Rebellion

Shauna

3 Shauna

“Food, check. Books, check. Few spare clothes, check, Double check for the extra socks,” I say, going over the end of the supplies on the list Philippe and I had made. Things are scattered around the kitchen in mounds. I turn to Philippe, who is lazily peeling an apple with the edge of his knife. “Anything I missed?” I begin putting the items into the two packs that Amicus gave us for our journey.

He takes a bite of his apple. “Do you have a whetstone? We might need to sharpen blades. And what about some oil for your bow?”

“Check, and check,” I say, picking up the items and placing them in his bag. “Oh, Paulo gave me some of this puff from a cattail, and flint and steel.” I show him the cotton-like substance before shoving it in the pocket with the flint and steel. “He said that it’s a good fire starter – could come in handy.”

Philippe rolls his eyes at me and makes one of his fingers catch on fire with a small pop. He grins and, rotating his apple above the flame, begins roasting it.

“Or have your companion be able to control fire. I guess that’s helpful too,” I concede. But I leave the fire starter supplies in the pack. “You never know though.”

He huffs and puts the fire out. “I still don’t get why we have to take horses. I would feel much more comfortable walking.”

I sigh and pull up a chair. “You know exactly why we need to ride. It would take us months to get there.” I search his eyes, but they are as stubborn as always. “I asked Amicus for his sweetest horses. I even went down with him earlier to meet the ones he picked out for us. If you would only come down and meet the horses, I’m sure-”

“I knew Rose since I was a child, that didn’t stop her from throwing me,” he says, sounding like a child still.

“Philippe, that was an accident. We both know that. How were you to know that Rose had thrown her shoe?” I ask, taking his hand.

He pulls his hand away slowly, leaving me with the feeling of air and the passage of his calloused hand over mine. I try to keep my face blank. I don’t want him to see how my heart jumped, feeling his skin on mine.

“I should have known. I was the one who put those shoes on her. But I was too busy getting all doe-eyed at you. And what did I get for it? A bruised butt and a lashing from my father’s tongue,” he grumbles. “I’m sorry. I know you’re only trying to plan a way for us to get there quickly.” He looks down at his hands as the flames dance across his knuckles. “Besides, I did get to watch you chase after a horse that day. You’re cute when you get frustrated.” He lets the flames die out on his hand and tries to take back my hands, but I smack him away, a grin forming on my lips.

“Come on; you’ll feel better once you meet them.”

He takes another bite of his apple. “These apples might make them like me a bit more than my personality ever will.”

I sigh at this but don’t respond as we both head to the stables.

The horses that Amicus selected are sweet; one is a mare, the other a gelding. I like the gelding, Maple, a bit more. He’s a chestnut with a star on his face that looks almost like the leaf he was named after. He likes to nuzzle against my dress, searching for hidden sweets. We’ll have to watch him with the food bags; we won’t have any apples by the time we leave if he finds them. The other horse Amicus picked for us is named Poppy. She’s a sweet little dark bay, with enough of a forelock for both horses. She prances up when she sees us approaching and gives a little whinny. “See, she just wants to get to know you.”

Philippe jumps a bit when Poppy nickers at him but he continues forward with his hand out, palm up.

“Her name is Poppy,” I whisper from behind him. “Go on.” I nudge him forward.

“Uh- good girl Poppy, hello,” he says, letting Poppy nuzzle his hand. Her ears prick forward, and she begins nipping at his hand with her lips.

Philippe pulls back, and Poppy stretches her neck out to reach over the fence and get to him. “She smells the apple you ate, that’s all,” I say, laughing a bit when he jumps. “She wants some for herself.”

Philippe looks down at the apple in his other hand, then holds it out to Poppy. The horse eagerly licks up the apple and chomps away on the sweet core. When she’s finished, she comes back to sniff around his chest and pockets for more snacks. “I’m sorry,” Philippe says, scratching her cheek. “I don’t have anything else for you today.” The horse brings her head up and turns to look at him. “I’m sorry,” he says again, laughing at her pleading brown eyes.

“Amicus said they both have a bit of a sweet tooth; we’ll have to watch that. We won’t have any apples for us.” As I lean up against the wooden beam, the other horse comes up beside me. “This is Maple.” Philippe stretches his hand out to pet him. “Want to groom them? Then you can get to know Poppy before we leave.”

Philippe is about to answer when Poppy head-butts him, rubbing her head on his chest. “I think someone wants me to do just that,” he says with an uneasy laugh.

“Come on, I’ll show you where the grooming stuff is.”