That Friday morning, the sun was already out by 6:45a.m casting my shadow east of the farm as I beheld the beauty millet in the field waving to the cool breeze blowing from the north. Everywhere was beautiful as Lisa’s face and there was this peace of mind that I experienced whenever she was around.
I took a walk to see Autum and how he was doing. We usually exchange greetings every morning before we talk out breakfast but woke up earlier to prepare some food for him. He needed all the energy to perform at his maximum. As I was getting him ready for the race, I noticed an unusual behaviour from Autum. One of the two back legs was not making strong contact on the ground.
‘’What happened to you’’ I asked amicably why robbing my hand down his neck. I went closer to investigate what is was with him.
‘’Oh my God’’ I yelled. Somebody must have slipped in through the night to the horse tenth to inflict a wound on Autums leg with a sharp substance. Immediately I felt was heart being pieced with a hot iron. My world collapsed before my eyes. I found my soul wondering in deserted wilderness, sobbing with bitterness when I saw dust flying into the air from a distance with see what was behind it. Few seconds I saw a middle aged man galloping toward my direction with full force as I made out of the horse tenth to see what was going on.
‘’Good morning sir’’ the young lad greeted immediate he got to me as he jumped down the horse.
‘’I hope am talking to my Jon’’ he asked breathing as fast as he could
‘’Ya, what’s the matter’’ I queried him.
I have a message for you from my mistress as he handed over a brown envelope to me and left the horse he came with. He was racing back to the direction he came from when I shouted.
‘’Aren’t going with your horse?’’
‘’His name is Ben’’ was the lad last words
I opened the letter and it was Lisa’s hand writing. It seems she has written it in haste but that was not something to border about. She informed me on how she over-heard her father give a command one of the palace guards to kill his horse when she assumed was mine and that she has sent one of the best horses for replacement. She threatened if I don’t win the race that she will take her life. She warned me to leave immediately or I will never believe what my eyes will see next.
My soul wondered backed to body. I went in as fast as my legs can carry me, kiss Autum and promised to see him in the evening. I mounted Ben only to see another raised dust coming towards my farm as we made through the back of the farm.
Everything was set for the race that will determine who goes home with Lisa. I was to race with some prince from near y kingdom as well as men who have made names for themselves. ‘’I was born a horse rider and now is the time to show the world who the son of poor Julius is’’ I assured myself as names and profile of all the contestants were rolled out to the amazement of the crowd. Of cause, I wasn’t surprised when the announcer said
‘’The last but not the least ladies and gentlemen is Jon ’’ Nothing else was added. There was an unease calmness in the crown. I guess they must be asking who the young man was. I kept my head up and led Ben to the arena. My eyes were scanning the king’s stand if I could see Lisa. There she is seated by her father adored with all the priceless jewels I have ever seen.
It was time for the race and we were informed it was a double flat race and the winner will have the princes to himself to night.
The race started pretty well as we all gallop immediately the gun was shot. The crowd roared in noise as the prince of Batati was already leading the race by some foot. The drum from his support base filled the arena. I was really focused on getting the job done amidst pulling but my mind could picture the King beam with a smile. His friendship with the Batati kingdom was about to be seal in holy matrimony.
Losing the race was equal to death because life will be meaningless. ‘’Please fight for our love’’ the voice sobs to my hearing. I pull the greatest racing trick of all time as hit the Ben in four successive times in a split of second as lifted my weight of Ben totally to give him the maximum jump he could muster and bolted out. I broke away from the last three and galloped towards the Batati prince but he left himself to be distracted when he looked back to see the distance he used to gab others when his horse took the first huddle and a landed on the cuppy cushion. They both somersaulted off the track as his weight unbalanced the horse.
That wasn’t necessary because with Ben’s speed, we could have still as well as the crowd echoed with noise as I made the finished line. Before I could say Jack Robison, she has mounted the horse, gave a wave to the audience as well trot out of the gate amidst cheers.
At the beach we reminiscence out love story, it all started when were kids. My dad happened to be one of the palace workers under King Max the 3rd . He was so diligent with his duties that he was promoted to work inside the palace as an adviser. Growing up was quite easy. They were a lot of other kids at the workers district as it was called playing around with. King Max the 3rd was such a humble man that sometimes he visited the workers district with his grand children and most of the time leave them to mingle with other kids. My father had bought me a pony recently as my 7th birthday gift. I was playing with Ben when a little girl of my age came to be and say
‘’I like your horse’’ I looked up immediately to behold a little pretty princes. Her dressing said it all. My heart melted from my chest as I replied her unknowingly.
‘’Thanks, his name is Autum. We can as well give you a ride’’ I replied.
‘‘’Can you, I like riding on horse but granny will never allow me’’ she said looking a bit unhappy.
We mounted the young pony and disappeared into the thin air. For 3hours, we were playing in the eastern garden while command has being given for our search. Indeed, we had a memorable childhood play. From then on after a report got to the palace that we were at the eastern garden, the bond between us kept increasing as days turn into months and months into years. She visited almost every weekend until I was 17 when I left the Palace after dad burial to live in his millet farm up north. Four years later, I got a message from Lisa’s a childhood friend that some men were coming for her hand in marriage and her heart was with me. We kept exchanging letters and she told me how her father; King Max the 4th want trade her in marriage. She visited me disguised like a male fighter told me all I needed to do to have her as my mistress.
You must enter the race contest if you truly love me she said. She gave me her hair pin, requesting I returned it to her after the contest. That was the last time I saw her.
On getting home that evening of the contest, I meet Autum lying in the pool of his blood. He must have been shot by the men that came for me earlier on.
‘’This is Autum Lisa’’ she remember the name like it was yesterday and we wept bitterly for the memory he brought to us.
This is my entry for @pete contest for Freaky Friday organised to encourage newbies and writer on scorum to showcase their writing skill as well as get exposure. You can enter the contest by clinking the link below
https://scorum.com/en-us/horseracing/@pete/freaky-friday-november-30-2018
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