Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Oct 9, 2012 18:21:45 GMT -5
Okay then,” Marcus smiled at her and crunched down on his cinnamon stick as he stood back up. He smiled at Olivia and said, “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, but okay, bring her along.” He had a feeling this was just the beginning of many a time in the future when he was going to give in to Olivia’s whims and desires. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.
Ariana frowned she had heard it and didn't like the sound of it. She went behind Olivia more to screen herself from Marcus. She liked Olivia she reminded her of her older sister who had left her because she couldn't take take care of her anymore. Her older sister didn't want to leave her in that orphanage but she had no choice, there was barely any food as it was and she had no job or family. She had figured the girl would fare better there then under her care. She took Olivias hand and squeezed it, Olivia looked down at her and smiled squeezing her hand back. Olivia ten raised an eyebrow at Marcus.
"You hope I know what I'm doing? " she repeated. "Well thank you for having so much faith in me." She said sarcastically.
“Well, let’s go see if Tessa got those mounts lined up for us. I want to get back fast and avoid any entanglements with outlaws. You don’t mind riding do you?” he asked Olivia.
her eyebrow rose further at the absurd question. "Really Marcus what kind of a question is that? Honestly did you lose your brain or something? I'm a Courier not a delicate flower I can handle a hard days ride without flinching. There is no need to ask such a ridiculous question." she inwardly winced at how harsh her words had sounded but wasn't quite sure how to make up for it. The way she saw it she didn't really need to because it had been a ridiculous question right? To her it had been, she had rode hard many a time of course she would have preferred to ride Mara her horse who knew her ways and Olivia her but that could not be helped and she would take what was offered without complaint he was doing his best and that was all there was to it.
"Let's go before Tess starts to get worried." she send in a more gentle tone. She put a hand on his arm briefly then walked past him in the direction in which the young girl had gone.
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Post by Brandwyn on Oct 11, 2012 20:03:24 GMT -5
At Olivia’s raised eyebrow, Marcus gave her a look of ‘what?’ but didn’t say a word.
"You hope I know what I'm doing? " she repeated. "Well thank you for having so much faith in me." She said sarcastically.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Marcus sputtered with just a hint of crossness in his voice. Was he going to have to watch every single word around her? Well if that was the case, they were going to have a very bumpy relationship – if they had one at all – for he was not going to molly coddle the girl. If she was going to be testy at every little thing he said… he left the thought unfinished and focused on getting them back to Araluen castle.
“Well, let’s go see if Tessa got those mounts lined up for us. I want to get back fast and avoid any entanglements with outlaws. You don’t mind riding do you?” he asked Olivia.
Her eyebrow rose further at the absurd question. "Really Marcus what kind of a question is that? Honestly did you lose your brain or something? I'm a Courier not a delicate flower I can handle a hard days ride without flinching. There is no need to ask such a ridiculous question."
“A ridiculous question?” Marcus glared at her and crossed his arms. Now that was going too far – dressing him down like that in public. The few people lingering in the area glanced at them and Marcus glared at them too, willing them to be on their way. It was a perfectly legitimate question since he’d found her wandering around the woods on foot. Obviously there was some reason she hadn’t ridden out there in the first place, even though he didn’t know what it was. Maybe she didn’t have her own horse and wasn’t fond of riding unknown horses, how was he to know one way or the other? He fumed and was wondering just what he should say. It was almost as if she was provoking him to a fight.
Marcus pondered that for a moment as he stood there, rooted to the spot staring at her. He saw her wince and thought he saw a flicker of regret in her eyes like she might have been sorry she’d said those things to him. His own look grew from angry to thoughtful as he looked back on the day’s events. She wasn’t really angry with him, she was just venting from a very fear filled emotional day. He was about to open his mouth when she laid her hand on his arm and said, "Let's go before Tess starts to get worried." she said in a more gentle tone. She put a hand on his arm briefly then walked past him in the direction in which the young girl had gone.
Marcus nodded and fell in step next to her. He was still just a little hurt, but he didn’t want to quarrel with her. He reached over and captured her hand gently in his, “You’ve had quite a day, haven’t you?” he observed cautiously, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He certainly didn’t want to upset her further. “I know I am going to be quite glad to get back to the castle and settle into a room with a big meal and a large mug of mulled apple cider.” He smiled at her. “Maybe the cook will even have some of those crème horn pastry things he’s so famous for.” Marcus licked his lips. He really did have a sweet tooth. It was fortunate for his physique that he spent so much time roaming the woods and led such an active lifestyle, otherwise he would be sitting up in a merchant shop growing a nice fat belly – just like his brother was doing. He chuckled at the thought and the memory of how his brother had looked on him enviously during his visit with them yesterday.
He really wanted to know more about Olivia and hoped to take her mind off their eventful day so he asked, “Is there any food you just go crazy over? For me it’s pretty much anything sweet with a pastry – pies, tarts, pasties, confections – you name it, I like it!” He said with a laugh. Spirit, who had been following him back and forth through the town, nudged him on the shoulder. “Yeah, I know Boy, you like ‘em too.” Marcus reached up and rubbed Spirit’s jaw bone affectionately, “and no, I don’t have any right now, I am very sorry to say.” He fished in his pouch, however and gave Spirit one of the cinnamon sticks. The ranger horse bobbed his head in thanks and munched on the treat happily.
Turning back to Olivia he continued, “So, like I said, pastry is my weakness, what’s yours? I want to know how to properly bribe my way back into your good graces when I screw up in the future.” He tilted his chin down and looked at her through uplifted eyes like he was a little boy trying to be sweet and innocent when he knew he was in trouble. A smile played around his lips, but he was trying very hard to hold a straight face and an innocent look.
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Oct 12, 2012 6:53:13 GMT -5
“Well then, you are in for a treat! No better time than the present to start learning.” He said a little too enthusiastically. “Why don’t you have the Stablemaster give you a lesson on how to saddle a horse once he picks out those two mounts for you and Olivia. We’ll meet you down there in a little bit.”
Tessa looked at him questioningly and headed in the direction of the stable, hoping it didn't have an 'x' on the door. She held the gold piece in her hand, clutching it like her life depended on it. When she reached the stable, she was relieved to see it seemingly unscathed. She stepped inside, warily looking around. She stepped near one of the horses, a bit scared of it's size. She was about to reach up and touch it when she heard someone behind her. She whirled around, "What do you want, girl!" a gruff, large man said accusingly, "Planning to steal one of my horses are ya!" Tessa's eyes widened, "NO! I was just going to touch it." "You don't need to touch nothin!" the man growled. She opened her hand to reveal the gold coin, "I need to rent a couple horses, just for a few days." The man grabbed the coin from her hand and Tessa cried out, "You more than likely stole it, you little thief!" "I didn't! Honest!"
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Oct 13, 2012 11:48:05 GMT -5
“So, like I said, pastry is my weakness, what’s yours? I want to know how to properly bribe my way back into your good graces when I screw up in the future.” He tilted his chin down and looked at her through uplifted eyes like he was a little boy trying to be sweet and innocent when he knew he was in trouble. A smile played around his lips, but he was trying very hard to hold a straight face and an innocent look.
She looked at him and saw through his innocent look and saw it for what it really was. Him, it was all him and he was very bad at looking innocent. Besides the corners of his mouth were twitching wildly he was totally just barely keeping a straight face. She thought it was adorable. She looked down at Ariana and smiled then looked back up at Marcus and gently elbowed him in the ribs.
"You sir are very bad and looking innocent I might have bought it but your lips keep twitching as if you have a nervous tick." There was a smile in her voice making sure she knew that she was teasing him and not mad anymore. " I think the one think I love most sugared fruit, you know the kind that is all dried and rolled in sugar. My favorite would have to be apples, dried sugared apples." she had a terrible sweet tooth when it came down to dried fruit and apples were extra sweet all on their own then you roll them in sugar with a hint of cinnamon. You could bate a trap for her with that stuff and she would go willingly. Her stomach growled, it was very hungry. She muttered something under her breath if you had good ears you might have caught something about bandits and and how they were stupid. Ariana smiled, she really liked Olivia in fact she didn't want to leave the courier, she was pretty, gentle, and kind she just didn't really want to hang around the man to much. She didn't like him to much even if he had given her candy, he had objected to her coming along. To her young mind it seemed like he didn't care about her at all weather she was on the streets or in a nice home being cared for. Well forget him! She wasn't going to talk to him not even look at him. As long as Olivia was around she would be content to go wherever Olivia put her, there was just something about the courier that was trustworthy. She didn't quite understand it, she shrugged she didn't really have to. Olivia frowned as they approached the stable.
"You better go in there Marcus I think your Apprentice might be in trouble."
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Post by Brandwyn on Oct 13, 2012 19:17:54 GMT -5
Marcus grinned at her and shrugged helplessly. At least he’d learned her weakness, and judging from the sound of her tummy, that she was hungry. Now that he thought about it, so was he. He wondered if the local tavern was serving supper.
The walk to the stable was a fairly short one and as they approached Marcus and Olivia heard a commotion from inside.
"You more than likely stole it, you little thief!" "I didn't! Honest!"
He looked at Olivia and she said, "You better go in there Marcus I think your Apprentice might be in trouble."
Marcus slapped his forehead and groaned, “I am such a dolt! I should have known he would assume she stole that gold piece.” He pulled his silver oak leaf out so it was visible on his chest and looked sadly at Arianna for a moment. “You know it really makes me mad how some people just assume the worst of the poor and especially street kids and orphans,” he said to Olivia and then switched to look her in the eye. “I really hope your friends can take care of Arianna because I don’t think I could put her in the ward. It is not really such a great place to grow up. Maybe, if it comes down to it, you and I could…” He was being totally unrealistic. How could either of them care for a child with their roving lifestyles? “Well, let’s just focus on one issue at a time, shall we? Let me go serve this stablehand a slice of humble pie and then we can all discuss Arianna’s future when we get back to the castle tonight.” Marcus felt that Arianna should be given a choice, that’s why he’d asked her if she wanted to come along in the first place. It was her life after all. But he had another young lady with a more immediate problem that needed fixing right away.
Marc squared his shoulders and then strode into the barn, his face transformed from the anger he felt to a look of expectation that his apprentice had fulfilled her assigned task. “Hey Tessa, does the fellow have the horses we need?” he called out as he entered the stable. “I should think that gold I gave you would be more than enough for a couple of palfreys for you ladies.”
He saw the gold piece in the stablemaster’s hand. The man had just bitten down on the coin to see if it was real. He looked like he was about to shoo Tessa out of his barn by force. Marcus stood in the doorway, casually leaning against the frame and fingering his bow string as he smiled coldly at the stablemaster.
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Nov 10, 2012 15:59:43 GMT -5
“Hey Tessa, does the fellow have the horses we need?” he called out as he entered the stable. “I should think that gold I gave you would be more than enough for a couple of palfreys for you ladies.”
"Marc!" Tessa ran toward him, relieved that he'd shown up. She stood behind him and glared at the stablemaster, "I told you I wasn't a theif!" she growled.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 13, 2012 22:00:37 GMT -5
"Is there some sort of problem here?" Marc asked innocently. He pretended he hadn't overheard the man's accusations or seen him pocketing the gold piece. The stablemaster scowled back at her until he saw the look on Marc’s face. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes as he realized Marcus was a ranger, but it was quickly squelched. “I got no horses for the likes of you.” He said sullenly and turned away to reach for a pitchfork.
“Indeed?” Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Then perhaps you should have said so before you accepted payment.” Marc pinned the man with his eyes, giving him an opportunity to give the gold back, even though Marc was sure he wouldn’t.
The man looked back and forth between him and Tessa, calculating his response. Marc could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out how he could keep the gold piece and send the ranger off without the horses. After a long moment while they stared at each other, the stablemaster finally said with a dissatisfied growl, “fine, take your pick of any except those two black’s at the end. They pull the mayor’s cart and are not for rent.” He shuffled off into the grain room and began rattling buckets. Some of the horses pricked their ears forward and a couple pawed the ground impatiently, knowing their dinner was on the way.
Marc placed a light hand on Tessa’s shoulder and walked her down the aisle of the barn peering into each stall. Although the stablemaster was a sourpuss, he had to admit the man took good care of the horses. Still there were some better than others and a couple of older horses that were thin and sway-backed. Marc pointed out good items and bad items at each stall just based on observation.
As they were coming back up the other side Marcus saw a smaller horse, little more than a pony really, that was very dark gray with even darker gray circles dappling its coat. Its mane and tail were a light creamy color in addition to being very thick, long and shaggy. She had dainty hooves and an intelligent look about her. When Marcus and Tessa stopped at the stall, the pony stepped forward and sniffed at Tessa. “Now this little one here looks to be about the right size for you Tessa.” Marc commented. “I suspect you might be a bit nervous about all of this, huh?”
The next horse was also a mare, but was a chestnut in color. She tossed her head and pawed the ground as Marcus looked in through the upper half of the box stall door. The mare looked to be a little high-strung, but she was in good condition and had great confirmation. She stepped forward and flared her nostrils then leaned her nose close to Marcus’s face. With a whiff of air, she tossed her head and then stamped her foot. It seemed to Marcus as if she was telling him to get her out of there already. Marcus motioned Olivia over, “How do you like her? She looks like a right smart lady.”
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Nov 17, 2012 16:08:10 GMT -5
Olivia saw him motion her over. She inclined her head to t he stables. "Come on lets go see what he needs." She said to Arianna, they entered the stable and joined the two at the stall.
“How do you like her? She looks like a right smart lady.”
Olivia walked up to the horse and slowly and gently reached out her hand, the horse sniffed at it and turned her eyes to the small girl. She patted the horses neck. "You are right she does seem like a very smart horse." The horse looked beautiful and very intelligent. She also seemed a little high strung but nothing she couldn't handle if Marcus asked her to. She looked the horse over again wondering if she could bear two riders. Olivia liked horses even if they made her nervous sometimes because they were so big and she was so small. As long as they were well mannered and trained she was ok. She looked over at Marcus. "Are you getting this horse? Just how many are you getting if I may ask?"
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Dec 14, 2012 8:01:28 GMT -5
As they were coming back up the other side Marcus saw a smaller horse, little more than a pony really, that was very dark gray with even darker gray circles dappling its coat. Its mane and tail were a light creamy color in addition to being very thick, long and shaggy. She had dainty hooves and an intelligent look about her. When Marcus and Tessa stopped at the stall, the pony stepped forward and sniffed at Tessa. “Now this little one here looks to be about the right size for you Tessa.” Marc commented. “I suspect you might be a bit nervous about all of this, huh?”
Tessa smiled at the pony when it sniffed her. She fondled its nose. She'd always wanted a horse, she'd watched the horses in the village for years. "Yes, I've never ridden a horse."
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Post by Brandwyn on Jan 16, 2013 21:51:52 GMT -5
She looked over at Marcus. "Are you getting this horse? Just how many are you getting if I may ask?"
Marcus looked from Olivia to the young girl clinging to her, "well, I just figured one for you and one for Tessa. I don't think our pretty young lady here is quite ready to handle a pony on her own." Marcus smiled at her. "I was thinking she could ride with you or I. Spirit adores children and would be quite gentle if she rode with me."
Of course he was going to have to get Tessa comfortable with her mount but he suspected that once they were away from the barn, the pony would just stay with the other two horses and doubted it would give her much trouble.
"Besides, I intend to bring them back in a day or two anyway. I just wanted us to have something in case we need to get away from any more outlaws lurking around." He looked in the direction of the bandit's body hanging from the tree, even though it was now out of sight. "I am getting a bit tired of tangling with these guys. We need to get on the offensive side instead of defensive side with them."
hoping that was okay with Olivia, Marc turned back to the stablemaster, "we will need tack for these two and please feed them first while I go over some things with Tessa."
The stablemaster nodded, the scowl still on his face as he shuffled down the aisle with the buckets of grain for the horses packed in a wheelbarrow in front of him. "They all git their meal at the same time. Cuts down on the arguing between 'em," he mumbled as he dumped the grain into the feed boxes in each stall.
For several minutes all of the horses were chewing contendely and the stablemaster began to raton out a couple flakes of hay for each horse, some recieving a bit more than others, just as not all of them got the same amount of grain. Marc nodded in approval to himself. The man did know how to care for the horses. Marc knew it was a delicate balance to keep a horse at peak weight. Some didn't need any grain at all and some needed a great deal. The trick was to figure out when you needed to increase or decrease your horse's feed to maintain that healthy weight.
Marcus walked back over to Tessa.
Tessa smiled at the pony when it sniffed her. She fondled its nose. She'd always wanted a horse, she'd watched the horses in the village for years. "Yes, I've never ridden a horse."
"Well then, I am going to give you a few basics, so listen up. The first thing you need to know is how to fall off of them correctly." Marcus then spent several minutes while the horses were eating explaining how to fall without breaking your arm or neck, to tuck and roll with the fall, how to stop the horse from moving, a few of the leg signals to make him move forward, left and right and the same with the reins.
He showed her how to brush the pony and put the saddle on that the stablemaster gave to them and then finally how to put the bridle on. By that time most of the horses were done eating, including Spirit, whom Marcus had fed while the other horses were eating. He checked on Olivia to see if she needed any assitance with her tack or anything else.
"I think we had better try them out in the little arena back there before we trying them on the road." Marc suggested to both of them. "It will be safer to get the feel for them in a fenced in area."
He led Tessa and Olivia to the small paddock behind the stable and then asked Ariana if she wanted to sit on Spirit's back in the saddle and watch Tessa and Olivia. "I promise, Spirit will stand right here and you can hang onto that saddle horn right there. Would you like me to lift you up there?"
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Feb 1, 2013 23:30:28 GMT -5
"Well then, I am going to give you a few basics, so listen up. The first thing you need to know is how to fall off of them correctly."
'Fall! Well, I guess I should have expected that....' Tessa thought, alarmed for a second at the thought of falling of a horse and what might happen if the horse decided to run over you.
Marcus then spent several minutes while the horses were eating explaining how to fall without breaking your arm or neck, to tuck and roll with the fall, how to stop the horse from moving, a few of the leg signals to make him move forward, left and right and the same with the reins.
So much information! How would she ever remember everything? Knowing her, she'd end up falling off once she got on the horse.
He showed her how to brush the pony and put the saddle on that the stablemaster gave to them and then finally how to put the bridle on. By that time most of the horses were done eating, including Spirit, whom Marcus had fed while the other horses were eating.
"I think we had better try them out in the little arena back there before we trying them on the road." Marc suggested to both of them. "It will be safer to get the feel for them in a fenced in area."
"Alright," Tessa was a bit nervous about actually riding the horse. It seemed okay at the moment, but who knew what would happen once she got on the thing!
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Feb 9, 2013 20:51:43 GMT -5
Olivia led her horse around the ring talking softly to it leaving Ariana in Marcus's care for the moment. She talked to the horse so that it would recognize her voice and react to her commands better. She would much have preferred to ride Mara but she was at the castle and could not be ridden at the moment. So once she felt like the horse knew her a little bit better she carefully mounted the horse and readjusted her skirts so that her legs were covered. She clicked her tongue and gently nudged the horse forward riding it around the ring. Feeling out the horses gait and little habits and such.
He led Tessa and Olivia to the small paddock behind the stable and then asked Ariana if she wanted to sit on Spirit's back in the saddle and watch Tessa and Olivia. "I promise, Spirit will stand right here and you can hang onto that saddle horn right there. Would you like me to lift you up there?"
Ariana looked up at Marcus with big eyes. But nodded she wouldn't mind getting up on the horse it might be fun.
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Post by Brandwyn on Apr 3, 2013 23:16:26 GMT -5
Marcus lifted up Ariana but paused before he placed her on Spirit's back. "Do me a favor? Whisper 'Gnome pajamas' into Spirit's ear." he said to Ariana and held her up near Spirit's ear.
After she complied, he set her firmly let gently in the saddle and showed her how to hang onto the saddlehorn. All the while he was distracted by Olivia putting the mare through her paces. When Ariana was settled, he took a few minutes just to watch Olivia. Wistfully he whispered, "Man! She's a rare beauty!" just loud enough that Ariana could hear.
The sounds of Tessa struggling to get on her pony brought Marcus out of his stupor. He strode over and held onto the pony's headstall and gave Tessa a leg up, instructing her on how to mount and hold the reins to keep control of the horse while she settled herself into the saddle and stirrups.
Then he led the pony at a walk around the paddock watching how Tessa was sitting and showing her how to rein and use her legs to stear the pony. After several minutes he let go of the headstall and just walked beside them to see if Tessa could keep the pony moving in the direction she wanted to go.
They were doing fairly well, so Marcus decided to step to the center of the paddock so he could watch both women and assess their riding skill. "Okay, I am letting you ride solo," Marcus said to Tessa. "Just keep him at a walk until you get the hang of it. Don't let him slow down. You are the boss so tell him what to do."
He kept his eye on Ariana and on Olivia as he worked with Tessa. "When you feel up to it, just squeeze your knees and nudge him with one foot. He will break into a canter when you do that, so have a good grip on the saddle horn. If you start to loose your balance, lean back in the saddle and pull back gently on the reins.
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a1ko4
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 77
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Post by a1ko4 on Apr 4, 2013 7:02:15 GMT -5
The sounds of Tessa struggling to get on her pony brought Marcus out of his stupor. He strode over and held onto the pony's headstall and gave Tessa a leg up, instructing her on how to mount and hold the reins to keep control of the horse while she settled herself into the saddle and stirrups.
"Thanks," she murmurred, a bit embarrased that she couldn't get up on the pony by herself. She listened to him patiently and did what he said, hoping that she was doing it right.
Then he led the pony at a walk around the paddock watching how Tessa was sitting and showing her how to rein and use her legs to stear the pony. After several minutes he let go of the headstall and just walked beside them to see if Tessa could keep the pony moving in the direction she wanted to go."Okay, I am letting you ride solo," Marcus said to Tessa. "Just keep him at a walk until you get the hang of it. Don't let him slow down. You are the boss so tell him what to do."
Tessa almost panicked when Marc let go of the reins, what if the pony started running! But, no, the pony continued to walk and she slowly steered it around the arena.
He kept his eye on Ariana and on Olivia as he worked with Tessa. "When you feel up to it, just squeeze your knees and nudge him with one foot. He will break into a canter when you do that, so have a good grip on the saddle horn. If you start to loose your balance, lean back in the saddle and pull back gently on the reins."
She nodded, afraid of cantering, it seemed much to fast. Suddenly there was a flash and thunder rumbled over the countryside. She jumped in the saddle, causing the horse to burst forward, cantering. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Remembering Marc's instructions, she leaned back and pulled on the reins.
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Post by Brandwyn on May 29, 2013 7:01:39 GMT -5
She nodded, afraid of cantering, it seemed much to fast. Suddenly there was a flash and thunder rumbled over the countryside. She jumped in the saddle, causing the horse to burst forward, cantering. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Remembering Marc's instructions, she leaned back and pulled on the reins.
The sudden peel of thunder made Marcus jump, but not as much as Tessa did. He watched helplessly as the pony burst into a canter and saw the fear on her face. Fortunately she kept her head and brought the pony back under control, but he snorted and pranced around a bit as the leading gust of wind from the oncoming thunderstorm slammed into them.
Marc took his eyes off Tessa just long enough to assess the angry sky and didn’t like what he saw. The storm likely wasn’t going to last long, but it was going to be furious. Huge drops of rain began to pelt them and he waved the ladies over to him. Both the horses were being skittish and Marc knew it was only a matter of time before someone was going to get hurt.
“Let’s put them back in their stalls until this storm passes over,” he suggested. “I don’t think its going to last a long time, though it does look like we may have a very wet ride back to the city. I think its going to switch over to a nice soaking rain after this initial blast.” He once again reached for Tessa’s pony’s reins and held the horse so she could dismount.
The pony liked to move around a bunch while people were getting on and off of him. He patted it on the neck and soothed it, “there, there Little Fella, its okay. Just a little thunderstorm, it will be gone before you know it.” Marcus noticed the wild look in the pony’s eyes matched the look in Tessa’s. “You did great there with him, pulling him up like that when he took off,” he smiled at Tessa. “I must admit I was a bit concerned for a moment there, but you handled him like a natural.”
ZZZZZzzziiiiTTT! CRACK!
A bright flash of lightening was followed immediately by a loud rumble of thunder and Marcus could smell ozone in the air. “We’d better--,“ He was interrupted by another flash and then the bottom dropped out of the bucket and the rain hit them full force. The wind whipped the rain around and drove it sideways straight into their faces.
Marcus pulled the pony, with little urging, toward the barn door and whistled for Spirit to follow him, glancing to make sure Arianna was still clinging to the saddle. He ushered the others into the barn and then wiped the rain from his eyes. “Well, looks like we are stuck here until the storm blows over. Everyone okay?” he asked.
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