Palla
Ronan awoke to a knock at the door of his bunk. He quickly got himself out of bed, and pulled his clothes on.
"Hello, Ronan? Are you there?" an unfamiliar voice called. Whoever she was, she pronounced his name wrong.
"On my way!" he called back. A few moments later, he opened the door.
On the other side was a woman with green hair, and white and gold armor. "My name is Palla," she said. "I'm sure you've gotten the letter?"
"Letter? I must have," Ronan said.
"Great, then let's get started," the girl said.
"Oh?"
"What are you waiting for? Please, I want to mount. I have duties to perform today, I can't wait for you forever."
Mount?
"Are you sure you got the letter?" she asked.
"I'm not sure that I have. I'm terribly sorry."
"Oh, it's alright," Palla said. "Perhaps it hasn't come in yet. I did send it late yesterday, after all."
"Okay."
"I'll just have to explain it to you. I've enlisted for a mount by the Order of Heroes. I didn't have a request, so they paired me with you."
"Mount?"
"Yes," she responded.
"Sorry to ask, but how… how does that work?"
"Well," she said, "how does one ride a horse or a pegasus?"
"Like this?" Ronan kneeled on the ground before placing his hands down after, landing on all fours.
"Like that," Palla said, wasting no time in walking to him and straddling his back.
The impact surprised him. He thought he didn't understand something, but here he was, mounted.
"Open your mouth, I'm going to put this bit in," Palla said.
"Uh, okay, Palla," he said, clamping down on a wooden bit. He felt her stand up for a moment to lay stirrups across his back, before she sat back down on him, with her feet now in the stirrups.
"Alright, now, Ronan, please mush for me," she commanded, and steered him out of his room.
Ronan marched obediently onward as Palla needed. She steered him out and to the grounds, where the floor was a rough rubble. He saw another pair in a similar situation- he saw a woman who he knew as L'Arachel riding on a thief named Matthew. He was glad it wasn't her riding him, as he watched her shout her commands at Matthew.
"Come now, Ronan," he heard, as he felt his jockey kick his sides. He resumed his march, paying less mind to his surroundings.
Palla was graceful and controlling as a rider. She had no trouble riding Ronan and controlling him. It was clear that she was experienced in riding things that were bigger and stronger than Ronan was. Every step he took was her command, it felt. He soon thought only of Palla, as she pulled the reins, and he began to feel comfort from the feeling of her weight on his back.
"Wait here," she said, and dismounted, standing up and walking inside a building.
Ronan let his back down and sat on the ground, waiting as Palla had instructed. He began to wonder what she was doing in there. He attempted to take it off his mind. He hadn't really thought about how strange it was. He was to be ridden by her? And not just him, but he saw other pairs just like them.
On the road, he watched Donnel's eyes water as Fiora dug spurs into his sides. He sped up, and Fiora smiled, seeming content that she wasn't just trotting anymore.
Fifteen minutes went by. Ronan appreciated the break he was given, but he wondered how much longer he'd have to sit out there waiting.
Fifteen more minutes passed by and Ronan zoned out. He watched as Azelle struggled to hold up Nephenee, all while she complained at his weakness.
"Ronan, on your hands and knees," Palla commanded, "get down."
Finally, he thought, and he lifted his back back up from his seated position.
"I've finished my talk," Palla said, "let's move on."
Ronan felt a sense of satisfaction as she sat back down on top of him and rested her legs at his sides. The weight was back on him, and she spurred him forward, back over the road. She wasted no time in getting control again, and Ronan forgot himself, thinking only where he was to take Palla again.
The weight was heavy on his back. Palla was taller than him, and bigger physically. She proved to be a bit of a challenge to carry at times, and he wondered if he'd give out once or twice. Palla would always take notice and adjust accordingly.
The strain eventually reached a point where Ronan stopped. Palla looked at him, confused for a moment, as she hadn't wanted him to.
"Is everything alright?" she asked.
Ronan nodded.
"Good," she said, "I need you to keep up for me. You're doing a good job, but we might have to work on your strength."
Ronan listened and understood. He moved his arms again, unwanting to delay Palla. She rode him to a blacksmith, where she again dismounted and instructed him to wait. He sat and waited patiently.
Ronan's new assignment was not an easy one, but he felt it was one he had to do. He had orders to follow, after all, and he was happy to follow Palla's command as her mount. There were other riders who weren't as kind, as he saw. And when he saw mounts disagreeing with their jockeys, it always looked poor. The rhythm Palla gave him wasn't bad.
"Down," he heard again, and enjoyed the sensation of being mounted once more.
"Forward, Ronan," she instructed.
He marched forward just as she had asked him. When she leaned even slightly one direction, he'd go there. She had a way of conveying her motion through his legs, making riding a smooth process with little need for verbage. What she couldn't indicate through posture she could with the reins, and it wasn't often she spoke to him. Despite that, it was as if she commanded him every step of the way. She'd gained control of him, and Ronan didn't rebel from it.
At the end of the day, Palla took him back to her quarters, and had him sleep on the floor close by. He wondered if she enjoyed his company. He wondered if she enjoyed riding him.
"Go to sleep," she instructed. "I'm going to need your energy tomorrow."
Ronan immediately laid down as if to say, "understood," , and felt Palla's hand brush through his hair. It was a nice feeling, and it made him happy that he was hers. He slept soundly, and dreamed of being ridden by Palla, only to find that it continued when he woke up.