Danielle Jensen - Stolen Songbird

“I’ll ride home, give Gran the eggs, and then hitch up the buggy and come back for you,” I decided. “Go put on your blue dress. I’ll be back in no time at all.”

She bit the ends of her hair. “I don’t know…”

I caught her gaze for a long moment. “You’re going to come back with me in the buggy and attend my party,” I said firmly.

Sabine’s eyes went blank, and for a heartbeat, everything came into sharp focus for me. The sounds of the market. The solid earth beneath my feet. A breeze rushed past us, ruffling Sabine’s hair. She smiled. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Nothing a bit of willpower couldn’t accomplish.

Swinging into the saddle, I twitched the reins to calm my frisking horse. “I won’t be more than an hour. Watch for me!” One hand clutching the basket of eggs, and the other the reins, I dug in my heels and galloped out of town.

Our farm was close enough to the Hollow that we were almost considered town folk, but far enough that the smell of pigs didn’t offend the noses of those less used to country life. I could have galloped the entire way there, but I let Fleur stop and catch her breath about halfway. Her hooves thudded softly against the damp earth as we walked down the road. The smell of pine was thick in the air and a cool breeze rushed down from the mountains, blowing my long red hair out behind me.

A flash of movement caught my eye, and I stopped, scanning the forest to either side of the road. Bears and mountain cats were common enough around here, but if the horse had scented a predator, she’d have been uncontrollable. The wind gusted through the trees and I thought I heard the crackle of breaking underbrush, though I couldn’t be sure. My pulse quickened, a prickle of anxiety running down my spine. Highwayman? Robbery wasn’t common this far north of the Ocean Road, but it was possible.

“Hello?” I called out, gathering up the reins. “Is someone there?”

No answer, but anyone intending to rob me was unlikely to reply. My trepidation grew. I’d ridden this road rain, snow, and shine, and never felt a moment’s fear before. Fleur pranced beneath me, sensing my anxiety.

The wind rose again, no longer gentle, but like angry fingers tugging at my hair. The sun ducked behind a cloud, turning the air chill. My eyes unconsciously turned to Forsaken Mountain, looming in the distance. I was halfway between home and town, but Jérôme Girard’s farm was nearby. I could ride there and ask his son Christophe to accompany me the rest of the way.

But what if he laughed at me for being such a ninny, scared of noises in the underbrush that were probably from a squirrel or a snake? Despite a lifetime proving to the contrary, everyone acted like I was already a city girl, and this would only prove their point. I circled and stared back the way I came. I could ride back and wait for my brother, but what if something had kept him in Trianon and he wasn’t even coming?

I’ll gallop home, I decided. Let whoever’s lurking in the woods try and catch me . Turning Fleur around, I abruptly hauled on the reins. The basket slipped from my hand and smashed against the ground, yellow yolks mixing with the mud.

A cloaked rider blocked the road.

My heart leapt. Fleur wheeled around, and I laid the ends of my reins to her haunches. “Hah!” I shouted as she surged forward.

“Cécile! Cécile, wait! It’s me!”

A familiar voice. Gentler this time, I reined in and looked over my shoulder. “Luc?”

“Yes, it’s me, Cécile.” He trotted over to me, pulling back his hood to reveal his face.

“What are you doing sneaking about like that?” I said. “You scared the wits out of me.”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t certain it was you at first. Sorry about the eggs.”

An apology that didn’t explain at all why he’d been lurking in the bushes in the first place.

“I haven’t seen you in quite some time. Where have you been?” I asked the question even though I knew the answer. His father was gamekeeper on an estate not far from our farm, but several months ago, Luc had taken off for Trianon. My brother and other townsfolk had caught wind that Luc had had a bit of luck betting on the horses and playing at cards, and was now living the high life spending his winnings.

“Here and there,” he said, riding around me in a circle. “The gossips say you’re moving to Trianon to live with your mother.”

“Her carriage is coming for me tomorrow.”

“You’ll be singing then. On stage?”

“Yes.”

He smiled. “You always did have the voice of an angel.”

“I need to get home,” I said. “My gran’s expecting me – my father too.” I hesitated and looked down the road. “You may ride with me, if you like.” I rather hoped he wouldn’t accept, but riding was better than standing here alone with him.

“Today is your birthday, isn’t it?” His horse sidled tight against mine.

I frowned. “Yes.”

“Seventeen. You’re a woman now.” He looked me up and down as though inspecting something that could be bought and sold. A horse at market. Or something worse. He chuckled softly to himself and I cringed.

“What’s so funny?” My heart raced, my instincts telling me that something was terribly wrong. Please, someone come down the road.

“I was just thinking about how sometimes fortune finds us when we least expect,” he said. Before I could react, he reached down and seized Fleur’s reins. “I need you to come with me. There are some individuals who would very much like to make your acquaintance.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Luc,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady – I did not want him to know I was afraid. “My brother won’t take kindly to hearing that you caused me trouble.”

Luc glanced around. “Funny, but I don’t see Frédéric about. Seems it’s just you and me.”

He was right about that, but wrong if he thought I’d go without a fight.

I jammed my spurs into Fleur’s sides and she reared, hooves striking out and knocking away Luc’s hand. “Hah!” I screamed and plunged down the road at a gallop. Sensing my terror, the horse ran faster than ever before, ears pinned back. But Luc’s stallion was bigger – if I kept to the road, he’d catch us easily. A game trail appeared ahead, and I swung down the path.

Branches tore at my hair and skirts as we leapt over fallen trees and crashed through the underbrush. I let the mare have her head, concentrating on staying low and keeping my seat. Behind us, I heard the big horse’s hooves thundering against the ground along with Luc’s curses and vile threats. We were nearing the Girard farm. Ahead, the break in the forest was visible, and beyond lay their fields. “Chris!” I screamed, knowing I was still too far for them to hear me. “Jérôme!”

A glance behind showed Luc in fast pursuit. He was near enough for me to see the fury written on his face. I could not let him catch me. I would not. Then a branch smashed across my chest, launching me backwards. Fleur disappeared from under me and I was falling, my eyes fixed on the sun filtering through the green leaves of the trees.

Then, nothing.

CéCILE

A grey-furred foreleg was all I could see when I opened my eyes, my body bouncing up and down with the trotting motion of a horse. The pommel of a saddle dug painfully into my stomach and my head felt like a hundred angry giants were trying to hammer their way out. Where was I?

I squirmed, but I couldn’t move far. My hands and feet were bound to the horse, my mouth gagged.

Luc.

Terror surged through me like water through a broken dam, and I thrashed and jerked about, trying my hardest to get free. The stallion shied sideways and I caught sight of thick forest.