I just re-read Scorpio Races and I forgot how wonderful the book was! And now that I'm older (lol, college freshman!), I understand parts of it that I didn't get when I first read it! So now I'm full of muse but can't find anyone willing to role play this with me on Advanced Scribes (if you're on that website and want to give it a try, let me know! Please!), so I decided to write this with the chance it might become an actual story.
Right at the end of the Scorpio Races, as Corr turns away from the sea and back to Sean...
Puck's POV
I am as shocked as Mr. Holly at what I see happening. Corr is calling, calling, and looking over his shoulder back to Sean and I can imagine from there that I see confusion in the monster's eyes. Why is his human not returning to the sea with him. Sean turns back around, and then Corr shocks us all again when he struggles to turn around and limps heavily back towards Sean.
"Well I'll be…" George Holly muttered, watching as Corr continues towards Sean, who seems completely frozen in place. The capall uisce lays his head against Sean's chest and this is somehow a different thing then when he ripped open Prince's throat. This is affection, actual affection, a thing I never thought I would see in a creature such as Corr. And when Sean wraps his around that massive, I can see from here the ever so subtle shake in his shoulders. Sean Kendrick is crying.
When the race had ended, I hadn't gotten the chance to really talk to him much afterwards. Everything had been too crazy. I know that he had fallen asleep against the cliff after making a makeshift shelter for Corr. I know that George Holly had been the one to shake him awake, and I know when I saw George Holly the next day, he had told me Sean had not left the beach. Everyone in Skarmouth talks about how Sean had not left the beach all night, and that even when people tried to coax him off the sand, he would refuse to go. George Holly had, much to my surprize, stayed on the sand with Sean that night. He didn't say if they spoke or sat in silence, but he told me that Sean had not slept, fitfully at best, and that it had been a long, long night. I knew, watching Sean break down now with Corr in front of him, that Thisby's 4-time winner was absolutely exhausted, emotionally and physically. I wonder what it is he's going to do, if he's going to lead Corr back into the water but join him this time, or if he's going to keep Corr on the land with him, if he's going to put him down or try to fix his leg. Then George Holly speaks up again.
"Dammit, I can't stand here and let this happen without trying to do something. You go try to convince that boy to get some rest, and I'll be back before sundown." He says, and then he turns and walks away with determination. I wonder what it is he plans on doing. I wait a few more minutes before I head down the beach to Sean. Corr notices me first and lifts his head, ears pricked towards me. There's something about this beast that makes him so much different from the others, but it's only ever when he's with Sean Kendrick.
"Sean." I say his name quietly because it seems impossible to speak louder. He doesn't turn completely, but he lifts his head just enough that I know he's listening. "You need to get some rest. I think Mr. Holly has some plan, he'll be back soon."
"What is there to plan?" Sean asks, and his voice is hoarse and quiet and empty. It's so un-Sean-like, and it breaks my heart to hear it like that.
"I don't know. Please, come get some rest. Corr chose his happiness, there's a chance that maybe we can fix his leg. It won't be perfect, but it won't hurt him anymore and he'll be with you for the rest of your lives. You both need to eat something too."
I can't tell if he agrees just to shut me up or if he agrees because a part of him still hopes there's a chance. It's a slow walk. Both Sean and Corr aren't very steady on their feet. There's a bump on Sean's head from where the piebald had struck him with her knee, and there are scrapes all over the both of them. I decide to walk behind Sean, who is by Corr's head, and very, very carefully, I put a hand on Corr hindquarters and try to help him support himself a little better. He flicks an ear back towards me, but nothing more. We get back to the shelter and Sean sits back down on the sand heavily, and I go back to my backpack and bring over a paper bag. There's November cakes in them that I originally wanted to bring home for me and Finn and Gabe, who hasn't left yet. He leaves on the first boat tomorrow. I feel like Sean needs the November cakes more than me or brothers though.
When I offer it to him, he tries to refuse.
"I'm not hungry-"
"Eat. When was the last time you ate anything?" He doesn't answer, but he takes the cake and eats it's absentmindedly. It's about 30 more minutes before George Holly comes back, and with him is Dr. Halsal and Peg.
"Sean Kendrick, you look like you just dragged yourself from a watery grave." Dr. Halsal states as a greeting and Sean looked up as if he hadn't noticed anyone approaching.
"That's how I feel too." He responds, then goes back to nibbling on his cake.
"Sean, how still can you hold Corr's head?" Mr. Holly asks.
"Depends. Why?" Sean looked suspicious.
"Dr. Halsal is a doctor. Peg knows joints and bones, I know horses, and you know capaill uisce like no one else. I told you about the vets in California, and I've watched them set a few legs. I think if the four us work together, we might be able to set Corr's leg and while he'll never race again, at least he won't be broken forever."
I'm shocked at the idea and I think Sean is too. Its takes a while for it to register with him however, because he's exhausted. He looks up at the water horse standing over him, and Corr's eyes are watching Sean closely. It's like they have a silent conversation before Corr nudges Sean back to his feet.
"I can hold his head steady enough." He says. And so they begin. Sean puts the halter back on and he takes up his whispering, drawing the circle in the sand and spitting in it. Once the horse is secured, Dr. Halsal, George Holly, and Peg Gratton get to work. It's fascinating to watch them and listen to them. They have the leg wraps ready, and they're all in position to jump up and move should something go wrong. But it doesn't. Somehow, Sean keeps Corr from hurting himself or anyone else. When they set the bone, Corr flinches and tries to pull away briefly, but Sean's whispering calms him. The light is fading quickly, but finally Dr. Halsal and Peg back up and George Holly is wrapping the leg.
"Done." George Holly says proudly, stepping away and admiring his handy work. The wrap is neat and clean. "Now he just needs to be moved off the beach somewhere safer and in a stall. I'm sure you know how to treat a lame horse, Sean?"
Sean nods and I notice he's shaking again. Dr. Halsal notices too, and frowns. He puts a hand on Sean's forehead before Sean has a chance to duck away.
"You're burning up, Kendrick. Give me the lead rope, I've had my share of handling the water horses. You need to re-"
"I can't. Not until Corr is safe." Sean is stubborn as his horse and refuses to give up the rope. "Someone help support him."
Me, George Holly, and Dr. Halsal go with Sean. Mr. Holly and I are supporting Corr while Dr. Halsal probably only came along because he doesn't think Sean can make it all the way to the Malvern yard. Apparently, Mr. Holly had managed to go there earlier before getting Dr. Halsal and Peg and convinced Mr. Malvern to allow Corr to stay in the barn until he was well enough to leave it. Corr is put in a stall and given fresh water a bucket of bloody meat, and then Peg meets us all outside. Sean is practically asleep on his feet and his face is flushed with fever and exhaustion. He tries to tell Dr. Halsal that he'll stay here tonight, but the doctor will have none of it.
"A real bed, Kendrick, and none of those stairs to the loft!"
"You can stay at my house." I offer, and I'm surprised by it. I
"I'll drive you both there." Peg says, and it's an order, not an offer. I sit in the middle between Peg and Sean and I can feel the fever coming off Sean in waves. He's asleep almost as soon as the truck starts moving, his head resting against the window. A part of me wishes that he would use me as pillow, but the other part is simply glad that he's finally sleeping.
We ride in silence, the scratchy radio making the only background noise. The ride seemed to last forever, but I'm sure it seemed much shorter to Sean. It's always that way, when you're in the deepest of sleep. It goes too quickly, even if it's been hours. When we pulled up to the house, the lights were on. I wondered if Gabe was still here, or if he had gone somewhere else tonight. As I shook Sean awake, I saw Gabe come out of the house. So he was still here. As much as I wanted to make sure I could see him before he left, I was also trying to figure out where Sean would sleep. Our parents room hasn't been touched really, but we had sold the bed to get some extra money.
"Thanks for the ride." I smile at Peg Gratton and she nods back with a smile. Sean climbs out of the truck groggily, not seeming to really register where he was. I climb out after him and wave bye as Peg backs out of the driveway and heads back down the road.
"Where have you been, Puck?" Gabe scolds as he comes closer. He doesn't seem to notice Sean standing there until he gets closer. I mouth to him that I'll explain later.
"I was at the beach." I answer simply, and lead Sean inside. Finn is sitting on the couch, absentmindedly fiddling with the radio again. I look at Finn and then at Sean, trying to figure out if Finn's clothes would fit Sean. I decide it's the best shot we have, since most of Finn's clothes are too big for him anyway and ask him to go get some that Sean can wear. His clothes are the same ones from the race, and they're crusty with salt and sand and dried blood. I can't imagine that they're very comfortable right now.
Finn comes back with sweatpants and a sweatshirt and I lead Sean into my room and tell him to get changed and that he can sleep in here tonight. I was expecting a protest, but got none. He didn't speak at all, just nodded and I left the room and closed the door behind me.
I went back into the kitchen to find that Gabe had made dinner earlier. Soup, and it looked like there was leftover chicken in it.
"So why is he here?" He asked me before I even had a chance to get out a bowl.
"He's been on the beach all night. His horse broke a bone in the races yesterday because of Mutt, and Sean was hit in the head with Mutt's uisce's knee and he just needs a place to stay for a little. It's not a permanent thing." I explain.
"Is the horse still alive?"
"Yeah. Dr. Halsal, Peg, and George Holly set the bone and we brought him back to the Malvern yard. That's why it took so long, because he can't walk very fast. Neither can Sean, for that matter."
"Does he want some soup? There's plenty." Gabe offered. He seemed a little more okay with him being here now that he knew the reason.
"I had to force him to eat a November cake earlier. I doubt he's even awake right now, he's exhausted."
Gabe nodded and I ate my dinner in silence. Right before I went to sleep, I carefully opened the door to my bedroom to check on Sean. He was curled up in a tight ball, the blanket pulled tight over him and up to his ears, out cold. He was snoring very quietly, which I thought was weird. Sean was always so quiet, I had never considered the fact that he might snore. His clothes are on a somewhat neat pile on the floor, and I go in and pick them up, deciding to wash them for him. I'm not sure I'll be able to get all the blood out of them, but it's worth a shot.
I leave the room and close the door and scrub his clothes for a while, watching the water go from clear to the brownish-red that comes from blood and dirt. I don't remember what time it is when I finally go to sleep, but I wake up to the sounds of Gabe making his way around the house, triple checking everything he needs is packed and that he's ready to go. I push myself off the couch and watch him disappear into the bathroom, and head down to my own room to check on Sean again. He's still sleeping, but more stretched out now, and laying on his stomach. He's quieter now too, no more snoring. The blanket is tangled around his legs and hanging halfway off the bed. I close the door carefully, deciding to let him sleep for as long as he wants.
Gabe leaving is a bit of a mess, watched through blurry eyes. I leave a note for Sean to tell him where we've gone so if he wakes up, it isn't in a different house all alone. Then Finn and I follow Gabe out of the house and down to the docks, where a boat is being loaded up with passengers getting ready to head back to the mainland after the races.
"I'll come back and visit. And I'll send money too, and write to you guys as often as I can." He promises as he hugs us both, and then the next thing I know Finn and I are standing on the edge of the dock and Gabe is waving to us from a boat heading out across the ocean. I find myself praying that none of the capaill uisce are still roaming the waters and that if they are, they leave the boat alone.
We get back to the house and by now it's almost lunch time. We walked in about the same time as Sean woke up. He came out of my room with his hair sticking up in every direction and a sleepy look still on his face and I'd be lying if I didn't say it made him look adorable. He looked at me briefly and I pointed him towards the bathroom, somehow knowing thats what he was asking. How did he do that? He could communicate without speaking and I was no closer to figuring how he did now than I was when I first noticed him.
"I'm going to go see the butcher today." Finn stated, absentmindedly washing his hands. "Maybe I can apprentice."
"Ask at the bakery first." I suggested, sitting at the table. "They might be looking too."
He doesn't seem to believe me, but agrees to go.
"I'm going with Sean to Malverns. I'm supposed to start working there tomorrow." I say. Finn nodded, and we continued moving around in silence.
"Are we walking?" Sean asked, and I jumped because I hadn't expected him to come up behind me like that.
"I don't think he'd appreciate me bringing Dove, but we have bikes. Gabe left his bike, but the tire might be flat."
Sean nods and we head outside to put air in the tire and then we head down the road towards Malvern's yard in silence.
Once we get there, I go with Sean to check on Corr. The massive red horse has his ears pricked towards the isle way as soon as he hears Sean's steps and he starts calling for him. The un-horse-like noise makes some of the other horses nicker nervously, while others poke their heads from the stall and nicker towards Sean as if wondering where he's been. He looks so natural in the barn, so much more relaxed around the horses than around people. I smile as I watch him put his hand on Corr's face, rubbing the horse's cheeks and Corr leans into his hand.
Sean's POV
His stall has not been cleaned, but he has been fed. His leg is still wrapped neatly, which tells me hasn't moved much last night. That's a good thing in a way, because he isn't jarring his leg, but I know it also means he's in pain and I don't like that. He still has the saddle mark on him because I haven't had the chance to brush him. Well, I technically did have the chance to brush him down but didn't. I was so dizzy after the race and the next day, so out of it, that I doubted it even occurred to me to brush him down. I still wasn't quite feeling good yet. Skata's knee had struck my head hard and then hitting the hard packed ground, it certainly wasn't an ideal situation. Sleeping in an actual bed had really helped me though. I hadn't realized how much I had needed that, sleeping in a bed without having to get up before dawn or having anyone wake me up.
Puck leaves to go talk to Malvern and a part of me wants to go with her, to protect her from him, but I know she can handle it so I go get a wheelbarrow and start cleaning Corr's stall instead. He automatically moves himself against the wall, though I can tell it hurts for him to move. I move the pitchfork around him, cleaning the stall as much as I can to make sure it's nearly spotless, then I go to get a wheelbarrow full of fresh shavings and spread them out on his stall, so he has something softer than concrete to stand on. I look over at his leg again, wrapped in a blue wrap, and wonder if trying to fix it was the right choice.