The Gig, Friday [17.10]

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Rosie was staring, hands on her hips, at the pieces of Worf's bat'leth. She'd agreed to try repairing it, but she really didn't know where to start.

She wasn't a smith, she was just a horse-leech who happened to know some smithing. Narl would know how to fix it.

But Narl wasn't here, and she had no way to ask him for help.

Deliberately putting that thought out of her head, she picked up one piece, turning it over in her hands, learning its shape and weight, frowning as she worried at the problem.

[ooc: Info on The Gig is here - come and hire a horsie!]

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[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella was a little hesitant after work, as she walked to the new stables. It had been a while since she had ridden, but she'd heard horses were for hire and somethng as familiar as riding seemed comforting just then.

"Excuse me," she called. "Could I rent a horse here?"

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Rosie looked up from the piece of wood she'd been carving. "You can," she replied, standing and offering Ella a quick smile. "Can you ride?"

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"Since I was a little girl," Ella nodded, with a slight smile. "My home's one of the worlds with magic instead of technology, so everyone does."

"I'm Ella," she offered.

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

"Rosie," she said. "I'll give you Bold, since you can ride. I think you'll be a good match."

The horses were wandering up, and Bold hung his head over the fence. It would be good to get out for awhile. She smiled at the gelding's words, and glanced at Ella. "Do you want me to tack up for you?"

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"If you wouldn't mind," Ella requested. Servants normally did it at home, so she was far from an expert. "I'll make friends with Bold while you work."

She held out her hand for the gelding to smell.

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Mentally rolling her eyes, because she tended to think if you were going to ride, you should get your horse ready yourself (an attitude that could be blamed wholly on Woodwold's stablemaster), she nodded. "It's what I'm here for."

Bold sniffed Ella's hand delicately while Rosie went to fetch his tack, his ears pricked forward, and he whickered softly.

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella would be embarrassed if she knew Rosie's thoughts, but, lacking that particular gift, she merely smiled gratefully, thanked Rosie, and turned her attention to the horse.

"Hi, boy," she said softly. "Mind taking me around the island this afternoon?"

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

He whickered again, lipping at Ella's fingers, and Rosie hid a small smile as she came back out. The girl won points for talking to Bold directly.

"He has good manners," Rosie said, giving him a quick brush before settling the saddle on his back. Forward a little, please, Bold told her. Sorry, she replied, adjusting it until he was happy. "And a sensitive mouth. He'll take good care of you."

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"He seems like he will," Ella agreed, giving the horse a pat. "I wouldn't be too rough with him either way, but it's good to know his mouth is sensitive."

Another stroke, then she asked, "Did he come with you from your home?"

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

She went still for a moment, the morning's thoughts of Narl making mentions of home painful. "No, they were all here when I arrived."

Bold nosed her, and she scratched his cheek before slipping off his halter and offering him the bit. He accepted it, and she slid the bridle over his head, buckling it as he instructed.

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"I didn't know there were horses on the island," Ella commented easily, scratching Bold along the neck. "I wish I had, I've been here almost six months and this is the first I've ridden."

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Rosie tightened the girth and stood back to give Bold a once over. Is that everything? She could count on one hand the number of times she'd saddled a horse.

He stamped a foot and shook himself. Yes. You did well. I'm ready to go.

She smiled, satisfied, and led him through the gate to offer the reins to Ella. "Don't let it be the last," she said. "With four horses, you could ride every day if you wanted, and they'd be happy to go out."

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"And I'd be happy for the exercise," Ella said. "Not every day, but at least once a week if I can manage it."

She swung up and onto the horse easily, reflecting that this was much easier in jeans than it had ever been in her skirts. "I'll be back in an hour or so."

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Bold's ears went forward and then curved back, all his attention on Ella.

"Enjoy yourself," she called to both Ella and Bold, and leaned on the fence to watch them.

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

It was an order, so Ella was grinning as she took Bold off along the path. She coaxed a fair amount of speed out of him as she took that alarmed herself or the horse. When his pace seemed to start to slacken and Ella noticed the afternoon light beginning to fade, she headed back to the stables and lead him to near a fence.

"That was a wonderful ride," she announced, after her dismount. She was still glowing as she stroked Bold.

[waytoomanynames.livejournal.com]

Rosie was wiping her hands as she came out of the barn. Everything all right? she asked, wanting to hear Bold's opinion.

Very good, Bold replied. Great fun.

"Good to hear," she said aloud, walking over to hold out her hand for the reins. "You're welcome again any time."

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"I'll be sure to take you up on that," Ella said. "And it was nice to meet both of you."