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Chapter Three: Cars, Cousins And Beach Rides

At the weekend Morgan came down to Crystal's house with the pony, Finch.

"Hi Morgan." Crystal called from the tack room as he drew into the yard.

"Hey Crystal." Morgan grinned. "I see Pearl is looking well."

She smiled and nodded, as Morgan got out of the horse-van. "Yes, she is."

They both undid the horse-van's rear door and let down the ramp then as Finch neighed loudly, his voice clear.

"Heya Finch." Crystal said. "Welcome to your new home."

Untying the pony, she called. "Morgan dear, could you open the stable door next to the tack room please?"

"Sure, thing Crystal." laughed Morgan, opening it.

Soon after that Finch was in his stable and munching on hay whilst Crystal and Morgan were moving his rugs and tack into the tack room and his feed into the feed room.

"Here is that address I promised you." said Morgan, giving Crystal a piece of paper while they sat in the yard's office.

"Thanks." replied Crystal. "Fancy coming in for a cuppa and so I can write you a check?"

"Gladly." chuckled Morgan. "Driving is thirsty work."

So, they both went into the house and sat in Crystal's large and nice, warm kitchen.

"How is Silver?" she queried, writing a check.

"He is fine." replied Morgan, as Crystal handed him the cheque. "A handful as usual, you know Silver. He can be a bloody menace at times... "

She chuckled then, shaking her head slightly as she sipped at a hot cup of tea.

"How is Suzie getting on with Shadow?" she wondered, as Morgan sipped at his own mug of hot tea.

"They are both fine too." Morgan grinned fondly in answer. "They were in a show yesterday too, you know the one that is on every year near me?"

"Yes. How did they manage?" Crystal asked, very interested and putting her mug down.

"They got mainly firsts, seconds and thirds as usual." Morgan answered, laughing warmly. "As well as Champion which was a first for them both."

"Lucky them." she chuckled. "I wasn't at that show. I was feeling a bit under the weather. I had a sore head and I couldn't stop sneezing. It is likely that it was one of these bugs that are going around."

"Are you okay currently though Crystal dear?" Morgan worried, raking his eyes over her face.

Crystal laughed. "Of course, I am Morgan, it was just a twenty four hour bug. Please stop worrying."

"I can't Crystal." smiled Morgan. "I love you too much."

Crystal blushed and kissed him lightly on the lips, Morgan hugging her loosely and kissing her back. Some-time later the tall man that was Morgan asked. "Have you seen or heard from Kojo lately?"

"Nope." Crystal replied. "I haven't seen or heard from him in years."

"Neither have I." Morgan stated. "He will be tall, and strong most likely."

"He always was very strong Morgan, dear, even when we were kids." mused Crystal. "Almost too strong for his age, really."

Morgan grinned then, resting one of his hands over Crystal's hands. "Well, we have all come a very long way since the old days back in Scotland. Both money and worldly wise, we have all learnt a lot over the years."

"I know." nodded Crystal in agreement. "I mean, you have been all over the world. Almost. I agree to that too, we have all learned so much since our childhood days. I almost wish though that I could go back in time and not do the silly things I have done."

"You have travelled a good bit too Crystal." reminded Morgan. "After all you have been to the same places I have more or less and more." the man chuckled. "We all wish that my darling Crystal. I don't know anyone that wouldn't go back in time and not do the stupid things they did as kids."

The woman laughed then. "Yes, I suppose I have. The most annoying thing is though that where-ever I move to, or go on holiday to, C-c-c-chad, Matthew and their friends go too. I am tired of it my dearest."

"That is annoying." sighed Morgan. "I don't blame you being tired of it. You just want time to yourself... To figure out what to do with your life."

"Exactly." she sighed, herself. "I mean I have all those qualifications..." she smiled. ~Most of which are catered towards Seth's dream rather than my own.~

Time passed as they sat in comfortable silence, basking in the others company.

"I have to go Crystal dear, so you had better take care of yourself." Morgan said some-time later, kissing her. "I will see you again soon, my dear heart."

"I will." she promised, kissing him back. "You too."

Morgan then left and headed home.

Several days later Chad saw the Ferrari again.

"Who does own that nice car Matthew?" he asked. "I mean, I know none of us have the money for one... Not even Seth. I don't think we know anyone rich enough to have one."

"Don't ask me Chad." sighed Matthew. "I have no idea either."

"They are lucky, whom-ever they are." said Jeremy, awed, as the car stopped at traffic lights. "I would die for a Ferrari! I really would."

"Oh well then, Jezzer... " cracked Chad, laughing. "I will kill you and then you can be transported to your funeral in a Ferrari. How does that suit you?"

The others laughed.

"Very funny Chad." snarled Jeremy, his tone sardonic. "You know what I meant. You know I meant that I would do practically anything to have a Ferrari, especially a Ferrari GTO!"

"Of course, I know." growled Chad, angrily. "I was teasing, you dumb idiot. God, sometimes I wonder at your brains, or lack thereof."

Jeremy flushed and did not reply.

Crystal, overhearing the conversation, began to grin and pressed play on the CD player, the song 'Convoy' from the film of the same name filling the car.

"'Cause we got a little ol' convoy, hauling through the night." she sang, totally in tune. "`We got a little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight? Come on, join our convoy, ain't nothing gonna git in our way. We're gonna roll this trucking convoy across the USA... Convoy..."

"I recognise that song and who is singing it, because she's a bloody good singer... " gasped Bradley, shocked. "But it can't be who I think it is driving that car. It just can't be. It is impossible. That would be like... Magic being real."

"Why not?" blinked Hector, looking confused. "Why can it not be Ice? I mean. She could be borrowing it. Or something... Y'know?"

"Because, Hector, she is as poor as a church mouse if not poorer." answered Sebastian, patiently. "That is why. Plus, she drives a beat-up looking silver Jeep. If she had money, she would fix it. And I don't think that she knows anyone rich enough that owns a Ferrari to borrow it."

"Have you maybe thought." said Chad, wisely. "That it just looks like it is beat-up because it is covered in mud and god knows what else. You all seem to have forgotten that our target, Ice, lives on a very large ranch some-where nearby and that she owns a horse? I just wish I knew where she lived." he sighed then, dragging his hand through his hair. "It has to be close, within five or ten miles of here. But in what direction?" Exhaling softly, he frowned, darkly. "She can't be that poor either... We have followed her all over the world... And we're not poor..."

They all face-palmed then, as they groaned at their own stupidity.

"She can't be either poor or stupid." said Matthew. "Otherwise we would have caught and likely sold her into eternal slavery if we had not killed her, years ago." the slim man nodded, listening to Chad. "I think it could be to the north east, there is a large farm out that way but there is also an extremely huge one to the east which is the biggest in the area as well as the large one to the south east." he sighed. "Whilst I remember, there is a very large one to the south as well and to the north, which although very big is the smallest of the lot."

"It is a co-incidence." said Michael. "That is all it can be." the man shrugged then. "She could live any-where in the area, including right next door to any of us and we wouldn't really know, since we all have houses with longish drives and large fenced in gardens, backing on to fields." he bit one finger-nail. "It is so annoying... " he thought, long and hard then. "But she has a horse... So, she has to live either on or near a farm..."

Crystal blinked, cringing slightly before calming and softly chuckling.

"What little those 'huntsmen' know about their "prey"... " she laughed softly to herself. "As poor as or poorer than a church mouse? Pah! A church mouse with a Ferrari GTO! How could they not know where I live, it is obvious that I live to the south since that is the direction that I always come from."

She chuckled then, continuing to drive down the road. She saw Seth a little while later and smiled slightly, fondly before sliding the car to a stop near him.

"Would you like a lift Seth?" Crystal smiled kindly.

"I definitely would, Crystal honey, please." Seth answered, half awed as he got into the car. "Is this beautiful car yours?"

"Yes. It is." she grinned as the car drew away from the kerb. "Do you like it that much?"

Seth laughed and nodded. "Yes, I sure do."

"Seth, where would you like to go?" Crystal asked.

"I am just going home after watching Rob Roy at the cinema. It got re-shown for some reason," Seth replied, dismissively. "No idea why."

"One of my horses, Finch, is in that film." Crystal declared. "He plays Cunningham's horse. The blood bay with the stripe on his face."

"You mean Finch is that Connemara X?" gasped Seth.

"Yes." laughed Crystal.

Soon after that they arrived at Seth's town house, since he lived there during the week and at the family Manor at weekends, and for holidays.

"Would you like to come in for a nice hot cup of tea Crystal?" asked Seth, chuckling softly." Or would you prefer coffee?"

"Yes thanks, Seth I would." she smiled in reply. "I will just put the alarm on and come in."

"Okay." he said, getting out of the car. "You like your tea with milk and three sugars right? Or is that coffee, and your tea is no milk and five sugars?"

"Yes, tea is milk and three sugars." answered Crystal, also getting out of the car. "I do. Five sugars? No... I don't take that many sugars in anything."

Seth went into the house and Crystal put the alarm on before following him indoors.

"Chad, Matthew and the others are down in the city centre thankfully." said Seth, handing Crystal a steaming cup of tea. "If they were not, they would be hammering on my door being annoying as usual."

"I know." nodded Crystal, in agreement. "I mean as we both know all too well they hate me to the ends of the Earth and back. I don't really have much idea why either. I thought that I did know, for the longest time... Now...? I'm not sure any more... Maybe... I..."

She looked a little sad then but clearly brushed it aside as she took a sip of her tea, purring from the back of her throat.

"Yeah." sighed Seth. "Where-ever you go they, all follow."

"So, do you." added Crystal. "But I know why that is, at least, I hope I do."

"Of course, you know why, or you should... " he hesitated for a second, looking almost chiding for a moment, before he continued. "You know as well as I do that the only reason that I follow you around is that, so I know exactly where you are, since I am the Head of our family, and so can keep you out of any really grievous trouble with them all." smiled Seth, good-heartedly. "I care and love you dearly Crystal, honey, you know that, or you should do. I don't desire you, at the very lower limit, to be severely damaged by anybody. To the lowest degree of all by Chad and his gang, they are riff-raff, and I call them my friends... Says a lot about me... Doesn't it?" he was quiet for a second, thinking. "Chad is unusual, he only got genuinely hateful when you ditched him, maybe he was jealous or something."

The young woman shivered, lowering her gaze.

"I had to dump him, cousin of mine. He was abusive, both mentally and physically. I couldn't stay with some-one like that. I can't live in constant fear." sipping at her tea then and calming down she gasped, then blushed; cheeks going pink "I did not know you cared so much about me Seth."

Seth threw back his head and laughed.

"I couldn't, not care about you Crystal after all we have been through together. God. If any-one harms you, they will have me to answer to. I just wish that you had told me earlier about Chad abusing you. I would have done something... I am not sure what, but something... Crystal."

"You couldn't have done anything if I had told you and it does not matter any more." she sighed softly. "That is almost exactly what Kojo used to say though, all those years ago back in Scotland." she said, remembering. "I have not heard from or seen him in years. The last I heard was that he had joined the Air Force... Or was it the Navy..."

"Knowing Kojo as we do, I wouldn't be surprised to find out he was a Commander or something. Would you?" Seth chuckled. "He will be eighteen or so anyway." He grinned a bit. "I think it was the Air Force."

Crystal laughed. "No, I wouldn't and that makes me feel old, even though there is only three years of age difference. Funny thing, is time. When you want it to go by quick it goes slowly, but when you want it slow it goes quick... "

"Ah but Crystal." Seth complimented, flirtatiously. "You still look like you are only maybe sixteen years old, maximum. You are beautiful. Very much so."

She blushed, pleased at the compliment.

"On top of which, I am not married yet. Unlike the other females we were at school with. And neither do I have little brats running around my ankles." she snickered.

"I can't picture you either married or with kids Crystal. You will likely always be free... " Seth grinned, amusement making his eyes sparkle. "Marriage, kids and a heavy relationship would feel confining to a wild and free spirit like you, Crys'."

"Not if it was with the right person." she whispered. "Like Morgan."

Time passed as they sat in comfortable silence with each other, lost in their thoughts.

"Will you and Morgan get married then, eventually?" Seth asked, a little later, breaking the silence." I mean... You have both been together for three or four years now."

Crystal shrugged, her nose wrinkling.

"I don't know, we have not really discussed it yet." she answered. "Maybe we will. Maybe we will not. And anytime we've discussed it... Well... He changes the subject... Rather quickly."

Seth chuckled.

"Well I hope you two do get married since, well, you two are the perfect couple. You never seem to argue... Ever and seem to love each other so much..."

Crystal smiled faintly. "As much as I wish it to be true, no couple is perfect, but Morgan and I get on well enough. At least for now, and a damn sight better than C-c-c-chad and I did. And yes, I do love him."

Seth chuckled and hugged Crystal gently, just the once before he let her go. Crystal left some-time later and was soon arriving home again.

Entering her stable-yard she smiled slightly.

~Hmm, I wonder... ~ she thought. ~I shall get Finch tacked up and go out for a fast hack. He always likes a good run.~

So, she did that then left her stable-yard at a fast trot.

They went along a bridle path and then down on to the largest beach near Crystal's home. Aforementioned beach was roughly fourteen miles long from end to end with beautiful golden sand and the only places that there were rocks were at either end.

Whenever Crystal rode on the beach, she would school for a little while before going for a long gallop. No-one ever saw her while she was on this beach and for that she was glad, she never saw anyone else either. She loved the peace. There was always just her, the horse, the sand, and the surf. She loved every minute of it, as did her horses.

A few hours later she arrived back at her stable-yard and un-tacked Finch, before giving him a good brushing.

"Bet you enjoyed that, hmm, Finch boy?" she smiled, as she finished brushing him. "Good boy."

The pony just neighed in reply, pushing his head against her and hard as he sniffed at her coat, smelling polo mints.

"Okay, okay." she laughed, hugging him. "I will put them in your feed with some fresh apples and carrots, you deserve them."

Crystal then rugged him up and fed both of the horses before sweeping the yard, putting the alarm on and leaving the yard.

She went into the house then to get her own food as well as to shower.

Some-time later Chad and Matthew were speaking, discussing, and arranging what to do the following day, after they had finished work.

"Are we going to be looking for Crystal again Chad?" asked Matthew. "I mean... You know... We can't let her get away scot-free..."

"Of course, we are, Matthew!" snapped Chad. "We will keep looking and hunting for Ice until we all know for a fact that she is slain or in servitude. Preferably the last one of the two since we don't really want her dead, and also hopefully that she is a slave to all of us." He cracked a bit darkly then, purring under his breath. "I like that idea of her on her knees and serving us... For the remainder of her existence."

"Chad! We will never find her." Jeremy interrupted. "She is unfindable!"

"We must not give in." Hector sighed. "If we do, she has won, beaten us." he snickered a little. "I think we all like the thought of her serving us on her knees, Chad, and calling us Master."

"We can't have that now can w... " Matthew started to say, before he smiled coldly, licking his lips at the thought of Crystal on her knees before him. "Damn... That's an arousing image...!"

Chad growled then.

"It is... But no. We can't let that little... False magus beat us."

An hour or so later Crystal had eaten her dinner and was walking towards her smallish garage.

~I will go and see that film 'The Grudge' after a drive. It is supposed to be really scary.~ she thought.

Smiling faintly, Crystal opened the garage door then got into her Ferrari before she drove out, stepped out of her car, closed it again, put the alarm on then drove off down her main drive, the big automatic gates at the bottom opening for her as she approached.

Sometime afterwards, Matthew and Michael saw the car again.

"I wonder who does own it?" questioned Michael. "I mean..."

"I wonder too." agreed Matthew, his eyes sparkling a little in the light off of the street-lights.

"Let's follow it!" suggested Michael, stupidly. "We can find out then!"

Matthew stared silently at his friend for a second before he snapped.

"Don't be so stupid! Once the driver realises that they are being followed, they will speed away, leaving us choking on the exhaust fumes."

"If they only knew." Crystal giggled softly, her eyes glittering with amusement. "Men. Stupid creatures at times, but you gotta love them."

She slowed down several times for traffic lights and level crossings, remaining silent, becoming lost in her own thoughts.