Look Under 'His' Skirt

Chapter 24: Spirit Beasts

"Look what I have," a servant boy proudly says as he presents 3 juicy oranges on his palm. The other two boys with him start to drool as they gaze upon the fruit, only used to eating sloppy rice as their daily meal.

"Guo, just where did you get these fruit from? Don't tell me you stole them from the kitchen?!" The little boy asks, his voice visibly getting louder.

"Shh!," Guo whisper-shouts as he tackles the boy and covers his mouth with his free hand.

"Stop accusing me of stealing Fu. I would not dare steal in the palace. One of the older boys gave them to me, but not for free. In order for us to feast on these fruits, we must complete a task." Guo whispers as they huddle closer together in a shed.

"And just what is that task?" The last boy called Heng asks, his eyebrows furrowing as his stomach grumbles.

"To pluck a single strand of hair from the horse Agate when he is alone," Guo says, his voice going lower.

"A horse?" Heng questions as he lets out a smile.

"A single strand? Why that would only take a second. This boy who gave us these oranges must think we are some wimps. Let us go now" Fu says excitedly as he gets up, only to be pulled back down roughly by Guo.

"Do not be stupid. Though we are all new servants here, I arrived a week or so earlier than you and have heard some peculiar rumors. That horse is not just any normal horse. I hear it cannot be controlled by anyone other then his master Aarush who is second to the unit commander!"

"It is an immensely powerful war horse which does not just let anyone near it, especially if he is alone. Even the Crown Prince who I hear is good friends with Aarush can never approach it when the horse is alone, but when the horse is with Aarush he is extremely friendly towards the prince. Is that not suspicious?" Guo whispers in a low voice.

"So his friendly to certain people when he is with his owner Aarush but when he is alone, that friendliness turns into dangerous hostile behavior. That is very unnatural behaviour for a horse..." Heng ponders out loud.

"Wait, wait a minute. Explain how this Aarush boy and his horse Agate looks like?" Fu says in a hurry, suddenly remembering something.

"You know, Aarush, the young boy whose only second to the unit commander. The boy with the...dark skin and green eyes. He looks extremely different from us. And his horse is a massive black stallion." Guo says as he looks at Fu's smile growing wider and wider.

"Guo I think those rumours are only what you say they are, rumours. I was at the marketplace the other day on an errand and I saw a boy with brown skin with a giant beast of a horse. You said that only he is able to control that horse? Don't make me laugh. I saw how that giant horse shoved his master into rotten vegetables, with his gigantic butt as well! He did not listen to his master at all but continued to eat." Fu says with a giggle as he suddenly remembers the hilarious sight.

"Are you sure it was them?" Guo says, suddenly becoming hopeful.

"Do you think seeing a boy with brown skin and green eyes who is coincedentally with a black stallion is something one sees every day?" Heng says as he playfully shoves Guo who begins to grumble.

"Ha ha! I think you have been made a fool of Guo. They were just trying to make you scared and see if you had enough courage to complete the task." Fu says as he begins to laugh as Guo turns a bright shade of red.

"Oh shut up. Let us go and get a strand of hair then." Guo says as he flicks Fu on the forehead before getting up and leaving the shed.

The others follow and they soon sneak off to the stables. The palace stables were huge, consisting of over 250 horses alone with many other stables located outside that were under the emperor's name.