Suddenly, without any warnings, the stable caught on fire.  Flames shoot out of the roof as it spreads fast from the hay to the building itself.  What caused it?

  The horses were spooked. The animals were stuck in there with no way out.

    Adrien hears the horses make fearful noises. He runs to see what the trouble is at once. He gasps.  

     He tries to open the door. It does not budge. He uses an ax he finds nearby to bust a hole in it. He reaches through and undoes the bolt.

      He smiles as he steps back.

 The door swings open so the horses can come out.

    All but one escape.

  The princess pony appears to be too afraid to leave the building.

"Come out, Freckles!" He shouts.

    The animal still refuses to move.

   Adrien knows it is dangerous, but what other choice does he have?

 He runs inside with the flames around him. He almost passes out. He grabs the pony's mane and pulls hard. He feels the stubborn creature move forward towards the exit.

  Adrien sees the wooden beam give way as it falls. 

   "No!" He screams.

   Adrien climbs on the small animal and rides it towards the side of the place. He watches as the horse kicks the side twice. As a hole forms, he breathes a sigh of relief.

    He coughs from the smoke and passes out.

  "Come quickly, the stable it is a flame!"

     Chole wakes up at the sound. She climbs out of bed, grabs a bucket, and feels it full of water.

She runs outside and sees the horses all out of harm's way. She is glad they are alright. Then, it dawns on her someone must have saved them.   Who?

    "Oh, no!" Chole screams when she sees the unconscious figure aboard her favorite horse.

     Marinette runs outside and gasps.  "Adrien, no!" She yells.

     Chole screams for help.

      Nathaniel knows it is probably bad to come here, but he could not stay away.

   He runs to Marinette and catches her. He sees her tears.

   "Is Chole, alright?"  He asks as his voice quivers.

   "Yes, but Adrien..."

    Nathaniel helps the distraught girl get to a bench.

    Then, he helps Chole find help for the hurt lad. He knows the guy must be important to the young blue-haired girl. Why else is she upset?

       He feels bad about the whole thing. He recalls someone saying,  "the king would pay for their son's death."

     "Chole, this was no accident."

"What do you know?"

 "I know a man in the village where I live saught to harm the king. I did not know he meant by setting fire to the stable, I swear."

    Chole nods her head.  "I believe you."

   Nathaniel goes back to the village after he hands Chole a small tape recorder.

      Chole smiles. At least there is proof of what happened tonight. She frowns when she recalls Adrien's bad state of health. Oh, dear, Marinette must be heartbroken.

      She goes to Marinette. "Marinette, he is going to make it."

    "H-how do you know?" Marinette mutters.
   

   "I just know."

Chole sees her father. She hands him the tape recorder.  She returns to Marinette.

 The king is seen with his head in his hands.

   He feels ashamed after he listens to the tape recordings. 

   "Oh, dear, it seems I misjudged the artist fellow, after all."

Adrien wakes up on a strange bed. He coughs.

   "Where am I?"

"You are in the palace."

"Who are you?"

 "I am a nurse."

"You were out for a few hours and..."
 
"A few hours, but the horses."

"The horses are all fine. They are in the smaller stable for now."

    "I hear you played a part in all that which I might add was foolish. It was brave, but foolish just the same."

         Marinette is now in her room. She refuses to speak to anyone. Not even Chole can help now.

She fears the worse for Adrien.  What if everyone is wrong?  What if the fire took what life was left of him?  She hates to think this way.  She feels a sob come from herself. She feels weak.

      "A-Adrien, please make it. I thought  I lost you once. I can not do it again."

    King Andre Bougerious is in his bedroom. He paces the floor. He could not sleep after he found out the truth about the fire.  How could he rest when he thought ill of someone who was not that bad after all?  What would become of the new stable boy?

 Find out more in Chapter 10

 bye, bye little owlets!

-Summer out!