Sir Frank and the weird horse

Chapter 2 Sir Frank and the weird horse

Their son had even once organized a group of little friends with his sister and cousins to try to climb up and submerge the back side of the mountaintop.

Of course, the attempt failed miserably when they were caught by the adults. Having long known the idea of their own children, the adults were already waiting half-way up the mountain leisurely.

Seeing their parents' smirking face, lazily sitting there waiting for them, even a naive child would realize that their petty actions cannot hide the truth from their parents' eye.

They then decisively gave up any further similar attempt. And changed their tactics.

Every once a year, all family members that were free, would gather at the mansion on mountaintop. It is the New Year celebration day and as tradition, the whole family would hold a reunion for all family members.

At that time, when the adults were busy in the hall, the group of little friends were once again gathered under the leadership of the bear child.

They had long discussed that night's mission impossible tasks in details prior to the New Year Day. Calling themselves the heroes brotherhood, these little man and little ladies had set their eyes to take the mystical fruit and become the new generation of heroes.

So that night when they finally meet up, each of them had a tacit understanding smile.

Taking the opportunity when the adults were distracted and the servants were busy, they quietly set out through the side entrance door. After going around a little garden with tall trees, there they saw the old steel gate that they had previous found.

Nearby the steel gate, there was a tattered shed in disrepair. It seems like the shed was once used as a store, long ago, by the garden keeper.

And the worn-down old steel gate was on the path leading to the backside of the mountain.

After sneakily bypassing the steel gate, they grouped together and slowly trekked towards the deep.

It was late in the evening at that time, but the moon was out. So, path was brightly lighted.

Relying on the moonlight, they could see the path went on towards the peak on the other side of the mountain. As they had guess, this must be one of the paths leading to the mysterious backside of the mountain.

Of course, in the end, their little brotherhood endeavor still ended being a failure. First, they met a team of weird horses without fur that freaked them out. Then they saw a figure wearing why robe flying above like a ghost.

And finally, they were chased down by a large red-hair dog, which was clearly left to guard and patrol the area.

When they were running back towards the house, the adults inside heard loud voice from the outside. After seeing the miserable appearance of their little ancestors, the adults rolled their eyes and laugh at them.

'These kids really never give up.'

So, after getting their dose of scolding and reprimanding, they part ways and thus their short-lived brotherhood disintegrated.

---

"Hahaha. Of course. When did grandfather ever lied to you?" the old man happily answered his grandson's question.

"Really? How do I remember I once was pitted to eat that Kiwano fruit that had not yet matured?" said the little guy recounting the thing he experienced in the past.

"Cough...cough...that...grandfather never intended to pit you. I was just showing you an unusual fruit that I got from your uncle. Moreover, at that time I never said it was the miracle fruit. All I said was, 'Look, kiseki, look what fruit we got here," his grandfather cleverly shifted the topic.

But the grandson was too clever to forgive him. "You are just being deceptive! You said the word 'kiseki' at that time. So, I thought it was the miracle fruit," said the teenager.

Remembering the past, he felt aggrieved.

He never imagined his grandfather would pit him by such lame way. The aggrieved part was that he was too young to notice the obvious pit, and happily ate the fruit.

That sour acidic bitter taste, even now he can't forget it.

"Plus, that's not the only time."

"There's also the passion fruit. You said that it improves mind and emotions"

"Then, the loquat fruit. You said it was the legendary peach fruit in the story"

"Oh, and there was that jabutic...or was it called jabutikab."

"Anyway, you told me that the fruit, were once grown on the sky tree, but after our ancestor pick it up, he left it behind later." the grandson kept complaining.

"You mean the jabuticaba fruit?" his grandfather asked happily, while holding back his laughter.

"Yeah, yeah. That. The jabuticaba fru...snort," the bear child was saying until he realized his grandfather gloating face. He turned around while snorting.

Thinking about it now, he really was once very naïve as a child. He should have known and figured out his grandfather's repertoire after repeated pit.

But he kept falling into similar pit every time.

Oh, how miserable and pitiful my child self.

"Haha. Sorry. Sorry. Didn't grandfather apologize after that?"

"But this time I would not lie to my dear grandchild again. After all you are an adult now. So, this time grandfather had truly prepared your share of miracle fruit."

"You better be. It's a promise. A promise between men is as heavy as a mountain. Or else, I would ignore you from now on," he threatens his grandfather with the worse possible way he could think of.

It's not like he can do anything to him. So, ignoring him would be the best attack for his grandfather who love and spoil their siblings.

"Haha. Okay. Don't worry."

---

In the midst of their chatting and bickering they had already reached the golden gate leading to the backside of the mountain.

This gate is different from the one he and his little friends used several years ago.

The last gate was an old entrance for the family's servant and retinue to the mountain's backside for cleaning and maintaining the forest area.

At that time the family was more prosperous and there are various gardens that need to be taken care of. And as aristocrat, their family's influence in the country was huge with several retinue and servant families.

Over time the family contracted its own influence, dismissing retinue and servant families, moving away from political arena, becoming aloof to state's affair.

However, to safeguard family's interest as one of the founding nation families and pillar of the country, the family kept their control over their own private armies.

Other than that, the family focused its energy in developing the economy and businesses.

As the grandfather grandson duo entered the golden gate, they saw a well-maintained road leading to the other side.

Compared to the path the teenager met when he was a kid, this road was clearly much better. The former was a mud path, while later was like pavilion road, with evenly shaped stone being neatly and firmly laid down.

The road was wide enough for a single carriage to pass through.

So of course, there was a carriage beside the road waiting for them.

A middle age with a tall build and muscular but lean body was standing right next to the carriage. Once he the two of them he gave a slight nod and smile towards them.

"Is this the fifth young master? It seems time sure flies fast. You have grown up," he said with a smile.