“Are you absolutely sure?”

Three days had passed since James had come to that address to stay. His concern for Caballo growing every day. The Butler noted his concerns and did talk to his master. But worries of James trying to Brain wash her further Giovanni were very apparent.

However Caballo was forcing their hand and currently, the butler sat on a phone with his master to inform him of the ill situation.

“Yes Master. I am positive that girl is not eating. Young Master James did warn us. Her dependancy on him is apparent and I feel that you need to let the boy start caring for the girl else she die.”

“Very well..But I want it supervised at ALL times. The minute he starts to try and persuade the girl that she might still be Giovanni’s pet, I want him removed. Do you understand this?”

“Of course, sir.” Gerald shifted slightly. “I shall see to it that the girl is moved to Master James’s suite and that security cameras are kept on.”

Hanging up the phone, he sighed. The girl was being terribly difficult and not eating. She was barely drinking. Caballo was afraid and acting more like a pony than she ever had with Giovanni. She wouldn’t even let people who claimed to stable boys get near her to remove the tail from her.

Making his way out and down the hall to James’s suite, he knocked on the door. James opened it and, in truth, he didn’t look so good him self.

“Yes?”

“Master James..I am to escort you to the young Lady immediately. Unfortunately it has been found out that you were correct in your assumptions that she would not eat. She is very scared and refuses to let anyone near her.”

“Take me to her.” It was instantaneous. From saddened to concerned. “Where is she now?”

“When she first arrived, she was put in a private stall in the master’s stable until she could be talked to. But now, three days later, she is barely eating enough to survive. The master has decided to trust that you are loyal NOT to Giovanni and let you see her if that is indeed what will help this poor girl.”

“I told you before..I Only stayed because of Caballo.” following the man out now. “My loyalties are to her alone. If you’ve hurt her by not heeding my warnings..I will blame you.”

“She is not hurt, sir. We tried to move her to a regular room but she refused to even talk to our doctor or move when I asked her to. I told her that we were bringing her inside to a bedroom. We did not know that Giovanni had gotten to her so badly.”

James didn’t say anything. He was frustrated, so instead, he just followed. Finally the Butler led him to a side door that opened up into a connecting stable. It was large like Giovanni’s and very grand. James didn’t care about that however.

He gasped and looked in a far, open stall. Caballo was curled up in a corner and cowering back away from everyone. Two stable boys were attempting to talk to her but she merely trembled.

“Caballo..” James’s voice on the verge of tears.

His voice was magic though. Caballo looked up and her red, tear stained eyes smiled. She heard that soft whisper of his and stood on two legs, A very non-pony thing to do, and ran to him. Caballo ran past the stable boys and grabbed onto James as if her life depended on it. He stumbled back only slightly when she hit him straight on.

“Shhh..hey, it’s alright. No..no..it’s okay.” Holding her against him. “I’m here, Caballo, Your James is here.”

She was scared that she might be in trouble for standing and running as she had. The two stable boys and the butler were glad to see it though.

Caballo buried her face into his chest and he sighed thanking the gods that she was alright. James glanced at Gerald quickly and nodded.

“Food..water..Juice. Now” He commanded it.

“Of course master James. I shall have it prepared immediately.”

He was off quickly and James returned his attention to her. Stroking his hand through her hair, gently. Shhing her. He wouldn’t let her drop to her all fours on him.

“Come on now..You need to eat, Caballo. You’re still being my difficult girl.” Hugging her tenderly. “Always making your James worry for you so.”

Looking up at him, trembling. Fear was in her gaze. She didn’t know what was going on or what was happening. Caballo only knew that she woke up and she wasn’t at the stable where he was anymore.

“You’re going to make your beautiful eyes red, Caballo.” Stroking her cheek softly. “Come..Inside..”

She pulled away as best he could and he held her and shhd.

“No, no..It’s alright. No more Giovanni..No more cruel masters. Only me..It’s okay..You need to eat and drink.”

Caballo’s first unsure steps towards the inside of a house happened in months. She was unsure wether to prance or walk normally so she stumbled and James caught her in his arms. He picked her up and her tail dragged the ground as he carried her inside.

“It’s alright, Caballo..I won’t let anyone hurt you..never again..I promise.”

She only trembled and hugged her self against him unsurely. The girls confusion probably as great as James’s confusion but hers was more psychologically damaging. James knew she had been broken the wrong way. He had to try and fix it.

“Master James..Cook has prepared a plate of Lunch for you both. It is in the dining room.” Gerald said as he came out. “I have provided water and some Berry juice...white grape as it is not as harsh on the stomach as orange juice.”

“Thank you.” James carried the scared Girl past him. “Shh..It’s okay..”

Constantly reassuring her. Always telling her that it was going to be alright. Gerald knew the instant that she ran to James on two legs that his loyalty was hers and that there was no way he would try and keep convincing her that she was Giovanni’s pet.

“Gerald..I shall need to bathe her..after I feed her. She won’t do it her self..not right now. And I shall need scissors..to cut..this tail away.”

Her small gasp heard as she looked up at James. She didn’t want to be yelled at because it was taken off. Caballo shook her head frantically.

“No..no..it’s alright.” Sitting, with her in his lap, on a chair at the dining room table. “You aren’t a pony..You are not supposed to have a tail..”

Her whimpers louder. James shhd her and smiled.

“I will only cut it from you..I won’t get rid of it. I promise.” Glancing at some bread, picking it up with his free hand. “But you must promise to eat for me..”

She was sitting sideways in his lap. His one arm around her back and holding her up. His other being used to come over her front and pick up the food. He began the slow process of feeding her. She’d done this before and it took days to get her back eating normally.

“There is a straw, sir..in the glass..so you can give it to her easier.” Gerald put a pitcher of juice down for them on the table. “I shall inform the master that she is eating for you. He will be glad to hear it.”

“You should have listened to me in the first place. Standing up for him himself and Caballo, finally. I know Caballo. I know what he’s done to her..you do not. Nor does..HE. Now GO. LEAVE so I can..help her. ” Feeding her another small bite of bread. “Shh..That’s my Caballo..Eat slowly.”

She timidly chewed the bread as she leaned her cheek up against his chest. She didn’t like being inside. In Caballo’s mind, she wasn’t supposed to be in here and be eating at a human table. James wasn’t letting her leave or run though. He would make sure that she never had to run again.

********************

And on the Other side of things

Giovanni had spent the last three days trying to get to his island. He was running from them, from HIM. How did they find out? He blamed James for the whole thing. If he ever got to see James alone, he would kill him. He was not his son. He was proving that more and more that he was nothing but an animal, unloyal and stupid, to Giovanni.

“My island..” He sat in a small boat and watched the Patrol ship go by again. “They’ve taken over my...island.”

Moving in closer. He needed to get some things from his home if he could. Things like money, clothes and his black book of contacts.

“They can’t do this to me..I am Giovanni Arrington.”

Speaking to him self. Going madder and madder into his twisted being with every thought.

“Six generations..I am Giovanni..Named after the First proud Giovanni Arrington to claim our power. I’ll show them all. I’ll kill James and I’ll get my Caballo back. She is mine. I Had her bred. I picked who her mother would be. Don’t they see? SHE belongs to me.”

Thinking back to things. He remembered planning everything.

“It was me who sent my stallion to that woman..and bred them. ME. The girl is mine. It was me who got rid of the woman so my stallion could raise her and mold her to what I wanted. The fools..All of them. I have legal claims on her! I put my stallion into power. I bought that election. Yes..MY stallion. They are all mine. Caballo..Cochise. James is Mine..How dare they.”

His anger only growing inside.

“I’ll kill the boy...and start over again. I can mold..a new..son into my likeness..to my self..Yes. That’s what I will do. I’ll start over with MY Caballo!”

He started laughing and a very vindictive smile formed on his lips.

“MY Caballo..will be the mother of my new and better son.”

His laughter low. He snarled and continued watching the island. His revenge would come on swift hooves and he would own the world of Ponies again.