{"id":27762,"date":"2022-05-06T13:22:43","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T18:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/?p=27762"},"modified":"2022-05-06T13:22:43","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T18:22:43","slug":"forest-brook-chapter-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/2022\/05\/06\/forest-brook-chapter-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Forest Brook: Chapter 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Agatha drummed her hoof impatiently on the arm of her couch. Hubert had said he wanted to watch a documentary, and she had assumed he had more amorous goals in mind; but to her frustration, he had literally meant <\/span>watch a documentary<\/span><\/i>. He sat on the opposite end of the couch, eyes glued to the screen. As for Agatha, she had more information on the reign of King Tartulus III than she had ever cared to know.<\/span><\/p>\n

The doorbell rang, and it was a welcome diversion. Agatha leapt to her hooves. \u201cNo need to stop the show on my account,\u201d she assured Hubert, who had grabbed the remote in anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Agatha swung open the door. \u201cDietrich\u2026 Caprice! What a surprise!\u201d She looked at them curiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMay we come in?\u201d Caprice asked anxiously. \u201cWe have matters of some urgency to discuss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“What\u2019s going on?” Agatha asked warily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re running away together!\u201d Caprice announced succinctly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hubert strolled over. \u201cAgatha, I paused the tape; you don’t want to miss the details of the Battle of Vluzith–\u201d He drew up short at the sight of the visitors. \u201cOh. It’s you guys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Hubert,\u201d said Caprice shyly as she and Dietrich filed into the room. Dietrich said nothing, but looked at the coral stallion through narrowed eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hubert gulped. \u201cIs this going to take awhile, because I don’t want to keep the tape paused too long; so if this is more than a quick visit–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHubert, stop the stupid tape!\u201d Agatha snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, fine,\u201d Hubert said sulkily, walking back to the TV.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAgatha, you’re so good at managing situations like this,\u201d Caprice said once they were all seated in the living room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can’t say I’ve ever planned an elopement before,\u201d Agatha considered, \u201cbut it can\u2019t be that difficult.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNeither Father Paul nor Father Windsweeper would do it without alerting our parents,\u201d Dietrich pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you can’t do it in town,\u201d Agatha agreed, looking pensive. \u201cIf you want to get married straight away, your best bet would be–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI might know somebody,\u201d Hubert burst in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho?\u201d Agatha asked suspiciously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA guy I’ve been working with–a Bigfoot, actually–Dr–\u201d and here he rattled off a completely indecipherable name. \u201cYou can also call him Tiny. He’s what they call a <\/span>domzazal<\/span><\/i>; we don’t have a direct correlation but it\u2019s somewhere between a doctor and a cleric. Spiritual and physical needs are not differentiated in their culture,\u201d Hubert stated with authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat can’t be legitimate,\u201d Dietrich protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it’s all on the up-and-up,\u201d Hubert insisted. \u201cHe has a certificate.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs this a service you\u2019ve availed yourself of in the past?\u201d Agatha asked, frowning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo personal experience,\u201d he assured her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knocking was heard on the door, and uneasy glances were exchanged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHide in my room, quick,\u201d Agatha hissed, suspecting no good to be found on the other side of the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Ms. Westcliff,\u201d said one of the officers standing on her stoop.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the meaning of this interruption?\u201d Agatha asked imperiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing a sweep of this neighborhood, looking for these two,\u201d the officer stated briskly, holding out a piece of paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not here,\u201d Agatha snapped. \u201cI saw them at the assembly earlier, and I imagine they\u2019re enjoying a romantic tryst somewhere. Why would I know where?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe received reports that they had been seen in this neighborhood,\u201d he said, looking at her skeptically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook elsewhere!\u201d And Agatha slammed the door in the officers\u2019 faces.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t talk to the police like that,\u201d Hubert chided.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou just have to show them who\u2019s boss,\u201d Agatha said calmly, watching out the window until she was content that the officers had left the apartment complex. \u201cWell, come out, it\u2019s safe now,\u201d she announced at length.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy father kicked me out!\u201d Caprice said indignantly. \u201cHe has no right to send the police after me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, apparently he thought better of it,\u201d Dietrich said. \u201cCaprice, if you want to go back, you can–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, we\u2019re in this together,\u201d she said fiercely. \u201cI\u2019m an adult, and Father can\u2019t stop me from going where I want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s friends with the chief,\u201d Hubert pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not how the law works!\u201d Dietrich snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan we get back to business, please,\u201d Agatha said impatiently. \u201cHubert, how soon can your Bigfoot cleric be contacted?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe has office hours Saturday morning. We can go out tomorrow and see him,\u201d Hubert offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent,\u201d Agatha said briskly. \u201cDietrich, I\u2019m assuming you can take care of transportation to New Pony once the vows are exchanged? That is where you\u2019re heading, isn\u2019t it? You may want to walk by hoof to Davenport; the local station may be under watch,” she strategized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very sure this is what you want to do?\u201d Dietrich asked with a searching look at his beloved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes,\u201d said Caprice with an adoring gaze.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bride-to-be needs her rest. You two, out!\u201d Agatha ordered the stallions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice–\u201d Dietrich swept her in for one more kiss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be together soon enough,\u201d Agatha chided. \u201cOut with you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I should accompany you to your lodging, in case you\u2019re being followed,\u201d Hubert said, his glance darting about back and forth in a suspicious manner as he scurried in front of Dietrich.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need your protection,\u201d scoffed Dietrich, looking askance at the other stallion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBetter safe than sorry,\u201d Hubert uttered the age-old adage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next thing they knew, a pale form had jumped out from behind some trees onto the sidewalk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRun! I\u2019ll hold him off!\u201d Hubert shouted, assuming a defensive stance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not running from this moron,\u201d Dietrich sighed, recognizing Storen from earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou! Dietrich Fairfax!\u201d Storen cried out in a dramatic but shaky voice. \u201cWhat have you done with her?!\u201d he demanded shrilly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe’s safe, and that’s all you need to know,\u201d Dietrich said, walking around both Storen and Hubert.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou’re not getting past me until you tell me where she is!\u201d Storen belatedly threatened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m not wasting my time on you,\u201d reiterated Dietrich roughly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will hit you!\u201d Storen said in a high-pitched cry, assuming a loose fighting stance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’d like to see you try!\u201d Dietrich snorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Storen threw out a hoof, which was easily blocked by Dietrich; a scuffle ensued. Dietrich had better form, but Storen was wild and unpredictable and therefore dangerous. He landed a lucky shot to Dietrich\u2019s nose, causing blood to spurt out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that bl-blood?\u201d Storen asked shakily, color draining from his face. Shortly thereafter, he crumpled to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIdiot,\u201d grumbled Dietrich, putting a hoof up to his nose. \u201cWhere were you?\u201d he asked irritably of Hubert, who was hovering about nervously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou had it well-in-hoof,\u201d Hubert assured him. \u201cAnd it would have hardly been fair to gang up on him two-to-one. But here\u2019s a handkerchief,\u201d he offered helpfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d said Dietrich, grimacing. \u201cHelp me get him out of the road, at least.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Between them, the two stallions hauled him to a nearby park bench.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two police officers approached. \u201cDietrich? What\u2019s going on?\u201d It was Officer Morris, some kind of distant cousin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis twit assaulted me,\u201d Dietrich spat, \u201cbut didn’t have the stomach for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Cecil Monk\u2019s lackey,\u201d Morris observed, eyeing the unconscious stallion. \u201cHe really has it in for you.\u201d He lowered his voice. \u201cHe’s done everything short of accusing you of murder, and I’m sure that’s coming. I’d get out of town before it escalates.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m working on it,\u201d Dietrich said grimly. \u201cCan we keep this quiet? And someone get this whelp home to his mother!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ll take care of it,\u201d Stonecrop said cheerfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you know what you\u2019re doing.\u201d Morris sighed, shaking his head. \u201cNow, get out of here. I didn\u2019t see you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Agatha drummed her hoof impatiently on the arm of her couch. Hubert had said he wanted to watch a documentary, and she had…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27762"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27763,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27762\/revisions\/27763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}