A Horse and a Mule

Gilbert was a farmer, and he had a wife named Farrah. They were both kind, and had tender hearts. Together they shared a common dream. For their whole lives they had saved up their wages to buy a farm with some livestock. Their first farm animal was a mule. It plowed fields, pulled wagons, and protected the other farm animals from wild predators. At the local village, the mule was popular among children who liked to pet its soft fur, the attraction helped Farrah to sell eggs, hens, and hay with their new neighbors. After the first year, Gilbert and Farrah saved enough coin to purchase a pair of well-bred horses. From them, Gilbert managed to train and breed some of the finest horses in Eryndor. When his wife became pregnant with child, they decided Gilbert should travel to Solmere in hopes of auctioning off their prize-winning horse. After a three-day journey, he entered the city with his hay wagon and his mule and horse. Visiting the farmer's market at Solmere was a special treat for Gilbert, as he purchased carrots and apples for his animals who were becoming like a family. Unbeknownst to Gilbert, the two high princes of Solmere were also visiting the market along with their young boys and their house guards. The brothers, Prince Felbin and Prince Theodis were conversing with the merchants, while their young sons, Thebis and Helios were starting to misbehave. As soon as the little boys saw the mule, they thought it was an ugly, hairy horse, and began joking and pelting it with pebbles from the road. The first stone bounced off its hind quarters. The mule juked, and flicked up its tail. A second stone hit the mule in the rear again. It brayed and twisted its neck back to see the boys. The boys laughed. When the third rock was hurled, it bounced off the mule's face. The mule spooked and began bucking and twisting in its wagon harness, all while braying in hyperventilating breaths. _“Hee-haw, hee-aaaaw!”_ The children were now mocking the distressed mule. The wagon axle snapped. The wagon lurched sideways, and the horse released a terrorizing scream. When the horse squealed, it violently kicked back at the wagon. When the wagon was knocked back, a rope snapped, and a post holding up an awning fell into the cabbage table. Gilbert started to notice too late what was happening just after the horse reared in a panic, the awning post fell in. As the cabbage stand collapsed, one of the young princelings became caught under the weight of some thick wood that collapsed, and the other prince got caught under the fallen awning. Four guards rushed in to calm the chaotic scene to rescue the little princes, while Gilbert was busy calming down his frightened mule and horse. _“Arrest that swine!”_ Prince Felbin’s voice roared like a lion through the bustle of calamity. The crowd murmured as more guards filled the area. With spears outstretched, the guards surrounded Gilbert. Gilbert did not resist. With his head downcast in shame, he was brought to the castle jail to await trial. When it was discovered that Prince Thebis had broken a leg and Prince Helios suffered a bump on the head, and was now bleeding, the entire royal family was boiling with anger. The next day, the trial consisted of a church magistrate and many witnesses with words to speak against Gilbert. Local street merchants described what happened first. With chains on his wrist, Gilbert was allowed to plead his case. _“Your Honor. I don't blame the children. My mule is strong boned, and she can heal from a few pebbles thrown her way. Boys throw stones, mules bray when scared, and frightened horses kick.”_ _“I beg your mercy. My wife is about to have a baby, and she was depending on me to sell the horse. And I’m really sorry those boys got hurt.”_ Gilbert's words fell on deaf ears. For the damages to the shopkeepers, princes demanded the mule to be put down and for the horse to be auctioned off. The Magistrate agreed to the terms and all the proceeds given to the affected shopkeepers to cover damages. Since the princes also held Gilbert responsible for the injuries to their sons, the magistrate sentenced Gilbert to serve a four-month sentence aboard The Gilded Lady, a trading ship owned by the Merchant's Guild. Unfortunately, Gilbert never returned home again. His wife, Farrah, became struck with heartache and grief.

Afterword

Thank you for reading my short story. This tale continues into a second chapter, titled ["A Mother's Wish"](https://ecency.com/hive-170798/@creativetruth/a-mother-s-wish), and concludes with the final chapter in ["The Mad King"](https://ecency.com/hive-170798/@creativetruth/the-mad-king-short-story). Together these tales are meant to broaden the history and backstories of a greater fantasy setting I am exploring. Explore with me, and leave your kind thoughts. The narrative and plot are entirely my own, with inspiration from Greek mythology, Grimm Fairy Tales, and modern fantasies such as A Game of Thrones. Some revisionary and editing assistantace was provided by ChatGPT. Cover art provided by Pixabay.