8. Hay

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Freya's P.O.V-


Freya walked out of the barn, closing the doors behind her and noticing her Grandpa heading back up to the house. She set off after him, catching up as he stopped in the middle of the trail that lead to the house to look at her.

His old eyes looked her up and down, noticing she wasn't in her nightgown and was fully dressed. He narrowed them in confusion and slight anger and Freya looked down.

"Where were you?" He asked, voice still croaky. He looked like he had just woken up not too long ago.
The sun rose in the distance, casting shadows of the two onto the ground as Freya guiltily avoided his gaze.

"I ran into town." She replied honestly, glancing back up at her Grandpa.

He frowned even more. "Before the sun came up? And without telling me?"

Freya cleared her throat, lifting her chin. "Yes. I needed to borrow something from Pastor Evan. Do I have to tell you every time I want to leave the house? I'm 17 now, I think I'm okay."

Grandpa sighed, turning toward the house and then looking back, his forehead wrinkled because of his narrowed eyes. "I know that your 17 now, but with the war going on I would appreciate knowing where you are whenever you want to go somewhere, and what's so important that you needed to wake up an hour earlier than normal to go get?" He responded, hands in his pockets.

Freya blinked, the rays from the sun brightening as it rose higher into the sky. "Again, I think I can take care of myself. And it really doesn't matter."

He sighed, frustrated. "Fine. Look, Freya. I'm just trying to take care of you. Until you get older and some man can, Grandma and I are determined to. Whether you like it or not."

She paused, then shook her head. "Well, I highly doubt that'll happen any time soon. Just remember, I can survive on my own two feet."

He nodded, looking back toward the house. "Why don't you help your grandma cook dinner tonight? She would like that, you know."

Freya sighed. "Alright."

Grandpa half smiled, relaxing a bit. "I'll leave you alone now. Just don't go too far. Or get yourself killed." He turned around and continued making his way up to the house, Freya watching as he opened the doors and disappeared, doors closing behind him.

She turned, unsure what she should do. She knew that she couldn't spend too much time in the loft with Axel, her Grandparents would figure something out and find out about it. But she didn't want to go inside the house, because then she might get stuck doing some chores or something else. She brushed the few strands of hair that had fallen out of her messy bun behind her ears and made her way back down to the barn. She needed to get some stuff done in there anyways.

Reopening the doors, she left them open so some light would shine through, creating shadows and outlines along the wooden walls as she made her way to the horse food. Picking up a few carrots, she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, drawing the horses attention as she held the carrots out, feeding two from their stalls. Apparently, she hadn't only drawn the horses attention, because she felt a few pieces of hay land on her head and she looked up.

Axel was leaning over the edge of the loft, elbow on the edge as he looked down at her, his beautiful green eyes wide in curiosity as he glanced toward the door questioningly. Freya smiled up at him, shaking her head and hoping he understood that her Grandpa was gone. She reached up and plucked the hay off her head and dropped it. Returning her focus on the horses, who had eaten the carrots and were looking for more, she headed toward the other two, grabbing two more carrots and feeding them.

"Ch-cat." The voice was more awake and smooth, a german ring to it. Freya looked up at Axel, who was staring at her. When he saw he had her attention, he pointed to Mouse, who had climbed down the ladder and was pacing around the barn, sniffing the corners.

Freya nodded, meeting his gaze. "Yes, Ja, Cat." She walked over to Mouse, who lazily flicked her tail and looked up at Freya, her whiskers twitching. Some cat.

"Name?" Axel had the book in his hands now, but raised his head and looked at her, raising his eyebrows as he waited.

"Um, her name is Mouse. Mouse." She pointed at the cat as she said her name, then looked back up. Axel nodded slowly, then looked back down at the book.

Freya walked toward the chickens on the ground, plucking at the hay. A large bag of seeds was nearby, and Freya scooped her hand in and threw the seeds on the ground, watching the Rooster hop down from a box and begin plucking at the ground, the hens following behind him. Mouse flicked her ears and turned away. Unlike most cats, Mouse didn't hunt the chickens.

She went over to the chicken coop, spotting the white outline of eggs. She stepped into the small area, noticing two. No, there were three. They were recent, so it would be okay to boil the other two. Standing, she walked over to the wooden table near the barn entrance, setting them down on a small cloth and walking back toward the horses. As she walked, she felt another piece of hay hit her head and she looked up, a smile forming on her lips. Axel wasn't there, so she assumed it was something else. She grabbed a shovel near the stalls, but then she felt another piece of hay land softly on her head and she quickly looked up.

Axel had his head peering over the edge of the loft, a mischevious look on his freckled face, then he met her gaze and chuckled before disappearing again. She laughed, looking up in a mix of confusion and curiosity as she waited.

"What are you doing?" She laughed softly, careful not to be too loud. All she heard was a low chuckle in return and then a grunt, followed by a sharp exclamation as she heard the splint scrape against the wood. She held her breath, holding in laughter. He must have accidentally moved his broken ankle.

Shaking her head, still smiling, she placed the shovel back and went to Cadence's stall, opening it. Guiding the mare out, she attached her to a rope and tied her to a post nearby, then grabbed a small tool and lifted one of Cadences legs, focusing on the hoof. She dug the tool into the horseshoe, gently and softly, not enough to hurt. She chipped out leftover rocks and dirt that had gotten stuck inside, and once done, she moved on t the other legs.

She heard rustling from above and looked up, seeing Axel reappear. His dark hair was messy on his head, but it didn't look bad. He watched Freya work, leaning his head against his hand, eye's studying her movements. She felt slightly uncomfortable but felt as though he was bored anyways so she pushed the feeling away, finishing Cadence's last hoof. Putting the tool away, she picked up the brush, stroking Cadence from her mane down to her tail, wiping off any excess hair that was loose.

She heard Axel clear his throat. "How...old..?" He asked, his eyes on the horse as she brushed it.

She thought for a moment. "Cadence," She pointed at the horse, "Just turned 6 not too long ago. 6." She repeated.

Axel narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "Nein, you."

Oh, he had meant her. "17." She answered, and watching him close his eyes for a moment, then nod slowly and look into the book, which was next to his head.

"You?" she asked, running the brush down Cadence's mane softly.

After a moment, Axel replied, "18."

She looked up at him, shocked. He looked younger than that. Maybe he just hadn't finished growing yet, or developing a mans features. He had a young, bright and boyish face, with the body of a young man. His face was more cute than handsome in a way. He had well defined features and a strong jaw-line, and think dark eyebrows that sat not far from those emeralds. Maybe it was because he didn't have a beard yet, she didn't know. Axel seemed to read her mind because his face lit up in a shade of red and he ducked his head, looking away. She laughed quietly, quiet so he couldn't hear. Maybe that's just how German boys were. He looked back at her, brows raised in...sarcasm?

Laughing, she shook her head and turned away.

He muttered something in German, then left the edge and she heard the rustling sound of hay. Smiling, she left the barn after putting Cadence back, heading away toward the house.

She would visit later. As she headed toward the house, she heard hoofsteps in the distance and looked up. Her breath almost caught as she saw a group of British soldiers riding toward their home. Oh no. Why were they riding here? Did they know about Axel? Panic settled in her chest and she turned back, heading to the barn to warn him. What if they did? The British soldiers were almost here, their horses stirring up dust as they neared the farm.

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