The Dragonborn

Part 16

As Mark approached a scruffy looking man in a chair by the small stable, Jack approached the horse he had eyed earlier.  Carefully raising his hand up nice and slow for the tall Black horse to see, he smiled up at it.  The tall horse snorted a gust of warm breath at his raised palm, before lightly pressing his soft warm nose to it.  As Jack stroked the horses nose, he listened and occasionally glanced in Mark's direction.  Mark shook hands with the stable master, telling him in a friendly tone.  "How is business, Skular"?  Skular shook his head grimly, answering in a softer tone.  "Not so good sense this war started. The Imperials have been taking all my good horses... They just claim them without paying. They say it's my contribution to this damned war. Such nonsense. A man like me can't make a living this way. What's worse... They leave me with the horses that I can't sell. Damaged goods, they call them. I might as well close up at this rate".  Mark turned to look at Jack with a smirk, before telling Skular.  "Well, what have you got left"? 

Skular strolled off past Jack to a stall with a brown horse.  Unlocking the stall, he gestured Mark to go in as he told him.  "This is what they left me with. He's a little on the small size, but he's just as hardy as the others".  Mark ran a hand along the horses warm fur coat, closely looking him over, when he asked.  "What makes him damaged goods"?  Skular leaned on the stall door, before stating with a loud sigh.  "He's young. Barely broken in. He doesn't get along well with other horses. And to add salt to the injury... he's got a bad limp. His right hind leg. Little bastard bolted when the Imperials tried to take him.  He caused one of their carriage horses to rear... spilled timber logs all over the road... and this nag's leg got caught up under a log in the chaos. It will most likely heal... but until than he moves to slow to be of much use".  Mark slid his hand carefully down the horses hurt leg to the hoof.  The horse wasn't resting any weigh on it, but he needed to see how sensitive it was.  Gently squeezing the muscles and joints, Mark waited to see where it was hurting him most.  Right at the joint above his hoof, the horse flicked his hand off aggressively.  Then shifted away from him, whipping Mark in the face as he did with his long black tail.

Mark chuckled softly, telling Skular lightly.  "Well, he maybe favoring it... but he's putting weight on it now. I'll take him".  Skular gave him a warm smile, answering happily.  "Alright. A thousand coins and I'll throw in his tack as well".  Mark shook Skular's hand again, replying.  "You got a deal. Now about this one".  Mark gestured to the tall horse that Jack was petting and Skular let out a sarcastic chuckle.  Jack couldn't help shooting Skular a sour look.  So he wasn't a Clydesdale.  That didn't make this horse useless!  Skular saw their serious expressions and told them a little stunned.  "Are you serious? Mark, you know this horse is a waste of money. He'll never survive this region. Why do you want him"?  Jack noticed a weird smirk cross Mark's face, when he answered coolly.  "He's been here for awhile now. I'd say he's surviving well enough".  Jack blushed, turning his face back to the horse.  Now he knew what look Mark had.  He was only reflecting what he had told Mark earlier.  The big oaf.  Smiling, Jack stroked the horses head trying to pretend he didn't notice.

Skular shrugged, telling them with a deep sigh.  "Alright. Same deal. A thousand coins".  Mark crossed his arms defiantly, telling Skular gently.  "Five-hundred coins and his tack. You won't get a better offer for him".  Skular frowned, but shook Mark's hand as he happily said.  "Deal. Hell, he was just taking up room anyway".  As Skular left to retrieve the tack for their horses, Mark slowly walked up behind him.  Jack kept his eyes on 'his' horse, but was more aware of Mark leaning over his shoulder to whisper softly in his ear.  "Happy Birthday, Jack. Now don't say that I didn't get you anything".  Jack blinked a bit stunned.  His birthday?  He couldn't remember the last time he looked at a calendar.  Then it clicked.  He had forgotten.  All the resent stress and chaos... he had pushed it to the back of his mind.  Turning around to face Mark, he smiled shyly before wrapping him into a tight hug.  Of course, Mark wouldn't forget. 

Mark hugged him back asking curiously.  "So? What are you going to name your present"?  Jack pulled away to glance back at the horse.  When he thought of one, he turned his attention back to Mark to answer proudly.  "Argo".  Mark raised a curious eyebrow and Jack simply stated proudly.  "What? Argo has always been an honored name among warrior horses. Why shouldn't he have it"?  Mark shrugged with a bright smirk.  When he moved passed his own horse on the way to pay and help Skular, he told Jack over his shoulder.  "I prefer something a little more simple. Like Tim or Barry".  Now Jack rolled his eyes, asking Argo curiously.  "Barry the horse? Tim the little bastard? Those sound fun to you"?  Argo snorted and shook out his long black mane.  So, Jack added with a small smile.  "Ya, me neither". 

It took a little while to get the horses ready to go, but when they were, they mounted up.  Jack managed to slip easily into the saddle.  Argo didn't even move around as Jack got comfortable.  He had only ridden a horse once... a long time ago... and that horse had been far less happy.  Almost like Mark's problem child.  When Mark climbed into the saddle, Tim had immediately began to walk in a circle.  Then when Mark tried to straighten him out, he started to spin in the other direction.  Mark was getting frustrated, but eventually steered Tim in the right direction and yelled out loudly.  "Hey! That's enough! Go THAT way"!  Tim arched his head and began to make a mad dash down the road!  Jack swallowed nervously and tightened his grip on the reins.  He didn't know if he was a good enough rider for that kind of behavior.  Preparing himself for the worst, Jack told Argo hopefully.  "Take it easy on me, buddy... but we have to follow them".

Taking a breath, Jack pressed his heels gently to Argo's sides.  Argo slowly started to take a few steps forward, almost like he was making sure that is what Jack wanted.  When Jack turned him toward the direction Mark had gone, Argo picked up his pace into a beautiful trot.  Relaxing a little, Jack patted Argo's strong neck in encouragement.  Only to feel anxious as he looked up to see Mark still struggling with Tim.  Tim was now spinning in a fast circle at the four-way and Mark was semi-calmly yelling out loudly.  "Stop it! Stop it! Tiny box-brained Tim, if you don't stop this right now... I'm going to turn you from a stallion to a gelding in a single stroke"!  Tim quickly halted to a stop, before rearing so sharply that Mark fell off of him!  Jack pulled Argo to a casual stop, watching Tim proud prance off up the road like show-off.  Jack opened his mouth to offer Mark some help, but Mark raised a hand to stop him as he quickly piped up.  "I'm not going to let him get the best of me. I can do this". 

Jack tried not to smile, but he was having trouble.  Mark staggered to his feet, dusting himself off and snapping back at him.  "Don't you smirk at me, boy. I know where you live"!  Jack bite his lip, letting Mark see him smile.  He couldn't help it.  Mark was pretty much good at everything he tried... but every now and then... there was something that made him look blissfully human.  As Mark walked up the road after Tim, Jack nudged Argo to follow along beside him.  Even though, he could feel the waves of jealousy rolling off Mark's tense shoulders as they went.  As they crested the hill, they spotted Tim laying casually along the side of the road... munching on a patch of wild flowers.  Groaning loudly, Mark grumbled out to Jack.  "Just you wait. Tim and I will be a force to be reckoned with"!  Jack couldn't stop himself from adding with a playful smirk.  "One day".  Mark turned to look up at him with narrowed eyes, but he couldn't stop himself from smirking too.  With a deep sigh, Mark made his way over to Tim and slipped back into the saddle.

Jack was just about to tell Mark about the spell he knew that might help him out, when Tim bolted to his feet to attack Argo!  To Be Continued...