Révérence! ” Donan commanded.
His voice was clear and firm, and Xavier didn't hesitate, he went down in a one legged bow placing his sable nose in Analise’s lap. She fairly choked him about the neck, but dared to peek at Xavier’s docile head bent to her purple skirts, with his big brown eyes looking so hopeful.
“He likes you, little nightingale.” Donan unwound one of Analise’s arms, then taking her small hand in his, he drew it near to Xavier’s velvet nose. “Pet him and see. His nose is soft as silk.”
Analise didn't protest when Donan placed her hand on Xavier’s nose, and then drawing it further over his head, her fingers unconsciously curling into his rich coat. Moments later, she was giggling from the tickle of the stallion’s tongue as Donan showed her how to feed Xavier a lump of hard sugar.
“He really likes me,” she whispered in reverent surprise as she looked at Donan with clear blue eyes, no longer lost or confused.
“Aye, I knew he would,” Donan agreed with a smile as he gave the command for Xavier to rise, watching Analise closely for any sign of fear, when the black stallion lumbered to his feet.
“Now, lass, do you think you can take him to the stream for a drink?”
Analise nodded. “Do I just take his reins?”
“Aye, imp, he’ll follow you like a pup, while I watch you both from here.”
Analise stood and gingerly took Xavier’s reins. Xavier obliged by nuzzling the side of her head and moved forward making her laugh and raise her free hand to pet the side of his neck. “Oh, you’re just a big babe, aren’t you,” she cooed.
Donan rested back on his elbows, watching the huge black stallion and lovely wee maid walking together. He wondered if Analise’s supposed simple thinking had any link to fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of the real demons of her world. Although, he’d be damned if he thought of her as simple at all.
By the time Analise came back with Xavier she was nearly dancing with delight beside the huge black mammoth and Donan had conceived of another way to get back up on Xavier’s back. Aye, and he might not make a muck of it, or a fool of himself doing it.
Analise nervously bit at her thumb as she watched Donan use his powerful arms to pull himself over to Xavier, who was bowed down again. Grabbing the stallion’s glossy black mane, Donan rucked himself partway up Xavier’s massive front haunches.
“Now, Analise, pull my leg up and over.”
Analise moved quickly to Donan’s side to do his bidding. Grasping his thigh, she realized that she couldn't circle it with both her hands, and it seemed that his leg was stiffer when bound in the hide leggings as it was. Still, from his knee to heel bent when it wasn't supposed to, until she grabbed his heel to control it. Then it was a tug of war that took a few moments, before his leg slid over the hard leather saddle onto the other side.
Donan stoically watched Analise struggling with her face etched in determination. He couldn't help but feel a certain admiration for her tenacity. Not the face of simplemindedness at all , he thought. “You’ll be needing to tie one of those straps or I will fall clear off when Xavier rises.”
It was going to work; Donan could feel it in his bones. He should have thought of this before, but he’d only taught Xavier to bow as a trick and rarely used the feat. If not for Analise, he'd never have thought of it. Excitement rolled in his belly. It had been five years since he'd been able to mount his stallion without the help of two stout men.
“Do you have it tied, lass?”
“Aye,” Analise said, as she stood back to examine her crookedly tied bow. It was the only kind she knew how to tie.
“Easy now,” Donan murmured in Xavier’s ear as he tried to turn his head to see Analise but couldn't. “Ah well then, Analise, step back and we will have a go at it,” Donan said, and his deep voice couldn't hide his excitement. Would not Shancy have been surprised
His voice was clear and firm, and Xavier didn't hesitate, he went down in a one legged bow placing his sable nose in Analise’s lap. She fairly choked him about the neck, but dared to peek at Xavier’s docile head bent to her purple skirts, with his big brown eyes looking so hopeful.
“He likes you, little nightingale.” Donan unwound one of Analise’s arms, then taking her small hand in his, he drew it near to Xavier’s velvet nose. “Pet him and see. His nose is soft as silk.”
Analise didn't protest when Donan placed her hand on Xavier’s nose, and then drawing it further over his head, her fingers unconsciously curling into his rich coat. Moments later, she was giggling from the tickle of the stallion’s tongue as Donan showed her how to feed Xavier a lump of hard sugar.
“He really likes me,” she whispered in reverent surprise as she looked at Donan with clear blue eyes, no longer lost or confused.
“Aye, I knew he would,” Donan agreed with a smile as he gave the command for Xavier to rise, watching Analise closely for any sign of fear, when the black stallion lumbered to his feet.
“Now, lass, do you think you can take him to the stream for a drink?”
Analise nodded. “Do I just take his reins?”
“Aye, imp, he’ll follow you like a pup, while I watch you both from here.”
Analise stood and gingerly took Xavier’s reins. Xavier obliged by nuzzling the side of her head and moved forward making her laugh and raise her free hand to pet the side of his neck. “Oh, you’re just a big babe, aren’t you,” she cooed.
Donan rested back on his elbows, watching the huge black stallion and lovely wee maid walking together. He wondered if Analise’s supposed simple thinking had any link to fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of the real demons of her world. Although, he’d be damned if he thought of her as simple at all.
By the time Analise came back with Xavier she was nearly dancing with delight beside the huge black mammoth and Donan had conceived of another way to get back up on Xavier’s back. Aye, and he might not make a muck of it, or a fool of himself doing it.
Analise nervously bit at her thumb as she watched Donan use his powerful arms to pull himself over to Xavier, who was bowed down again. Grabbing the stallion’s glossy black mane, Donan rucked himself partway up Xavier’s massive front haunches.
“Now, Analise, pull my leg up and over.”
Analise moved quickly to Donan’s side to do his bidding. Grasping his thigh, she realized that she couldn't circle it with both her hands, and it seemed that his leg was stiffer when bound in the hide leggings as it was. Still, from his knee to heel bent when it wasn't supposed to, until she grabbed his heel to control it. Then it was a tug of war that took a few moments, before his leg slid over the hard leather saddle onto the other side.
Donan stoically watched Analise struggling with her face etched in determination. He couldn't help but feel a certain admiration for her tenacity. Not the face of simplemindedness at all , he thought. “You’ll be needing to tie one of those straps or I will fall clear off when Xavier rises.”
It was going to work; Donan could feel it in his bones. He should have thought of this before, but he’d only taught Xavier to bow as a trick and rarely used the feat. If not for Analise, he'd never have thought of it. Excitement rolled in his belly. It had been five years since he'd been able to mount his stallion without the help of two stout men.
“Do you have it tied, lass?”
“Aye,” Analise said, as she stood back to examine her crookedly tied bow. It was the only kind she knew how to tie.
“Easy now,” Donan murmured in Xavier’s ear as he tried to turn his head to see Analise but couldn't. “Ah well then, Analise, step back and we will have a go at it,” Donan said, and his deep voice couldn't hide his excitement. Would not Shancy have been surprised
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