Fiyero was on his way back towards Crage Hall to meet Galinda when a familiar voice behind him made him jump—he hadn't thought there was anyone on the road near enough to overtake him so quickly. The voice wasn't addressing him, though.
"Well, Shazah, shall we run him over as a penalty for being in our way, or shall we be nice and offer him a ride back to campus?"
Fiyero wheeled around to face the speaker and her companion. Elphaba was only a few yards behind him, smirking at him from astride a fine-boned Horse with a delicately chiseled head. The horse—Shazah, was it?—snorted impatiently.
"Don't you think you're quite heavy enough on your own, Miss Elphaba?" The pretty Mare tossed her head elegantly, her mane fluttering out behind her, in a motion frighteningly reminiscent of Galinda. "I think we ought to pass on running him over, too. He's awfully pretty for a human."
Elphaba laughed and Fiyero feigned being indignant as he walked back up the road towards them. "Now, honestly, you needn't discuss my potentially harmful fate as though I'm too dull to understand it!"
The green girl started to reply, but Shazah interrupted her. "This sounds as though it's shaping up to be a fairly lengthy chat, fun as it is." She pulled her head around and used her nose to shove Elphaba's foot from her stirrup. "Get off. And while you're at it, loosen my girth for me, if you don't mind."
Elphaba rolled her eyes and dismounted in a quick, practiced, and flowing movement that made Fiyero's mouth go a little dry, for reasons he couldn't quite grasp. His girlfriend's roommate glanced at him as she reached to loosen the straps of the saddle, asking, "So why are you heading towards campus at two in the afternoon on a Friday? Aren't you normally headed to town for some fun at this point?"
"I was headed over to visit your dear roomie, she wants me to check in as to what color she's wearing to dinner tonight so I can match," he responded, rolling his eyes and then turning to be face to face with Elphaba's companion. He bowed formally to the attractive little Mare, making the corners of Elphaba's mouth turn up in unspoken approval at the respectful gesture. "Fiyero Tiggular, by the way."
"Shazah Reshad," the Mare responded, dipping her head, mirroring his bow. "You are a friend of Miss Elphaba's, I'm guessing?"
"Yes," he chuckled, "Or at least I'd like to think so. I'm afraid she may be vastly too good for me, though." Shazah gave a whinnying laugh at this, and Elphaba grinned too, coming up to stand next to Shazah's head so the Horse could see her.
"I have to confess, Shazah, I'm surprised to see one such as you being ridden. It's not often you see someone astride a Horse these days, it's been generally just horses for years."
Elphaba opened her mouth to; no doubt, begin one of her heated rants on the limited options for Animals, but the Mare cut her off. "Calm down, Elphie, I can explain for myself," she gently reprimanded, then turned her attention back to Fiyero. "This is the best way for me to make a living," Shazah told him, swishing her tail in irritation. "People will pay high prices to watch a Horse or horse and rider work together without speaking, there are competitions for it. I work for the stables in this district, so when a rider and I win in those events, I get a cut, the stable gets a cut, and the rider gets a cut. Unless Elphaba's riding," she amended, smiling fondly at the green girl. "She insists upon my taking her share. That, and the stable pays me every week. So, I get by."
"Wow. I've never heard of anything like that. Is it difficult?"
"Not if the Horse and rider work as a team and understand one another, as things should be," Elphaba responded, leaning her head lightly against the Mare's neck as the Horse bobbed her head in agreement.
"I didn't even know you rode, Elphie," Fiyero commented.
"I had a friend, a Pony, when I was small, back in Quadling country. She carried Nessa around for us, in exchange for protection and some extra food and money. She taught me. I've loved it ever since, and for a long time I just rode horses, but it's an honor to be able to work with someone like Shazah," Elphaba explained, combing her fingers through Shazah's mane.
"We were just on our way back from practicing for our next show," Shazah told him. She looked to Elphaba. "Are you up for a demonstration?"
Elphaba's eyes lit up. "I am as soon as your girth is tightened and I'm back on," she replied with a grin, tugging at the leather straps and swinging lightly back up. Fiyero smiled too, curiously anticipating their display.
Shazah stretched her legs into an easy canter towards the center of the field bordering the road, Elphaba moving gracefully in sync with her. The halted, turning to face him, and Shazah tucked her nose into her chest, arched her neck elegantly, as Elphaba picked up the reins and touched her fingertips to her forehead in an easy salute.
And then, suddenly, they were dancing.
It took Fiyero's breath away. Shazah's legs curved elegantly, stretching forward, crossing over, taking them on diagonals, straight lines, serpentines, graceful circles, her body bending with grace and ease… and it seemed as though Elphaba was a part of her, somehow. They stopped to prance in place, they pirouetted across the field, they skipped playfully about in circles and loops, they settled easily into a rocking-horse motion that made Shazah's tail ripple against her hind legs and Elphaba's hair stream out behind her. Fiyero somehow managed to focus on Elphaba's face—she was lost in the feeling of moving with another being as though they were a single unit, her eyes glowing with a happiness he'd never seen in her before.
Fiyero's jaw was somewhere near his knees when the pair returned, and Shazah let out her whinnying laugh again at the sight of his expression. "Impressed, Master Fiyero?" she asked, coming to a halt beside him.
"I… um… wow," Fiyero stuttered. "No wonder people pay to see you."
Elphaba laughed. "Well, we're very glad you enjoyed, and we'll have to be sure to charge you next time," she teased. "We should get back, though. Plus, deciding on a shade that Galinda has in a dress and you have in a shirt could take awhile, so you should probably hustle, too." She smiled mischievously at him. "It was nice to run into you, Master Fiyero. Tell Galinda I'll be home shortly, would you? See you in Dr. Dillamond's class if by some miracle you've escaped my dear roomie's clutches before I get back, and otherwise sooner." And with a quick wave from Elphaba and a quick "Nice meeting you" from Shazah, they were off, trotting briskly down the side of the road and laughing about something he couldn't hear.
Fiyero shook his head a little to clear it, still slightly disbelieving. He still had an awful lot to learn about the ever-intriguing Miss Elphaba.
Author's note: I know this is a little unorthodox, but when I was telling someone about my Arabian mare today, they commented that I talk about her as if she were a person, talk to her, listen to her 'talk' to me... so, I couldn't help but think that Elphaba might have such a close partnership with an Animal, something she just doesn't really talk about. One of her many mysteries, if you will. And if you read this whole thing, congratulations, and virtual cake to you. :)