ARGH! I liked this chapter in the beginning but now I hate it. I focused way to much on the actual 'how to ride a horse' bits. Ah-well, this chapter's only supposed to set the scene for the next. Sorry I haven't updated lately, I've been on Vacation for the last few weeks. So hopefully I should have some more chapter's done soon, though I'm not promising anything. Thank you everyone for the Reviews and Favourites!
The pale morning sun shone down drying off the dirt floor outside the stables where Grace waited patiently for Lorcan to appear; she wondered for a moment, if he'd found something better to do than spend time with her. She sighed and took another breathe, inhaling the deep scent of the country air around her: The far off smell of the sea and wet grass in the meadows blown closer by the wind and nearer smells such as freshly cut hay and something baking in the cookhouse near by.
She heard the crunch of heavy footfalls across the gravel as Lorcan approached, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming." she called out, smiling. Lorcan walked casually the last few meters before he joined her near the stable door and answered, "A gentleman always keeps his promises Miss. Tempest"
They entered the stables together. Grace watched thoughtfully as Lorcan picked up one of the bridles and began adjusting the straps, she would have offered to help but she wouldn't have known where to begin, she didn't have the vaguest idea how to ride a horse. Her eyes differed from the bridle to Lorcan himself as he worked. He looked rather dashing in his riding jacket, boots and hat she wondered briefly why he preferred to where a seafarer's outfit rather than clothes from his own period of time, like some of the other vampires; and what had made him change. Though of course it might have been because they didn't exactly look like the most comfortable thing to wear and if it had been anyone else Grace would have thought it looked ridiculous…though of course he managed to pull it off perfectly… Lorcan caught her eye and she looked down at the ground blushing, how could she be having these thoughts about her best friend? A best friend which was, in-fact, about to be married. A best friend who didn't even tell her he was getting married. Just don't think about it, Grace.
"Are you coming with or are you just going to stand there all day?" Lorcan asked all ready leading two horses outside. Grace jumped, she been to caught up in her thoughts to notice he had finished the task at hand. She followed him out the door and into a small padlocked area and tied both horses reins to a fence post. "This is Líle" he said, resting one hand a dark brown mare, "The most important thing you need to remember is how to stop" he continued, "Just pull the reins towards you gently and stiffen your back. Got that?"
"I think so" Grace said, suddenly nervous. "Good. So when I lift you up, you put your leg in front, over the horn and your left foot in the stirrup."
"Wait; what?"
"Ok, try it this way. Just sit like you normally would."
"What was that part about being lifted up?"
Lorcan grinned, "How were you planning on getting on the horse?"
"I don't know! The same way as a camel I guess."
He laughed, "Shall I go find one of my sisters to show you how?"
"You know what; I think I'll be okay"
"Right, So…Put your hand on my shoulder and your left foot in the stirrup -that's this- and try and climb us" he gestured to a ring hanging down from the saddle as he spoke.
Grace did as she was told, leaning on him for support. This was the closest physical contact she'd had with Lorcan since she'd gotten here, and she expected it to be more awkward, but it wasn't, probably because she was more worried out falling off the horse then anything else at the moment. As she moved her weight from Lorcan to the mare, she felt the horse take a small step away from her, and nearly fell back down again.
Lorcan chuckled looking up at her; making Grace's heart flutter, at it always did. "You look terrified"
"I told you I've never ridden before"
"I know, but your supposed to enjoy yourself, not look like your scared out of your wits." He paused for a moment, "Ok, so now try and move your right leg in front and turn so your facing forwards." He helped her adjust until she was sitting as he had said, "Now, try and move all your weight to your foot and to your knee. - Good " He untied the reins from the post and handed them to her. "Hold the reins like this," he said holding her own hands in his.
"I think your ready to actually star riding now." Lorcan said half an hour later. . Grace groaned, "Can't we just quit now, while we're ahead?" He laughed and climbed onto the other horse in a few seconds flat, making it look easy. "We'll, start off with a walk, tap the horse's flanks with your foot to get it to move…"
Another twenty minuets later and Grace was feeling sore all over. They'd moved to a near by field so their was more room for both of them. It hadn't taken long to get use to the swaying motion of a horse walking but then they had switched to a trot. She could feel herself already beginning to slip off the saddle again. She wondered if it would have been easier to sit astride, as Lorcan did, rather than side saddle. "Ready to try cantering?"
"No,"
He shook his head in amusement, "A canter's no where near as bad as a trot"
"I'm not going any faster than this,"
Grace was amazed at how patient a teacher Lorcan was; sports -any sports- weren't really her thing, and she knew she'd probably annoyed at least a few gym teachers in her time. But she knew he wasn't the least bit put off by her lack of enthusiasm.
"Ready, to go back then?" Grace nodded "I'll race you ." At that Lorcan set off at a full gallop, She could feel Líle, her horse, start to pick up the pace too, but she remembered what Lorcan said and pulled on the reins. After a minute he joined her again, "Not quite ready for galloping then, Grace?" She shook her head in exasperation, "Show-off"