My Duty [korrasami]

Chapter XLVII

Her hearing was the first to come back. The muffled voices echoed through her head, whoever was trying to talk to her was definitely a man. She could tell by the huskey voice, it was loud and cheery. Soon, her eyes started to slowly open, the darkness was shooed away by the blinding light of the sun. She was outside?

The summer breeze soon hit her face, brushing her long hair out of her face. A hand waved in front of her.
"Korra? Are you still in there?"

Korra froze as she looked at the man standing before her. He was tall, a heavy build.
"Father?"

Tonraq raised a brow at his daughter.
"You were in the fog for a moment, is everything okay?"

Korra gave herself a few seconds to examine her surroundings. She was at the cottage again, outside at the front. A gasp escaped from her lips as she gazed down at herself, seeing that she was a lot smaller than she already was. Her short hair was long again, tied up high in a pony tail like it used to be. Everything was normal, but it didn't feel normal. Tonraq stepped closer and touched her shoulder.
"Korra?"

"Yes.. I'm fine. Sorry." She mumbled, not really knowing what was going on. It was strange.

Tonraq smiled, moving over to the elegant creature that was by his side. It was a pure white stallion, one of their best. He gently stroked the animal's back and patted at it's side.
"You ready?"

Korra realised that her father was talking to her, she pointed at her own chest with a brow raised.
"Me?"

Tonraq chuckled as he checked the saddle.
"Yes, you. Don't tell me you've got cold feet already?"

Korra looked between the horse and her father in utter confusion.
"Uh.. no?"

"Good, then hop on." Tonraq said and gestured to the horse. It was almost twice her side. Korra moved closer to the creature. The white horse reached around and touched her hair with its muzzle. The girl reached up and gently gripped the saddle. It was a complete giant. She lifted a foot and stabbed it at the stirrup, missing the first time. The second time she got it, and hauled herself up laboriously.

For a moment, she didn't move, taking deep breaths and as she sat tense. She felt like she had done this before but, when?

"Since this is your first lesson, we don't do much." Tonraq explained as he positioned himself a few metres away from his daughter.
"Have a go at moving him slowly towards me."

Korra nodded and picked up the two ropes coming from the horse's head. How would she get this beast to move? Perhaps...
"Giddy-up?" She said. The horse didn't move. It was worth a shot.

Tonraq chuckled again. What was he expecting anyway, it was her first time.
"Try using your heels."
Korra took her father's words into account and cautious tapped the horse with her heels. Startled, the creature took a few quick steps forward, then relaxed into a steady walk. Tonraq smiled as the horse was slowly making its way over to him.
"Good job Korra."

Korra smiled, proud with what she just acomplished yet her celebration didn't last long. The way the horse was moving, it was a rocking motion, yet difficult to balance. His head bobbed in time with his feet. He took a deep breath and let out a loud fluttering noise. Korra flinched, tightening onto the reins in the process. The horse responded by moving faster, and bumpier. Tonraq moved out of the way just in time, if he was a few seconds later he would've been flattened by the beast.

Korra bounced along, dropping the reins. She grabbed frantically at the handle sticking up in front of her. Holding it tightly with both hands, she struggled to control her fear. At each step, she was jolted in danger of being thrown off.
"Just relax Korra!" Tonraq shouted before the horse took his daughter away too far.