Chapter 394: I’m Looking.

Chapter 394: Chapter 394: I’m Looking.

Much to Gandy and Rogard’s obvious disappointment, Khobi does not fall off his horse.

Xena’s not surprised though; she knows from experience that Montrel is a good teacher and his horse is a honey and neither of them would let that happen.

​For his first time, he does quite well.

Especially considering her cousin takes it upon himself to heckle him at every available opportunity.

Montrel’s patience for Loac is already wafer thin at the best of times and it’s admirable that even though he’s clearly trying to push his luck Montrel manages to keep his focus on Khobi and the horse.

He does have a couple of choice expletives for him though, as well as a couple of rather impolite hand gestures. Loac takes both in stride, and even though he makes a decent attempt at hiding it by shovelling something sweet in his mouth, Xena can tell he’s grinning.

​She’s not sure when Loac learned to play nice, but it makes her heart warm to see it.

​"Look, look!" she exclaims in delight, yanking on her cousin’s sleeve to make sure he’s paying attention.

After taking a bit of settling to find his seat, Khobi doesn’t seem to be having any problems now, and Montrel’s horse seems perfectly content to let him guide her around the corral.

He looks so pleased with himself too; growing more confident with each lap, with Montrel nodding along approvingly like a proud father.

​"Yeah, yeah, I’m lookin’," Loac drawls back; lounging back in his chair and a finger in his ear like he hasn’t been looking this whole time.

Which he has. Quite notably, in fact. Khobi catches him looking, and must assume that he’s saying something rude because he flips him his middle finger and gets one lazily flung back. "...I’m looking."

​There’s a strange hush to those two words that makes Xena think that she wasn’t meant to hear, and she has to wonder if he knows how soft he sounds, sometimes.

​" –Hey, hey, don’t forget, you’re still years off keeping up with me!" Loac makes sure to add, deliberately raising his voice, and Xena is about to scold him that that’s not very nice, but she should have remembered that provocation seems to be her cousin’s preferred way of showing affection because the taunt immediately gets the reaction he was probably fishing for.

​" – Hey, fuck you ," Khobi hollers, wheeling the mare around without any assistance from Montrel at all. And when she senses his abrupt agitation and lightly rears back onto her hind legs, he takes it in stride.

"Just you wait ," he barks back, keeping his seat, and his composure, and his grip on the reigns rather admirably for someone who’s never handled a horse before, " You’ll be the one trying to keep up with me !"

​Loac looks taken aback by the heat in his response. And then pleased.

​"...Hurry up, then," he mumbles, sinking down in his seat and drumming his fingers agitatedly on the table.

Xena and Binny both laugh at that, and he sinks down even further, like he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

​" –Hey, Montrel," Gandy heckles, patting down his own horse as Montrel calls Khobi’s attention back to his lesson for the dozenth time, "I hate to interrupt and all, but don’t you have like, somewhere more important to be?"

​" Oh shit ," Montrel curses hurriedly after seeing just how high the sun’s already climbed. Khobi looks disappointed to be told that they’re going to have to leave things there for the day but there’s no hiding how wide he’s grinning as he wheels past Gandy and Rogard to show off.

​They boo appropriately.

​And it’s not particularly graceful but he even manages to dismount without any help from one of the grooms and more importantly, without strangling himself or the horse.

​"You’ve been spending too much time with Montrel," Gandy jibes when Khobi thanks the mare for being such a good girl for him and telling her not to let Montrel boss her around.

As if he doesn’t do the same to his own horse.

​" Hey, enough out of you," Montrel chimes in good-naturedly, gesturing for Khobi to quit sucking up to his horse and hand over the reins already.

Hopefully it isn’t too late; he hadn’t meant to get quite so carried away. Thankfully a quick glance up towards the princess’ impromptu tea party shows that she’s not at all upset at having been kept waiting.

If anything she seems to be quite enjoying herself; laughing away at Loac’s expense if the way he’s sunk down in his chair is anything to go by.

As they head for the fenceline however, he noticeably perks up, and lopes down after the princess without much prodding; getting in Vogrid’s way on the way down.

There’s no doubt in Montrel’s mind that it was intentional.

​" –Oh, you’re finished already?" Xena inquires as she draws close, and waves away Montrel’s hurried apology for getting carried away.

His horse is less forgiving; prancing impatiently and snorting out greetings to the other horses assembled on the other side of the fence. "It’s fine, really. We had fun watching, didn’t we, Loac?"

​Hands tucked in his pockets, Loac sets his jaw and looks away. Some things really never change, huh?

​Gods, he can still be such a kid sometimes.

​"Ah~ Khobi did so well!" She adds, and Khobi looks mildly embarrassed by the open praise. He shouldn’t; he did really well.

​"He did, didn’t he?" Montrel admits casually, "Kid’s a natural."

That makes Khobi look even more chuffed, and he has to resist the urge to reach over and ruffle his hair.

It’s a pity he’ll only ever get to ride within the confines of the castle; he’d really seemed to enjoy it and he’s really got a way with horses. It would’ve been cool to take him out hunting sometime.

​"Hear that?" Khobi smirks, mug so self righteous that even though he’s obviously goading Loac, Montrel kind of wants to scrub his face to take him down a notch, "A natural. "

​"Figures you’d be good at riding," Loac shoots back, and while he deliberately drops his tone so that there’s no mistaking the innuendo, he doesn’t lower it so much that they can’t all hear it, "... All that practice ."

Now, Montrel isn’t too clued up on what you are and aren’t meant to say around princesses, but he’s pretty sure he knows which category that belongs to.

​Thankfully Rogard is there to lend a hand, and is quick to clamp his hands over the princess’ delicate ears as Khobi dives for Loac’s throat.

​" Loac, there is a lady here!" He hisses urgently, ignoring or oblivious to the way Vogrid’s mouth pinches at how casually he’s just put his hands on the princess.

​"Hah? Where?" Loac drawls back, snickering as Khobi makes a third unsuccessful grab for the scruff of his neck. "What was that about keeping up with me –" Its a good taunt but falls as flat as he does when Binny obligingly sticks out a foot to knock his ankles out from under him, prior camaraderie all but forgotten.

​" –Rogard!" The princess pouts, pulling his hands away from her ears, "What was that for?"

​"...There was a bug."

​" Liar ."

​The servants in this castle have a reputation for quick hands, silent feet, and all seeing eyes.

They also have impeccable timing, and the situation is saved from a steep descent into chaos by the timely arrival of the most picture perfect, snow white horse Montrel has ever seen in his life.

​It’s love at first sight.

​" –Why hello beautiful," Montrel whispers in awe, absolutely enraptured by the magnificent, dainty creature being led towards them.

His mare immediately starts fussing; pawing at the ground beside him and tossing her mane to remind him that she’s there and doesn’t appreciate being ignored.

​"Hey, hey, don’t be like that," he soothes hurriedly, smoothing a hand down her nose, "I was being polite . You know you’re the only girl for me." He suddenly realises what he’s just said and flings a panicked look across at the young woman standing right beside him with her hands folded neatly in front of her.

The one he’s currently doing a real stand up job of courting. " I mean ...oh no."

​(In the background, Gandy and Rogard collapse against each other they’re trying so hard not to laugh.)

​"Shall we be off?" Xena giggles lightly, and Montrel can only weakly drag a hand down his face.

​" Let’s ."