Moonlit Mayhem [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17: Emie

Emie was struggling to process Trigger's death, but Becky had it so much worse by far. Emie couldn't count the number of times in the last week that Becky had slipped up, and say that she was going to go turn out Trigger, or get his grain and then seconds later she would claim she had to go to the bathroom.

"Can I bring in Trig—oh..." Becky said one morning, before she could leave, Emie caught her wrist. Emie pulled the black braided forelock out of her coat pocket, placing it in Becky's hand.

"I thought you might want something more than photographs to remember him by," Emie said softly. Becky gave them a smile, which hadn't been seen since his death.

"Thanks." Becky said, her voice slightly choked.

"No problem." Emie said heading over to where a little brown-headed girl was waiting impatiently.

"Emie, I've been looking for you everywhere!" Charlotte exclaimed. "Sorry, I was trying those words out that mummy uses them all the time." she pulled a face.

"So, why do you want to talk to me?" Emie asked, confused.

Charlotte glanced behind Emie for some reason. "Beck made a com-pro-mise with mummy," Charlotte started. "Mummy didn't want Beck riding anymore so she struck a deal. Beck has to win first place in the end-of-season competition if she wants to keep riding. She was going to ride the one that looks like black beauty but Becky said that he's living in the clouds now."

"Imagine the view up there," Emie said, unsure how to respond. Was that why Becky had been particularly insufferable for the past few days? That certainly would explain a lot.

"It will be gorgeous just like the black stallion," Charlotte said happily. "But Beck doesn't have a horse to ride."

"What do you mean?" Emie asked, still struggling to put the pieces together. While Charlotte was cute, Emie did notice that she often had difficulty explaining herself.

"The black stallion floated up into the clouds like a balloon," Charlotte explained. "So there is no horse for Beck to ride at the competition."

"The black stallion's name is Triggerheart," Emie explained. They couldn't bring herself to use past-tense for Trigger. Not yet. "Our black stallion anyway."

"Is he an Arabian too?" Charlotte asked curiously.

"Trigger is a Friesian," Emie explained.

"Becky doesn't have a horse to ride," Charlotte said again.

Emie stands in silence for a moment before kneeling down and looking Charlotte directly in the eyes. "Yes, she does. She has mine."

"Emie," Becky said, making them both jump. "Please tell me you know what happened to the three missing saddles."

"P-pardon?" Emie replied, taken aback. "N-no? What missing saddles?"

"Oh shit," Becky muttered under her breath, just loud enough to hear. Thankfully, it seemed that Charlotte hadn't heard her.

"Well we better get to it," Becky said. "We have missing saddles to find."

Emie tried to convince themselves that the saddles had been taken off in the arena, or maybe forgotten in the cross ties. Unfortunately, Emie had a sneaking suspicion that that was not the case. After checking the entire fifty acres, Emie's hunch was sadly confirmed, the saddles had been stolen.

"Three saddles to add to the list, great! Fantastic! No wonder I'm never getting a horse," Becky stressed.

"While we are on the horse topic, Charlotte mentioned that you struck a deal with your mom—"

"—stepmother," Becky interrupted.

"Right. There was a deal you made with your stepmother, that you are going to compete in the end of season competition—"

"Was. I was going to." Becky interrupted once again.

"No, you are." Emie said firmly.

"But I don't—"

"Shut up and let me finish dammit!" Emie exclaimed, before lowering her tone. "Sorry. You can ride Falcon." Emie offered.

"But you—"

"—Weren't going to compete anyway. Trust me."

"So, can I go ride Falcon?" Becky asked uncertainty.

"Consider Falcon your horse until after the completion," Emie agreed.

"Thank you," Becky said sincerely. Or at least, Emie thought it was sincere. She'd never actually heard Becky sound sincere.

"No problem, Miss 'I didn't know paper burns'."

"Yeah yeah, Country Girl," Becky shot right back.