"Wait you want me to get up on that thing?" Clarke's eyes never leave the horse in front of her, afraid of what the gigantic beast would do if she turned around. She's been on earth for six months now and sure she's seen the riders on horseback coming in and out of the city, may have had a fleeting thought about how it'd be to ride a horse, but there's no way they're getting her on one.
"Sha Skaiprisa," Gustus nods although Clarke isn't looking at him. Lexa had assigned him the task of teaching Clarke how to ride a horse, much like he'd shown her when she was much younger. Clarke has an adventurous spirit, so he's a bit taken aback at her reluctance. "He is a tame animal, we use him for all our beginners, you will be fine."
Clarke backs away slowly and the chestnut colored horse takes a few steps forward. She turns her eyes to Gustus, who is trying to hold in an amused smile at Clarke's panicked face.
"I don't know Gustus," she speaks lowly, keeping one eye on the horse. "This doesn't seem like such a good idea, what if he bites me or something?"
"I assure you he will do no such thing," Gustus promises and usually Clarke trusts his judgement, he's one of Lexa's top senior advisors, but in this instance she's not so sure if she believes him. "We will take things slowly, why don't you try feeding him a carrot first and then we will brush his hair and put his saddle on. You simply have to get used to him."
"I guess I can do that." Clarke finally relents. Gustus reaches into the bag he's been holding and pulls out a carrot stick and hands it to Clarke.
"Go ahead," he nods towards the horse and Clarke eyes him skeptically before turning back to the horse. Slowly she walks towards him with her hand held out as far in front of her as possible and Gustus has to hold in a laugh at the tremor in her hand. Sensing her anxiety the animal leans forward and slowly starts nibbling on the offered carrot. Halfway through the feeding Clarke seems a bit more relaxed and even manages to get close enough to stroke its head.
Once the carrot is finished she's actually running her fingers along his hair. "Does he have a name?" She asks her eyes never leaving the animal.
"We do not name them."
"Why not?"
The General runs his hand along his braided beard, something Clarke had thought odd when she first met him, until she learned of its cultural significance. "Because they are born for war, not domestication. To name them is to love them and to love them would be to mourn their deaths in battle."
"But you said this one was tame and had been used to train beginners to ride and he's not that young." Clarke's voice tapers off at the end almost whispering the last part as if to try not to cause offense to the horse before her.
Gustus actually has a smile on his face this time and Clarke swears it's the first time she's ever seen his face do that. "There once was a very stubborn young girl, who fell in love with a wild colt that she'd found injured and abandoned when she was out hunting. Instead of putting the animal down, she would sneak off and care for it. She fed it and cleaned it's wounds and nursed it back to health." The mountain of a man chuckles at the memory. "Of course, she thought she was being quite stealthy in her actions over the weeks it took to care for the animal, but she wasn't and one day she was found out."
"Oh, and what happened?" Clarke asks drawn into the story. "Did she get in trouble?"
A deep laugh left Gustus' mouth at her questions. "She commanded the guard who found them to make place in the stables for him."
"Lexa," the name rolls off Clarke's lips as realization sets in. "So, why hasn't he ever been in battle, if he's healthy?"
"His injuries proved too severe for him to ever be useful on a battlefield, but his gentle nature resulted in him being the most suitable for training young and inexperienced gonas how to ride." He answers.
"Yet he has no name?" Clarke persists
"It is his honor to not be named and seen within a league of those who do go to battle, unlike them however he would be mourned."
Clarke nods her understanding.
It takes Gustus another two weeks to finally convince Clarke to actually get on the horse. Once she's in the saddle, her nerves wash away and he finally sees the girl with the adventurous spirit return. An hour into the lesson she's galloping around the pen and trying to contain her excited laughter at the feeling.
"I remember when you first learned to ride, you were just as overjoyed as she was." The man speaks to Lexa, as she stands next to him with a bright smile on her face watching the sky girl that's captured her heart finally conquer her fear.
"It took you much more than two weeks to convince me." She replies her eyes never leaving Clarke.
"She's not always as stubborn as you are and the world is still new and exciting to her." He muses and Lexa makes a hum of agreement as Clarke pulls to a stop in front of the two.
"That was so much fun!" Clarke says as she dismounts the horse and throws her arms around Gustus, her arms barely making it around his shoulders. "Thank you for teaching me."
"It is my pleasure Skaiprisa." Is his stiff reply and Lexa has to stifle a laugh. Gustus is one of her most reserved advisors and although he's capable of warmth, even she wouldn't attempt to attack him with her affection. Luckily for him Clarke pulls back after a small squeeze and turns to Lexa, engulfing her in a hug as well, which is much more readily returned.
Gustus nods his approval and moves off to take the horse back to the stables. He's still a bit wary of the sky girl, but she's reignited the fire that had gone out in Heda and he can see her slowly returning to herself and for that he is pleased with Clarke's presence in the young leaders life.
