"Now who's the light and who is the devil..." - (Powerman 5000, When Worlds Collide)
by Jessica French (Midnite363@aol.com)
Another disappointment. After leaving Gretchen, Shannon had searched the guest rooms looking for Damon Salvatore, but he was no where to be found. She had asked the maids, the cooks and even some of the guests if they had seen this Damon Salvatore. No one had been able to help her, and now she was walking alone to the stables.
Her riding habit was something her father had given her for her eighteenth birthday last month. It was a nice outfit with sleek black pants and a cropped white shirt. The helmet was a pain to wear, and she usually hid it away in one of the stalls so that she could ride with her hair free in the wind.
She was fortunate to be the only daughter of a man who had four sons. She had been raised as if she were the fifth son. She had learned to ride like a man, fence like a man, and she was even allowed to wear mannish clothes when the family was not entertaining company or involved in a formal affair. Hence the reason why she was wearing pants and not a riding skirt.
As she cleared the crest of the hill the stable came into view. The stable lads were moving about feeding and grooming the horses. She spotted Toby next to one of the many stalls talking to a dark chestnut mare. He was wearing a stable lad's usual attire of a billowing, dusty shirt, and thick pants meant to withstand all the riding they did on a daily basis. His shoulder length auburn hair was pulled back with a worn leather band.
She watched him as he talked softly to the horse as if it were human. She noted that his hair was almost the same color as the horse's coat, and that his face was close to the horse's snout. His voice was low and calm. Soothing.
She took a step through the doorway of the stable causing the horse's ears immediately prick up, alert to her presence. Toby's head also turned toward the sound of her foot fall, but unlike the horse's obvious disappointment, he smiled looking happy to see her.
"Shannon," he looked her over, "you want to go out for a ride." He gestured to the chestnut mare. "This is the horse that is with child. She should be delivering soon."
Shannon joined him against the stall door offering her hand for the horse to sniff. "She is beautiful. What's her name?" She ran a hand over the smooth flank of the horse.
"Dharma."
"Dharma such as the laws that order the universe?" a male voice piped in, "or do you simply mean individual obligation? Though I do find it rather odd that such Christians, as the Drakes are, have horses named about Buddhist principles. Don't you think?" The man stepped out of the blinding sun and into the dimness of the stalls. "Hello," he smiled.
"Mr. Salvatore...." Toby began.
"Damon, please."
Toby nodded. "Damon, then. Did you come for your ride? I had Angus groom him this morning, he is all ready to ride."
Damon looked from Toby to Shannon, "Would the lady be joining me?"
Toby looked to Shannon for confirmation, but Shannon was already moving forward, hand extended. "Damon, my name is Shannon Drake, and I would be honored to join you on your afternoon ride."