A/N: I am my own beta reader, any mistakes therefore' are mine.
Words in 'Ishvalan' can be looked up here: Capn_hoozit's Ishvallan Dictionary on the sons-of-the-desert-fma tumblr site
I apologize for not having an available link but FF.N will not allow links. They are stupid that way.
10.
Grudgingly, Taige had to admit, Bryant could handle the horses well. Though their particular methods on achieving results were different. Still, he watched silently as the Sargent put a bay Westfalan gelding through his paces. Expertly guiding the horse through a series of complex walks, trots and canters with knowing hands.
Nearby Miles stood, hands clasped behind his back, watching the horse do its thing. Occasionally he would make remarks to Sergeant Major Benjamin who noted them down for further dissimulation at another time.
Taige sighed. He was on light duty, which for Marcoh meant no lifting of any kind plus he was confined to the Fort for his part in the rail yard debacle. As the Doctor predicted he was indeed sporting a spectacular black eye and the lump still needed to go down. He turned away from the riding paddock and focused his attention on the sorrel mare whose back and sores he had finally succeeded in clearing up. He might not be able to do any heavy physical work, but he knew he could still work with the horses.
He eased his way into the corral complex that had been set up for them. The mare he had treated had developed some uneasy traits from her experiences. She'd made it a habit of getting herself into the middle of the small herd to keep away from people. She was amenable enough in the stalls, allowing him to treat her sores, but out amongst the other horses she developed a fear of being worked.
Taige lifted down a coil of rope from where he had left it hanging near the gate. He ambled slowly towards the cluster of horses in the paddock, to reach a gate further down that opened up into a third yard. With a slow, almost lazy swing of the rope coil, he coaxed the horses away from the gate and swung it open. Then he turned to the horses, who were exhibiting some nervousness about the stranger in the yard.
Moving slowly, he began letting one or two the horses slip by him, purposely keeping the mare from getting past and into the other yard. The other horses that had been allowed in, trotted or gallop to the far end. The mare made a dash for the open gate, past two of the other horses but Taige just lifted the coil of rope, causing the mare to come up short, wheel about and trot away from him. Her head was held high, ears flicking forwards and back, She moved about the yard in nervous bursts of speed.
He let the other two horses by, and as the mare tried to stick with the rest of them, Taige just blocked the opening. He lifted the coil again, and swung the gate closed, leaving him alone in the yard with the mare.
Miles attention was caught at the activity going on. He was about to say something to Taige about heeding the doctors order, but he saw that Taige was only standing in amongst the horses, lazily waving a coil of rope against his leg. He appeared not to be doing much of anything as he swung the gate open and let horses get by. Then he noticed the look of concentration on the Corporal's face.
"Benji," Miles said quietly catching his adjutant's attention, "Get a load of this."
Benjamin frowned, looking up from his note taking and watched along with the Colonel as Taige began singling out the sorrel mare from the others, not allowing her to join the rest of the horses now clustering at the far end of the bigger yard. Taige then swung the gate shut. Latching it behind him. The mare kept trying to at least get to the gate to be closer to the others and Taige simply waved her off, sending her to the opposite side of where he stood.
"That's the one he's been treating for the sores and the swelling in on its back." Benji murmured, watching what was going on. "He mention that she was having some issues as well."
"What the hell is he doing?"
"I have no idea, but I've heard of folks that have a way with horses. He just might be one of them..."
Time at Briggs had never really allowed Miles that much opportunity to deal with horses. Sure he'd learned to ride and there were some of them at Briggs' disposal, but his centre of focus was more inclined to actually running the fort being its second-in-command. The necessity for horses had become quickly apparent at the fledgling garrison and its particular terrain. So he was on a bit of a learning curve.
What he had seen normally was people just walking or riding into a herd, lassoing what ever horse they needed and getting on with the business at hand. Usually by forcing a horse to do what was needed.
What he saw now was entirely different to his preconceived notions.
Taige simply waited, talking in a voice so low that no one could make out his words as he purposely kept the mare away from him, walking slowly in a circle and using the coil to get the horse running in one direction or another. Within a few minutes however, he stopped, and the horse faced him. Taige waited a moment, then stepped forward, extending his hand out. At first the horse seemed interested, then as he lifted the coil she darted away again and they repeated the circling around one another.
Finally the horse stopped, and he extended his hand again. Hesitantly the horse approached and Taige set his hand on her forehead, murmuring words of encouragement. When he turned away, slowly walking around the enclosure, the horse followed him sticking by his right shoulder and he reached up and occasionally scratched her neck and chin.
It was like watching a slow dance. Circle, run, circle, stop. Each time he would lift the coil until the mare just followed him around like a puppy, ignoring the coil and just letting Taige take charge. Presently, with the coil still in one hand, he began lightly stroking her back, watching as she flinched in certain places, then he'd pat her flanks, her haunches, and her shoulder, then repeat.
He caught sight of the Colonel and Benjamin.
"Colonel, Sergeant Major." Taige acknowledged.
"You have me curious Corporal." Miles said, "Just what is it you're doing?"
"Come on in and see."
Miles eyebrow rose in surprise, but then he glanced at Benjamin with a wry smirk and joined Taige in the corral. The mare immediately spun away as the Colonel walked up to Taige.
"Horses are flight or fight creatures." Taige explained, still using a gentle tone of voice, keeping his eyes on the horse. "Anything, and I do mean anything, can be viewed as an enemy to a horse. Right now, she doesn't know you, so you are the predator. That's why she's running around the perimeter. Just walk around with me and wait until you see the change in behaviour."
Miles looked at Taige a moment uncertain, but saw that his concentration was back on the mare. He twisted his shoulders and proceeded to follow the movement of the horse, not letting himself take an eye off of her.
When the horse checked and stopped, turning towards them, Taige said. "See that? She's curious now, you haven't come after her. In a second she'll walk up to us, there..." Taige said. The mare approached them.
For a few moments the same situation the Colonel witnessed with Taige began anew with him in the corral. The mare would break away from contact, running around the perimeter then eventually face them and approach. Taige simply let her, until she finally settled down, seemingly content and just followed the two men around the corral.
"She's a good horse, this one." Taige said to Miles. "She's just been a little overworked and mishandled. I'm thinking she'd be a good horse for you. How's your riding skills?"
"Little to none." Miles admitted, patting the horse's neck, following what Taige had been doing.
Taige nodded. "She'll be a good fit then. She's solid and well trained. I can work with the both of you on improving your riding. Just keep patting and stroking her, its what the other horses would be doing. They're herd creatures and right now you and I are this girl's herd."
Miles looked dubiously at Taige. "Excuse me?" he asked.
Taige glanced at him and smirked. "It's all about observation and trust, Colonel. Instead of trying to force a horse to do what you want, you gain its trust and they will want to work with you. You are in it together, like being part of a team. The herd is a basically a team."
Miles pondered that for a moment. While he did Taige said.
"If you'd like, sir, now that I've got most of the horses healed up. I can help you with riding. We can do it here in the corral for now. Once I can sit horse again, we can take 'em out of the Fort and around Ishval. Get them used to the terrain, and the heat."
"I'll consider it." Miles replied, remaining neutral, "So long as you aren't going against Marcoh's orders. Can you train others to ride?"
"Yes, sir... There are several soldiers here with experience and some others that can shape up with training. Sergeant Major Benjamin already knows how to ride, he'd be able to help out as well."
"I need to get a mounted patrol started, among other things." He looked at Taige levelly. "I guess as part of work punishment you can do this. You're still not off the hook."
"Understood, sir." Taige replied, patting the mare's neck. "I wasn't trying to curry favour."
"Trust me Corporal, after the other night's debacle, you're really going to have to earn that. The last thing I am going to put up with is getting manipulated by one of my own men." Miles paused and met Taige eye to eye. "You ever try doing that to me again not only will your commission be worth less than shit, I'll personally kick your ass out of my fort. Ishvallan or not."
His delivery was perfectly calm, for the sake of the horse, but there was enough implied menace to his words that Taige smiled slightly and nodded.
"Fair enough," He paused a moment, then added. "And I apologize, sir. If it wasn't for Veela's sake I'd've never done it."
"Well, that was quite evident." Miles remarked dryly.
Both Naisha and Vesya had one of their hands clamped over their mouths as they stared, trying hard to suppress the excitement that each wanted to express.
Rada stood in her kitchen wielding a large knife, chopping up a sizable mound of almonds. They looked out into her back garden courtyard. Vesya, ruby eyes nearly as round as saucers, looked at her with a giggle escaping her lips.
"Oh God, Rada, look at her hair!" Naisha bubbled over.
"Please Nai!" Rada scolded good-naturedly. "Not so loud, it's taken three days to get her used to me. She's painfully, painfully shy."
Veela was out amongst Rada's vegetables, sitting in the path way and watching butterflies and bees happily going about their business amongst the herbs. Her tousle of white curls just barely seen over the plants by the three in the house.
"How old is she?" Vesya asked, keeping a weather eye on Mattas who was sitting on the kitchen floor and contemplating a set of his blocks with the aim of throwing them. Winry was contently perched on Naisha's hip, watching the going's on.
"Andakar says she's six."
"Six?" Naisha looked at Rada in surprise. "She's not big enough to be four!"
Vesya smiled brightly, "That means she'll be in our class."
"She's had a hard time of it, Nai. Tim says she's malnourished. As for school, we're not sure if she's ready for that."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Naisha asked.
"I'm getting the impression she's never been."
Both women looked at her. Rada shrugged. "From what I have learned, she's only ever been around her father. They've had a difficult time getting to Ishval. At one point she was taken from him and it took him a few days to relocate her. Since then it's just been the two of them. She's not used to being around people. Especially women."
"You're not telling us everything are you?" Naisha asked.
"No..." Rada said carefully, scrapping the chopped nuts together and running the blade over them again with a rocking motion of the knife. "She's very scared, Naisha. She won't even let Danika get near her and you know how kind Danika can be. She's still sleeping on our bedroom floor. The only person she trusts is Andakar."
"That's not surprising," Vesya said, the three women exchanging knowing smiles.
"She finally started relaxing around me just yesterday." Rada looked back out at the garden. "She hasn't said a word, yet. Just asking for her Papa and protesting when Andakar brings her back from the fort. Even her crying is silent. It's not normal."
"By Papa you mean that Ishvallan soldier who showed up?" Naisha asked.
"Yes," Vesya replied, "The one that shot the horse in the rail yard. Miles was not – is still not- happy about that." She looked at the other two, "Apparently he had to do it and fast. The horse was dying. He just broke about a dozen military rules when he did it. It's why he's confined to the Fort."
"And that's why she is here," Rada said. "He was leaving her on their home site in Outer Lejia during the day. With him stuck at the fort they needed to bring her into town. That's why we have her."
"A four year old alone all day by herself?" Naisha nearly exploded, "How could he do that?!"
"Six, Naisha..." Rada replied calmly. "Her papa swears she can handle it just fine, he was just always sure to be back by nightfall. He's not half wrong, she did give the boys a run for their money. Look at her though, she's content out there in the garden, stays out there all day." Rada looked around for her bowl and carefully scraped the chopped almonds into it.
"You should see her in the mornings. She wakes up the same time as Andakar. He likes to do his private devotions and exercises in the courtyard before we all get up. Imagine his surprise when he walks out with her on his heels. He tried to get her to go back to bed but she refuses. So she just sits on that bench under the honeysuckle." Rada nodded at a spectacularly thick vine trailing across the top of a pale pink border wall loaded with pink and yellow flowers.
"He says she just listens as he prays and when he starts his exercises she mimics the kalabri and they come down to her."
"The hummers? No kidding?" Naisha asked.
"They are fearless little birds," Vesya pointed out, "Aren't afraid of anything!"
"They're certainly not scared of her," Rada said, hunting in a cupboard for spices. "Andakar normally likes his morning time to be private, however he doesn't seem to mind her joining him. She's such a quiet little thing... " she said.
"But?" Naisha prompted. Rada sighed.
"She was abused, Nai. There are marks on her from the abuse. The few days she was taken from her father is the stuff of nightmares. It's why she's so shy."
Vesya gasped looking at Rada in horror. "Abused? She's a child!"
"It happens, Ves..." Rada said gently. "Veela's damaged. By herself, like she is out there now, she's happy enough. Around us? She either hides behind Andakar, or she's under the benches." Rada shook her head. "Just has tears rolling down her cheeks. I've yet to see her smile. She misses her father something fierce."
"Miles should at least let him out of the Fort during the day, then." Naisha said.
"He can't, Nai..." Vesya said, a touch weary, as if she'd gone over this before. She eyed Mattas as he hefted up a block. "He's got to maintain discipline at the Fort. It's his job. He has to remain impartial."
Naisha scowled. "Doesn't mean it's right." She heaved a sigh and glanced at Rada. "What did you say her name was again?"
"Veela. Taige told Andakar she was named after the bougainvillea."
Vesya giggled, "Oh! That's adorable!" With a fast move she snatched the block out of Mattas' hand as he wound up for the pitch.
Rada located her bottle of honey, adding some to the bowl of almonds and spices. "I wanted you two to see her, maybe even try and introduce her to you. She's got to start school eventually."
"Would Mika help?" Naisha asked. "She took Danika in hand pretty fast."
"Maybe later, it's the adults she needs to get used to first." Rada set the bowl aside, setting the knife and spoon in the sink, then washing her hands. "Danika's tried, bless her, but Veela's having none of it. Watching her out there now, she seems to exist in her own little world. And she's perfectly happy in it."
"She can't really stay in that little world though," Naisha said.
"No," Rada murmured, taking up a towel to dry her hands with. "With this little one, we need to draw her out gradually. I'd fear what could happen if we tried doing anything else."