Timestamp: Summer 89, 484
The end of summer was drawing nigh and the horse herds had begun to collect around Endrykas for the evening, and per their routine this season, Malkar and her mother took the little four year old out to the edge of the pavilions to watch them come. Her fathers strider, Shuknal was in the mass of horseflesh somewhere.
Dela had her hair in pigtails, simple braids with strips of blue woven through them giving the sunlightened hair some color. She was entranced by the dancing bodies, the sunset dust casting the striders in Syna's own fire. The little girl had a reed doll tucked under one arm, something mother had made her a few days ago. Her clothes were a softened sapphire with strips of black on the hem and pretty braids hanging from the ties in the back. Her moccasins were deer felt, soft and comfortable. Perfect for a little girl.
"Daddy which ones yours? I don't see him!" The child asked, standing on tip-toes as if this would get her higher to see over the shoulders of the horses as they danced in the sunset, smaller herds merging into one before splitting again. The neighs and whinnies of happy horses filled the evening air. It was a magical sight.
Malkar turned to his only daughter and scooped her up in his arms, lifting her so that her legs hung on either side of his neck and she was seated comfortably atop his shoulders with hands on his head. He pointed towards a nearly midnight beast with blonde and silver mane. His feet were dusted in white and a line of silver ran the length of his spine. The stallion was a striking beast for sure. "There, lass. Do you see him?" Putting his fingers to his lips, he gave a shrill whistle to get the horses attention. Immediately, the head rose from the masses and he began to veer from the thunder of hooves, changing his cadence to approach his rider and family.
The stallion gave a fierce whinny as he cantered up to them, high stepping to a halt and even rearing briefly onto his rear legs before landing with a puff of dust before the family of three. The dark brute had a soft spot for the child upon Malkars shoulders and leaned up to mouth at the girls pigtails, snorting sweetly. Dela giggled, scrunching up her shoulders and turning her head away as her father reached with his free hand to pat Shuknal's neck firmly. "Would you like to ride him, Dela-dear?" The man asked, tilting his head upwards to peer at his offspring.
Beside him, her mother spoke up in her soft way, pallid and oft sickly face watching father and daughter closely. She simply told them to be careful. This was a special moment for their child!
Dela was ecstatic. She practically jumped on Malkars shoulders as she reached for the horse, her hand opening and closing excitedly. "Yes please! Mommy, can you hold Neela?" She offered the doll she had so named down to her mother with a happy grin even as her father lifted her over his head, waiting for the toy to be handed off. Once this was done, the older man set her gently upon the striders back.
He spoke with assurity as he began the lesson. "Shuknal is a stallion. Do you know why that is?" His hand rested on the beasts neck whiel waiting for his daughters response.
"A'cause he can make babies, daddy, duh!" She giggled back, touching the soft mane and marvelling at the feel of it between her fingers.
"That's right. He can make babies. Do you remember what males who can't make babies are?" He watched her think for a moment before seeing the light come into her eyes.
"Gelding!" He praised her with a nod.
"Good job; now, we're going to play a little game, okay? I'm going to touch a part of Shuknal's body or name one and you will need to tell me what or where it is; and for each part you get right, he's going to take a step. For it is an honor to ride a strider, not a right. And Shuknal, well, he likes a smart rider." Again, Malkar patted the stallions neck before stepping under his head and to Dela's other side.
His hand touched the beasts shoulders, just in front of where his daughter sat. The question was in his eyes and the girl responded immediately. "That's easy, daddy; those are withers!" As if on time, the stallion bobbed his head and took a step, giving her her reward as promised.
"And what about his-" He looked the beast over. "Knee?" It was a trick question and he could see his child struggling with it for a moment before she grinned and leaned towards him slightly to point at the front leg joint. Again, the strider stepped peaceably forwards.
Malkar moved back to the stallions other side, speaking again. "Ok, here's a toughy. Show me where these three parts are. He listed off the forelock, poll, and crest, watching proudly still as the bright little girl again answered correctly by stretching forward to touch Shuk's crest first (reversing the order), point to the top of her own head for the poll, and then to about her forehead, beneath hairline, for the forelock. Again, the stallion stepped in time to his riders praise.
"You've been listening well to your lessons, lass. Have you been following your cousins?" Dela nodded and grinned, adding afterwards that she had been doing both, proclaiming her love for learning.
"It shows, Dela-dear. Well done indeed. You've earned your ride. Scoot forwards to his withers and I'll give you a proper ride."
He waited for her to slide forwards before mounting up behind her, pulling the child back against him and giving Shuknal a squeeze with his knees to get on. It would be a short ride, just around the pavilion, but he knew it would be as rewarding as anything to the intelligent toddler before him. Dela was special of mind, a rare treasure to be guarded and polished. He had a feeling she might prove of great use to the family, in time. But for now, let the child be loved and have fun and explore to her hearts content.
xThe end of summer was drawing nigh and the horse herds had begun to collect around Endrykas for the evening, and per their routine this season, Malkar and her mother took the little four year old out to the edge of the pavilions to watch them come. Her fathers strider, Shuknal was in the mass of horseflesh somewhere.
Dela had her hair in pigtails, simple braids with strips of blue woven through them giving the sunlightened hair some color. She was entranced by the dancing bodies, the sunset dust casting the striders in Syna's own fire. The little girl had a reed doll tucked under one arm, something mother had made her a few days ago. Her clothes were a softened sapphire with strips of black on the hem and pretty braids hanging from the ties in the back. Her moccasins were deer felt, soft and comfortable. Perfect for a little girl.
"Daddy which ones yours? I don't see him!" The child asked, standing on tip-toes as if this would get her higher to see over the shoulders of the horses as they danced in the sunset, smaller herds merging into one before splitting again. The neighs and whinnies of happy horses filled the evening air. It was a magical sight.
Malkar turned to his only daughter and scooped her up in his arms, lifting her so that her legs hung on either side of his neck and she was seated comfortably atop his shoulders with hands on his head. He pointed towards a nearly midnight beast with blonde and silver mane. His feet were dusted in white and a line of silver ran the length of his spine. The stallion was a striking beast for sure. "There, lass. Do you see him?" Putting his fingers to his lips, he gave a shrill whistle to get the horses attention. Immediately, the head rose from the masses and he began to veer from the thunder of hooves, changing his cadence to approach his rider and family.
The stallion gave a fierce whinny as he cantered up to them, high stepping to a halt and even rearing briefly onto his rear legs before landing with a puff of dust before the family of three. The dark brute had a soft spot for the child upon Malkars shoulders and leaned up to mouth at the girls pigtails, snorting sweetly. Dela giggled, scrunching up her shoulders and turning her head away as her father reached with his free hand to pat Shuknal's neck firmly. "Would you like to ride him, Dela-dear?" The man asked, tilting his head upwards to peer at his offspring.
Beside him, her mother spoke up in her soft way, pallid and oft sickly face watching father and daughter closely. She simply told them to be careful. This was a special moment for their child!
Dela was ecstatic. She practically jumped on Malkars shoulders as she reached for the horse, her hand opening and closing excitedly. "Yes please! Mommy, can you hold Neela?" She offered the doll she had so named down to her mother with a happy grin even as her father lifted her over his head, waiting for the toy to be handed off. Once this was done, the older man set her gently upon the striders back.
He spoke with assurity as he began the lesson. "Shuknal is a stallion. Do you know why that is?" His hand rested on the beasts neck whiel waiting for his daughters response.
"A'cause he can make babies, daddy, duh!" She giggled back, touching the soft mane and marvelling at the feel of it between her fingers.
"That's right. He can make babies. Do you remember what males who can't make babies are?" He watched her think for a moment before seeing the light come into her eyes.
"Gelding!" He praised her with a nod.
"Good job; now, we're going to play a little game, okay? I'm going to touch a part of Shuknal's body or name one and you will need to tell me what or where it is; and for each part you get right, he's going to take a step. For it is an honor to ride a strider, not a right. And Shuknal, well, he likes a smart rider." Again, Malkar patted the stallions neck before stepping under his head and to Dela's other side.
His hand touched the beasts shoulders, just in front of where his daughter sat. The question was in his eyes and the girl responded immediately. "That's easy, daddy; those are withers!" As if on time, the stallion bobbed his head and took a step, giving her her reward as promised.
"And what about his-" He looked the beast over. "Knee?" It was a trick question and he could see his child struggling with it for a moment before she grinned and leaned towards him slightly to point at the front leg joint. Again, the strider stepped peaceably forwards.
Malkar moved back to the stallions other side, speaking again. "Ok, here's a toughy. Show me where these three parts are. He listed off the forelock, poll, and crest, watching proudly still as the bright little girl again answered correctly by stretching forward to touch Shuk's crest first (reversing the order), point to the top of her own head for the poll, and then to about her forehead, beneath hairline, for the forelock. Again, the stallion stepped in time to his riders praise.
"You've been listening well to your lessons, lass. Have you been following your cousins?" Dela nodded and grinned, adding afterwards that she had been doing both, proclaiming her love for learning.
"It shows, Dela-dear. Well done indeed. You've earned your ride. Scoot forwards to his withers and I'll give you a proper ride."
He waited for her to slide forwards before mounting up behind her, pulling the child back against him and giving Shuknal a squeeze with his knees to get on. It would be a short ride, just around the pavilion, but he knew it would be as rewarding as anything to the intelligent toddler before him. Dela was special of mind, a rare treasure to be guarded and polished. He had a feeling she might prove of great use to the family, in time. But for now, let the child be loved and have fun and explore to her hearts content.
