Flashback [Training] Once Upon a Horse

[Elias Caldera]

3rd Day of Summer, 507 AV

Horses…

Filthy, evil animals. The petchers would never listen, never obey and never do anything Elias ever told them to do. Being a ravokian didn’t often allow one the chance to ride any animal aside from a ravasola, but with life as a petitioner now bringing to light all of his inadequacies, it felt prudent -for lack of a less desperate term- to start amending those inadequacies now, and quickly too before some avid instructor decided to take it upon himself to beat the Caldera into shape, literally. Caiden had apparently realized all too quickly that this was going to be a weakness of his that required such amending and had offered to help. The young stryfer in training admittedly had little in the way of experience or knowledge about handling or even riding said beasts however. His uncle’s answer to that had been simple enough; train him! Train him until there was nothing left to train about, and then train him some more.

The younger of the Caldera’s could practically feel the gruff old bastard smiling already as he walked into the stable. Elias was there early, which was good, but he wasn't exactly having the best of times with his mount for the day. Locked in a stand off, Elias was slowly circling the brown mare, his eyes projecting fiery menace and wordless threats as the two glared at eachother unblinking. The horse had yet to give any quarter. “Curse you creature, stop defying me! I will ride you into battle someday. Obey!”

The horse snorted in retort and the boy fumed. When the monster bared its teeth however, the prospect quietly backed away as he realized who was in charge. Mistakenly, Elias had thought it had him.

“Quit profaning my steed, boy!” Caiden managed to shout through barely stifled laughter. The petitioner groaned at the sound of the man’s harsh voice. With both his nemesis and his uncle in the room, now the nightmare could truly begin. “And stop snarling at it, petch, you’re trying to ride it, not eat the damn thing. Now listen here; we’ve got the whole week to learn and practice, but before I start yapping, tell me what you already know about horses so I don’t waste either of our time.”

“I know I dislike them… Intensely.” Elias hissed.

Caiden grimaced while making his way over to the student. “They’ve do have a reputation for being difficult and mischievous, that’s true. Old Bessy here in particular has a habit of munching on people’s scalps when they’ve got their backs turned.” Elias sneered at the thought and instinctively covered his head, though he never stopped scowling at the horse. The beast in turn never took its eyes off of Elias either. By the severity that filled the air between them, it was likely that by the end of this day, only one of them would be walking out of these stables alive. “I said quit snarling, dang it!”

He felt a hand smack the back of his head and he winced, no doubt much to the enjoyment of Bessy. “This old girl is means as much to me as any of my company does, understand, she's my favorite and only horse. If you annoy her, I’m going to be spending the rest of my day scraping you off her hoofs. If you break her, Raina is going to have to fish what’s left of your hide outa the lake when I’m through. Now come on, let’s get you two love birds acquainted.”

[Elias Caldera]

"There's lot you have to understand about these animals before you can ever hope to master one. I'm no expert like those horse lords down in the Sea of Grass, but I can assure you, you’re in for a rude surprise if you think you can just jump on and go. Bessy here, she’s built for war see. Calm even in the face of carnage. She’s smart, strong and the best friend you’ll ever have on the field if you treat her right.” Elias stood along beside Caiden as he spoke, looking at the dun coated mare while he listened.

"That would be a welcome change of pace." Elias replied, eyeing this Bessy cautiously. He didn't know what to make of it now that Caiden had sung her praises so highly. Every horse he'd dealt with to this date, though few and far in between, had disobeyed him in some manner or another. "First things first, you and her are gonna get familiar. Brush her, let her see you and all that. Let her understand you’re more than just a forgettable stable boy bringing by the hay, or an enemy she needs to stomp. Don't stand directly behind her as you groom either."

“Groom? You can’t be serious, Uncle.”

"As the plague." Caiden smiled, holding out a brush for his nephew to take. Uncertainty marring his expression, Elias reached out and claimed the tool in his grasp. He had to brush a damn horse? This wasn't in the job description. These animals and he were like sworn enemies and now he was supposed to primp it! Hiding his dissatisfaction, Elias slowly rested his hand on the horse's neck and placed the brush against its coat. "There you go. Now while you brush, you're also looking for anything out of place. Make sure she’s good and healthy: No discoloring, no wounds, and no infestations. A sick mount means a dead rider if the shyke hits the fan and you need her at her best when she’s not.”

That made sense of course, and Elias began running the brush along the side of the horse, examining it as he went along. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for per say, as a horse's features were unknown to him, but at least he wasn't engaged in deadly combat with the blasted thing. The prospect studied the creature closely as he moved the brush along its coat again and again. He'd never really taken the time to really look at them, since he was always just trying to get them to move, either out of the dang way or to his destination. Now that he was up close and personal though, it was almost absurd the amount of muscles the animal had. He knew enough that this wasn’t the greatest example of its kind either, as he had seen what a bloodbane could do to a man after all, but as war horses went, this one was still impressive none the less. "Good, Elias. I think she likes you."

The horse was, of course, staring straight ahead, paying no mind to the either of them.

"Yes sir, I do believe this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”

[Elias Caldera]

"Alright. First things first, check and make sure she's tied down nice and secure. Wrap your rope like so. It's a strong enough knot, and it’s quick to set up, but lax enough so it'll come loose if you need it undone in a pinch. That'll also stop her from getting hurt struggling against the rope if say, she spots a wolf or a zith sneaking up. It’s better to let her run if she wants instead of getting herself injured." Caiden demonstrated the basic knot before having him try and make it on his own.

"Alright." Elias muttered, taking the rope in his hands. He wasn't someone who often worked with knots save for when he was tying off boats and the like, but he imagined that kind of thing wouldn’t do here. In the end it was an easy to acquire tidbit, and the young man had it down in only a matter of ticks. “Now that she’s hitched, our next step is going to be getting the saddle blanket on." Elias smirked, opening his mouth to respond. "If you make some dumb horse in a blanket joke I may just smack you."

'Fine... Whats the blanket for then?"

Caiden grumbled, handing the cushion to his nephew. "It makes it more comfortable for her when you put the saddle on. Bessy may be a hardened beast of war, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve to be treated like a princess whenever you get a chance. Imagine what it would feel like if you didn't get to wear any clothing underneath your armor. Ha! That reminds me of a job gone wrong somewhere in Alvadas when me and the boys were caught off guard by a- Well, needless to say, the the moral of the story is its bloody unpleasant." Elias nodded, curtly tossing the blanket on the horse's back. Caiden sighed almost instantly. "Don't you care about this animal at all?"

"No." What a dumb question.

"Well, pretend. You think those fairies in Syliras don’t bother loving their mounts when they’re not practicing the sword or the bow? A knight, the folk you’re going to have to learn how to kill quite efficiently mind you, are renowned petching horseman. That means the Ebonstryfe have to be as well. That means you, you little turd. Now put the blanket a little bit higher up on its back and then slide it down. It'll make sure that the horse's hair is all going the same direction. It's much more comfortable for the mount than if you just toss it on." Elias nodded once more, taking the blanket and moving it further up the compliant animal's back, then he slid it down into position, smoothing down her hair as he did so. He received a somewhat appreciative nicker from it in thanks, or so he imagined.

"Alright. Grab the saddle. I think perhaps we may actually get you on her back at some point today. How long you last up there however, that’ll be up to her."

[Elias Caldera]

"So now we can get this thing on the back. It's a pretty simple design. Gives you a place to sit, something to grab onto, something to wrap the reins around. You may think its sounds impressive, but trust me, never going riding without one. If you do I imagine your mother will be very displeased at the prospect of never having any grandchildren to dote on." Elias twisted his lip at the idea as he took the saddle from Caiden and set it on the horse's back as gently as he could. At least it was facing the correct direction for once. That was a big improvement over most of his former attempts.

"The saddle is likely the most important piece of equipment you’ll need to get familiar with. Without one to support them, those knights in their armor can’t hope to keep their steeds from going swaybacked or injured.” The mercenary bent down and began pointing out all the little pieces and parts of the contraption for the boy to learn. Elias knelt by the horse so he could see the straps easier and Caiden immediately corrected this mistake by grabbing his collar and yanking him upright again. "Don't kneel by a horse. It’ll put its hoof in your face before you have a chance to understand why." Elias nodded, the bit of trivia only serving to enhance his thorough dislike of the beasts even more. I move behind you and you kick me? I kneel down near you and you kick me. Wicked creature.

"Cinch the straps, and do it proper now, you understand." Taking the leather straps in his hand, Elias began to work, lacing the leather through the buckle and pulling down some. Making his way to the other side, he repeated his action until both he and Caiden were satisfied. "Alright, now go ahead and move her forward and backwards a few steps. That'll check the tightness of the straps, which won't be quite right, but moving her around like this will get them in the right place and let you finish the job." Grabbing the rope, the youngster gently led the horse back and forth a few times before bringing it back to its original position as instructed. The saddle seemed to settle into place after doing so, much to his genuine surprise, allowing for him to again tighten up the straps, but this time leaving the saddle nice and sturdy, ready for riding.

"Almost done. Well, tacking up the horse at least. Last up is the bridle and then we'll be ready to watch you fall to our heart's content." There wasn’t an opportunity Caiden never seized to remind his kin of how inept he was at something. Sword, shield, the ladies, whatever it was, the old man had a quip to spur Elias into action in some vein attempt to fix his skill, or lack thereof. It wasn't that he was ever wrong that annoyed him the most. It was that he was always right.

… Hehe, ‘spur.’

Elias took the bridle in his hands and looked long and hard at the horse, chasing his stray thoughts away in the process. If he got his fingers anywhere near that vicious maw he was going to lose them all, that much he was sure, but he had to get the bit in its mouth. "Don’t let it smell your fear. She hates that, gets her all riled up and blood thirsty.” The Rum Hound chortled at his own jest. “Just put a finger on each side of the bit and push on her mouth, but gently." Elias swallowed, an uncomfortable churning in his stomach as he moved his hands in place. For a brief, terrifying tick he thought he saw his life and all his ambitions flying before his eyes as he inched forward, only to have them all suddenly shredded by the snapping jaws of a horse. Oh Gods, she’s smelling my fear!

Softly, slowly, he pushed the bit against the mouth of the creature, and much to the petitioner's surprise, it actually opened its maw and accepted it without protest. He made a quick count of his fingers first before quietly celebrating his achievement.

"See, lad. Treat ‘em kind and they’ll return the favor. Now just pull the headpiece over her head.” It was simple enough to complete that task and Elias finished putting the bridle on with ease, but only with Caiden's towering aid was it possible. He hated being small sometimes, and he doubly hated it when he was around taller folk who always silently lauded their size over him. Caiden, the damnable giant, was particularly the worst offender of this, even if he never said anything out loud.

That however, was a futile sore spot he would have to brood about another time. After having tied down the bridle and tightened the chin strap, the boy, despite his stature, was finally ready get to mounting the horse.

[Elias Caldera]

After leading her from the stables, Elias placed his left foot in the stirrup and pulled himself up, swinging his leg over the mare’s back so he could place it in the other stirrup. That much he could do correctly, at least, and more importantly, without Caiden’s condescending assistance. From here on out though, it was all going to be a disastrous spectacle, that much seemed unavoidable now. He'd managed to ride a little on previous exercises outside the city, but it generally seemed to be result of the horse following the rest of the herd rather than any ability on Elias's part. He was trying to change that, but it had been far from promising thus far.

"Nice and slow. You remember how to do that, right?" Elias nodded, demonstrating as much by squeezing his legs together to get the horse going. The rule that Elias hadn't quite figured out was that these trained mounts would respond to the amount of force applied; too little and they wouldn't budge and inch, not even registering the command let alone following it. One would have to gradually increase the force you applied until you found that threshold that would finally get it moving. The other end of the spectrum was squeezing far too tightly. Doing that would send the message it was time to trot or gallop, like most mounts suited to combat were often called upon to do at any moments notice.

To literally no one’s surprise, Elias petched up and erred towards the latter.

The horse took off without warning in a full sprint. Elias's eyes bulged as what was once a sturdy, tranquil scene turned into a terrifying and hellish blur. Hanging on for dear life, the young man felt himself being thrown about on the saddle in every which way, panic quickly setting in as he realized to his horror how little control he had. The color drained from his face and his knuckles went white as he rode, his inaction only allowing the failure drag on for an embarrassing amount of time. Weathered hooves thundered against the ground of the clearing, Caiden's shouting a distant, unintelligible noise that barely contended with his nephew’s shrieking. The words would have fallen on on deaf ears anyway, as Elias was entirely focused on the rapidly approaching wall ahead of him. With more than just his well tarnished pride on the line now, taking action became dreadfully vital. The Caldera heri squeezed his legs tight, leaned back, and pulled on the reigns in a desperate bid for compliance. This, of course, must have sent a cadre of mixed signals to the hell beast he was strapped to. Go and stop? Stop and go! His mount reacted only appropriately and came skidding to a confused stop before the wall. It proceeded to then rear up and unceremoniously buck the flailing rider through the air.

Something akin to a curse was loudly uttered as Elias rocketed into the skies, but it was interrupted by the equally loud thud that quickly ended it.

The boy landed flat on his back, hitting the ground with a gargantuan smack, followed soon after by a loud and defeated groan. The slow, paced thumping of feet against the ground grew near as Caiden sauntered over to check on the condition of his relative. "Sweet mother of the Voice, lad." The mountain of muscle took a knee at his ward’s side, a hint of actual concern etched into his demeanor and tone. Elias lifted his hand to accept the mercenary’s help, but instead he found it crudely slapped aside as his uncle shuffled over to his feet where the reigns had been caught up around his boot. Gently, Caiden untangled the mess and kicked Elias’s dusty shoes out of the way. “You alright, baby? He didn’t hurt you did he?”

You gotta be kidding me…

“You gotta be kidding me!”

“Oh thank Rhysol, she’s ok. Elias, gods damnit! Boy, you have this freakish knack of always getting yourself hurt, regardless of how simple a task. If it wasn’t so concerning, I’d almost be impressed.” The boy managed to start rocking his body back and forth slightly, trying to make sure he had full functionality before sitting up with a pained huff. He'd just had the air knocked out of him and his sore joints and aching chest let him know in excruciating detail how much they had enjoyed that. “Funny.” He wheezed, devoid of mirth. “I always figured it was you and your freakish tasks that were the problem.”

[Elias Caldera]

Elias got to his feet slowly, his pride hurting more than his body, though both of them were plenty enough sore enough on their own. After begrudgingly determining he was fine, Caiden couldn't even be bothered to wipe the grin off his unshaven face. He managed to keep his mouth shut just long enough for the prospect to get back to his feet without the need of any help, but it was almost more annoying that he mocked him in silence. With a sigh, Elias limped his way over to the horse, who was decidedly much calmer and less interested in murdering him now that it was in Caiden’s care. Either that was a testament to the pair bond, or to how unlikeable the petitioner was. In any case, Elias didn't like it at all.

"The knights must quivering in their steel at the mere thought of the great Caldera galloping towards them on his mighty steed. If your plan was to cripple them with laughter, I feel were off to a good start.”

“…”

“Just shaking with unbridled-”

“Shut up. Get outa the way. I’m going again!”

By Rhysol and all the petching gods, he swore an oath right then and there. He was going to win at horses. He was going to be best as horsing, and he was going to rub it in Caiden's smug, stupid face after he was done.

Grabbing a hold, Elias yanked the reigns from Caiden and pulled himself back up atop the mount. “I am going to master you, you wretched menace." He tightened his grip, sat forward in the saddle and, despite his hissing malice, gave only the gentlest squeeze with his legs to get her in motion again. This time it actually moved, and just at a nice slow walk at that. He swiveled his head towards Caiden, brow cocked pompously high and a shyke eating grin already in play upon his dirt covered face, just as scheduled. Finally, he and the horse were working in tandem.

"Well I’ll be damned, you’ve managed to not break your neck nor set something on fire. I bow to your ability, young squire. Now, stop gloating and focus on getting used to this feeling. You’ll need as much time as you can get of it." Humble in victory, he generously allowed his triumphant air to dissipate for the time being before gently beginning to guide the horse with both the reins and his legs. With both working in concert with one another, he kept Bessy going forward at an amiable pace, though he'd have to get it to turn soon as they were approaching the other side of the training area. Another test of his extreme ability at riding, but he was now certain he could conquer that as well. After all, all he needed to do was avoid a wall. How hard it could possibly-

"Horse.”

“Horse, what are you doing?”

“Horse!”

“Stop!”

Bessy abruptly halted before the wall and stood there, nonchalant and unmoving despite Elias’s best, feebleest attempts at yanking on the reigns. Shaking its head back and forth, it merely nickered at his nuisance.

“Positively trembling in-“

“Shut. Up!”

[Elias Caldera]

"Remember what I said." Elias sat upon the mount, almost pouting as Caiden's reminder came unbidden. Of course he remebered. He'd tried to pull the reins, but that didn't do anything. It was so much easier to ride when they were in groups and there was no need for him to do anything but meander from point A to point B without so much as a directive needed on his part. He wasn't getting anywhere when left to his own accord. "In order to get her to turn you have to guide her, not yank her bloody head off. Gently pull with the left rein as well as apply some pressure with the left leg to get her to turn left. Opposite for the right. Its simple. Your leg will tell her the general direction you want to go and your rein work will tell her in detail how you want to to do. Now put it into practice."

The Caldera took up the reins again and gave the horse a gentle squeeze to get her going once more. Then, pressuring with his left leg and pulling gently on the left rein he got her to begin turning as she walked. It was met with some resistance as he wasn't constant with his pressure, but eventually he had his mount veering around and walking in the other direction, and best of all, she had done so because he had 'asked', not because it was just her fancy to go in that direction anyway.

"Good. For now, just keep pacing her like that. Once you’re comfortable we can progress to moving to something quicker." Caiden stepped aside as he spoke, giving the mounted petitioner all the room he needed to practice. There was no need to rush here Elias realized, he had to learn how to work together with his mount at this point, and that entailed more than just hopping on its back as his uncle had said. For now he simply kept a firm grip, trying to maintain control of the beast he rode while preserving a steady pace. With measured calculations and patient guidance, he was slowly but surely... not getting bucked off. Elias felt that to imply he was getting the hang of it now might have just as well been a death sentence right then and there considering his history of bad luck and jinxing himself.

His legs were already starting to get tired and his rear was sore from the uncomfortable seat he himself had put in place. It was a surprise to say the least. All the running, sparring, and heavy lifting in the world hadn't prepared Elias's body for the rigors of horseback riding. "You think you can beat me don’t you." He snarled at the back of her head as they rode, a facade of a smile plastered on his face just in case Caiden was looking. He wouldn't let a little fatigue do him in, not after all the humiliation of horse related fun facts he had had to stomach. Another fall might do the trick however, but now that he knew what he was doing, there was no chance of that happening again.

[Elias Caldera]

A quarter bell of practice was what Caiden afforded his favorite nephew. He and the Bessy had somehow managed to find a way to cooperate in that time, shocking as it was. That said, it was simple enough to keep the creature moving by repeating the same motions over and over again. Give the right kind of squeeze there, the proper tug here, and like that they'd be off walking across the arena. Get to the end of the arena, put pressure with one leg, lift with the same side on the reins, and bam! They'd be turning around like professionals. Rinse and repeat.

What he discovered in that time was riding, even this casually, was somewhat tiring. The uneven movements, the uncomfortable seat, the smelly horse that reeked of the same cheap liquor as his uncle. It could wear on a man over time. Caiden had warned him it would be like this way back when they had first started training. His hands were soft and tender from years of being such a ninny, as the old man had so eloquently put it. It was true unfortunately, and something he had had to contend with after taking hold of a real sword for the first time. No more wooden toys and fairy tale adventures for him. Now the pain was real, and so was the blood and the pressure. He had do things his child self would have bucked and balled at if he had known the reality of. It hurt to grip a sword. It hurt to grasp it, it hurt to swing it, to smash it against another sword, or a shield, or a skull. Time and practice were you’re greatest allies then. His hands had become calloused very quickly out of necessity, and it became much simpler to wield his weapon with ease when the pain was but background noise you were already accustomed to. Whether it was his sword grip or his rump, time would get him used to whatever challenge thrown his way.

“That’s enough dilly dallying then. Let's work on more control. You're not ready for trotting or galloping –Rhysol only knows if you’ll survive that- but I'd like you to be able to turn with more precision, so what I'm going to do is set up some obstacles for you to maneuver around. If you can get to the point where you can do these with ease, you'll have less trouble when it comes to moving at higher speeds." Elias waited patiently atop his mount as Caiden walked throughout the arena setting up wooden crates of varying sizes for him to continue riding around. They were spaced a fair amount apart so that he didn't have to worry about more than one or two of them at most. They also couldn't risk him injuring himself or the horse by trying to do too much, which he was grateful for truth be told.

Set up on the far side of of the training area, Elias took a deep breath as he settled into his saddle. He frowned, unsure of himself in the task which lay before him now. He didn't yet trust the creature beneath him, but he didn't have much choice if he were to get through this day.

[Elias Caldera]

The task was intimidating.

Elias barely knew the front of a horse from its ass end and yet Caiden expected him to navigate this death trap of obstacles? It was absurd. Both he and Bessy were certain to meet their demise just so Caiden could get his kicks watching them do so. Wasn't nearly dying once enough for the evil man? What more did he want from him!

Fine, it wasn't really that bad. Elias may have let his flair for the dramatic get the better of him every once in a while, but honestly he thought people should do that more often. Life was so much more interesting if the ravosala was going to make it or not before sinking to the bottom of the lake, or if your cattail stew was poisoned by a rival or dejected lover. Little things like that just to keep you on your toes and not so-

"Stop day dreaming!" Caiden called to him angrily from the other side of the arena. His arms were crossed across his chest, and though he was some distance away, Elias could feel his scrutinizing glare like that of any other Vitrax instructor. Just like them, the man was a sadist too, but at the same time Elias couldn't deny that his uncle took more pleasure in his relation's successes, rarities as they may have been. He was also a much better conversationalist than some whip wielding taskmaster, if only by a little. “I’m hungry, damn it! Hurry it up so we can break for lunch.”

Elias gritted his teeth together. Of course he had to use lunch as a lure like that. Anything to add on more pressure. Gasp! What if its cat tail stew!

“Come on, Bessy.” With a soft kick behind the girth, he got the horse walking again, coming up on the first obstacle on the list; a shaggy old bale of hay. There were several more littering the ground, and he knew he had to reach and avoid all of them without his horse stopping in the middle after deciding it was time for her lunch too. He reached out with one hand to gently pet the side of the horse's neck, whispering into its ear and feeling like a fool the entire time. “Seriously Bessy, don’t embarrass me here. I’ll… I’ll give you a carrot or whatever it is you things like. In fact, if we do this, I’ll make it a whole bunch of carrots!” Honestly, with motivation skills like his, how did people ever say no to him?

Grasping the reins fully he prepared himself for the task before him. He'd likely fail, but it couldn't be any worse than what he'd already done. No, there was no point in thinking like that, he had to find his resolve and continue onward, if only for getting a drink and an opportunity to wash the smell of the stupid horse off of him. With a nudge, he sent Bessy trotting forward, his will becoming her desire. She moved with a more deliberate gait to her stride now, and for an unnerving tick the petitioner worried it was simply because hunger was driving her on, not her rider. He hoped dearly he was wrong.

[Elias Caldera]

Turn!

Arrogance was what had led him to this moment. Sheer arrogance. He knew it had been that, because in spite of all he had imagined he had accomplished earlier, now when truly put to the test it seemed no matter what he did, he was destined to never defeat the monster that was controlling a horse. He and and the animal would never get along, and Elias would either be the eternal fool of the Ebonstryfe, ridiculed by all, or he'd get kicked out of the most sanctimonious of holy orders due to complete and utter incompetence. What good was a soldier who couldn't ride? That wasn't a real question. The answer was not at all.

The leather in his hands may as well have not been attached to anything for the good it was doing. He pulled the left side and applied pressure to the same but just ended up at a stop in front of the hay bale. Failure, as always, wafted from him like the smell of the ripe sweat he was now covered in. The horse snorted and stomped at the ground with its front hoof, shaking its head in annoyance, yet it did not go so far as to start eating in front of him, which was a small mercy he guessed. “Bessy, curse you. Do as I command!” Elias wrenched on his mount's neck by pulling tight, forcing its head to the side he wanted it to go.

Caiden must have watched what happened next with a level of satisfaction that was without equal.

The mount was more than annoyed by Elias's incompetence at this point, and it chose to repay pain with pain. Elias's face drained of color when he realized what he'd done, but it was far too late. He stopped breathing as he felt Bessy rear up all of a sudden and again experienced the wondrous feeling of flight when the horrible animal bucked so fiercely it sent her rider head over heels into the hay they had meant to avoid. He crashed into the prickly obstacle, bouncing once before settling into the folds uncomfortably. He groaned, content with simply laying there for the rest of eternity.

The horse again stood above him, seemingly uninterested in any agony or shame Elias was feeling as it munched comfortably on a mouthful of hay. Caiden gave a repeat performance and rushed over to their side, but Elias stopped him before the man could reach out to lend any assistance and untangled himself from the reigns this time. "I know. I know.” Elias coughed, rolling onto his side. He was going to be immobile tomorrow after so many collisions. Bedridden, and forever mortified at what had transpired here this miserable day. "I do believe I am quite done with shyke, dear Uncle. Now if you don’t mind.”

Caiden sighed as he gripped his nephew’s outstretched arm and helped him dismount the hay bale with little more finesse than he had his steed. He'd not be a master anytime soon, but he had a foundation with which to work with. It was a step in the right direction if nothing else. Still, there was so much more work to do it was ghastly to even think about, and for the rest of the day, he really didn’t want to, truth be told.

"I was wrong earlier, Elias, and I apologize. I am impressed. That was perhaps the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. But, this is only the first day, we’ll have more ahead of us to work on it. Now hurry along, we best be heading for the docks or we’ll miss our boat and end up sleeping in the stables tonight.” Sweeter words had never been uttered. Elias wouldn't be able to get out of here quick enough, but as he took a his first step forward to his freedom however, he winced as pain shot through his leg.

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to carry me there, could I?” He asked, pleadingly.

His uncle merely scoffed in response, leaping with irksome ease unto the back of Bessy without so much as a pause in his stride.

“No, dear nephew, that’s what horses are for. Weren't you paying any attention?”