The Broken Kingdom

Chapter 3

The stallion begged for Connor to stop. Pulling on its reins and going slower and slower until it halted. Connor patted the horse and dismounted. He tied the stallion's reins to a small tree and waked away. He was going to a farm, to steal hay for the horse. It was almost too easy, the farmer's horses had plenty stacked on the ground. Connor grabbed a arm full and dragged it back to the stallion. He grabbed one of the farmer's packs in the barn and filled it to the brim with hay. Zipping it up Connor threw he bag to his back and grabbed another arm full of hay. The stallion was chowing down when Connor came back. He gabbed his bed roll and set a small fire. They were in a valley so Connor had to grab the farmer's wood too. He wouldn't be happy with what Connor had stolen. Connor slept like a baby, tossing and turning, but fast asleep. He woke to morning dew tickling his hands, and the sun edging closer on the horizon. His stallion was laying by the hay, now covered in dew. Connor packed his possessions and woke his horse. The horse ate some more whilst Connor threw out the rocks he's used for the fire, grabbing the embers and chucking them away too. He realized his efforts to hide where they'd slept had failed, hay was all around in the grass and the farmers would be up soon, searching for the thief. Connor saddled the pinto and rode off, he attached the bag to the side of his saddle, so it wasn't leaning off his back. They neared the farm, one of the lights in the shack was one, so they were just waking. Connor nudged the horse faster, he didn't want to be seen by the farmers. They got away unseen, but if they slowed pace they'd have a chance to be caught by the farmers on horses. Though the pinto objected Connor kept him going fast until he thought the threat of the angry farmers was gone.

"Oy slow ya' horse," a voice boomed.

Connor bit his lip and kicked the pinto faster. The stallion zoomed, though its energy level diminished fast until they were forced to go slower. A steady trot was still audible behind them. Increasing every time they slowed. Then it turned to a gallop, and gained on them. A lasso flung towards Connor, he kicked the pinto right just in time. It nearly looped around the pinto's head.

"Son ya's horse is outta energy you's better slow or ima lasso ya," the angry voice barked.

Fear nipped at Connor's head, he knew one way or another he'd end up caught, but go out without a fight? Or risk it to the end? Connor's choice was made for his, as he did not see the lasso heading directly for the stallion's head. Relived that he didn't have to run anymore the pinto slowed. Connor looked behind him to see an angry man, he wore no jewelry and was of a poor social class. The farmer's wife rode beside him, she had been the one to catch Connor's pinto.

"You's little rats caused nuf' trouble round the farm n' I ain't havin none of it! You's be a dead man now," he angrily laughed.

Connor held his breath and got off the pinto. The farmer's wife dragged his horse back to the farm. It was just Connor and the farmer now. Connor looked the farmer in the eye, knowing he didn't have a chance to run. The farmer hopped off his horse and pushed Connor to the ground. The farmer laid his foot on Connor's back and tied his hands together. The farmer pulled Connor back up and forced him forwards.

"So ya' little bugga' where's ya headed son?" The farmer asked.

"Antivilon," Connor answered, not wanting to make conversation with the man that was about to end his life.

"Haha that's a funny place for a robba' like yaself. There's ain't no robbas there. I'ze bet ya wanna be the first then, ya?" The man asked.

"No," Connor Corrected.

The farmer looked back at the road, Connor hadn't realized for far he'd traveled. Time ticked by as they walked. They finally made it to the farm. There were 4 people in the fields, and he saw his pinto getting groomed. He felt rage bubble in him, they stole his horse and we're going to kill him.

"Are you keeping pinto?" Connor asked.

"Nah we sell him' pinta'll make money," the farmer answered.

Connor sighed, the farmer pulled him into a barn and called all his children and wife. Soon the barn was full with people staring curiously at Connor.

"My family this's revenge fur the hay' mah bag! Cuz if you's steal you's end up dead! Like dis lad who thought he's getting wey' now he's dead," the farmer yelled, "now son what's the name?"

"Conner," He said, his words meant nothing in Conner's ears.

"Conna how do ya's feel bout being dead soon?" The farmer asked.

"Well it doesn't take a smart man to figure this out idiot obviously I'm not happy and obviously you're gonna burn in hell for your damned sins!" Connor yelled.

"Haha Conna I'm not the one who's sinned," the farmer laughed.

Connor looked in the man's eye "you're right you haven't sinned yet, but you will soon and when you do you're ending in hell you devil and you can burn with the rest of the demons in your disgusting atrocious thing you call family,"

The farmer looked a little doubtful now, "Remy would ya' like ta do it?"

A boy about as old as Connor walked up and smiled at his father. He grabbed the dagger his father held and walked up to Connor. He was tied to a pole in the barn. The boy grabbed a whip they'd use on horses and raised it.

"God forsake this man! He's committed crimes unspeakable against the world, and his kin and shall be punished for the disobedience he's displayed! Let God slash his throat and teach him the right way!" Remy yelled.

The whip bit Connor's flesh and made a large mark across his face. Connor looked up at the boy, tears spilled down his eyes, and blood was leaking from the wound. Pain burned through Connor's body. Everything telling him to run yell and fight back. But all he could do was watch Remy raise the axe. Connor closed his eyes and took his last breath.

"Dammit Carlina what the hell!"

Connor opened his eyes. A girl a little younger than Connor, was battling with Remy. She kicked a dagger to Connor.
Connor was confused, but he didn't let confusion from his escape and began to work on the rope. The girl had a dagger made from silver, and had snakes engraved slithering on the sides, and a beautiful blue jewel at the bottom. Connor slit the rope and got up, throwing the bindings on the floor and running. He heard footsteps behind him, and saw the girl names Carlina running behind him, and the family of the farmer behind them. Connor quickly untied pinto's rope and bareback rode away, he slowed so the girl who's helped him escape could hop on. They rode gadfly away from the angry farmers, who in their rage, had forgotten to get horses.