My Fair Lady: Chapter 3

Kezia pounded the hammer against the sparking, red hot horse shoe.  She took the pliers and put the shoe into a bucket of water causing it to steam and hiss.  She then placed it on the table, and took her apron off.  She went inside of the stable, and opened a bale of hay for the horses.  She placed the required flakes into each stall, then filled up the water buckets.  Kezia stopped in the doorway of the stable, and watched the street.  

She had talked to Gus about the men in the castle that she had met, and about their plan.    He only shrugged.  “It won’t come to anything.”  He reassured her. She couldn’t just put it aside like that, yet she dind’t know what to do about it either. 

She hadn’t seen Gus for about a week.  In fact, there were many men starting to disappear.   Many women had stopped by, and asked if she had seen them.  Kezia merely shook her head though she had an idea where they were.  

Kezia exhaled, and grabbed a bridal off the hook.  She walked to one of the horse stall, and slipped it onto the horse.  She led it out, and mounted.  “Just a quick ride to get my thoughts together.”  She thought. 

 Kezia halted the horse.  Through the trees, she could see a faint, yet bright light.  Also there was a voice; sometimes a whole chorus of voices.   Curious, Kezia dismounted, tied the horse up to a tree, and sneaked towards the light.  She peaked around a tree.  Her eyes widened.  There was a whole crowd of men.  Up on a stump, was the man she had seen at the castle.  

" I urge you to join with me to fight against our enemy.  We’ve been under their dictatorship for too long!”  He shouted over the enthusiastic agreeing voices.  “So who will join me to break down this tyranny, and regain our freedom?”   The men shouted their response.

Kezia started to panic.  Another war?  

 An older man stepped forward.    “What if we lose again?  What about our families?  Shouldn’t we should take them into consideration?  And what about the other groups of people?  There were seven kings and seven kingdoms that battled against each other.”  The old man reminded them. 

Kezia let out a sigh of relief.  At least there was someone who had some common sense.

 The crowd fell silent and looked at the man on the stump to see what he had to say to that. 

“There are tales of possible progress coming to towns, all the people had to do was grasp it.  But sometimes there were doubters that planted their doubt amongst the rest of the people till finally no one accepted the progress.”  The man said walking towards the old man.  The mood of the crowd had changed.  There was fear, and then there was a new born hatred that had been planted.  Kezia ran to the old man’s side.

 “What he’s trying to say is, we should take consideration of all the possibilities and consequences that could come about, and that we should be prepared and have a plan.”  Kezia quickly said. 

The man stared at her shocked. 

Kezia stepped onto the stump.  “All of us have gone through the same war.  Some of us have adjusted to the new livings while others have never gotten passed what they have lost and have been harboring grudges and hatred.”  Kezia eyed the man.  “Perhaps war is the answer.  Then again maybe it isn’t.  But we can’t start turning against ourselves.  And what about the allies that we had in the 7 Kings War?  Don’t they deserve to have freedom just like us?   Our enemy is a strong and powerful one that has established a strong government and won’t be moved easily.  Do you really think that they’ll be worried if we up rise out of order, in small numbers, and running around like chickens with their heads cut off that might do some damage?  Of course not.   They’ll destroy us in days. If we attack, we need to do it in a swift, damaging blow that tells them that we aren’t messing around.  That we aren’t a people without minds that are under their thumbs that will never look them in the face.”  Kezia said.  The men murmured amongst themselves. 

“Who are you to tell us what we should do?”  A young teenager asked defiantly stepping through the crowd to the front. 

Kezia stared at him for a minute then smiled.  “You’ve never been in a war, have you?  You only received its consequences; you watched from a distance.  War isn’t some glorious, honorable thing.  It is a cold, brutal thing that changes constantly, so suddenly it leaves you startled.”  Kezia said staring at the boy.  She stepped down from the stump.  “It affects each and every one of us, no matter what class or position, male or female, young or old; it affects us.  The only difference is our thinking and our standards.   What we want from the war to happen.  Some want power, to get back to the class that they were once in or want to be.  Some go for the honor and glory, which I tell you may get it, but for what cost? Perhaps revenge for things that had been taken away from them.   And revenge?  Nothing will ever satisfy it.  You must let it go.”  Kezia said walking through the crowd.  The crowd parted as  she passed though.  She returned back to the front.  “So you can still go with him, and be trained, but take my advice into consideration.”  Kezia said.   She turned and started to leave the clearing.

 “What is she doing?”   Jack thought angrily.  Jack quickly jumped back onto the stump.  “Who will go with me then?”  He asked.  The response wasn’t as extreme as before.  “Come on.  You aren’t going to listen to her are you?”  He asked. 

The old man stepped forward once again.  “She was in the first war, and experienced most of it.  She seems to have a plan unlike you.  You just seem to want to surprise the enemy with the band of men that you come up with.  What about allies?  And what if we win?  A civil war could break out if we don’t know what our government would be.  We would become subtle to being overcome again.”  The man said. 

“We would be a monarchy as we were before.”  Jack said folding his arms. 
“Who is to be the king?”  The man asked. 

Jack shifted his weight to his other foot.  “We’ll come to that bridge when we come to it.” 

“Our enemy would know we meant business if we had a king.” The man persisted.  Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.   “There is Prince Lionel.”  A man suggested. 

“Rumor is that he left his army to die, and hid in the mountains.”  Jack said. 

“Well that is a rumor.  I was in that army.  Yes , he is in the mountains, but the army forced him to leave so that he could preserve the royal lineage since his father King Edgar was killed.”  The man said. 

Jack was speechless. 

"I can locate him.”  The man said. 

“I have cousins that are near a couple of the old allies.  He can spread word.”  Another man chimed in. 

“We could relocate the families into the mountains.  I know of a patch of caves.”  Another called. 

“The rest of us can go through training, spread word, and help families move.”  The old man said. 

“If we do that do you not think that the enemy won’t suspect anything?”  Jack yelled over the crowd. 

"It is a chance to take, yes.  But we must do this right or chance losing everything.”  The old man said.

***************

 Jack banged his fist against his desk.  He ran his fingers through his hair.  Turner stood in the doorway watching him.  “That girl was there.” Jack said bitterly. 

“Oh?  Is she thinking about joining up too?”   Turner asked. 

Jack leaned his hands against the desk and laughed sarcastically.  “Oh no.   She started by defending this old geezer, and she didn’t stop there.”  

“I imagine she didn’t.  She seems to know where she stands on matters.”  Turner said. 

“Yeah, well, she practically turned the crowd around on matters.  Soon they’re giving out their opinions and ideas and whatever else they think is right.”  Jack said pacing. 

“But that’s good isn’t?  Our goal is to win the war.”

“We are doomed if we go by their plan.  We’ll be discovered before we even strike.”  Jack said folding and unfolding his hands.  “They are from the lower and middle class.  They don’t know how the system works.”  He said. 

“I think they know more than you give them credit.”  Turner said.  “And frankly, I never asked you past the part of building the army and attacking.  What are you going to do if we win?  What if we lose?”  Turner asked.
 “We won’t lose.”  Jack said. “Now get out, and leave me to finish up things.”  Jack sat down in his chair once Turner left.

******************

 Kezia scanned over the bridal she was fixing.  She stared out the window,her mind wandering.  It looked like there would be another war.  It had been a month since she had seen the crowd in the woods, and work was picking up for her.  Since she was a blacksmith, she was making swords and all kinds of weaponry.  She hid them in the loft until they were picked up by their owners so not to be discovered.  She fiddled with a leather strap.  She had mixed emotions about war.  Her nightmares were becoming more extreme by the night to where it was almost night terrors.  Memories were so strong, she could barely ignore them. 

A strong hand whirled her around.  “What do you think you were doing there that night?”  The man asked. 

Kezia stared up at him wide eyed, startled.  It was the man from the castle.  She jerked her arm out of his grip, mainly because he was holding onto her wound.  “I had just as much right as anyone else.  Besides, someone has to speak sense.  You’re a radical which isn’t bad, but you stir up trouble sometimes.”  Kezia said.  She picked up the bridal, and walked over to a hook in the wall to hang it up. 

The man followed her.  “Me cause trouble?  Everything was going fine till you came along.”  He said pointing. 

“What you are doing I have no opinion on.  Perhaps it is good, perhaps not, but what I am worried about is the results of the war.  I don’t want this country to go through another war to be defeated yet again.”  Kezia said turning, facing him. 

“Why don’t you believe that we can win this?”  The man asked. 

“Hey, Kezia!”  

 It was Carter; he was one of the guards from the palace that usually hung around town when he had nothing to do.  He threw a bridal onto the table.  “While we were trying to break in a filly, it yanked her head right out.  Have it ready by tomorrow.”  He said. 

Kezia stepped away from the man.  “I’ll see what I can do about it.  I don’t know if I’ll have it ready by tomorrow though.”  She said. 

“Have it ready by tomorrow.”  Carter said.  He looked down at her.  “You know, you haven’t taken me up on my offer yet.  So how bout tonight?”  He said. 

“I can’t.  I have work plus that bridal that you need for tomorrow so I won’t be able to go.”  Kezia said. 

Carter’s face fell then lifted.  “I could help you out here then.”  He said taking a step closer. 

“Don’t you have night shift?”  Kezia asked taking a step back. 

Carter snapped his finger.  “That’s right.  Some other night then.”  He nodded his head and left. 

Kezia sighed then turned back towards the man.  “Was there something you want?  I have things I need to do.”  She said picking up Carter’s bridal. 

“He’s one of the enemy.”  The man said.   “And you’re helping him?” 

“It’s my job.   Besides, they would suspect something, or throw me in prison if I refused to work for them.  And then I wouldn’t be any help, now would I?”  Kezia said. 

“I wouldn’t say you’re helpful.”  The man said.  

Kezia lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye.  “What do you mean by that?”  She demanded. 

“I don’t have as many soldiers since you’re little “speech”.” 

“I have been making weaponry for your soldiers, and from what I’ve heard they’re recruiting men right now.”  Kezia said with her hands on her hips. 

The man stormed up to her.  “Because of you the whole plan will be foiled!”  He whispered harshly. 

“Wel,l I hope so.  The one you had was greatly disorganized with little thought to the future.”  Kezia whispered back. 

The man slapped her against the cheek. 

Kezia glared up at him. 

“Women should never be let into the army.  They think that they can rebel against the men.”  Jack said. 

“What is your name?”  She asked her jaw set. 

“Why does it matter?”  He asked.

 “Just answer the question.” 

“Jack Hall.” 

Kezia’s brow rose.  “From what regiment?”  She asked. 

“The 49^th.” 

Kezia nodded her head.  “That would explain your mind set.”  She said turning. 

Jack grabbed her by the arm. "What do you mean by that?” 

“Your regiment was locked in a building that was set on fire by the enemy.  All because the messenger boy failed to pass on the changes in the plan.  He was of lower class.”

  “So what are you getting at?” 

  “It explains why you think so little of the lower classes.” 

  Jack scoffed.  He headed for the door. 

“The soldiers loved ones were about to be killed before you were shoved into the building.  Was there someone of yours?”  Kezia asked.

 Jack stared at her.  His facial expression changed from anger to sorrow to anger.  “Just stay out of the military business.”  He said storming out of the stable.

********************

  “Jack!”  Abigail raced towards him. 

Jack tried to shove out of the crowd to her. 

She ran past a guard. 

“Abigail!”  He shouted. 

The guard turned ever so slightly, smashing  a club across her back.  Abigail fell limp to the ground. 

Jack panicked.  He pushed even harder trying to get out of the building.  The others were trying just as hard to get out.  Jack jumped up and down to get a glimpse of her, but his sight was blocked off. 

The enemy had closed the doors. 

Screams came outside of the building, confirming that the enemy had stayed true to their threats.  Smoke began to fill the building from the fire.  The roof was now fully ablaze.   Soldiers rammed into the door to try and break free. 

Jack ran frantically about the building searching for an escape.  He found one.  He rammed against the cracked board, falling through the side.  He was quickly on his feet.  The enemy has scattered trails of tar and pitch and had set the ground ablaze.  Jack dodged the flames as he ran to the front of the building to open the door.  The soldiers stampeded out of the smoke only to be met by the fire outside.  Jack ran to where he had seen Abigail had fallen.  He stopped and felt around because he couldn’t see. 

Explosions erupted. 

“Head for safety!”  Someone ordered.  Jack continued to search.

 “Hall!”  Someone shouted.  He turned just as something exploded, throwing him through the air.

Jack sat up breathing hard; he was drenched in sweat. 

It had been a dream.  He layed back down on his pillow, wiping the sweat from his face.  He rolled over on his side, and reached into the bedside table drawer.  He pulled out a picture, and placed it on the table.  He stared at the picture of the woman. 

Abigail. 

My Fair Lady: Chapter 2

“What is this?” 

      Kezia jerked awake. 

The man reached down, and yanked her to her feet.  Kezia winced in pain.  She hurried to explain her story. 

“I was being chased by wolves, and then I got lost, and-” 

“Save it for the lord.”  The man said gruffly pulling her along with him. 

 Kezia could barely keep herself from shivering even though she was inside the castle.  She was still wet from the night’s rain. 

The door slammed open.  Kezia about jumped, but the man held her in place.  A stern looking man walked down the steps to where she was. 

“Who are you and what are you doing here?”  He growled. 

“I was attacked by wolves, and I got lost, and then I found this place.   I tried to find someone, but I couldn’t find any one so I took the horse to the stable cause it’s not mine you see, and I didn’t want it to get sick in any way, and….”

   “I’ve heard enough.”  The man said holding his hand up.  “You trespass, and then act like you’ve done nothing wrong.”  The man said angrily. 

“I wouldn’t have, it’s just under the circumstances that there were...” 

The man scoffed.  “You think that is an excuse to do so?” 

“I’m sorry…”  Kezia stammered.

 “Sorry isn’t good enough.”

“But I didn’t intentionally trespass.  If you could’ve seen those wolves-”

“I’ve seen wolves before, girlie.”

“Please pardon me!” 

The man shook his head.  “Consequences are in order.  Take her to the tower, Jameson.  I’ll deal with her in a moment.”  The man walked back up the stairs. 

Kezia kicked and squirmed to get out of the man’s grip.  “Please!  Sir!” 

The man went back  through the door and closed it behind him.  Jameson drug her down the hall to a staircase, and led her up them. 

“Let me go!” 

 After going up a couple flights, they reached the tower.   Jameson threw her inside and locked the door. 

“You won’t get away with this!”  Kezia yelled. 

Jameson disappeared down the stairs. 

Kezia banged her fist against the door in frustration.  She sanked down to the floor, and held her knees to her chin, shivering.

 Kezia jerked her head up at the sound of the lock on the door.  The man she had seen before entered.  A horse crop in one hand, a handful of chain in the other, and shackles slung over his shoulder.   He closed the door behind him. 

He walked to the center of the room, and threw the chain over a rafter.  He caught the swinging chain and steadied it.  Kezia stood frozen in place.  The man looked over at her. 

“Come here.”  He said. 

“What do you think I am? An idiot?”  She thought.   Kezia stood up slowly.  Her leg throbbed.  She dashed towards the door, but the man caught her around the stomach with his arm, and swung her around.  He snapped the shackles on to her wrists then attached them to the chain.  He pulled the other end of the chain, and attached it to a ring in the wall, lifting Kezia a couple feet off the ground. 

Kezia inhaled sharply.  Her arm felt like it would tear off.  “Look, you got to believe me when I say that I didn’t purposely trespass.”  Kezia pleaded. 

“You’re a spy of some sort.”  The man said running his finger across the crop.  “No one has found this place in years.  Well, I have a message for your superior.  We will fight long and hard mercilessly till your group is destroyed.”  The man said glaring at her. 

“Sir, I work at a stable, and take care of horses.  I was returning one when I got lost and came upon here.  I have proof.  There’s a piece of paper in my pocket with directions to the master’s house.  I also have a map with a line made for the route I was taking.  Nowhere on it does it have anything to do with your castle.”  Kezia said desperately. 

The man eyed her, suspicious.  He felt around in her pockets till he pulled out the two pieces of paper.  He scanned over them.  “They’re too soggy to read.”   He dropped the pieces of paper to the floor.  Kezia’s heart sank. 

The man turned back around facing her.  He whipped her furiously with the crop.  Kezia writhed around from the blows. 

  The man heaved heavily.   Kezia’s body shook violently.  The man stormed out of the room, leaving her hanging.  Kezia sighed ,blacking out.

***********

 Kezia dropped to the ground.  She couldn’t feel her arms.  She heard the door shut.  She didn’t move; she couldn’t move. 

She felt sharp pinches in her legs.  Kezia turned her head just enough to see her legs.  Rats were chewing on her.  Kezia gasped; she rolled over quickly and kicked at the rats.  They retreated into the dark. 

Kezia backed up against the wall, breathing heavily.  “This place is a nightmare.”  She muttered under her breath.  She leaned against the wall, careful not to bump against anything.  “What is that guy’s problem?”  She thought. Her mind wandered more, to three years ago, when she was younger.  When she was a captive of war, beaten ruthlessly, abused physically and mentally, half starved, her pride shattered. 

The beating had triggered the memories that she had tried to bury night after night of nightmares.  The man had obviously had been in the war.  “Perhaps it made him go insane, and he thinks it’s still going on.”  Kezia thought.  It was true that there were still enemy lines, but there was no active fighting just war-like words exchanged between each side.   

Kezia looked over at the window.  It was raining steadily.  Rain blew into the tower.  Kezia shivered, and carefully hugged her knees to her chin. 

*********************

 “Sir?” 

Jack looked up from the paper he was looking at.  “Hmm?  What?”  He asked Turner. 

“I asked what we were going to do with the girl.” 

Jack rubbed his brow, and turned his attention back to the paper. 

“She seems like a harmless passerby to me.” 

“She is until she leaves.  If word gets out that we are building an army here, our operation will be ruined.  She’ll just have to sit tight till we attack.”  Jack said. 

“But sir,that will be awhile yet.”  Turner reminded him.

“What other choices do we have?  And how do we know that she isn’t a spy with a cover up story?”  Jack asked walking over to the window. 

“Her story seems to have proof enough.  Those wounds were pretty bad.  One of the boys had to clean up the trail of blood she had tracked in.”  Turner said standing by Jack. 

“It’s too risky to let her go.”  Jack said looking out the window once more before sitting down in a chair.  He pulled out his pipe out of his pocket, and lit it.  He puffed out a couple rings of smoke.  “Besides, how else did she be able to get past the gate?  She had to either be able to climb over it, or pick the lock, and on my limited knowledge of women, they aren’t born able to do that.  She had to be taught or trained to do that.”  Jack put his pipe back into his mouth.  

Turner sunk down into a chair.  “Women are pretty crafty creatures if you think about it. But perhaps one of the boys forgot to lock the gate after coming back from hunting or training.”  Turner suggested. 

“I checked the gate before I went to bed.  It was locked.  Why are you so concerned about the girl anyways?  You do know that when we rage war there will be great casualties.  Villages will be destroyed.” 

“I was in the first war right beside you, Jack.  You don’t need to remind me of what war is like.” 

“The girl is staying and that’s final.” 

****************

  A food pan was slid under the tower door.  Kezia didn’t even budge.  She had no strength to move.  It was the fourth day that she had been there, and she was losing hope of getting out. 

Rats scurried across the room to the food, and quickly devoured it.  “I couldn’t stomach the food anyways.”  She thought.  “Besides it seems to keep the rats away from me.  Terrific.  I’m going to rot in this tower.  I survive a war and this is how I die?  I think not.” 

Kezia forced herself up.  “Yeah, that hurts.”  She thought doubling over.  She made her way over to the window.  She scanned the courtyard.  There was a group of men that seemed to be doing drills.  “Don’t they know that the war is over?”  She thought.  Then it hit her.  “They’re rebels from the war.  They’re going to restart the war!”  Kezia thought frantically.  “I got to get out of here, and warn the others to go into hiding before they get caught in it.”  She said out loud. 

Kezia limped over to the door.  The rats went running in different directions.  Kezia studied the door.  She sat on the floor.  “It’s hopeless.  There’s no way I can escape.”

***************

There was a knock at the door. 

“Enter.”  Jack said without looking up. 

Jameson stood in front of his desk.  “Sir, there’s something I think you ought to know.”  He said. 

“What have they done now?”  Jack asked. 

"It’s not anything about the others, sir.”  Jameson said quickly. 

“Oh?  Then what is it?”  Jack asked looking up from his papers. 

“It’s about the girl.  I don’t think she’s living anymore.”  He said. 

“What do you mean she isn’t alive anymore?  You’re giving her food every day aren’t you?”  Jack asked.  His brow furrowed. 

“Yes, sir.  But I look in there after I’ve put the food in, and she doesn’t move.  The rats always eat the food.  Every time I look in there, she’s in the same position that she was before.”  Jameson said. 

“I see.”  Jack was silent.  “Check on her to see if she is or not.”  Jack pulled the keys out of his desk.  He handed them over to him.  “If she is, you know what to do with her.”  Jameson nodded his head and left the room.

  Jameson slowly opened the door.  “Miss?”  He asked opening the door wider.  He crept over to where she was.  He knelt down and set his lantern down.  He shivered.  “It sure is cold up here.”  He thought.  He shook her shoulder.  “Miss?”  He asked again.  He withdrew his hand.

It was covered in something wet and sticky.  He put his hand next to the light.  It was blood.  He grimaced wiping it against the floor.  He waved his hand in front of her face. 

She bit down on his hand, and butted him in the face with her face.  Jameson fell back, caught off guard.  By the time he was back on his feet, she was gone.  He ran to the door.  It was locked. 

Kezia ran down the steps on the last leg of energy that she had.  She raced down the hall towards the door.  She froze in the center of the room.  Coming out of the room at the top of the steps was the man that had whipped her.  He stared down at her.  Kezia laughed nervously then rushed out the door.  “Guards!”  She heard him shouting. 

She raced to the stable, pulled her Morgan out of the stall, and snapped on the lead while leading him out of the stable.  She jumped on top of a bench and struggled to mount the horse. 

The man came running towards her.  Men seemed to be coming out of everywhere.  The gate stood open.  Kezia spurred the horse towards it.  Men scrambled to get to the gate.  Jameson yelled out of the tower window. 

A man had made it to the gate and was starting to close it.  Kezia urged the horse to go faster.  The man slammed the gate closed.  He smiled with satisfaction knowing that he had cut off her escape route.

 Kezia eyes narrowed with determination.  She balanced herself on top of horse’s back in a crouch position.  As soon as she got close, Kezia jumped off it’s back through the bars of the gate.  The man who had closed the gate, watched in shock as she slid through. Kezia rolled on the ground for a mere second then was back up on her feet.  “Open the gate!”  She heard the man that had whipped her shout.  She didn’t know who he was except he was the one who had put her through a great deal of pain. 

 Kezia tore through the woods.  Branches snapped her in the face, but she continued on.  “I’ll get the horse later.  Just have to focus on getting back to town.”  She tripped over a log, but got right back up.  She tried to put her weight on her good leg, but her leg still burned with every step she took. 

She came to a screeching halt.  There was a road up ahead, but there were three ways to go.  “Which way?”  She thought rapidly.  She slipped her hand into her pocket for the map.  Then she remembered that the man had taken it.  Kezia broke into a run down one of the roads.  She glanced over her shoulder. 

To her dismay, there was the man coming after her on her horse.  Well, not her horse, but the horse she was in charge of.  His horse crop beat against the horse’s flank.  Kezia winced at the blows.  She curled up her fists angrily, but she didn’t have time to correct the man.  She needed to run.  

  He was advancing on her greatly.  Her pant leg caught his attention.  It was soaked with blood as was her arm.  There were spots of blood soaking through her shirt as well.  She was just a couple feet from him. 

Jack reached his hand down ready to snatch her up.   Just when she was inches away from his grasp, she darted into the trees.  Jack growled in frustration; he halted the horse, and dismounted to run after her. 

 Jack looked back and forth.  He had lost sight of her.  He ran to the top of the ridge.  Sure enough there she was.  She was stuck in a trap, and wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.  He slowly descended down the ridge.  

He had caught her.  He stood in front of her.  She was frantically trying to get her foot out. 

“It’s not every day that a guy catches a girl in his animal trap.”  He said kneeling down on his knee. 

She looked up at him, glaring.  There were tears running down her cheeks.  She went back to trying to get out of the trap. 

“Let me help.”  Jack said reaching down.  

She punched him in the side of the face, making him stumbled backwards. 

“Feisty, aren’t we?”  He said.

 Kezia threw her blood covered hands in the air, exasperated.   She glared down at the foot trap.  

“Do want my help now, or are you still throwing your tantrum?”  Jack asked. 

Kezia folded her arms. 

“Well, isn’t there something that you’re supposed to ask me?”  Jack teased.  He tried to keep a straight face. 

Kezia rolled her eyes.  “Why would a war veteran care about such a question?”  She asked. 

“What makes you think that I’m a war veteran?”  Jack asked sitting back on his hunches. 

“Oh please.  Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to tell?  There are many evidences.  For example, your posture, straight and stiff, scars, the drills your men are doing, and your technique of torture.  It’s so obvious. That and you’re a lunatic.”  Kezia said. 

“And you are a war fugitive.”   Jack said. 

Kezia stood stock still, startled.  She tried to hide her shock.  “What makes you say that?”  She asked. 

“The brand on your shoulder,scars,and the way you take whippings,.”  Jack said starting to work with the trap. 

“What brand?”  Kezia asked. 

“The one that is showing through that tear in your sleeve.”  Jack said pointing without looking up.  Kezia covered up the tear with her hand. 

The top of the trap lifted up. 

“Carefully lift your foot up.”  Jack instructed. 

Kezia lifted it up slowly.  She bit her lip.  She felt sick.  “The way you somehow find energy so suddenly to escape is another clue.”  Jack said resetting the trap. 

Kezia slowly stood up.  Jack took her by the arm, and led her back to the horse .

   “You know it won’t work what you’re trying to do.”  Kezia said as Jack sat her down on the horse’s back. 

“What makes you say that?”  Jack asked, mounting. 

“The lower and middle classes are starting to settle down under the enemy.  They accept that things are what they are, and are making  the best of things.  The high class, which I assume that is where you came from, wants to get back to the power where they once were.”  Kezia said. 

“They stole my pride and power!”  Jack shouted at her turning around so that he could see her.  Kezia didn’t flinch. 

“You lower class don’t understand because nothing has changed for you.  You were in nothing when the war started, and are still nothing after the war.”  He said. 

Kezia frowned.  “Without the lower classes, you high class people would fail miserably because we are the wheels that keep everything moving.” She shot back. 

“Oh, we are the ones that keep progress moving.”  Jack said laughing. 

“I disagree.  You think that you are always entitled to more.  You don’t want to stay in the boundaries.  So you stir up trouble, causing riots and wars, setting us back in progress, and eventually making us lose the rights that we did deserve, but were ruined because of your greediness!”  Kezia shouted. 

Jack studied her.  “You’ve become one of the enemy.” He said.

“Oh, don’t give me that.”  Kezia said, her eyes narrowing.  “If anything you’ve deserted the people.  Who is the one that had been hiding in some castle while the rest of us are going through trials and tribulations, facing taxes and death, returning from prisons half-starved to try to make a living to stay alive, and having enemy soldiers coming through every day to take advantage of us?  It certainly wasn’t you.  If you had gone through the after math, you wouldn’t be having such radical ideas.”  She said. 

“If you had gone through the actual fighting then you wouldn’t be so submissive!”  Jack said. 

“I did.  I watched men fall left and right, innocent women and children being massacred for the fun of it; I was there, sir, I assure you.”  Kezia said. 

Jack nodded his head sarcastically.  “Sure, you were.”

Now was the essential time to do it.  They weren’t back at the castle, they were on the horse that she needed, and the man was nowhere near to be able to call out his men on her.   She had done it before.  Kezia situated her leg just so.  “Just have to lift his leg up on over, pull him over the side, yank the rope out of his hands, and take off in a dead run all at the same time.”  She thought. “When I was in the war, I learned a couple tricks.”  She said slowly. 

“Sure you did.”  The man said.

Kezia executed her plan swiftly, and like clockwork, she was riding down the path while the man was down on the ground, cursing after her. 

 Kezia knocked at the door.   Thankfully it was dark so the man couldn’t see the mess that she was.  The door slowly opened.  “How can I help you, miss?”  The old man asked squinting at her.

 “Is your master at home?   I have his horse.”  Kezia said.  “Let me go fetch him.”  The man said.  He turned and left.  Kezia didn’t expect for him to invite her in.  After all, she was of lower class. 

 Moments later the lord appeared.  “I’m sorry it so late at night, but I thought you might want to see your horse.”  Kezia apologized.

 “He looks just like did before he did before he was stolen.” The man walked back into the house.  He returned with a small jingling pouch.  “This should cover the expenses.”  He said handing it to Kezia.  

She nodded her head, then turned and walked down the path to the road.  She turned around to see the man admiring the horse.  He led the horse to the stable.  Kezia smiled with great satisfaction then turned and continued on down the road.   Sure she didn’t get a thank-you, but the satisfaction was good enough.