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One beautiful summer morning Gawain walked past the manor with his ever-present shadow walking behind him. The sky is clear except some high thin clouds off to the west accenting the azure sky. It still astounded people when they saw him, a boy and an old swayback horse walking down the road with no halter or rope leading the horse like an obedient dog. If any of them new anything about horses, they would know she is not just any horse. Gawain did not care if they ogled them he was proud of his new friend and companion. He knew in his heart if she were a younger horse and he older, they would be a fighting pair unmatched in strength and valor at arms. At this moment, he is trying to name her, and he could not think of an appropriate name except Horse and to him it is not a good name for such as her.
Suddenly, the thunder of horse’s hooves ahead drowned out the quiet clop clop from behind him. The riders careened to a halt in front of him throwing up a cloud of dust causing Gawain to choke and sneeze. When the dust cleared Brendan and his two friends were leering down at him from their saddles their horses blowing from the hard ride. Horse for lack of a better name walked up and interposed her body between him and Brendan who had walked his horse forward within striking distance with a rider’s crop he is holding in his left hand.
“I see you are still walking around with that dried up old nag of yours,” he laughed sarcastically and his cronies followed along like good sycophants.
“Why Brendan I see your nose is finally healed up quite well. I like the new shape it adds character to a face that never had any before,” Gawain said with all the sincerity he could muster without laughing. With a blank expression, Brendan tried to figure out if Gawain had complimented or insulted him. It took a moment then it finally registered and his face went from that stupid blank expression to an enraged tomato colored look.
“Why you son of a scullery maid I will kill you,” Brendan raised the crop high to slash Gawain’s face when Horse lunged forward grabbing his arm in her teeth pulling him bodily from the saddle to land hard on the road knocking the breath out of him. Brendan looked up into horse’s eyes as he gasped for breath and for the first time, Gawain could see the blackness of hatred and malice in his eyes the same as he could see the light of pure love in Horse’s eyes.
“Get up on your horse Brendan before I tell her to stomp you to death,” he growled knowing he would not do that but, Brendan did not know otherwise.”
“Someday you and that broken-down horse will pay for this Gawain; I will make you pay dearly for this insult.” Sputtering and gasping in pain as he struggled to climb back up onto his horse. Gawain could see he was gingerly holding his arm and sincerely hoped that horse did not break it.
The Swayback Horse Page 2