Post by Cadence Silverstream on Nov 24, 2017 11:57:04 GMT 10
~~~/\/\/\/\/\/\ Sneaking Out - An SSO Short Story /\/\/\/\/\/\~~~
~ Cadence sat up in her bed, her gaze wildly darting from one corner to another throughout her entire room. Her palms were sweaty, and her breathing came in hard and rapid gulps. She inhaled a deep, long breath, and relaxed to the sweet scent of home. The sharp tang of new paint, mixed with the scent of fresh wood and a faint trace of roses and lilies, among other various types of flowers. Moonlight streamed through her clear, glass window that was opened, just a crack, and spilled onto the wooden floorboards below. Cadence carefully, quietly, turned, and slipped out from under her covers and off the side of her bed. Her bare feet were soft on the dusty floorboards, and she tip-toed over to the window. Leaning on her rustic, dark-oak, wooden bureau, she peered out of the window and into the village beyond. The night was peaceful and serene. The only sounds were the crickets chirp-chirp-chirping and the faint rustling of hay in the stables. These were both relaxing, familiar sounds, but Cadence tensed. She had always wanted to see the world, beyond Firgrove Village, beyond Firgrove, even. She wanted to travel to Valedale Village, through the deep, dark Hollow Woods and wind her way over to the Silverglade Village. She wanted to hear the windmill creaking and groaning as it spun, grinding wheat into flour. She wanted to smell the sweet fragrance of the grapes that the Manor would turn into wine.
However, she knew that her mother and father would never approve of her travelling too far, as they knew that once she was away, she would never come back. Cadence ran her fingertips over the windowsill. She touched the bottom of the window, that was slightly opened. She lightly drew her fingertips over the smooth surface, until they reached the button. The button that unlocked the window, and allowed her to push it up. Cadence took a few deep breaths, savoring the sweet, homey scents, and the soft feel of her feet on the smooth wood. Closing her eyes, she pressed the button, and slid the window open. She stuck her head outside, into the fresh air. After a few moments of nothing but the night breeze whispering in her ears, she pulled herself up onto her bureau. It groaned slightly under her weight, and she tensed, but when nothing else happened, she released a sigh of relief, and moved her pale, thin legs closer to the windowsill. She scooted forward, her short, almost-shoulder-length amber hair brushing her cheeks.
Her green eyes scanned the surrounding lands, the familiar pathways and houses. Almost all of the residents were asleep at the time, the only ones that she could see that were awake were the horses. She took a final glance at her bedroom, and a part of her, a small voice in her head, urged her to turn back. To go back to her mother and father, to collapse back onto her turquoise bed and close the window. Forget about her plans. This was home. This was safety and familiarity. But more than that, this was family. Cadence hesitated, and began to turn back. But before she slipped off of the bureau, she reminded herself that this feeling of restlessness and curiosity would remain, even if she turned back. So, with a final breath, Cadence turned and slipped out of the window. She was dressed in tan riding breeches and a white T-shirt. She had worn these things to sleep, despite her mother telling her to change, because she knew what lay ahead.
The short, stubby grasses were sharp beneath her toes. They were stiff and slowly dying as winter neared. The air was crisp and cold, a small breeze brushing her cheeks. Carefully, she slunk along the side of the pathway, keeping her emerald-green eyes peeled for anyone who was awake. One pale hand rested on the fence as she stopped, near the stables. Inhaling a sharp breath, Cadence looked both ways before taking off and running across the rocky cobblestone as fast as her bare feet would allow. She was grateful when the rocky substance turned to smooth wood, just as the flooring in her home. She knew that she would come back to Firgrove Village. Eventually. But she understood that she would be taking a huge risk, and her mother and father would grieve like she had died.
Her stallion, Firefly, noticed Cadence's arrival, and perked his ears, his eyes suddenly alert as he released a snort of welcoming. Cadence couldn't help but smile at him, and she jogged over to his stall. She didn't think anyone had noticed, but tonight, Firefly's tack was hung up in his stall, rather than in the tack room. A saddle bag was hidden behind a stack of straw in the corner of the stall. She quickly tacked Firefly up, finding no need to speak nor explain what was happening to the curious stallion. He'd find out soon enough. Cadence only paused once, to brush her hair out of her green eyes. She felt like a new person, doing this. And in part, she was.
She unearthed the saddle bag, and then froze. She needed provisions to last her the journey. Unlike her horse, she couldn't drink river water, nor eat the grass that lie at every turn in the road. No, she needed human food, which was something scarce in the woodlands of Jorvik. Cadence gulped, and slid out of the stall, carrying her black saddle bag in one hand. She felt tears coming to her eyes as she approached the food stand. People in Firgrove Village were the trusting kind, knowing that there were no thieves around, and often left their products at the store overnight. Reaching out, Cadence snagged three apples, two water bottles and an orange, to take with her until she reached the next village, where she could gather more if needed. She had no clue where she was going or how long it would take, so she'd pack plenty.
Once she felt she was as ready as could be, Cadence jogged back to her house. Panic crossed her mind, and her heart began to pound. I didn't think this through - I'm gonna get caught, or I'm gonna die! She tried to shake off the thoughts that crowded her head, and climbed back in through the window. She set the saddle bag on the bureau, and she panted as she grabbed her empty, black backpack. She proceeded to stuff clothes from her closet into it, and opened a smaller pouch to store her money. She had 2,463 Jorvik Shillings, and only three Star Coins. She slid a pair of black, shiny riding boots onto her feet. Tears in her eyes, she stood. Slinging her backpack over her back, she climbed up onto the bureau, grabbed her saddle bag, and slid back down onto the coarse grasses.
She jogged back to Firefly, who was now very alert and looked slightly panicked, his pale brown coat and white blaze shining like water in the moonlight. He shifted and turned as Cadence approached him, then opened the stall door and led him out. She spoke only once. "Trust me." Her voice could barely be considered a whisper, but Firefly seemed to be calmer as Cadence mounted him with a sigh, closed her eyes for a moment, and gave him a small kick, the signal to go. Firefly trotted through the village, and excitement seemed to blaze through his body as his muscles tensed and his ears perked up. His eyes were wide and his steps were broad. They exited the village, and Cadence let out another sad, wistful sigh as they continued down the road.
The night sky was bright and starry above her head as they wound down the path at a brisk pace. Soon, Cadence urged Firefly to a canter, sitting lightly in the saddle. She watched the woodland pass by on all sides, the familiar, tall, thick clusters of fir trees petering out to one every once in a while. Their sharp, damp smell was lost among other, new fragrances. Cadence had a very strong sense of smell, and could smell everything from the night dew on the grass to the leaves above her head and the night breeze that whisked through the sky. Firefly's hooves clacked on the cobblestones, and Cadence noticed that there was a stone bridge coming up, as well as a fork in the pathways. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to see what lie beyond.
What she saw took her breath away. A large forest, filled with damp, dark, swaying oak trees, filled a large area. Winding its way under the bridge was the crystal-clear, pristine Silversong river, its rippling surface glinting in the starlight. Beyond the path were fields filled with tall grasses, farm land, silos, and even a village. Birch trees whispered and some faint birds could be heard in the distance. Cadence slowly dragged her gaze away, and halted the eager Firefly, which proved to be a difficult task. She grunted as he finally, reluctantly stopped. She was mere yards away from the stone bridge now. It wasn't just a bridge to cross the water. It was a bridge to a new world.
Cadence opened her saddle bag, and took out a water bottle. She forced herself to slow down as she finished off the last drops, and she savored each bite of a delicious apple, juice trickling down her chin before she wiped it off with her sleeve. Once she was finished eating, she allowed her gaze to drift back to the bridge in front of her. Frogs croaked and crickets chirped a lovely song, as the night owls hooted and the river gurgled by, rushing through beautiful, shimmering silver river rocks. Cadence's amber hair blew in the soft breeze, and she inhaled the damp scent of the dew and the sweet scent of the fresh water. Cattails and reeds beckoned her towards the bridge, their green stems drooping lazily towards its large, stone mass. She smiled, and urged Firefly back to a trot.
His hooves echoed hollowly on the stones, and they passed under the two horse statues. Cadence shivered, and she felt Firefly tense with excitement. The two continued towards the second pair of statues, and Cadence found her heart pounding as it was earlier, her palms sweating and her fingernails digging into her skin. She gripped the reins tighter and urged Firefly on with her heels, observing every detail, inhaling every sweet scent. Lilies basked on the water, and frogs played tag, jumping from rock to rock, lily to lily, and disappearing into the cattails. The silver water glimmered in the moonlight, sleek like real silver. For a moment, Cadence just sat, staring at the beautiful scene, but Firefly was off the bridge in no time, and they were headed up the path towards who knows where. Cadence's heart skipped a beat, and she bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions; her panic, her fear, her excitement, and the rush of sadness and joy that overcame her mind so she didn't know what to think.
Firefly took a breath, glancing from side to side, fear, curiosity and excitement held in his lonesome, brown gaze. Cadence's sharp green eyes cut through the peaceful scenery, as they followed the path, over the slope of the land. When the ground mostly evened out, she could see that they were headed towards the village. She forced Firefly to a halt beside a junction sign, where she saw names of places and villages carved into the rough oak wood. One sign pointed in the direction she had come from, and was labeled 'Firgrove'. Cadence looked down, then back up at the sign. There was a pointer labeled 'Fort Pinta' and the other was 'Silverglade Village'. She smiled. At least she knew where she was going. She allowed Firefly to pick up a medium trot, giving her time to observe her surroundings. She looked down at the flowery grass fields on either side of the fence, filled with dandelions dancing in the breeze, and sweet smelling poppies and daisies. After a little while, they began to pass the farmland, and Cadence stared at the little, growing spurts of green life that erupted from the earth, their little tendrils reaching greedily towards the starry sky as if they were begging for light. When she spotted the village, she realized that she couldn't go to the village now. The villagers would be suspicious if a new rider turned up in the dead of the night.
She knew that she could possibly hide in the silo she had seen farther back, and she turned her stallion towards it. She cantered into the grove of trees nearby, and dismounted there. Firefly began to panic, but she stroked his muzzle and he became calm. She tied him to a small tree, and he struggled to follow her as she stroked his neck, then skipped off towards the silo. She opened the small, wooden door, standing on her tip-toes, and crawled in. She closed the door behind her, and it creaked on its rusty hinges. Frozen with panic, she cringed, but the moment was soon over, and she continued to struggle through the sea of golden wheat until she reached a tiny, thin rope. She got up onto her knees, grasping at a wooden pole for balance. Her knees sank into the wheat below, and although the scent of the plant was reassuring, she wished she was on solid ground.
The rope was thin, very thin, and she doubted it would even hold her weight. She gulped, and leapt as high as she could, clutching desperately at the rope's threaded pattern. She kicked with her legs and clawed with her fingernails, but she slid down, down, down, until she was back on the wheat. She sank down, not knowing what to do.
"Hey!" A loud, friendly voice echoed from above. Cadence looked up, squinting against the ceiling light. She made out the shape of an old lady with gray glasses, fading, spiky gray hair, and a brown trench coat. In her fingers, she clutched a watch, as if it was a prized possession. She blinked once, and Cadence did the same, wondering if she was hallucinating. "What're you doing here in the middle of the night?" For a moment, Cadence was sorely tempted to turn around and flee before she got herself into a deeper mess, but instead, she opened her mouth and began to reply.
"Please, don't tell anyone," she began, trying to sound strong and fearless, but her words came out as a whimper instead. "I-I ran away. From Firgrove. I wanted to see the world, but I never knew that it was so large... And scary," she admitted, looking down. "I knew people would be suspicious if I showed up in the middle of the night, so I needed somewhere to hide out until day. I'm Cadence." Cadence looked up at the old lady, her green eyes piercing, unnerving, almost. But fear glinted in their depths, and the poor girl shook with fear and excitement.
"I won't tell," the lady promised softly. "I'm Big Bonny, and I live here. I have done terrible things to the citizens of Silverglade... Terrible things, my dear." Her voice was cracked with wistful sadness. "I am, or was, the city clockmaker. The citizens... They loved me. They smiled at me and cheered me on as I fixed their clock. But one day, I broke it! I broke their clock. I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around what this meant, and how the citizens would surely boo and through me out... The clock is the center of all life, and without it, Silverglade would surely die out!" Cadence raised an eyebrow, but allowed her to continue. "I fled, desperate, and Barney let me stay here, at the silo."
"Barney?" Cadence asked in a soft tone.
"Ah yes, Barney, the owner of the farm and the silo here," Big Bonny explained, with a small smile. Meanwhile, Cadence had inhaled a small breath of the beautiful scents. She could smell the homey scent of wood, and that helped her relax, but also overpowering her senses was the strong, yet easy smell of the wheat that floored the silo here.
"W-Well," Cadence stuttered, "Can you help me get up this rope?" she asked, trembling with fear.
"Sure thing, dear," Big Bonny replied, softly as to not frighten her even more. "Hold onto the rope as tightly as you can! See the wooden poles there? Use them to help you." Cadence nodded quickly, then looked up at the rope. She jumped and grabbed the rope, as high as she could, kicking with her legs, but she felt herself slipping. "The poles!" Big Bonny called out to her. Cadence pushed one pole with her left leg, and another with her right. Surprisingly, she moved up an inch. "Keep going!" the lady encouraged.
She clawed at a spot near the half-way point of the rope, and grunted with pain as she pulled her chest up towards her hands. She used her feet to climb the pole as her arms trembled with strain. They began to feel like they were filled with wet sand, but she was getting higher, her hands a little below the three quarters mark. Big Bonny reached a pale, bony hand down towards Cadence, setting her watch down on the wooden rail. When Cadence was high enough to grab it, she was panting with effort and she trembled with pain and fear. She lunged for Big Bonny's hand, and was afraid that she'd fall all the way back down to the wheat, but instead, her hand was clasped by Big Bonny's firm, iron grip, and she was gradually pulled up onto the platform above, with a bit of groaning on both sides. Breathing hard and rapidly in deep gulps, Cadence collapsed onto a pile of straw that had been laid out on the floor near the rope. Her toes were right on the edge of the platform, and once she stopped breathing so hard, she smiled at Big Bonny and moved towards the far side of the platform.
There was a small mattress set between two large stacks of hay bales under a window, which was opened just a crack. Moonlight filtered through the glass panes, and doused everything in its silvery sheen. Some old photos were tacked up on the hay bales, and a potted plant sat on the ground near the foot of the mattress. "Where do I sleep?" Cadence asked, her palms and fingers burning.
"Right over there," Big Bonny replied, pointing to a spot on the floor on the other side of one stack of hay bales. "I'll get you a blanket and a pillow, if you'd like."
"Thank you," Cadence breathed, relieved that she had found someone so nice. Big Bonny fetched one of her blankets and a pillow from the mattress, and handed them to Cadence. Cadence smiled, and went over to her spot, placing the blanket on the floor. She laid on it, and rested her head comfortably on the pillow. Although deeply troubled, Cadence managed to find sleep.
When Cadence woke, pale light was filtering through Big Bonny's window and onto the wooden floor. For a moment, Cadence panicked, kicking off her blankets and standing up, her pale, bony legs shaking and her hair a wild mess. She coughed, inhaling the dusty air, and the overwhelming smell of wheat was not yet familiar. However, she calmed down when Big Bonny's friendly face poked out from behind a stack of hay. "Sleep well?" Cadence smiled at her.
"Sorta," she replied, but everything came rushing back at her. How she had run away, stolen, hid out in a silo. Those thoughts brought tears to her eyes, and suddenly she was more homesick then she ever thought she could be. She swore she could hear her father calling her name, and her mother wailing in sadness. But when she returned to the present, all she could hear was the peaceful singing of songbirds and the rustling of trees in the forest. "I miss home," she whimpered, wanting to curl up on the floor, close her eyes, and be back in her bedroom. "I wanna go home," she whined, and Big Bonny came over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Why did you run away?" she asked her, and Cadence was glad for the distraction. She gladly answered, wanting to take her thoughts off of her homesickness, and everything she missed about Firgrove.
"I wanted to see things, things I would never see if I stayed," Cadence explained. "I thought that it would be so easy, just waltz right out of there and find a new home in Silverglade, travelling easily from village to village. I didn't take into account what I might need for the journey, emotions, and what might happen there when I was gone. Now all I want is to go back on it, like nothing ever happened."
"Well, you can't exactly do that now," Big Bonny reminded her.
~ Cadence sat up in her bed, her gaze wildly darting from one corner to another throughout her entire room. Her palms were sweaty, and her breathing came in hard and rapid gulps. She inhaled a deep, long breath, and relaxed to the sweet scent of home. The sharp tang of new paint, mixed with the scent of fresh wood and a faint trace of roses and lilies, among other various types of flowers. Moonlight streamed through her clear, glass window that was opened, just a crack, and spilled onto the wooden floorboards below. Cadence carefully, quietly, turned, and slipped out from under her covers and off the side of her bed. Her bare feet were soft on the dusty floorboards, and she tip-toed over to the window. Leaning on her rustic, dark-oak, wooden bureau, she peered out of the window and into the village beyond. The night was peaceful and serene. The only sounds were the crickets chirp-chirp-chirping and the faint rustling of hay in the stables. These were both relaxing, familiar sounds, but Cadence tensed. She had always wanted to see the world, beyond Firgrove Village, beyond Firgrove, even. She wanted to travel to Valedale Village, through the deep, dark Hollow Woods and wind her way over to the Silverglade Village. She wanted to hear the windmill creaking and groaning as it spun, grinding wheat into flour. She wanted to smell the sweet fragrance of the grapes that the Manor would turn into wine.
However, she knew that her mother and father would never approve of her travelling too far, as they knew that once she was away, she would never come back. Cadence ran her fingertips over the windowsill. She touched the bottom of the window, that was slightly opened. She lightly drew her fingertips over the smooth surface, until they reached the button. The button that unlocked the window, and allowed her to push it up. Cadence took a few deep breaths, savoring the sweet, homey scents, and the soft feel of her feet on the smooth wood. Closing her eyes, she pressed the button, and slid the window open. She stuck her head outside, into the fresh air. After a few moments of nothing but the night breeze whispering in her ears, she pulled herself up onto her bureau. It groaned slightly under her weight, and she tensed, but when nothing else happened, she released a sigh of relief, and moved her pale, thin legs closer to the windowsill. She scooted forward, her short, almost-shoulder-length amber hair brushing her cheeks.
Her green eyes scanned the surrounding lands, the familiar pathways and houses. Almost all of the residents were asleep at the time, the only ones that she could see that were awake were the horses. She took a final glance at her bedroom, and a part of her, a small voice in her head, urged her to turn back. To go back to her mother and father, to collapse back onto her turquoise bed and close the window. Forget about her plans. This was home. This was safety and familiarity. But more than that, this was family. Cadence hesitated, and began to turn back. But before she slipped off of the bureau, she reminded herself that this feeling of restlessness and curiosity would remain, even if she turned back. So, with a final breath, Cadence turned and slipped out of the window. She was dressed in tan riding breeches and a white T-shirt. She had worn these things to sleep, despite her mother telling her to change, because she knew what lay ahead.
The short, stubby grasses were sharp beneath her toes. They were stiff and slowly dying as winter neared. The air was crisp and cold, a small breeze brushing her cheeks. Carefully, she slunk along the side of the pathway, keeping her emerald-green eyes peeled for anyone who was awake. One pale hand rested on the fence as she stopped, near the stables. Inhaling a sharp breath, Cadence looked both ways before taking off and running across the rocky cobblestone as fast as her bare feet would allow. She was grateful when the rocky substance turned to smooth wood, just as the flooring in her home. She knew that she would come back to Firgrove Village. Eventually. But she understood that she would be taking a huge risk, and her mother and father would grieve like she had died.
Her stallion, Firefly, noticed Cadence's arrival, and perked his ears, his eyes suddenly alert as he released a snort of welcoming. Cadence couldn't help but smile at him, and she jogged over to his stall. She didn't think anyone had noticed, but tonight, Firefly's tack was hung up in his stall, rather than in the tack room. A saddle bag was hidden behind a stack of straw in the corner of the stall. She quickly tacked Firefly up, finding no need to speak nor explain what was happening to the curious stallion. He'd find out soon enough. Cadence only paused once, to brush her hair out of her green eyes. She felt like a new person, doing this. And in part, she was.
She unearthed the saddle bag, and then froze. She needed provisions to last her the journey. Unlike her horse, she couldn't drink river water, nor eat the grass that lie at every turn in the road. No, she needed human food, which was something scarce in the woodlands of Jorvik. Cadence gulped, and slid out of the stall, carrying her black saddle bag in one hand. She felt tears coming to her eyes as she approached the food stand. People in Firgrove Village were the trusting kind, knowing that there were no thieves around, and often left their products at the store overnight. Reaching out, Cadence snagged three apples, two water bottles and an orange, to take with her until she reached the next village, where she could gather more if needed. She had no clue where she was going or how long it would take, so she'd pack plenty.
Once she felt she was as ready as could be, Cadence jogged back to her house. Panic crossed her mind, and her heart began to pound. I didn't think this through - I'm gonna get caught, or I'm gonna die! She tried to shake off the thoughts that crowded her head, and climbed back in through the window. She set the saddle bag on the bureau, and she panted as she grabbed her empty, black backpack. She proceeded to stuff clothes from her closet into it, and opened a smaller pouch to store her money. She had 2,463 Jorvik Shillings, and only three Star Coins. She slid a pair of black, shiny riding boots onto her feet. Tears in her eyes, she stood. Slinging her backpack over her back, she climbed up onto the bureau, grabbed her saddle bag, and slid back down onto the coarse grasses.
She jogged back to Firefly, who was now very alert and looked slightly panicked, his pale brown coat and white blaze shining like water in the moonlight. He shifted and turned as Cadence approached him, then opened the stall door and led him out. She spoke only once. "Trust me." Her voice could barely be considered a whisper, but Firefly seemed to be calmer as Cadence mounted him with a sigh, closed her eyes for a moment, and gave him a small kick, the signal to go. Firefly trotted through the village, and excitement seemed to blaze through his body as his muscles tensed and his ears perked up. His eyes were wide and his steps were broad. They exited the village, and Cadence let out another sad, wistful sigh as they continued down the road.
The night sky was bright and starry above her head as they wound down the path at a brisk pace. Soon, Cadence urged Firefly to a canter, sitting lightly in the saddle. She watched the woodland pass by on all sides, the familiar, tall, thick clusters of fir trees petering out to one every once in a while. Their sharp, damp smell was lost among other, new fragrances. Cadence had a very strong sense of smell, and could smell everything from the night dew on the grass to the leaves above her head and the night breeze that whisked through the sky. Firefly's hooves clacked on the cobblestones, and Cadence noticed that there was a stone bridge coming up, as well as a fork in the pathways. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to see what lie beyond.
What she saw took her breath away. A large forest, filled with damp, dark, swaying oak trees, filled a large area. Winding its way under the bridge was the crystal-clear, pristine Silversong river, its rippling surface glinting in the starlight. Beyond the path were fields filled with tall grasses, farm land, silos, and even a village. Birch trees whispered and some faint birds could be heard in the distance. Cadence slowly dragged her gaze away, and halted the eager Firefly, which proved to be a difficult task. She grunted as he finally, reluctantly stopped. She was mere yards away from the stone bridge now. It wasn't just a bridge to cross the water. It was a bridge to a new world.
Cadence opened her saddle bag, and took out a water bottle. She forced herself to slow down as she finished off the last drops, and she savored each bite of a delicious apple, juice trickling down her chin before she wiped it off with her sleeve. Once she was finished eating, she allowed her gaze to drift back to the bridge in front of her. Frogs croaked and crickets chirped a lovely song, as the night owls hooted and the river gurgled by, rushing through beautiful, shimmering silver river rocks. Cadence's amber hair blew in the soft breeze, and she inhaled the damp scent of the dew and the sweet scent of the fresh water. Cattails and reeds beckoned her towards the bridge, their green stems drooping lazily towards its large, stone mass. She smiled, and urged Firefly back to a trot.
His hooves echoed hollowly on the stones, and they passed under the two horse statues. Cadence shivered, and she felt Firefly tense with excitement. The two continued towards the second pair of statues, and Cadence found her heart pounding as it was earlier, her palms sweating and her fingernails digging into her skin. She gripped the reins tighter and urged Firefly on with her heels, observing every detail, inhaling every sweet scent. Lilies basked on the water, and frogs played tag, jumping from rock to rock, lily to lily, and disappearing into the cattails. The silver water glimmered in the moonlight, sleek like real silver. For a moment, Cadence just sat, staring at the beautiful scene, but Firefly was off the bridge in no time, and they were headed up the path towards who knows where. Cadence's heart skipped a beat, and she bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions; her panic, her fear, her excitement, and the rush of sadness and joy that overcame her mind so she didn't know what to think.
Firefly took a breath, glancing from side to side, fear, curiosity and excitement held in his lonesome, brown gaze. Cadence's sharp green eyes cut through the peaceful scenery, as they followed the path, over the slope of the land. When the ground mostly evened out, she could see that they were headed towards the village. She forced Firefly to a halt beside a junction sign, where she saw names of places and villages carved into the rough oak wood. One sign pointed in the direction she had come from, and was labeled 'Firgrove'. Cadence looked down, then back up at the sign. There was a pointer labeled 'Fort Pinta' and the other was 'Silverglade Village'. She smiled. At least she knew where she was going. She allowed Firefly to pick up a medium trot, giving her time to observe her surroundings. She looked down at the flowery grass fields on either side of the fence, filled with dandelions dancing in the breeze, and sweet smelling poppies and daisies. After a little while, they began to pass the farmland, and Cadence stared at the little, growing spurts of green life that erupted from the earth, their little tendrils reaching greedily towards the starry sky as if they were begging for light. When she spotted the village, she realized that she couldn't go to the village now. The villagers would be suspicious if a new rider turned up in the dead of the night.
She knew that she could possibly hide in the silo she had seen farther back, and she turned her stallion towards it. She cantered into the grove of trees nearby, and dismounted there. Firefly began to panic, but she stroked his muzzle and he became calm. She tied him to a small tree, and he struggled to follow her as she stroked his neck, then skipped off towards the silo. She opened the small, wooden door, standing on her tip-toes, and crawled in. She closed the door behind her, and it creaked on its rusty hinges. Frozen with panic, she cringed, but the moment was soon over, and she continued to struggle through the sea of golden wheat until she reached a tiny, thin rope. She got up onto her knees, grasping at a wooden pole for balance. Her knees sank into the wheat below, and although the scent of the plant was reassuring, she wished she was on solid ground.
The rope was thin, very thin, and she doubted it would even hold her weight. She gulped, and leapt as high as she could, clutching desperately at the rope's threaded pattern. She kicked with her legs and clawed with her fingernails, but she slid down, down, down, until she was back on the wheat. She sank down, not knowing what to do.
"Hey!" A loud, friendly voice echoed from above. Cadence looked up, squinting against the ceiling light. She made out the shape of an old lady with gray glasses, fading, spiky gray hair, and a brown trench coat. In her fingers, she clutched a watch, as if it was a prized possession. She blinked once, and Cadence did the same, wondering if she was hallucinating. "What're you doing here in the middle of the night?" For a moment, Cadence was sorely tempted to turn around and flee before she got herself into a deeper mess, but instead, she opened her mouth and began to reply.
"Please, don't tell anyone," she began, trying to sound strong and fearless, but her words came out as a whimper instead. "I-I ran away. From Firgrove. I wanted to see the world, but I never knew that it was so large... And scary," she admitted, looking down. "I knew people would be suspicious if I showed up in the middle of the night, so I needed somewhere to hide out until day. I'm Cadence." Cadence looked up at the old lady, her green eyes piercing, unnerving, almost. But fear glinted in their depths, and the poor girl shook with fear and excitement.
"I won't tell," the lady promised softly. "I'm Big Bonny, and I live here. I have done terrible things to the citizens of Silverglade... Terrible things, my dear." Her voice was cracked with wistful sadness. "I am, or was, the city clockmaker. The citizens... They loved me. They smiled at me and cheered me on as I fixed their clock. But one day, I broke it! I broke their clock. I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around what this meant, and how the citizens would surely boo and through me out... The clock is the center of all life, and without it, Silverglade would surely die out!" Cadence raised an eyebrow, but allowed her to continue. "I fled, desperate, and Barney let me stay here, at the silo."
"Barney?" Cadence asked in a soft tone.
"Ah yes, Barney, the owner of the farm and the silo here," Big Bonny explained, with a small smile. Meanwhile, Cadence had inhaled a small breath of the beautiful scents. She could smell the homey scent of wood, and that helped her relax, but also overpowering her senses was the strong, yet easy smell of the wheat that floored the silo here.
"W-Well," Cadence stuttered, "Can you help me get up this rope?" she asked, trembling with fear.
"Sure thing, dear," Big Bonny replied, softly as to not frighten her even more. "Hold onto the rope as tightly as you can! See the wooden poles there? Use them to help you." Cadence nodded quickly, then looked up at the rope. She jumped and grabbed the rope, as high as she could, kicking with her legs, but she felt herself slipping. "The poles!" Big Bonny called out to her. Cadence pushed one pole with her left leg, and another with her right. Surprisingly, she moved up an inch. "Keep going!" the lady encouraged.
She clawed at a spot near the half-way point of the rope, and grunted with pain as she pulled her chest up towards her hands. She used her feet to climb the pole as her arms trembled with strain. They began to feel like they were filled with wet sand, but she was getting higher, her hands a little below the three quarters mark. Big Bonny reached a pale, bony hand down towards Cadence, setting her watch down on the wooden rail. When Cadence was high enough to grab it, she was panting with effort and she trembled with pain and fear. She lunged for Big Bonny's hand, and was afraid that she'd fall all the way back down to the wheat, but instead, her hand was clasped by Big Bonny's firm, iron grip, and she was gradually pulled up onto the platform above, with a bit of groaning on both sides. Breathing hard and rapidly in deep gulps, Cadence collapsed onto a pile of straw that had been laid out on the floor near the rope. Her toes were right on the edge of the platform, and once she stopped breathing so hard, she smiled at Big Bonny and moved towards the far side of the platform.
There was a small mattress set between two large stacks of hay bales under a window, which was opened just a crack. Moonlight filtered through the glass panes, and doused everything in its silvery sheen. Some old photos were tacked up on the hay bales, and a potted plant sat on the ground near the foot of the mattress. "Where do I sleep?" Cadence asked, her palms and fingers burning.
"Right over there," Big Bonny replied, pointing to a spot on the floor on the other side of one stack of hay bales. "I'll get you a blanket and a pillow, if you'd like."
"Thank you," Cadence breathed, relieved that she had found someone so nice. Big Bonny fetched one of her blankets and a pillow from the mattress, and handed them to Cadence. Cadence smiled, and went over to her spot, placing the blanket on the floor. She laid on it, and rested her head comfortably on the pillow. Although deeply troubled, Cadence managed to find sleep.
When Cadence woke, pale light was filtering through Big Bonny's window and onto the wooden floor. For a moment, Cadence panicked, kicking off her blankets and standing up, her pale, bony legs shaking and her hair a wild mess. She coughed, inhaling the dusty air, and the overwhelming smell of wheat was not yet familiar. However, she calmed down when Big Bonny's friendly face poked out from behind a stack of hay. "Sleep well?" Cadence smiled at her.
"Sorta," she replied, but everything came rushing back at her. How she had run away, stolen, hid out in a silo. Those thoughts brought tears to her eyes, and suddenly she was more homesick then she ever thought she could be. She swore she could hear her father calling her name, and her mother wailing in sadness. But when she returned to the present, all she could hear was the peaceful singing of songbirds and the rustling of trees in the forest. "I miss home," she whimpered, wanting to curl up on the floor, close her eyes, and be back in her bedroom. "I wanna go home," she whined, and Big Bonny came over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Why did you run away?" she asked her, and Cadence was glad for the distraction. She gladly answered, wanting to take her thoughts off of her homesickness, and everything she missed about Firgrove.
"I wanted to see things, things I would never see if I stayed," Cadence explained. "I thought that it would be so easy, just waltz right out of there and find a new home in Silverglade, travelling easily from village to village. I didn't take into account what I might need for the journey, emotions, and what might happen there when I was gone. Now all I want is to go back on it, like nothing ever happened."
"Well, you can't exactly do that now," Big Bonny reminded her.