"Obviously I don't own anything because it's on fanfiction and obviously I'm not getting paid because it's on fanfiction." Narroch06
The characters (excluding Geoffrey and the ponies) are property to whoever was the brilliant Welsh or Celtic poet to first recite them. Theoderic belongs to me and in a way to a ranch in Ohio. The inspiration comes from Fowxer09, so in a way this is her story too.
Almost all is based on true events and the rest… let us call it author's right.
Without further to do . . .
Galahad's Tail
It was in the middle of a particularly hot and sticky summer day, that Geoffrey, the horse master decided that his juvenile soon-to-be-knights needed braver mounts. In order to get to that result they were going to horse swim.
Now one must understand that by nature, horses do not like swimming or for that matter any water in which they can not see their own four hooves. They especially do not like it if, God forbid, their riders' want to ride them through the water. Now some horses will take to water but most would rather stand on the bank and stare at amazement as their riders beg, plead, and otherwise order them to cross. As many people know, very little can change the mind of a stubborn horse … or pony.
The collection of junior knights gathered by the designated pond. The horse master decided that keeping the groups smaller allowed for more one-on-one time. Now in theory this is an excellent idea, but sometimes too much attention and help just plain ruins it.
"You're sure this is safe?" A young boy, Robin sat on his own bay pony, stared apprehensively at the murky water.
"Of course, didn't you hear Dagonet, Bors and Kay when they came back? Well at least Bors?" An older boy much closer to manhood, commented, grinning. Lancelot scratched his bay's whither. In response the stallion curled his lip up showing his equine delight.
"Everyone can hear Bors." A younger boy on a stocky palomino rode up, "Theoderic and I can make it, won't we?" Galahad leaned forward and scratched the pony's poll. The gelding just swished his tail lazily. Being a future knight's pony was hard he was forced to leave his nice lush, green pasture, full of dandelions and clover to get wet.
"We'll all make it." Arthur on his own native pony rode up, like the rest of the group he had left his saddle back at the stable complex. Just then Geoffrey rode over on his own steed, a fine Roman mount.
"All right, three of you come with me." Tristan, Lancelot, and Robin followed Geoffrey around the pond to the shallow starting point. Tristan's own chestnut took bravely to water, splashing a bit, but once in, swam gamely across. Lancelot's stallion pranced side to side in agitation before Geoffrey drove him in with his own horse. The displeased horse stood hock deep in the water staring at it in disgust. Kicking him forward, the stallion began to paddle swiftly across; soon he was able to touch the rocky bottom. Picking up a trot he headed towards shore. Looking around Lancelot grinned, ready for some friendly ragging and suddenly he found himself falling. Sensing his rider's glee, the stallion had taken matters into his own hooves, dropping one shoulder he turned suddenly, sending up a splash when Lancelot hit the water.
By then Tristan was safely on the other side, already starting to dry and Robin's pony was still standing hock deep in the muck and mire. He was certainly grumpy, he hated water, and he always had. As a colt some brilliant youngster, many believe it was Gareth, chased him into a swollen stream. Being the dim light bulb that he was, he couldn't quite swim. He never did get over that bad experience.
As the pony reminisced Geoffrey managed to chase him in deeper. Realizing where he was at, the pony floundered hopelessly. Spying a conveniently placed tree on the bank with low overhanging branches, the desperate pony changed course. Robin felt the shift and frantically tried yanking his pony's head back toward their original goal. But what the bay lacked in bravery, he made up for in determination. There was no way to stop him from reaching the tree and the steep shoreline. Not being particularly loyal either, he turned and walked into the tree's low jutting branches. There Robin began to be pried off. Grasping at the mane he rode the pony out as it waded slightly into the pond to get around the troublesome branches. By then Robin was straddling the side of the pony's barrel and not his back. Once a few feet out from the tree, Robin lost his grip and fell into a foot of wet, rocky, pond scum. The pony in turn trotted up the steep embankment, and went around the pond to wait patiently with Tristan and Lancelot. Robin was forced to paddle across the pond to the horses.
Arthur, Galahad and Gawain then rode their mounts around the pond to give it a try. Arthur went first. Initially all was well, his pony bravely trod through the water until it almost crept up to his dock, but then he decided that it was completely too wet for him. Standing stock-still he refused to move. Despite any and all encouragement on Arthur's part, the horse just stood there, completely petrified.
"Hold on Arthur, Come on Guingalet." Gawain called up nudging his barely-tamed aughisky into the water. Running his horse directly behind Arthur's he caused the balking horse to race forward. The past few weeks he had been coming back from the pasture with various scrapes and kicks. No one but the horses knew where they were coming from. Laughing the two boys crossed the pond. On the far side was still Galahad on Theoderic, and Geoffrey with his horse. Nodding to Galahad, Geoffrey started around the pond, leaving Galahad to brave it himself.
Steeling himself, Galahad nudged Theoderic forward. The pony went a few steps into the water, then a few more. Soon half of his barrel was submerged. Praising his pony, Galahad looked at the others, everyone was now safely on the other side. Giving Theoderic a final nudge firmly on his side, right at the heart girth, Galahad gathered the reins and grabbed some mane. The pony surged forward. The boys let out cheers of encouragement. Galahad could barely hear anything over Theoderic's thrashing. Finally, they were deep enough for the young knight to start swimming off the pony's back. But Galahad realized too late that Theoderic was aiming for the same tree that Robin met the mud.
Trying desperately to turn the pony he resigned himself to not hit the tree, but land on the far side of the bank. However he also was delayed in noticing that the pony's back was too far above the water line to easily remount. Leading the pony forward he stopped at the bank. Immediately Theoderic started to graze on the nearly vertical embankment. Geoffrey trotted over.
"Grab his tail and let him pull you up the slope," He grinned down at the junior knight.
"Alright," Galahad grabbed two fistfuls of tail, "Theoderic, Walk on!" The pony, half listening, trotted up the slope, pulling Galahad behind him. Once they reached the road, the pony continued his pace. Too shocked to let go, Galahad was comically pulled along after the stubborn pony. Theoderic, deciding to purposefully ignore the bothersome weight at his six, moved into a nice ground covering trot.
"Let go, boy!" Geoffrey yelled at the lad from where he first had landed. Some how, that message registered in Galahad's mind. Letting go of the tail, he tripped over his own feet, and landed on the ground. Quickly rising, he looked at the pony. As soon as Galahad had let go, Theoderic slowed down. Now he was grazing contentedly on the white Queen's Lace that grew through out the valley. Stalking up to the pony, Galahad grabbed the reins and swung up on his back. Turning towards the other's he watched in amazement as Arthur fell off his horse, laughing, soon to be followed by Lancelot. Glowering he guided Theoderic over to the knights, groaning as Theoderic choose to go through a deep culvert.
"I'm sorry Galahad, but that was hilarious!" Gawain wiped tears from his eyes.
"I don't see what was so funny," Galahad replied indignantly. Even Tristan was smiling, he never smiled.
"You weren't up on the hill," Tristan wheezed, he was trying hard not to audibly laugh.
"You should have seen you," Tittered Robin, attempting to stay up right on his grazing pony.
"Alright boys, time to try that again." The young men stared at their horse master, "You think you'd only do that once? And you Galahad, you have to actually go through the water."
Well there you have it, folks. Galahad's Tail Now this is meant as a one-shot but I may just continue for my own humor.
By the happenstance that you were wondering, an aughisky is a water horse from Orkney. If you don't know what or where Orkney, do look it up, though skip the romance of Lot and Morgause, it's rather graphic.
