Ivy Gates || PJM || Ivy Book One || ✔

16.

The car pulled up outside a large stables, and I could see some large ponies with thick fur grazing in a snow filled paddock, nuzzling through the snow to get to what was underneath.

"The Runners must be back," Taehyung said as we followed him inside the stable. As we entered, a man came out of one of the stables, mud on his face.

"Thank God you're here, General," He muttered, "I can't wait to get that Goddamn menace out of my stables,"

The General actually laughed, and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets in shock. I had never heard him laugh before.

"Hobi still causing trouble?"

"He's a menace! I have never hated a pony before in my life, and I've never had one I couldn't break, but this one.." He trailed off, narrowing his eyes at a stable, "You're going to have to tack him up yourself. The other pony is ready and waiting outside,"

The Man stomped off and Taehyung laughed, "I've never known Jungkook to get so mad over a pony before," He said, leaning against one of the closed doors of an empty stable, "But he's right. That pony is evil,"

"He's not," The General said, letting go of my lead, "He's just spirited. He's perfect for riding out side the walls,"

"I'll give you that," Taehyung agreed, "Want me to take your woman outside?"

"No, she's fine standing there. Go and get the other pony ready to leave,"

Taehyung left the stables, and I watched as the General gathered some things for the pony, and place them on the door, before opening it and heading inside.

I could hear him talking softly inside, and saw him reach out for the saddle and blanket on the door. He then took what I assumed was the bridle, and a few moments later, the door swung open, and the General came out, leading possibly one of the biggest ponies I had ever seen.

He was a darker shade of chestnut and was covered in thick winter fur, just like the other ponies. But he looked more like what the ancients before the explosions would have considered a horse. Everything about him was huge. Including his attitude.

Taehyung came back into the stable and towards the General, and immediately the pony snapped at him, making him jump back. He wasn't even worked up, he was calm the whole time.

"I agree with Jungkook," Taehyung said, eyeing the animal, "He's a menace. I don't get why you like him,"

The General patted the ponys neck, "He's kind of cute,"

"Right," Taehyung snorted, "Anyway, the other, better behaved pony is ready when you are," The General nodded and turned to me.

"You've never ridden before," He stated, and I shook my head.

"No, Sir,"

"You'll ride with me," He said, turning and swinging himself up into the saddle. Taehyung came up behind me and turned me around, before placing his hands on my hips, ready to help me up. However, he frowned at whatever it was that the General had done behind me.

"Jimin, what are you-"

"She sits in front of me," The General said, "I can't have her falling off and attracting animals to us,"

Taehyung said nothing, but I could almost feel his anger as his fingers tightened on my hips, before he lifted me. I felt the Generals hands also hold my waist as he guided me to sit on the saddle, my legs hanging off one side of the ponys body.

"She will fall off anyway, if she sits like that outside," Taehyung commented.

"I know," The General said, touching his heels to the ponys flanks and starting him at a walk, "But it's how she's supposed to ride. I'll get her to switch when we are out of sight,"

"Good idea," Taehyung said, walking ahead (steering clear of the pony). As we came out of the entrance to the stable, the stable hand, Jungkook was stood with another, smaller pony that was lighter in colour to the one we were riding. He reached up and attached its reigns to the back of the saddle before stepping back.

"I'll accompany you to the gate," Taehyung said, pulling the reigns of another pony that I didn't notice before. He swung up into the saddle with the same practiced ease of the General, and we all began to move again in the direction of the gate.

My heart was pounding in fear, and although the Generals arms were around me, I gripped the saddle beneath me so hard that my knuckles were turning white. To get to the gate that led outside, you had to go through another gate, and it was forbidden for anyone to go in or out without permission from the General himself.

As we reached the first gate, I could see people staring at us, men and women alike. Both Taehyung and the General halted their ponies and looked at each other.

"The wall has been clear for two weeks," Taehyung said, "No attacks, so the coast is clear. Good luck, General," Taehyung lifted his hand, saluting him. The General saluted back, and then shook Taehyungs hand.

"I'll send word of our arrival as soon as we get there," He said, "Expect a runner in a week," He leaned a little closer to Taehyung, "As Lieutenant General, you are in command until my return,"

"Yes, Sir!"

The General pulled away from him and pushed the pony into a walk once again and a soldier at the gate opened it wide, saluting as we walked through.

We walked down an empty stone pathway, the sounds of the ponies hooves on the cobbles almost deafening in the silence.

"Are you ready?" The General said, and I looked up at him. His eyes were on the huge wooden gates in front of us, and I could feel my body trembling as we got closer.

The gates swung open suddenly, and I saw a small group of soldiers standing my the slowly widening gates, all saluting the General.

"Hold on tight," He said, "We need to move fast,"

He kicked his heels to the ponys flanks, and it immediately pushed itself into a gallop. Without thinking, I threw my arms around the Generals waist, clinging to him for dear life as I bounced around in the saddle in front of him.

I could feel my heart pounding as if it were trying to break free of my chest as I saw the huge open space in front of us, and a quick look around the Generals body showed me that the gates to Bangtan City had closed.

We were beyond the safety of the walls. We were in the wild.

We were no longer safe.

I looked back up at the General as the gates grew smaller behind me.

He looked down, a huge, genuine smile on his face that made my racing heart skip a beat. I had never seen him look so happy.

"This is what it feels like to be free, Bee," He said, spurring the pony to go even faster, "This is how it feels to have no walls, no locks, and no laws,"

I could feel how happy he felt to be out here in the wild, but he was wrong. There were always locks and laws for me. And that was proven by the fact that I still had a collar locked around my neck with a padlock, and a chain lead hanging from the loop and dangling down my body.

He might be free out here, but I was not.

---

AN: I'm sorry this is so slow going, but I promise that it will get exciting soon

Unedited ofc