Horsemanship...Hopefully

[Guest Estel]

It was a good two hours yet before noon and the presence of a certain blonde, yawning head was a shock to the stablehands who tended to the senior officers’ stable.  It was highly unusual that Carnhain would be up before noon, let alone hanging around the stables at this “early” hour.  He was up in the saddle, jogging Fire around the perimeter of the paddock, though his eyes were focused on the pasture across the fence; a filly, about three years old, had his attention.

 

Carnhain had inherited his “Uncle Rowul’s” possessions when the pompous Captain had died during the Band’s stay in Illian.  That included Rowul’s mean-tempered Stallion Iron Heart and the small breeding program the ex-Whitecloak had managed to start before leaving his nephew with only one “family member” left alive.  The filly was one of Iron Heart’s foals, but she had nothing of her sire’s temper.  Not once had she ever tried to bite of kick Carnhain while he was working with her and though she wouldn’t make a good mount for combat, she was perfect for what he had planned for today.

 

Jatasha had once mentioned that she didn’t really know how to ride a horse, never having had the chance to learn growing up in the Perfumed Quarters.  It didn’t sit right with Carnhain that she spent a great deal of her time with a cavalryman and yet didn’t really know how to ride; this also being an essential skill if she were to ever join the Band, which she also mentioned yet never seemed to get around to doing, it seemed about time he did something about that.

 

“Jo, would you mind getting the filly?” Carnhain yelled out to one of the stablehands as he saw her coming up.  Dismounting, he grinned at her curious expression—thus far he had only told her to meet him here.  “Good morning.”  Just then, Jo brought the other horse up.  “What do you think of her?”

[TaeaDawn]

Her morning was beginning far earlier than Jatasha was used to.  Not that she minded.  There was very little she minded when Carnhain had something to do with it and he had asked her to meet him here bright and early.  She had pulled her bair back in a braid, unsure of what the day would bring.  She hoped she'd eaten enough breakfast for whatever was about to happen.  She'd only eaten a little bread and an apple but it was her normal and she doubted he'd be doing anything too strenuous this early. At least she hoped.

 

She saw him as she came into the stables and smiled.  He seemed to sense her as well because he looked at her just then and for a second her heart stopped.  He seemed to be more at ease here than in his office, or out on the training field.  Maybe it was the horses.  Maybe he was really a morning person and was disguising it.  Or maybe she just saw something in his this morning that she hadn't before.

 

She didn't know why she was there though so she gave him a curious look.  His words made her look at the horse that was brought over to him.  She didn't say anything as she came up to him and wrapped an arm around him, burying herself in him for just a second before saying "Good morning."  She looked at the horse then.  "A pretty thing.  Does she have a name?"

 

Jatasha   

[Guest Estel]

As Jatasha’s arm wrapped around him, he, in turn, snaked his own arm around her.  Carnhain couldn’t seem to stop grinning.  “Nope, not yet.  She’s yours to name.”  For a moment, he considered subtracting “to name”.  He had a half-dozen other horses who would make far better warhorses and this filly was all but useless for anything but breeding; she wasn’t ideal for breeding either, being just a hair too small.  What would Jatasha make of it though?  It wasn’t like most people gave away horses like candy, would it scare her off?  The present would be completely out of the blue, he’d never given her anything before; what would she read into this?

 

“I want to teach you to ride her.  I had the day off--” not exactly the truth, he had just reported that he was “training” “—I figured maybe you’d like to ride around the area.”

[TaeaDawn]

She reached a hand out to the horse who began snuffling her hand as if it could smell the apple still on it.  Probably could, she thought with a small smile.  "I do be naming her?"  She looked up at Carnhain, not sure why he was letting her name it, nor why he was teaching her to ride.  She wasn't about to turn down the offer since she wanted to learn but even more, she wanted to spend the time with Carnhain.  Not that she didn't get to see him, but he was important and had other things to do than spend all day in bed with her.   

 

Horses in stories always had fancy names but she couldn't think of any.  It hit her suddenly and she smiled at Carnhain.  "I think she do look like a Hope."  She half expected him to laugh at her but he didn't.  Her smile became brighter then.    "A ride?"  She finally managed to say.  "I do like that idea. I have no been out of the Citadel in a while."  She added, hoping he wouldn't mind that her enthusiasm was mostly about spending the time with him.

 

Jatasha