Remember Me, Someday

Black Stag Manor

"Alright, the pants are still a little wet, but the rain's coming anyways." I told Liza as I walked down the spiral staircase, clipping the knife onto my belt and hiding it under my t-shirt. 

 "Did anyone fetch a horse for you?" She asked, I shook my head. 

 "I don't think so. They don't seem to like me very much." I zipped up the sweatshirt. We got off the stairs and she walked with me to the doors. "Where is McQuillen's manor?" 

 "Turn left at our road and continue for a few miles. It will be very hard to miss. It is called...Black Stag Manor." She shuddered a little and I knit my brows together. I turned and opened the door. She took the handle to close it after me, but I stopped her when it was at a crack. "No one can be let in there, Liza."

 She nodded, not caring for the constant reminding. "Are you going to walk there?"

 "No, I'm going to ride." She seemed surprised. "What? Are there no horses?"

 "Well of course we have horses, but it would make the staff think some terrible things if you were to go off riding astride the beast with a leg on each side, don't you think?" I could tell she was hoping I'd change my mind and ride side saddle like a 'lady'. 

 "Sorry, Liza. But this is an emergency. Functionality is more important right now than looks." I smiled and she reciprocated with an understanding grin.  I tightened the lace of my boot and walked down the marble steps  and followed the path leading to the right with all the horseshoe prints covering it. Probably from the horse that McQuillen took earlier that morning. 

 I followed them around the manor and to the left, through an orchard of damaged, but blooming cherry and apple trees. I was tmepted to pick up a couple of the fallen blossoms to enjoy their scent, but the sounds of stomping hooves and nickers drew my attention to the huge barn before me. A small hedge grew on both sides of the stone building, with a gap filled in with a wooden gate took each side. 

 The large door was open, and same for the other end, making multiple grey-backed silhouettes of equine heads staring at me. I smiled and closed the rest of the distance with a run. I skidded to a stop on the fine gravel with my heels, then slowly walked down the length of the  aisle between the stalls, eyeing each horse from right to left as I went down. 

 They were all very fine, perfectly groomed animals. Most were black, probably because of the uniformity desired with carriage teams. But there were five other steeds, two of which were enormous Clydesdales, which I wouldn't have dreamed of attempting to ride much less saddle. 

 Then there was a Dapple-grey with dark eyes and mane. I was drawn in by it's looks, but when I was within nipping distance, it took it's chance. I dodged out of the way, only hearing a click of it's teeth. 

 "Well, I'll pass on you, dear." I turned around to it's partner, who I had to peek over the stall door to see. An adorable white shetland pony. "D'aww! You are adorable." I said before stepping down one stall and coming face to face with a sorrel with two amazing blue eyes that were unnatural to a horse, not only for the depth of the color, but also the way they watched me.  

 "Hello, girl, what's your name?" I peeked under it's neck at the brass name plate. 'ORION' "Oops! I meant boy."  I took the leather bridle hanging from a hook beside his head and opened the door, blocking the exit with my body before closing it with us inside. 

                                                                                  ~*~

 I stepped up into the stirrup and swung my leg over the other side of the brindle-colored horse with ease. Orion had been so very patient with me. I knew I'd done it before, mostly from how naturally I tacked him up. But I noticed the number of times I paused, but after a few minutes figured out what I was doing and resumed.