Maisie’s heart pounded in her chest the further Ogma took her, the house growing smaller with distance and she wondered if either her mother or father had discovered the note left in her bedroom. The adrenaline from earlier when her father had come extremely close to discovering her escape when he entered the stables on his way back to the house. There was no reason for him to be in there, the stalls not needing to be mucked, nor the horses’ troughs filled of hay, nor their buckets filled with water from the well, yet there he was, walking down through the walkway. With no other choice, Maisie dove into the loose stack of hay in the far corner of Ogma’s stall; the very one that Ogma was taking a particular interest in at the moment, and gave it a very confused snort when Maisie interrupted her meal. Taking the snort as to his entrance, her father approached Ogma’s stall, leaning over the mid-torso height gate of the stall. He either didn’t care enough or didn’t notice that Ogma was fully tacked complete with bursting saddle bags, but he stayed quiet about it. It seemed that he was too busy talking to either himself or the horses, to either one that listened.
‘That boy of mine…he has grown so much…’ Pride mixed with a heavy longing for the past dripped off his words like fog rolling over the hillside. The only boy out of four girls, Connor held a special place at their father’s side that could never be replaced, and Maisie, through watching him over the past year or so, could tell that Connor’s absence slowly ate at him. The worst part of being a parent is letting go of your children to allow them to grow up on their own…
Only when Maisie knew he was gone, had she clawed her way out of the hay, picking off large strands of it out of her hair and sending a mouse that had been climbing up her leg the entire time, scattering off into the corners of the stables. Getting a glance at her reflection in the pale water of Ogma’s water bucket, it seemed her dive into the hay had been just what she needed to finish her disguise. Smelling of stables, dirt smeared on her face and her clothes scuffed, and her long hair tucked away, she looked more like a boy than anything else. Halting her fingers from picking off the rest of the hay and dirt, she decided to leave it.
She rode now, the farm now out of view and with the next decision before her. If she continued onto the road she was on, it would lead her to the mountain pass called Drumochter that, within a day or so, would take her directly to the Capital, or she could take the winding paths through the forest of Alder. The forest was less traveled and safer for a solo rider to take, especially if that rider isn’t skilled at fighting like her, but it took twice as long. Connor had only left at least two hours before her, her near discovery putting her behind from when she wanted to be on the road, but she still wanted to keep her distance from him. She knew he would of taken his dogs with him, as they haven’t left his side since they had gotten back, and she had to take that into account. With them wandering free as a protective bubble around Connor, their training allowing them to alert him to any danger ahead of time was going to be the bane of Maisie’s whole trip. Pulling up the reins, Maisie took the risk of pausing on the open road with the cross-roads in front of her. This was her last chance to turn back and go home, and to forget about the her dangerous dreams that followed Connor’s life, but with every passing second that she sat there, the more she needed to do this. Letting out a deep sigh, she spurred Ogma into a trot onto the narrow entrance into the forest and off the main road. Taking the risk that Connor had taken the main road to the Capital with the importance of his arrival.
Ogma was used to uneven ground. Maisie taking her through the trails of the forest and fields many times before when she wanted to escape her mother, so the path into the forest of Alder wasn’t overly difficult for her. However, it was the white frost on the ground that proved to be Ogma’s trouble. The moss covered rocks and solid ground was slippery under her hooves and Maisie could feel Ogma’s hooves slide on occasion.
“Ruigidh each mall muileann, Ogma.”- “Slow and steady does it, Ogma.” She slowed Ogma down to a careful pace, and keeping an eye out for any particular icy spots, Maisie lead her down the path. With her eyes cast downwards, her eyes picked up the faintest signs of another traveler that previously gone down this path. A frost outlined hoof print, a broken twig, and a pair of imprinted dog prints in the luscious moss. The thought of the pair running across highwaymen or bandits or wolves, made her lungs freeze in her chest. Her only weapon being her sgian-dubh, and very little training with it, she wasn’t prepared to defend herself, let alone her horse. Her heart knocked on the inside of her ribs like the tax-collectors knocking on their door every month, and her hand went to the smooth black hilt of her sgian-dubh.
Despite her alertness, Maisie began to enjoy the leisurely ride through the forest, taking in the sights of the rich green and browns, sparking in the cool morning dew and frost, and as they weaved their way through the path, after a hour or two, she could hear the trickling of a stream ahead.
Judging by the light that made it’s way through the trees, Maisie guessed that it was mid-day which meant she had been riding enough to justify a break. Leading Ogma off the trail and to a stop, she swung her leg and hopped off the saddle, rubbing the inside of her thighs to put some blood and feeling back into them. Ogma almost immediately happily began to munch on the tall, undisturbed grass, her huffs of hot breath melting the frost. Reaching into the closest saddlebag, Maisie produced one of three water-skins she had filled with icicles to melt overnight, and took a huge gulp. The shock of the cold water caused her to cough, but despite the cold weather around her, it was very refreshing. Peacefully, the pair stood in each other’s company, when suddenly Ogma’s ears perked up from their relaxed state. Off to the other side of the path into the brushes, a twig snapped, and a black nose attached to a long grey mussel appeared. Maisie’s hand shot to her sgian-dubh, and the other on Ogma’s reins. She had barely a plan formed in her head, and her hands shook, but she didn’t take her eyes off the new arrival. As the body emerged through the bushes, the small black eyes went from curiosity, to confusion, to recognition all in a minute and the animal happily approached Maisie with it’s tail wagging.
Letting out a sigh of relief that inevitably ended the panic attack she was about to have, Maisie realized it was one of Connor’s greyhounds. Maisie looked around and waited for Connor to follow or the rest of the dogs, but all she could hear was the distant chase of a small animal around her echoed with the barks of the rest of his six dogs.
“Annabelle…bha eagal orm leth gu bàs.” -“ Annabelle…you scared me half to death.”
At the sound of her name, the young greyhound trotted across the path to Maisie, who at this point relaxed and knelt on the wet grass when Annabelle got to her. Ruffling the dog on the top of her head, Maisie couldn’t help but smile at the youngest of the six dogs that attached themselves to Connor’s hip throughout the years. Annabelle was recognizable by her slim size and lighter colorings on her fur, and curious personality. Where the rest would of greeted her with a bark and a growl before recognizing Maisie through scent, Annabelle approached wearily but with curiosity.
Hugging Annabelle to her chest, Maisie took comfort in the little slice of home despite only being a half a days ride away. The bubble that surrounded the farm was her security and this was the first time she had left it voluntarily. Her trip to Arrakis was by complete accident and chance, but a part of her believes that is was apart of her fate. Without the trip, she wouldn’t of had the courage to sneak out of the house nor the bravery in herself to attempt to mask herself as a boy.
“I’m sorry mother, but I had to do this.” Sighing, she buried her face in Annabelle’s fur, then after a few moments, she let go and stood back up. “Thalla air ais!” Maisie commanded while pointing to the direction the dog had come from, Annabelle now looking up at her with her big brown eyes, but the saddest look a creature could have, Annabelle obeyed and went back into the forest in a sprint. Watching her go, Maisie led Ogma back onto the trail and mounted back onto the saddle.
If his dogs were near by, so was he, and Maisie didn’t want to run into him this close to their home, so she spurred Ogma into a trot once again.
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