milliways_bar | (no subject)

Mary has never been a skilled rider. During her disastrous one and only lesson, the family pony had left her in a heap on the ground and she had steadfastly refused to go near a saddle again, content to either ride in a rig or walk.

But now there’s Milliways. A brave new world full of opportunities, a stable of horses, and an acquaintance with a certain Queen of Ambergeldar who happened to have a well-trained, proper lady’s mount stabled at the End of the Universe, and who had bade Mary to make use of her if she wished.

So, Mary is, at this moment, standing in the aisle of the Milliways stables having a serious conversation with a pretty brown mare.

“Now, Dar, I trust you’ll not attempt to throw me off. Or run away with me on your back. Or step on me. Or shy and jump. Or sweep me under a tree branch. Or do anything that will cause me to break a limb….”

Dar, fully tacked up in bridle and side saddle, is listening patiently. Any minute now, Mary will work up the courage to take her outside to the mounting block and actually get on.

Any minute now.

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"That probably didn't help. Yeah, she's a real beauty. All the horses here are and all well trained just for different things. At least one of 'em's trained for havin' a knight on 'im."

"Dar belongs to Miss Amy of Ambergeldar. Who, I learned after some acquaintance, is actually Queen Amy of Ambergeldar."

"Which, as I'm sure you can imagine, caused me a fair amount of consternation."

The current crop of English royals might be a bit of a mockery, but still, royalty carries a lot of weight for Mary.

"She's extremely kind. And it's to be expected, I suppose, that her horse would be very well mannered."

"Yeah, you never know what someone'll end up bein' here. Some folks say you don't have to be so polite but if you ain't then someone else'll tell you that you should be,"

It's confusing and he's never sure he'd saying the right thing.

"I think the best we can do is go forth with the manners we were taught."

Manners seem so varied in Milliways she's not sure how one would adjust them to suit everyone.

"I can't imagine someone taking offense at one being overly polite."

Dar trips a tiny bit and Mary clutches her mane momentarily to keep her seat.

"Yeah, you alright right?"

He slows Les down to check Mary's seat, he can easily get closer if she's worried about falling.

"I think so."

Dar has recovered quickly and is moving easily again.

"Have you ever fallen? Off a horse, I mean?"

"Yeah, I have. It's part of learnin' to ride. Also had cattle try and push me and my horse around,"

When he was younger he fell of more but he's always been a fairly good rider.

"I think I'd like to skip that bit of the learning process as much as possible."

She's seen the fall out. It's not pleasant.

"Well, from how you're ridin' I'd say you will. Especially if you keep ridin' Dar who seems to suit you. That's always a help."

She is starting to relax a little bit.

"She is quite pleasing."

"My family would think I'd taking leave of my senses."

If they could see her now.

"That'd be a shame cause I think you're bein' brave."

Mary smiles wryly. But pleased at the same time.

"Bravery of a mild sort, I suppose."

In truth, she does feel quite brave doing what she's doing. But she knows that this is an everyday activity that most people don't even think about.

"Still bravery. You want to try goin' a little faster?"

Its something that's hard for her and so she's being brave, that's all.

Mary reflexively clutches Dar's mane a bit.

"Maybe a little faster," she ventures.

"Not a full gallop. Not yet. I'd be sure to fall off."

"No, won't be doin' that for a while. Just a trot, ease into everythin',"

He gets Les going into a trot.

Mary bounces fairly horribly. Fortunately, Dar is quite patient.

She hangs on for all she's worth.

"This is really the most dreadful gait to try to keep one's seat on."

"Then try a canter, it's smoother."

"But faster."

Dar has a fairly smooth trot, really, but Mary's seat leaves something to be desired.

She tries to move with the horse, as one is supposed to do, and it seems to get a little better.

"Yeah, but it might be easier. It's all about movin' with her, you're startin' to do it."

Mary clenches her jaw and nods.

"Remember me fondly if I fall."

She touches the crop to Dar's side again, urging her into a canter.

"Don't say that and don't tense up like that,"

As she goes into a canter, he moves Les into one, still not too far away.

That had been rather defeatist, Mary acknowledges.

She's keeping her seat, though that may be by dint of keeping a death grip on the reins and Dar's mane. The mare is occasionally shaking and pulling her head, uncomfortable at the pull on the reins.

"I think I might want to stop."

Less the 'might.'

"Alright but be gentle about it and loosen up on the reins. She doesn't like that. I'll be right here if you feel like you're even wobblin'."

Mary pulls Dar up to a halt. A bit more forcefully than strictly necessary, but the mare takes it with decent grace.

She braces her hands on the horses neck, taking deep breaths and enjoying the feeling of sitting still, if on a precarious perch.

"I'm sorry."

Clearly this is not going to be an overnight learning experience.

Once she's stopped, he gets closer and rests his hand on Dar's mane,

"You did just fine. Let's get these two tied up and I'll help you down."

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