Toby sighed and leaned up against the wall inside the tack room, after putting a broom back where it belonged. The isle way was very dirty this afternoon, (it was almost time for him to leave now), and it needed quite some sweeping, and a little scrubbing. The Companion's Stable had to be cleaner then most. He looked around at all the saddles and bridles. Most were blue, the bridles with bells, but some were soft leather age-worn saddles, like the one he tacked up Cymry in when she went off to Choose Skif. Toby chuckled at that thought.
He stopped thinking and put his weight back onto his feet, instead of the wall. Letting his hand run along the saddles as he walked past them Toby left the tackroom and went out into the main part of the Stable. A Herald and a Companion walked in and went into a stall. Toby stepped back inside the tackroom and took out some brushes from a bucket and brought them to the Herald, who didn't even notice Toby's coming.
Toby started walking down the isle way, checking all the stalls for messes. Most were clean. The Heralds weren't coming in here too much today, and there wasn't much for him to do. Suddenly he stopped, and turned around. Ryu stood in the door way. He looked around and spied Toby. Toby, who had thought for a split second Ryu might be there to- Toby stopped. He couldn't even think the words.
Ryu just wanted to be fed, obviously he wasn't planning on doing much grazing today. Toby pointed to stall #3, which was clean and ready for a Companion. Then he walked over to the feed bin and scooped out a couple different types of grain. Holding the scoops he carried them into Stall #3 and poured it into the bucket hanging off the wall. Ryu, in the stall now, swished his tail and gave Toby a look that said he was pleased. With that he thrust his nose into the bucket, and, quite loudly as Toby thought, started eating.
Toby watched for a moment, taking in the sleek form, silky coat, and wavy mane and tail before leaving quickly. Stable hands didn't generally actually interact with Companions other than feeding, brushing, and tack them. He walked outside and looked out over the field, scuffing the dirt with his boot wistfully, thinking of the Herald inside the Stable, being with his Companion.
Out in the Field, he saw a Companion mare watching her foal prance and skip through the grass, young, playful, and glad to be alive. A few other Companions were scattered about, grazing or discussing things among themselves. Looking further, he saw Herald Keren giving a student a lesson on their Companion. Lucky student.
Toby turned and went back into the Stable, running a hand through his light blond hair. He stopped as Ryu stuck his beautiful head out of the stall and look around, full and finished his food. Toby sighed. It would have been nice if he was going to stay longer.
At least, he thought, He's not going out to- Toby stopped. Darn. Ryu was looking at Toby. He wanted to be brushed to a shine and; Toby's whole posture sagged. He wanted to be tacked up to Choose. Toby knew it. Now there was no chance in the entire world Ryu would Choose him. But, he could still be Chosen. It wouldn't be the same though. He'd have to watch Ryu's Chosen brush him, talk to him, feed him, care for him, love him, be loved by him, ride him... the list went on forever.
Toby nodded to Ryu to say he acknowledged the Companion's wishes and walked to the tackroom, trying to go as slow as possible, although he would never refuse an order be the great Ryu.
He got the brushes he would need, plus a towel for cleaning out his eyes and nose. If Ryu was truly going out to Choose, although why he would dress up to Choose and not Choose was a mystery to Toby, he would need to look his very best. Toby could do that for him, that was the least he could do for the Companion.
Stepping back into Stall #3 he started brushing Ryu, making lots of dirt fly off him, some had obviously been on him long enough to be bleached. The last time he had been in here during Toby's times was a couple of days ago, so the night stable hand must have missed a few spots in his brushing. Toby took a comb and make Ryu's mane and tail untangled and smooth. He cleaned out his eyes and nose and picked the dirt from his hooves and rubbed the towel over his hoofs to get the dirt off them.
Finally, with sad resignation, Toby admitted that Ryu never could have looked better. The truth was, Toby had gone over him extra well, to as prolong the time when he would see Ryu trot out of the Stable to the lucky person he was going to Choose.
"I'll be right back," Toby said to Ryu, who ducked his head in a nod, and hurried to the tackroom.
He walked among the saddles, looking for the one that was Ryu's. Every saddle looked the same at first glance, but each was truly individual, for the individual Companions. Ryu's was near the back, since it hadn't really been used much, except for fitting and testing out of it. Toby stopped and ran his hand along the smooth surface. It was a bit dirty. He reached over and grabbed an oiled rag and gave it a quick wipe, so that now it shined beautifully and smelled of oiled leather, which was, all in all, a very nice smell.
He put the rag away and picked up the saddle, and then took the bridle, which jingled slightly as he looped it over the saddle horn to carry it to the stall. It was a medium weight saddle, for Ryu really wasn't that big, and it was not hard at all for Toby to carry, although he knew of some saddles that were.
Once in Stall #3 he patted Ryu and placed the saddle on his back with ease, right in the perfect space, made from saddling and bridling thousands of Companions. He reached under Ryu's belly and pulled up the girth, buckling it to be secure and snug, but not too tight. Then he took the bridle and looked at it for a moment. Ryu turned and lowered his head so that Toby would have no trouble at all getting it on. And he didn't. With a quick jingle of bridle bells he slipped the bridle over Ryu's face and buckled the straps. With a shaky smile he patted Ryu's neck.
"You're all done, Ryu," Toby spoke in a soft voice, "Go off and Choose that person."
With that he left the stall. As he was walking he heard the large clock clang three o'clock. His time was up. That was a relief. He wouldn't have to stay and look at all the Heralds and Companions that reminded him he wasn't Ryu's Chosen. He hurried out of the Stable, eager to just get away. He didn't want to see Ryu come back with a happy Herald trainee on his back. A tear trickled down his cheek, one that he quickly wiped away. It wouldn't do to have people see him crying. Not that they saw him much anyway.
Suddenly he stopped walking and turned around. Ryu was walking down the road, hooves chiming, bridle bells jingling, blue eyes sparkling. Toby couldn't move. He couldn't take his eyes from Ryu's. It wasn't long until Ryu was standing right in front of Toby.
Hello Toby, he said into Toby's mind, My name is... you know what my name is, so well I Choose You.
Toby stood still for a moment before stepping closer to Ryu and wrapping his arms around his neck in a great big hug. His few tears turned to sobbing, but no longer from sadness and loneliness, because Toby knew he was never going to be lonely again, but because he was so happy he couldn't contain himself.
"That was a really mean thing to do, Ryu!" Toby said in between sobs to the Companion. His Companion.
Do what? Ryu asked innocently with a toss of his head.
Toby stepped back and wiped his face, looking at Ryu, "Make me think you were off to Choose someone."
But I was off to Choose someone! Ryu insisted.
"Yes, but why didn't you just come up and Choose me? Why did you have to make me get you all ready?" Toby asked, running his hands along Ryu's neck.
I like to look nice, Ryu said with a Companion smirk.
"But you know I thought that a Companion wouldn't have a stable hand get them ready to Choose then Choose them!" Toby told him.
Well... yes, Ryu said sheepishly, And I'm sorry to have upset you.
"You should be," Toby said with a smile and hugged Ryu again.
Now lets go bring you to the Dean, Ryu said and nudged Toby.
Toby nodded and walked round to Ryu's side and mounted up onto his back, resting in the saddle as if he belonged there.