Heart of a Dragon Rider (Revised) (Loki x Reader)

5. Plan A

    It didn't take long for the horses to show up. Two guards rode in front astride white geldings. Behind them seven more horses, all different colors, fallowed. Thor went straight to the palomino stallion. His horse's tack sparked in the sunlight with an assortment of gold and precious jewels that announced to everyone that this stallion belonged to someone of noble birth. Thor's friends fallowed his lead going to their horses. Their tack wasn't nearly as blinding as the prince's, but each one had freshly polished armor. A black stallion, with the same impressive tack as Thor's horse, approached Loki.

    Loki gently stroked his stallion's soft muzzle, and for the first time I could see a gentler, more caring spark in the dark prince's eyes. Once he greeted his horse he gracefully swung up onto its back.

    That left only me to find a horse. I looked around the herd and saw what I assumed was meant to be my steed. Standing in the middle of the herd was a small bay gelding that dawned a simple leather saddled and bridle. One you would see normal civilians riding in. Nothing fancy, or note worthy like the others. Looking past the tack I could tell just by looking at the small bay gelding that he was a much older horse.

     Grey hair speckled his face, his shoulders and rump were skinner than the others, lacking the muscle that was there in his youth. His eyes were soft and gentle, unfazed by the younger horses around him that pawed at the ground ready to disembark back to the palace.

    I went over to him, letting him sniff the back of my hand to introduce myself. As expected of a old horse who's seen many things, and many different people, he took in a deep breath to smell my hand, but other wise he didn't move from his spot in the middle of the herd. He stood as still as a statue, his calm aura washing over me like a warm blanket.

    "You know horses?" Loki asked me from the top of his young black stallion who snorted and shook his head, snaking his neck, letting his master know that he was impatient to leave. Loki didn't pay any mind to his horse's cocky behavior. Holding him back with a firm yet gentle hand. One only a skilled equestrian could pull off.

    I nodded my head, eyeing Loki, watching how he handled his high strung horse. I quickly realized that the young prince was actually quite skilled at riding. Perhaps in another lifetime he would have made a noteworthy dragon rider. Even though it pained me to even think that highly of Loki. I couldn't deny he had some skill.

     On Dakarus knowing how to ride and work with horses was mandatory if you wanted to become a Dragon Rider. If you couldn't handle a high strung horse, you would never be able to handle a dragon.

    Loki hummed at my nod, a little impressed. Clearly he was evaluating me the same way as I was evaluating him. "Most mortals no longer know how to work with big animals." Loki said watching me stroke the old horses neck. "Its a lost skill."

    "I like animals." I shrug, my voice bland and emotionless. Unlike with Thor I couldn't fake weakness to Loki. He knew better. So I decided to be short with him. Pleasant, yes, but no more than that.

    Loki smiled at that, his green eyes glinting with humor. "That's why you own 'rare dogs'?" He asked with a teasing smile. Reminding me of what I called the Terrible Terror when we first met.

    That made me smirk softly, though I tired to hide it. Loki could sometimes be funny. When he wasn't annoying. Which made me all that more annoyed with him. "That's right." I agreed, making Loki exhale in a silent laugh.

    I ignored his laugh, collecting the reins in my hand, putting my foot in my stirrup, and swinging up gracefully onto the horse's back. Taking great care to sit down softly as to not hurt the old horse. Even though he was old and small he could easily carry my wight, but slamming down on any horse's back was never kind to them.