Forced


The shoes kept Abel from getting his feet hurt by rocks and sticks randomly lying about as he ran through the orchard as fast as his tired body would take him. He knew he should have left sooner. Earlier in the day. Of course they would eventually find out what happened. That he hadn't stolen anything but instead did something far worse. He had no doubt that pretending to be a girl when he was obviously a boy would earn him a noose.


Keep going! he urged himself.


He was halfway down the rows of trees when he heard the sound of hooves beating against the ground, approaching fast.


No!


"Abel! Stop!"


He didn't dare look back and instead put his focus completely on making sure that he had one foot going in front of the other. He was running out of energy, feeling his legs beginning to go numb, but still he refused to stop.


It wasn't until the sound of the horse was right behind him that Abel knew he couldn't run any longer. His legs were already beginning to buckle, and soon, they would be useless. His next course of action was the only one left to him besides giving up, which he could not do. Abel slid to a stop next to a large apple tree and began to climb. He had only ever climbed one tree in his life... and fallen from it. That was one of the few times that his father had punished him like he was a boy, not a girl. It took several months for the injuries to heal and fade. The scars from them had been a strong deterrent to ever try climbing again.


Without the skill to climb, his adrenaline had taken over. It allowed Abel to pull himself up and up and up. When he finally settled on one of the highest branches, he leaned against the main trunk and began to tremble as his body came down from its rush. With one hand on the trunk near his head and the other holding the small branch beneath him, Abel looked down. Kirin was there on his horse, the animal's panting matching Abel's as they both tried to regain their breath. The sound of another horse coming closer had Abel looking over, seeing the magistrate on a horse slowing to a stop close to Kirin's.


"We have enough information, lawman. Jus' shoot the boy and let us be done with it."


Abel narrowed his eyes at the magistrate, then turned his attention back to Kirin... only to notice that the man already had his pistol in his hand. His horse jerked its head down with a huff and moved back and forth, nervous.


"Abel, tell me the truth, now, or you will force my hand," Kirin said, his voice stern and nothing like the gentleman he had been over the past two weeks. Now he was Lawman Squire, and he would do his job.


"I did not steal those items!" Abel shouted, his voice scratchy from still being out of breath.


"Would you like to know what we know, Abel? Would that help to spur your memory and perhaps entice you to finally be truthful?" Kirin replied, his voice dark.


Abel felt his whole body sag with the weight of Kirin's harsh words. He was angry, lifting his lip slightly in disgust as he glared up at him. When Abel didn't answer, Kirin jerked his horse's mane, halting the stressed animal in its nervous movements.


"The items that you have stolen belonged to a young girl named Ariella, who was attending the party you sneaked into. Her father reported her missing that night, and when he was shown the shoes you had been wearing, he immediately identified them as being his daughter's."


Abel's adrenaline spiked, making him dig his fingers into the bark of the tree.


"He said he reported his daughter missing. What were her features?" he asked hesitantly.


Kirin gave him a look, then glanced at the magistrate and back before replying. "Long, curled dark hair, cream skin, and sky blue eyes."


Blue.


Swallowing, Abel slowly shook his head and tried to keep himself from getting dizzy with worry.


"He lied," he stated simply.


Kirin tilted his head, silently suggesting that Abel continue.


"His daughter does not have blue eyes. She has green ones."


The magistrate grunted, making Kirin growl, frustrated.


"What difference does that make, Abel? You have just confirmed that you were with her at some point during that night. You are digging yourself deeper into trouble with your words."


When Kirin cocked his gun and lifted it to point straight at him, Abel's breath hitched.


"She d-did not want to stay. She s-said she hated her life and wanted something else!"


The two men below him suddenly burst into laughter, as if what he had said was not from his heart but from a jester's act.


"You mean to tell us that during the night of her coming-out event, she decided that she no longer wished to live a life of luxury and instead left to live on her own? With nothing to her name?"


The two continued laughing even after Kirin had spoken. The magistrate nearly fell from his horse when his girth shifted on an extra loud chortle. For the first time since Abel had met Kirin, he was just as disgusted with him for laughing as he was with the magistrate.


"Neither of you deserve to laugh," he said quietly, getting both of their attention back on him once more.


"What did ye say?" the magistrate spat, seemingly offended by Abel's words, even though he had no right to be. When someone makes a decision that affects the rest of their life so strongly, there is no excuse for laughter. Even if the decision is poor.


Straightening his hunched shoulders, Abel licked his dry lips and repeated what he had said. "Neither of you deserve to laugh. You do not know her or how she felt."


"And you did, Abel? I find that hard to believe after only meeting her once," Kirin replied.


"I know that she wanted to leave, so I did not stop her."


Kirin rolled his eyes as a drizzle of rain began to fall from overhead.


"Alright, so if I take your word that she left of her own accord and all you did was not stop her, then why were you wearing her gloves and shoes, Abel?"


A loud boom of thunder made the two horses jump, forcing the men to calm them before they could return their attention to him. By that time, it was pouring, the rain coming down in sheets. The weather was making so much of a ruckus that even when Abel tried to answer the previous question, he knew his words wouldn't be heard. The storm swallowed all sounds that it did not create itself, forcing their conversation to halt abruptly. The magistrate soon spurred his horse to trot back to the house, obviously not happy about getting wet. That just left Kirin glaring up at Abel through the curtains of rain. Abel wasn't sure what the man intended to do now that their discussion was forced to end. They both remained still for several minutes before Kirin finally dismounted his horse and slid his pistol back into his waistband.


Please do not come up here. Abel prayed as he wrapped his arms tighter around the tree, ignoring the muscles screaming in his arms to loosen his grip. His prayers weren't answered. Kirin quickly began scaling the tree, his hands moving over the slippery bark as he ascended. There was nowhere for Abel to go, forcing him to stay still until the lawman slid onto the branch next to his. He had not thought the man would bother climbing the tree in the growing storm, but he also wasn't very surprised, either. It was his job to apprehend criminals, rain or shine.


"Abel, I am tired of you talking us in circles. I want the truth. This is your last chance before I pull you down from this tree and drag you back to the jail."


Fine. You want the truth?


"When I was born, my father, being a doctor, signed my papers to read that I was female. He then taught me to behave as such. Dress as such. And eventually, marry in order to steal someone's fortune."


He had more to say, but when Kirin narrowed his eyes and his mouth opened, yet no words came out, Abel knew he already did not believe him.


"A... Abel, I asked for the truth, not some story read to amuse a child before bed."


Knowing that whatever else he said would be discarded, Abel shook his head solemnly.


"You wanted truth, sir. Now you know why I have not said anything."


Kirin ran a hand through his soaked hair and sighed as his fingers moved to massage his forehead.


"Abel, you cannot think that what you have said is believable?"


Abel looked down at his soaked breeches, hunching against the tree as he let his forehead press against the rough bark. "Of course not. Why would I think that my words would ever be more truthful than my villainous father's?"


"Father? You are your own man now, Abel. You are eighteen and your actions are your own, not your father's."


I am my own man.


Abel looked up at the sky, closing his eyes after a moment to keep water from them.


"Yes. I am."


"What?" Kirin asked after a loud boom of thunder overtook Abel's words.


Abel lowered his head slowly, then opened his eyes to meet the lawman's. "I said, yes, I am," he replied with a smile before swinging one of his legs over the branch he was sitting on, then slipping right from it.


He saw Kirin jerk forward to try to grab him, but he was too far out of reach to catch. His landing was hard, but thankfully he startled the horse enough as he landed on its back to force it to begin running. Even better, when he looked up after getting a strong grip around the animal's thick neck, he saw that it was heading straight for the forest at the edge of the property.


Yes! Go!


As if it had heard his thoughts, the horse increased its speed, leaping over a fallen tree before disappearing into the forest.


I am sorry for stealing your horse, sir, Abel thought as he felt the animal beneath him soar through the underbrush. I hope you can forgive me until I am able to bring her back.


He had never ridden a horse, but Abel managed to hang on until the beast finally came to a halt. He wasn't sure where they were, but he couldn't have slid down from the its back faster. His legs and backside ached terribly from the ride. He looked about the area as Kirin's horse started to graze. With a quiet chuckle, Abel felt his lips turn up into a smile.


Free.


He had no food or money. No idea where he was or where he needed to go.


But I am free!


Excitedly, he pulled off his shoes and ran for the small pond in the clearing and jumped in. The water was cool and refreshing, and as Abel took a drink after surfacing, he realized that it was also crisp tasting and clean. He gulped down several mouthfuls before wading back to the shore, noticing a small brook a few feet away that likely fed the pond its clean water. He noticed then that the rain had lightened to a drizzle and the sun was sneaking small glances at him through the dark clouds. He had no doubt that the storm would start up again soon, though, so he hurriedly wiped his wet feet on his breeches before sliding them back into his shoes and walking over to the horse.


"Hey, girl. I think Kirin called you Asira?"


The horse's head rose from where it had been grazing on thick grass. It gave a snort and flicked its tail, telling Abel that he had likely guessed her name correctly. Reaching up, he gently gave her neck a good rubbing before turning and walking toward the forest at the other end of the clearing, coaxing the animal.


"Let us be on our way, Asira. I am sure you would like to go back to your owner, but unfortunately, you are stuck with me for a short time. I will do my best to keep you healthy until I can bring you back to him."


The horse gave another snort, then looked down at the delicious grass beneath its hooves.


Hmm.


Kneeling down, Abel began to pull up handfuls of grass and shoving it into his pockets. He stuffed them until they could hold no more, then pulled another few handfuls and whistled for the horse. Her head rose after another minute of grazing, and when she saw the grass in his hand, she lazily wandered over.


"Alright, time to go, Asira."


The horse twitched its ears and nuzzled his hand, trying to get at the food better.


"Yes, there will be grass."


She snorted out a breath, and as Abel began walking, she slowly followed.

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