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Chapter Ten: Fifteen Expensive Round Flat Gold Coloured Metal Pancakes.
Water. Down my face, dress and through my scalp. The culprit of this attack seemed to be very smug. It was around eighteen point five hands high. It had an interesting coat as it was the only spotted one in the stables. It was a black spotted blanket coat, with a thick mane and tail that was nearly touching the ground. It had good conformation though his neck was a bit short. It also had an intelligent look in his blue eyes. To me it looked like a overgrown Appaloosa.
I turned to the groomsman, "how much is it?"
He looked at me funnily.
"Miss you don't want this horse, its coat is a horrific colour and besides it's too strong for you."
I looked at him with confusion then a mild anger.
"Sir I have asked you how much he is. Not how it's coat is or how strong it is."
I then walked up to the horse.
"Besides it's coat is quite handsome and as long as we have a good relationship and it has been taught well then I shall be fine."
The man shuffled around nervously.
"It's a hideous creature, but he is also a Mearas which means he will be expensive. That money might not be any use if you can't ride him."
"Then why does it not belong to the king or the royal family?"
I was intrigued. How could the king let a perfectly good and rare horse go just because of it's spots?
"How would I know? Now do you want to see if it wants you to ride it or find a different horse?" He was getting impatient now.
"I will try it, does it have a saddle and bridle?"
The groom only nodded and pointed to the tack that was sitting on a pole opposite me. I walked over and picked up the saddle, but I couldn't find a blanket.
"Is there a saddle blanket for it?"
The groom just shrugged.
"Must have been used for another horse, not like this one has been out working."
I sighed and dropped the saddle, exchanging it for the bridle.
"I will ride it bareback then."
The groom gave an ungainly snort.
"I hope you've said goodbye to whoever your family is Miss you might be seeing your ancestors soon enough."
I ignored him while walking over to the horse. It took the bit well and behaved nicely when I was tightening the straps. I untied it and walked it over to the groom.
"Where shall I try it, Sir?"
He silently chuckled as he turned around and led me back out of the stables to a corral. As we walked through the other horses I noticed that the horse I was leading seemed to be very aggressive towards any that came near. As I walked through the gates into the corral where some stable boys came to see why the 'ugly mutt' was out and about. I frowned at them, shaking my head at their foolish behaviour. This horse was worth more than any other horse in that stable and they were about to sell him because he was 'ugly'.
The old groom was about to bring a stool for me to mount on when suddenly the horse went down on its knees. I could only stare in shock until it gave me a withering look that said, 'get on I'm not going to stay like this all day'. I quickly scrambled on minding the fact that I was wearing a dress, no matter how loose fitting it was on me. As it rose up I realised how tall it was. I looked at the fences that surrounded us and believed that this horse could jump them in a heartbeat. I squeezed the sides of the horse and it sprung into a nice energetic walk, I was very pleased. By squeezing again, it effortlessly passed into a trot that was smooth and steady. I gave another squeeze sensing its wanting of a quick canter. We transitioned perfectly into a smooth and easy canter that I could sit perfectly in even without a saddle.
After a few minutes I slowed it back down to a trot to a walk, allowing him to cool off. The men and stable boys that crowded around to watch the 'strange lady that wanted to ride the ugly mule'. As we walked around and cooled off the old groom was speechless and couldn't get a word out. I pulled the horse to a stop and slid off it's back while brushing the hairs off the back of my dress. I then walked back through the gate of the corral, past the awestruck men and back into the stables to where the horse was tied down before.
The groom followed.
"Miss that was wonderful, you didn't even fall off."
I looked at him before turning back and putting the headstall back onto the horse.
"I'll ask you again Sir, how much is he?" Turning back.
He shuffled nervously.
"It is not for me to decide Miss, it's for Théoden king to decide as it is his horse."
I looked at him in alarm. To stand before the king once is scary enough but twice is an honour. "Lead the way sir." I directed with my hand that he should go first.
As we reached the golden hall the guards quickly checked us for weapons, seeing that we had none, let us in. I frowned as they did, was this a new measure they have introduced recently? The king was sitting in his throne like last time. He looked at the groom and nodded his head acknowledging him as an old friend. I was looking around while pleasantries were exchanged and noted at everything was the same until I saw a man hovering in the dark corner. Talking interrupted my thoughts.
"This young lady here seems to have been able to ride the Mearas horse, my king, without any troubles. And wishes to buy it, my king."
"You have ridden my horse well Miss I saw you from the balcony causing quite a fuss."
"Sir, the horse was for sale last I heard and I was brought here to talk about the price for it, may I have it please my Lord?"
"Of course but I warn you, no matter how terrible that horse's coat is it still is an expensive beast."
"I understand that my Lord."
"The price for such fine breeding, including the tack, is thirty fæt."
My eyes nearly fell out of my head. Thirty fæt for something they were not going to ride was ridiculous.
"My lord may we include feed for a week for it as well?"
The king of Rohan looked at me critically, as if judging me.
"Miss you may take the horse, all its needed tack and a weeks worth of feed for half of the price I have offered. Take it or leave it."
My eyes nearly fell out again. He was dropping the price that much. I look that the groomsman who looked like he saw that coming. All I could do was nod and bring out my little pouch of money to count out the coins. Fifteen golden coins I collected into my hand. I looked up to see Théoden King looking at me expectedly. I walked forwards and placed the coins into his well calloused hand. He nodded a wordless thanks and I was escorted outside and back to the stables to collect horse.