Redeemed

Ch. 48

Shoveling a heaping pile of dung up and throwing it in a wheelbarrow might not seem like the best way to start out the day, but I was more than glad to trade my dish duty (duration: one hour; number of times: three) for stable duty (duration: the entire day; number of times: see previous answer), as was the chap I traded with. No one really enjoyed stable duty because it meant a day spent shoveling waste, feeding the horses, shoveling more waste, grooming the horses, and shoveling more waste. What most people wanted, I had learned, was the job of exercising the horses, as that got one out of the fort for a little while. Shay and Devin had managed to secure those jobs for the day; Devin had already been assigned this job, and Shay, with her usual spunk and charm, was able to somehow convince the other person that dusting duty in the main building was much more exciting. Riders only went to the fenced-in pasture located right by the fort, in case someone needed a horse for a real mission, but it was better than being cooped up inside of the walls.

Like I was.

Part of my suspension included me being stuck inside of the fort, which wasn't all bad since the place was fairly big and had plenty of outdoor space. However, I missed seeing the sky without any walls blocking the view. All of the guards knew I wasn't allowed outside, not that I had ever tried to leave. However, I could feel their eyes watching me whenever I got close to the gates, just like the current guard monitoring my approach.

Rolling the wheelbarrow down to the gates, I saw Shay, Devin, and Brent, the other soldier on exercise duty, taking their final lap around the ring. Right on time. As I neared the entrance, the guard started to lift the gate. Last time I was on stable duty, the guard had actually taken the wheelbarrow and dumped it in the waste himself, which required him leaving his post to walk the quarter mile to the waste area. Every time I came back with more manure, he would sigh and scrunch up his nose, obviously displeased. The same guard, much to my delight, was on duty today, so when I came up to him with my wheelbarrow full of dung and asked if it was really that big of a deal to let me throw it myself, he was more than happy to comply.

The guard opened the gate for me before I could even ask, giving me a nod as I passed by. I smiled back, though my smile came from anticipation. It was time to put the plan in action.

Turning the corner of the fort toward the waste area, I stopped, out of sight of the main gate. There were sentries stationed above, but they were always looking out onto the land. They would never notice me skulking next to the wall.

Devin and the others exited the exercise ring, taking their mounts at an easy trot. It was tradition to do one circle on the outside of the fort before coming in. I waited patiently for them to arrive.

Now for a little bit more luck.

The mare Brent was riding was known for having a touch of temper. She required a skilled rider to control her, and even then she could be difficult to master. The only reason, I had learned, the fort kept her was because she was fast and dependable in a battle, unafraid to charge into danger.

In other words, she was the perfect horse for our renegade mission.

Just as the three riders rounded the corner toward me, Devin leaned over and slapped the mare's rump with a resounding smack!, sending her into a rage. She immediately started bucking and kicking, not happy to be treated in such a manner. I understood her reasoning, which was perhaps why when I ran up to help control her, she let me grab her reins and bring her down. I patted her neck, murmuring soothing words into her ear.

Brent, however, was having no more of that crazy ride. He quickly slid off of the saddle, his face white, and leaned against the fort wall, taking deep breaths, which is what we had been anticipating. Not the strongest rider, Brent was our wild card in securing the plan. Now all that was needed was the last part.