Moonmount Castle - LGBT, manXman

13

Lodareth

He just stared at me for a moment, startled. He wasn't as shocked as I was though. This was bad. Very, very bad. I inwardly berated myself while I waited for his answer. I was just tempting myself, asking for trouble. But the boy did seem to know about horses, and was obviously fond of them.

"Well, I... I suppose I could, sir. At least, I can ask Ulric. Are you looking for three more hunters?"

I nodded.

"Well, if I may, sir, you'd be better off going to Faversham horse fair. Olney usually has more carriage horses there than hunters. Faversham has fairer prices too."

I considered for a moment. Faversham was much closer, only one day's ride each way, instead of three. I wanted to go to Olney, simply because I'd have longer to spend alone with Coda.

I inwardly slapped myself again, and nodded at his suggestion. "I'll tell my father tomorrow that we're going to Faversham instead of Olney. And I'll speak to Ulric too."

He nodded amiably, and continued eating his bun.

We could have easily spent the rest of the day there, waiting for him to finish his bun. He took tiny little nibbling bites and savoured each mouthful for as long as he could.

Eventually, I could stand it no longer. "If you find me three good horses at Faversham, I'll let you and only you look after my horses from then on, see. And if they're all still alive at the end of the week, I'll buy you a spiced bun as a bonus. If, at the end of the next week they're still alive, I'll buy you another, as another bonus. And I'll keep doing that until they drop dead. By that time, I might have gotten you out of the habit of taking nibbling little bites like a rabbit!"

He immediately crammed the rest into his mouth and swallowed as fast as he could. "Sorry, sir," he said, standing up and jumping off the rock. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting. You could have gone on ahead, sir. I said you could take Pistol."

I jumped down from the rock beside him, laughing. "Well, at least I got you moving again. I thought we'd be here forever." Which, I thought to myself, I wouldn't really have minded.

He untied Pistol and picked up the basket of apples.

"Hang on." I took the basket from him and secured it quickly in front of the saddle.

"What're you doing?"

"We can ride him home. He never tries to throw two riders. Miss Cornella's apples will be perfectly safe."

Before he could protest, I picked him up and practically threw him into the saddle. He let out a little squeak of protest, and immediately flushed red for doing so. His slim frame weighed so little compared to my heavier bulk, and Pistol hardly shifted as I vaulted up behind Coda.

I reached forwards and took the reins, which were long enough to fit over Coda's head and give me control. They also allowed me to scoot closer to Coda, and almost wrap my arms around him as I swung the horse around.

"Hold on to the apples." I booted the stubborn gelding to a swift trot.

"How do you know he never throws two riders?" Coda asked me. "No one told me that."

"I learned to ride on Pistol. I know him better than anyone. He'll try to throw anyone but me."

We rode on in silence.

Every so often, Coda would jolt around, catching an apple that jiggled out of the basket. Every time he did, I used that as an excuse to tighten my arms around him for a moment, under the pretence of holding him securely in the saddle. His arms underneath mine, though thin, were corded with muscle from lifting and carrying.

I also noticed he had a nice, horsy smell; I determined never to tell him that, deciding he might be offended. I liked it though. I love the smell of horses, and horse smell on top of Coda smell was lovely. I quickly pushed my thoughts away from the direction they were heading in.

"How did you get that scar?" I asked finally, once I grew bored of silence. There was no need to clarify which scar.

He shifted uncomfortably in front of me. "There was an... accident. The day my parents died. I got it then, sir."

I didn't want to push him to tell me more, as it was clear he didn't like speaking about his parents, but my curiosity grew. I was finding many things about this boy fascinating. He was drawing me deeper; against my will, I found myself having feelings I had hoped to never have again.

We finally trotted through the castle gates, and dismounted just inside them. Coda took the reins and basket and we headed for the stables. Ulric was waiting for Coda, ready to berate him for being so long. He stopped his scolding when he saw me.

"Master Lodareth? I thought you went out with the hunt this morning, sir."

"I did, Ulric. But my horse threw a shoe, and I had to walk back to town and take him to the blacksmith."

I saw Ulric swell with anger. "Do you know who readied your horse this morning, sir? They should have spotted that."

"I'm afraid I don't Ulric. I came down to the stables, and Sagan was waiting for me, ready to go. I was impressed that someone got him ready without my asking."

Ulric looked confused for a moment, before he shook his head. "Still, sir, they should have said about the shoe, sir."

"Well, no harm was done to anyone, so we can forget it."

During our conversation, Coda had slipped quietly away with Pistol.

"I met Coda in the town, and walked back with him. I'm afraid it was me that held him up."

Ulric glanced around, noticing Coda had gone. "Well... I'll send someone to fetch your horse tomorrow morning, sir. He'll be ready for tomorrow afternoon's ride."

"You can send Coda. You like to see what the new boys can do; if he brings Sagan back all right, you'll know he's good. Sagan hates strangers."

Ulric looked as though he was going to argue for a moment, before he nodded agreeably.

"Oh, and my father says I'm to go to Faversham in a few days, to fetch some new horses. Coda's coming with me, to help me choose them. You have no problem with that, I trust."

"Oh no, sir. Not at all. But if I may, sir, wouldn't one of the more experienced boys be better off going with you, sir?"

"Coda will manage fine," I said, shortly. "He's grown up around horses, so he told me, and he seems to know a good horse when he sees one."

"Very well, sir. I'll have horses ready for when you leave."

"Thank you, Ulric. I think we're to leave next Wednesday, early."