The familiar scent of dust, straw, and horses greeted Lexa as she walked with Clarke into one of the stables. The guards behind them stopped to wait at the door. Hands behind her back, Lexa observed her companion as they passed by the stalls. Clarke looked at each horse with keen interest, a light smile on her lips.
They reached the end of the stable where it opened into a wide round pen. Near the center, a young Grounder stood holding the reins of two saddled horses.
Lexa approached the darker mare, knowing it to be the more gentle of the two. She glanced at Clarke and nodded toward the mare. "Do you like her?"
The horse puffed air through its wide nostrils as Clarke laid a hand on its muzzle. "She's beautiful." It nudged back against her hand.
Watching Clarke for a moment, Lexa said, "The ride to Arkadia tomorrow will be long. I thought I could offer a short lesson to help make it more comfortable."
Clarke tilted her head questioningly. "The Commander is going to teach me how to ride? You know I've ridden before, right?"
Holding her eyes, Lexa raised an amused brow. "Yes."
Lips parting as though to say something, Clarke dropped her gaze with a soft laugh. She nodded and cleared her throat. "Alright, then."
Taking the reins of the horse, Lexa stroked its muzzle as Clarke set a foot in the stirrup and grabbed the front and back of the saddle to heft herself up. After giving her the reins, Lexa moved to check the stirrups.
"They feel a bit high," Clarke commented. Lexa nodded, maneuvering around her leg to lower the stirrup. She did the same to the other side before mounting her own horse, nodding to the Grounder who took his leave to wait inside the stable.
The pair walked their horses toward the edge of the pen and followed along the fence.
"Your posture is good," Lexa observed. "Point your heels down." Clarke's lips firmed as she focused on the instructions. Lexa glanced down at her hands. After a moment's deliberation, she reached out and brushed her fingertips over the back of one. "Relax your grip. They can feel when you're tense." She felt Clarke's hand relax before she cupped the back of it with her own, encouraging it slightly toward the horse's head. "Give her a little more rein. There. Use your legs to help guide her." Clarke nodded and breathed, relaxing more. Lexa retracted her hand.
After circling the pen several times, and it was clear Lexa had run out of things to correct, Clarke turned to look at her, a brow raised along with a smile. "Well?"
Lexa nodded, smiling in kind. "Good."