fandomtownies | The Beach: Wednesday morning [well before the party]

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The Beach: Wednesday morning [well before the party]

After the morning's little adventure, Karal had had to dash to make it to the stables before Molly. He arrived first, though not by much, and quickly saddled up a very bouncy Trenor, helped Molly to mount once she arrived, then swung up behind her.

Altra they'd left sleeping upside down, paws in the air, on a bale of hay.

Arms by necessity (and by preference, truth be known) around Molly so he could hold the reins, Karal guided Trenor down onto the sand. "And here we are at the beach."

[ooc: this is happening well before the Fourth of July party starts. The thread with Molly and Karal is locked to them, thanks, but the post is open for anyone's pre-party-beach needs! Molly modded with permission.]

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"Are we going to ride in the surf?" Molly asked.

"If you would still like to?" Karal leaned forward over Molly's shoulder so he could see her face. "I will have to pull the saddle off, it's not good for it to get wet, but I will not let you fall off."

Molly grinned excitedly and nodded. "I trust you," she said. "I'd really like to ride in the surf."

By the way Trenor was almost dancing as they rode down towards the water, it seemed as if he wanted to as well. Karal stopped next to some logs and slipped off from behind Molly. "Let me help you down?" Not that he thought she needed the help, but it made him happy to offer.

Molly swung her leg over the saddle and held her arms out to Karal. "Yes, please."

He draped the reins over his shoulder, and, with a firm admonishment to Trenor to, "Stand," he reached up to catch Molly as she slid down, ending with his arms around her waist as her feet landed on the sand. He couldn't help smiling at this.

Molly, who had her hands on Karal's shoulders, thought that had worked out well. She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Last time they'd been standing like this, Karal had been afraid of giving offence, worried about doing something which would make her unhappy. That was not such a large concern any more, and he smiled down at her. "You are welcome."

Molly moved her hands to link behind his neck and leaned into him a little. "It's a nice morning, isn't it?" she said, just so she wouldn't have to move away yet.

"It is." Trenor snorted and bobbed his head, but Karal ignored him for the moment. "It is beautiful," he said, and shifted a bit closer, drawing her in for a hug.

Molly hugged him back and sighed happily.

Karal would have been happy to stay that way for some time, but Trenor, growing bored, turned his head and shoved Karal with his nose. Hard. Laughing, he pushed him away. "All right, Trenor. Molly, I fear Trenor is impatient this morning."

Molly laughed with him. "You did promise him a run in the surf," she said. "We should probably get to it before he leaves without us."

"Very true." Karal touched Molly's hair briefly, then led Trenor forward and ran the stirrups up. "He has a lot of energy today," he told her while he unbuckled the girth and slid the saddle off, setting it and the blanket on a log. "I think, if you don't mind, I will take him for a very quick run, just down the beach and back? I'd rather have him calmer if you are going to be riding without a saddle."

Molly nodded. As much as she would like to ride fast with him, watching Karal and Trenor ride together would be even better.

She sat down on the log next to the saddle. "I'll wait here," she said with a smile.

Karal smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Thank you. I will not be too long." Giving Trenor a quick pat, he put one foot on the log and pushed up, mounting easily, and turned Trenor's head to point down the beach.

It's possible that, when he held him long enough that he was prancing in place before giving him his head, he might have been showing off - just a little - and he was grinning as Trenor shot off down the beach.

Molly very much appreciated the showing off. Karal on horseback-- bareback on horseback-- was very pretty. She leaned back and smiled as she watched them ride down the beach.

It had been some time since he'd ridden bareback, but he was relieved to find it was still something he could do. Trenor stretched out his neck and tried to go faster, but Karal held him to a fast canter, guiding him in a gentle curve which took them through the edge of the waves, sending water flying as they made their way back to Molly.

He was laughing as he leaned back and drew Trenor to a stop that was showier than it needed to be. "There, now he has worn the edge off his energy, and he will behave like a gentleman."

Molly sucked in a breath when Karal pulled Trenor to a halt. All she could think was how pretty-- no, how hot he was. Watching him laugh and his easy command of the horse made her insides flutter.

She smiled and stood up. "Are you sure you weren't just showing off?" she teased.

He rubbed a hand through his hair, which was already messy from the wind, and looked down at his hands, fiddling with the reins and making Trenor fidget. "Possibly?" he admitted, looking distinctly sheepish, and slid off the horse, leading him over to the log so Molly could mount.

Molly laughed. "You can show off any time you want," she said as she stepped up onto the log. "You look really good riding Trenor."

She turned to put her hands on Trenor's back and bit her lip as she thought about how to mount without falling over the other side. Eventually, she figured it out and gave Karal a proud smile as she sat up properly on Trenor's back.

"Thank you," he said, blushing at the compliment but grinning up at her proudly. "That was perfect, Molly. You're getting quite good at this." Karal handed her the reins, pausing to stroke Trenor's nose and tell him how good he was, before mounting behind Molly.

Minus the saddle, he found himself far closer than he was expecting, so close, in fact, there was actually no room between them.

Molly could feel herself flush at how close Karal was. Her heart started to pound and she kept he eyes firmly on Trenor's mane, no wanting to embarrass Karal if he reconsidered riding like this.

Being that close, he could feel her heart beating (and his was matching hers, truth be told), making him hesitate before puttting his arms around her to reclaim the reins. "Is this all right?" he asked quietly. Not that he could really move any further away.

Trenor stamped a foot and turned his head to peer at them, ears flicking forward and back.

Molly nodded, leaning back into Karal slowly. "What should I hold onto?" she asked. "I don't want to pull on Trenor's mane too much."

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