a hero."
Nicholls shook his head, "I'm not trying to be, but I believe the plan will work." With that Nicholls galloped around gathering soldiers on horse and foot and charged toward the Germans.
Men on both sides were falling beside Nicholls as he drove some of the Germans towards him. He hated the smell of blood and gunpowder that floated in the air that seemed to cover everything in death. That's when it hit his horse. Nicholls felt the animal give out from underneath him and fell. He himself fell off the opposite side of the horse ,luckily, or he would have been crushed. He hit the swampy ground hard bringing the air out of his lungs as he tumbled some way before lying flat on his back in a puddle of dirty water. He groaned and pulled out his pistol looking around at who or what attempted to shoot at him and missed. His body ached and his eyes began to blur from the smoke. He leaned up some more and then he saw him. A small man on a beautiful white and grey mare. He held a smoking shotgun and was looking directly where Captain Nicholls's horse had fallen. Nicholls ducked down and prayed he was covered by the tall brush around him. He saw that the Germans were getting pushed back and they themselves started retreating. The other man gasped as he was shot off his horse, and an English soldier grabbed the mare before it could run off. Nicholls stood up and observed the surroundings. Men on both sides laid dead. Loose horses ran around as English soldiers tried to catch them.
Nicholls was curious and decided to see who the man was that shot his horse. He walked across men's dead bodies telling them to rest in peace until he reached the man on the ground. He crouched down and flipped the man over. He gasped in shock at what he saw. Not only was he alive, he was a woman. Her eyes slowly began to open and she gasped and tried to get away but moaned in pain holding her bloody shoulder. "What the….. What are you doing here?" Nicholls asked the German female and got her up. He knew they were going to keep her prisoner female or not. She replied in German the frowned before she closed her eyes, "I took the place for my ill father against you dirty British fools!" She growled. Nicholls sighed and took off her cap. Her wavy reddish brown hair fell out in a heap and covered her face, where green eyes glared at him. He sighed and dragged her to what was remaining of their camp. Injured soldiers were getting helped by soldiers who weren't harmed, some began to round up the horses and tied them to nearby trees.
"May I ask what your name is prisoner." Stewart asked walking forward before gasping and turning towards Nicholls, "And why is there a woman on the battlefield?"
"I was wondering the same thing." Nicholls replied sounding a little bit concerned. He did not believe in hurting any woman, German or not.
Stewart glared, "It doesn't matter," He turned once again to the German, "What is your name?"
"My name is Alicia." The woman said behind clenched teeth. She didn't like any Englishmen, but the one who held her was not all that bad.
Nicholls frowned before replying, "I'm Captain Nicholls and this here is Major Stewart. Now, lass, you owe me a horse."
She growled as he tied her to a nearby tree where his tent was. "And now I'm in charge of you." He took off his cap and smiled, "I hope you're comfortable." She gave him a scowl before turning away.
Later on that day Captain Nicholls brought Alicia to a nearby creek to drink and wash up. "So, what made you want to join the army?" She asked as she washed her face with bound hands.
"Well, I wanted to serve my country of course." He frowned, "And what exactly made you take the place of your father?"
She sighed and sat down. She hated telling any Englishmen anything, even if he was nicer or not, "It's a long story really. But he has a new daughter he needs to be home for her so I sacrificed myself in order for my half-sister to have a father."
Nicholls felt bad for the woman but not enough to let her go. Conversations continued like this for a couple weeks as the English moved deeper and deeper into German territory then one night something different happened.
Nicholls was fast asleep in his tent; he didn't even hear her come in. He woke feeling an ice cold blade at his throat and a small hand over his mouth. It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the darkness but then he realized who it was. Alicia. "Now, Nicholls, I demand my things and my horse. I know you have them somewhere in here and I want them now." Her green eyes flicked from the fire that wasn't too far from the tent.
She heard a noise and flinched looking behind her paranoid someone would walk nearby, with her preoccupied for that small moment he flipped her over, allowing himself to be on top and held her hands down," How about not."
He glared at her, it seemed as though his soft eye peered through her very soul. She dropped the knife defeated. Nicholls smiled at the German acknowledging his victory. They stayed that way for some time only hearing each other's breaths. That's when he realized how beautiful the German really was. Over the past weeks they began to grow fond of each other. Talking about things they enjoyed and such. Though he hated to admit it, he began to have feelings towards his enemy. He leaned down closer to her and the leaned down further allowing their lips to meet. She fought back some but allowed herself to seep into the kiss. He loosened his grip on her wrists soon after she wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer to her. They eventually allowed themselves to have each other completely. Nothing about the war or family was on their minds.
Nicholls woke alone. He gasped and sat up scanning around his tent for any sign of the German. She was gone. Only a note that read in German and English, "Sorry." remained. He got dressed and ran outside to where the horses were kept. The white and grey mare that she rode was gone. He cursed at himself for being so naïve. Later that day, the English left Germany to return to England once more.
A month later the Germans attacked an English camp. Nicholls and Stewart galloped avoiding bullet shots and men slicing down Germans as they went. And that's when he saw her. She was on the white and grey horse looking straight at him. He didn't know if he should be happy for seeing her alive or angrier that she was still fighting and killing his men or that she left him alone that night months ago. And the worse thing was, he still cared for her. She started galloping towards him smiling somewhat and thats when it hit her. An English sword pierced through her chest covered in the German's blood. Her eyes went wide after the Englishman pulled it out and galloped on. Soon after the horse got shot and collapsed onto the ground with the injured female. "No!" Nicholls yelled and galloped toward the fallen German and horse. He un-mounted and dropped to the ground carefully picking up her body. She looked at him smiling s blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. "Oh my god. Why didn't you stay! Why did you not listen to me and stay in Germany with your father!" He pleaded tears running down his face. She smiled and touched his face with her bloody hand and her other led down to her stomach. She cared for him too, but her pride wouldn't allow her to admit it. How could she care for someone who was her enemy and who killed her people? But that didn't matter anymore. Nicholls frowned realizing what she was implying. "We…..you.." She covered his mouth with her finger and smiled, "Yes,…b…b…but it doesn't matter now. Nothing…does. Leave me. I…I….I'm done." She closed her eyes and went limp in his hands. He shook his head in utter shock. He fell in love with a German and the she gets killed right before his very eyes by one of his comrades, his brothers, then to just learn she was with child. His child. Then he realized, he needed to find cover. He carefully laid down Alicia's body and ran back to his horse. He quickly climbed back on and galloped to where his comrades began going. After what seemed hours of relentless fighting the Germans retreated. Nicholls soon after walked back to camp. He lost not only a horse once again, but what could have been a family.
A couple months passed and Nicholls returned to England for a short time to buy a dependable horse. He soon bought one from a poor farmer. The stallion's name was Joey and Nicholls thought he was a beautiful and strong horse. Not too long after he bought him a young boy came up to him crying, pleading for him not to take Joey. But Nicholls knew he needed a horse so he promised the young boy instead that he'd return the horse soon after that war was over.
Returning to an English settlement, Nicholls trained his horse alongside Stewart's Topthorn, which Joey soon beat in training. During his stay Nicholls drew a picture and sent it to the boy assuring that Joey was in good hands. They soon left and went to camp. Afterwards, Stewart explained a new ambush they were to inflict on the Germans. Nicholls and others mounted on their horses and began the long walk to the field where they were going to wait and hide before attacking. The field was straight ahead of the German camp and the wheat was tall enough that the Germans couldn't see them coming, not even on horses.
They all sat in the field awaiting Major Stewart's orders to attack. Nicholls sat on Joey and patted him to comfort him some before the charge, and that's when Stewart's orders were called. Nicholls and his comrades charged toward the unexpecting Germans. Soon they were spotted and most of the Germans retreated towards the woods behind the camp. The English believed they were winning. Even Captain Nicholls himself did as he galloped along slicing down any enemy who was unfortunate enough to be in his path. That's when machine guns began firing. Nicholls saw around him, men and horses being slaughtered one after the other as if it were nothing. He slowly turned and looked in front of him. He looked right into the eyes of the man who was soon to bring his death. He frowned enjoying the last few seconds of his life. And that's when they hit him. Bullets ripped through his uniform and flesh as if he was made of paper. Pain filled every little bit of his body as he fell backward off Joey hitting the rough rocky ground below. He laid there staring up at the blue sky feel the life drain out of him and that's when he saw her. Alicia stood above him in a white dress smiling; her hair blew in the wind as she offered her hand to Nicholls. Beside her she was her white and grey mare which Alicia held the bridle of. Nicholls smiled and grabbed her hand standing up. All pain left him. He smiled at Alicia taking her hand in his and turned to see his childhood horse, Claudy, standing beside him who nuzzled his face with his muzzle. Nicholls laughed and grabbed the stallions bridle before turning to the woman that stood beside him smiling. He kissed her and both of them turned, walking away from the horror that continued behind them.