The Sixth

4: Mischief

A/N: I do not understand gambling in horse races, and I do not care enough to do the research.

The brown horse's head barely passed the black horse's rear, yet the audience erupted in cheers or angered roars. There is never a dull moment at the race track.

If the emotional reactions aren't a dead giveaway as to who bet on which horse, then you merely have to listen for the people praying for a deity's favor over the horse they bet on.

The appeal of gambling is one Darlin simply can't fathom. It's a risk that devours wealth in the blink of an eye— She should know, seeing as Heinrich will take after Felicity by developing a taste for gambling, with the exception of her self-control or luck.

The brown horse quickly gained on, then overtakes the black one. Adding to the mounting suspense, a grey horse with white spots was now in pace with the black one.

Darlin covers her ears as the audience shouts their joy and sorrow to the high heavens.

"Ugh...!" You better be worth the headache, Seven.

Her thoughts are directed towards the fourth horse, a brown thing with seven black spots on his rump.

"Unlucky Seven", they call him, is a large, southern stallion that's lost every race he's ever been in, always claiming last place and nothing else.

Word on the street is Unlucky Seven is only kept in races because the money needed to breed a southern stallion out of its natural habitat is no mere bit. It would be too much of a waste to put him down.

No one could imagine, in one fateful race, Seven's luck would completely turn around.

"Would you look at that?!" The commentator guffawed, "Seven, ya ol' bastard! He's catching up for the first damn time! HAHA!"

Unlucky Seven was indeed catching up, but not nearly enough to be neck and neck with the two fighting for second place.

"Bah! When are they gonna put that loser down?"

"Right? Seven's never won a day in his life!"

"What idiot's betting on that loser?"

With her elbow propped on her knee, Darlin turns her face into her palm to hide her smile. That would be me.

Yes, yes, she who looks down on gambling has placed bets on this race.

She's no hypocrite, however, as Darlin is not taking some senseless risk. She knows Seven will win, and that's why most of her money is on him.

The person recording the bets looked at her like she were a fool, but Darlin didn't care. In fact, she was pleased to be the only one betting on the loser horse because the return will be immense thanks to the sheer number betting against him.

No one saw the horseshoe fall off one of the brown horse's hooves. It disappeared into the raised dust, unnoticed by everyone but Darlin, who was anticipating it.

The brown horse, who is in the lead, must have stomped on something displeasing as it immediately neighed in panic and fell to the floor in a mess of flailing limbs. The grey and black horses did not stop in time, crashing into the brown one.

Horses are large animals so very full of anxiety. The three went into a panic, whinnying and thrashing their limbs. The trainers were unable to get near enough to calm them without the risk of getting a hoof to the face.

In that time, who should overtake them all but Unlucky Seven?

Finally, the crowd falls quiet, unable to believe their eyes. They were left speechless as the stallion broke through the blue ribbon, placing first in the last lap.