Chapter 6 – The Neediest Horse in Elgoss / A Perfectly Normal Day

Chapter 6

The Neediest Horse in Elgoss / A Perfectly Normal Day

            We leave the restaurant and head to the next shop on my mother’s itinerary which turned out to be for the purchase of linens.  The linens purchases take nearly an hour and I don't want to talk about it.  All I will say is apparently there are more shades of cream than any reasonable universe should permit.

            I eventually choose one, I have no idea which, but Mary seems satisfied and that is enough.

            On the way back to the estate, I take a small detour.  Mary quickly catches on to my intentions and tried to argue about it, but eventually I bully her around to my way of thinking. 

            When we reach the clockmaker’s shop, I tell her it will only take five minutes.  It takes twelve, but I swear it’s not my fault.

            The shop has an entire display of tiny mechanical animals, that I all love, so I buy one, after an extended internal debate about the entire lot.  It is a little brass bird fits comfortably in my palm and when wound with a tiny key beneath one wing, it flaps both wings and hops forward three times, ‘singing’ a brief song from an internal music box.

            It is completely useless and I love it more than I probably should.

            Angus watches it hop across my hand.

            “You needed that?” he asks.

            “Yes,” I tell him decisively.

            “Why?”

            I wind it again and watch it do its little hops again.

            “Just, look at it,” I tell him.  “It’s perfect.”

            He watches as the bird hops then looks back at me.

            “I withdraw the question,” he states.

            I giggle and put it back in its little box that is cleverly designed to look like a bird cage.

            Mary sighs and looks resigned.

            “It will collect dust,” she says.

            “I will dust it,” I reply.

            Mary stares at me.

            “Fine. I will ask someone to dust it,” I amend and I tuck the bird carefully into its little box.

            We leave the shop and the Braemar estate is only a short walk away from the shop. 

            It doesn’t take long before we pass through the estate gates and the guards immediately relax.

            My posture loosens almost immediately and Angus notices, but he wisely chooses not to say anything.

            I hand the box containing my mechanical bird to Mary.

            “Please take this to my room, Mary,” I instruct her.

            “Yes, My Lady,” she says taking the box.

            “Thank you,” I say as she leaves, then I turn toward the path leading around the estate and Angus follows.

            The guards hesitate as if not sure what to do then move to follow as well.

            “You don't seriously intend to follow me to the stable,” I say looking at them.

            One of them clears his throat.

            “Your mother's instructions, My Lady,” he states.

            “I'm on the estate,” I point out.

            “Yes, My Lady.”

            “There are already guards at the gates,” I tell him.  “And Angus is with me.”

            “Yes, My Lady.”

            “And apparently none of that matters,” I say flatly.

            “No, My Lady.”

            I stare at him as he stares straight ahead, making a point of not looking at me.

            Fine, all six of them can watch me visit my horse.  I'm sure Rún will appreciate the audience.

            We haven't gone far when a baby's laugh drifts from somewhere ahead and I smile in anticipation.

            “Sounds like Vinny's awake,” I say.

            Angus looks toward the small house near the stable.

            “Does he ever sleep?” he asked.

            “He’s a baby, so, yes, occasionally.”

            “I'm unconvinced,” he replies.

            “He's a baby,” I repeat.

            Another happy squeal carries toward us and I pick up my pace.

            We round the side of the stable, and I spot Thomas sitting outside the small house beside it with his son balanced on one knee.  Vincent is still small, but he's grown a lot since he was born almost a year ago.

            Babies apparently do that, I have learned, as I have found myself fascinated with him.  I blame his adorable chubby little cheeks.

            “My Lady,” Thomas says as he notices us and he starts to stand.

            “Don't,” I command.

            He stops halfway and I point at him.

            “If you stand up and bow while holding that baby, I am going to be annoyed with you,” I tell him.

            “Yes, My Lady,” Thomas says and slowly sits again.

            I nod in satisfaction.

            “Very dignified,” Angus tells me.

            “I have had enough people bowing to me today.”

            “Do I want to know?” Thomas asks looking at me.

            “No.”

            “Yes,” Angus says at exactly the same time.

            I glare at him and Thomas laughs.  Vinny apparently decides this is hilarious and laughs too, despite having absolutely no idea what is happening because he is a baby.

            “How is Mia?”  I ask.

            “She is inside resting,” he explains, so I turn my attention the baby in his arms.

            “Hello, Vinny,” I coo, smiling happily at the little bundle of cuteness.  “Did you give your mother a hard time?  No?  Of course not, you are the sweetest, most well behaved baby of all time.”

            He stares at me and I wave.  His eyes follow my hand then move upward and stop. I know exactly what he's looking at, but with him, I don’t mind.  He stares every time he sees me.

            Vinny waves both arms, reaching for me so I lean in and I hold out my hands.

            “Can I?” I ask even though I know the answer already.

            Thomas passes him over without hesitation.  I settle Vinny against me, one arm beneath him while the other supports his back.  He's heavier than the last time I held him.

            “When did you get so big?” I ask him.

            Vinny answers with a happy little noise and immediately grabs a handful of my hair and pulls.

            “Ow.”

            Thomas winces.

            “Vincent,” he says.

            “No, no. I've got it,” I tell him, and I very carefully pry my hair from his fist.

            Vinny watches me with enormous eyes.

            “We don't pull people's hair,” I say and bump his nose with mine, making him giggle happily.

            His hand reaches for it again and I hold him a little away from me.  We do this every time.

            “No,” I tell him patiently.

            He reaches farther.

            “Vinny…”

            He laughs and my heart melts.  It doesn't stand a chance.

            “You know you're cute, don't you?” I tell him as I bounce him gently against me.

            Vinny squeals and kicks his legs.

            “Yes, you do,” I say, smiling happily at him.

            Thomas holds out his hands.

            “I can take him, My Lady,” he says apologetically.

            I turn slightly away from him.

            “No.”

            Thomas blinks in surprise.

            “No?” he asks, confused.

            “I'm holding him right now.”

            “I can see that,” he says.

            “Then why would you try to take him?” I ask.

            Angus laughs softly behind me, but I ignore him and look back at Vinny.

            “Your father is trying to steal you,” I tell the baby.

            “I don't believe it counts as stealing when he's mine,” Thomas points out and I gasp dramatically.

            “Did you hear that?” I tell Vinny.  “He thinks he owns you.”

            Vinny responds by grabbing the front of my dress.

            “See? He disagrees with you, Thomas,” I tell Vinny’s father.

            “I'm not sure that's what he said.”

            “Trust me, I speak baby,” I reply.

            “Since when?” Angus asks, stepping closer to me.

            “Since now,” I state, giving him a look that tells him not to push it.

            Vinny settles against my chest with one tiny fist still tangled in the fabric of my dress.

            And I just... hold him.  He's warm and soft and completely content to be exactly where he is.

            I rub one hand slowly over his back.

            “You're a good baby, aren't you?” I ask him.

            Vinny makes a quiet sound and rests his head against me.

            Oh, gods.  Thomas is definitely going to have to fight me to get him back.

            A loud whinny erupts from inside the stable.  I look toward it, then down at Vinny as the sound of a hoof striking wood rockets out.

            Bang.

            “No,” I say loudly.  “I'm busy.”

            Bang.

            “You had me two days ago for an entire class period and I have brushed you every afternoon!” I say toward the stable.

            Rún answers with an indignant whinny.

            Vinny startles slightly at the noise.

            I immediately rub his back and shush him gently.

            “It's okay,” I tell little Vinny.  “That's just Rún.  He's dramatic.”

            Angus looks toward the stable.

            “He's going to take that personally, you know,” he says.

            “He can wait.”

            “You're making Rún wait?” Thomas asks, looking genuinely surprised.

            I look down at the baby cuddled against me.

            “I have a baby,” I reply, as though that explains everything, and to me, it does.

            Another whinny comes from the stable and I ignore it… mostly.

            Vinny reaches up and touches my chin bringing a smile to my face.

            “See?  Vinny understands,” I point out.

            “He's trying to grab your face,” Angus says.

            Bang.

            I sigh.

            “You are the neediest horse in Elgoss!” I say to the stable.

            Rún answers with another kick.

            Thomas laughs and points out, “He's been like that all morning.”

            “You aren’t helping his case,” I tell him.

            “He probably heard you when you came through the gate,” Thomas points out.

            “Then he knows I'm here.”

            “Which may be the problem, My Lady,” he replies with an almost apologetic smile.

            I look down at Vinny and then the stable.

            “This is unfair,” I complain.

            “Hmm, a difficult choice,” Angus says folding his arms.

            “It really is.”

            “Your horse or someone else’s baby,” he points out, not respecting my struggle.

            “Um hmm,” I nod.

            “I thought Rún always won.”

            I look down at the tiny boy resting against me.

            “Apparently not,” I reply.  “He needs to learn patience anyway.”

            Eventually, after several more minutes and two increasingly dramatic complaints from the stable, I very reluctantly hold Vinny toward his father and Thomas takes him.

            “I'll be back,” I tell Vinny.

            “For me or him?” his father asks unnecessarily.

            “You are great and wonderful, Thomas, as is Mia, but you know who the star of this show is...”  I leave that hanging and turn my attention back to the little cherub who is in his arms.

            “Don't grow while I'm gone,” I say, booping Vinny on the nose with a finger, which makes him squeal in delight.

            I turn toward the stable as another loud whinny greets me.

            “Yes, I'm coming!” I say.

            The moment I step through the doors, Rún's head appears from his stall and his ears shoot forward, making me smile.

            “Hi.”

            Rún whinnies, then immediately pins his ears back, and I stop.

            “Oh, don't give me that,” I tell him.

            He snorts in response.

            “I saw you yesterday.”

            That earns me another snort.

            “Two days ago, you came to school with me.”

            Rún tosses his head.

            “And I even brushed you afterward when we got home, even though you had already been brushed at the end of class.”

            I hear him pawing at the floor.

            I look back at Angus who has followed me in.

            “See what I deal with?” I ask him.

            “Yes, and I believe you're losing.”

            “I am not losing an argument with a horse,” I tell him.

            Rún whinnies his displeasure at the attention coming off of him.

            “He disagrees,” Angus nods toward Rún and folds his arms across his chest.

            “Whose fiancé are you?” I ask with an arched eyebrow.

            “Yours.”

            “Then act like it,” I tell him.

            “I wasn't aware our engagement required me to take your side against livestock.”

            “Hmph,” I turn away from him and walk to the stall.

            Rún immediately shoves his nose against my shoulder once he can reach me and all traces of offense vanish from both of us.

            “Yeah, yeah,” I say, wrapping both arms around his neck.

            He presses into me and I close my eyes.  This is what I needed.  No matter how strange or stressful everything else becomes, Rún remains Rún.  He doesn't care about Damian, or what happened at Izzy’s ball.  Catalina occupies no space in his mind and he love me no matter what anyone in Aberling calls me.

            He cares that I'm here, that I scratch the right spot beneath his jaw, and, probably, that I occasionally have apples.

            Mostly the apples.

            I bury my face against his neck.

            “It's been a weird day,” I tell him after I pull back a moment later.

            Rún snorts softly.

            “Heh, you don't know the half of it.”

            He nudges me.

            “I healed a little boy,” I tell him and that earns me another nudge.  “And apparently made my religious problem worse... again.”

            Rún searches my hands.

            “Are you even listening?” I ask.

            He noses at my pockets and I stare at him.

            “You're looking for treats,” I accuse.

            Rún continues searching.

            “I come here seeking emotional support and this is what I get.”

            “Do you have treats?” Angus asks as he leans against the wall.

            “Yes,” I confirm after a short pause.

            “Then I believe his priorities are understandable.”

            “Again. Whose side?” I ask.

            “Rún's.”

            “Betrayal!” I say with a dramatic gasp.  Then I reach into the small pouch at my waist and pull out a piece of carrot I'd saved from lunch and Rún immediately perks up.

            “See?  The relationship is entirely transactional,” Angus points out with a laugh.

            I hold the carrot out and Rún takes it from my palm with considerably more delicacy than his earlier performance suggested he possessed.  Then he nudges my chest and I scratch between his ears.

            “Fine.  I forgive you,” I tell him.  “This time.”

            The exchange brings a smile to Angus’s face, and for a while, me and Rún simply stay there, together.

            Thomas eventually joins us with Vinny still in his arms an Vinny watches Rún with enormous eyes.

            Rún watches Vinny.

            “Have they met?” I say, looking between them.

            “Every day,” Thomas replies with a laugh.

            Rún stretches his nose toward the baby and Vinny reaches out so Thomas carries him closer.

            Vinny’s tiny hand lands on Rún's muzzle and Rún goes completely still.

            “Oh, that's adorable,” I say, my heart melting.

            Angus nods in agreement.

            Vinny pats Rún's nose, then Rún breathes against his hand, making him squeal with joy.

            Rún jerks his head back and I laugh.

            “He wasn't expecting that.”

            “No,” Thomas agrees.  “He never is.”

            “Does Vinny do that every time?” I ask.

            “Almost,” he says.

            “And Rún still goes back?”

            “Every time,” Thomas confirms.

            “You're such a softie,” I say, scratching softly on Rún's neck.

            “Don't worry. I won't tell anyone,” I tell him when he flicks one ear toward me.

            After a while, I step back from Rún and give him a kiss on the nose.

            I look at Thomas, still holding the baby, then at Vinny, and I hold out my arms.

            “Give’me,” I request.

            “My Lady?” Thomas asks.

            “Vinny.”

            “You just spent half an hour with him before seeing Rún,” he states.

            “And?” I ask.

            Angus laughs and I shoot a glare at him.

            “We're not leaving yet,” I inform him.

            “I didn't say anything,” he points out, holding his hands up as if to prove his innocence.

            “Come here, you,” I say wiggling my fingers at Vinny as Thomas hands him over… exactly as he should.

            Vinny settles against me again and I smile triumphantly.

            Angus watches us with a small smile on his face.  Not the teasing one, this one is softer, as if he enjoys what he is seeing.  I catch him looking.

            “What?” I ask.

            “I was merely watching you,” he replies, his smile growing.  “No reason.”

            I narrow my eyes then Vinny grabs my finger.  Whatever Angus is thinking can wait.  For now, I have a baby and all is right in the world.

            Beyond the open stable doors, the afternoon sun falls across the estate grounds.  It is quiet and safe.  A perfectly normal day.

            I lean slightly against Rún's stall with Vinny warm against my chest.

            “I think I want to stay here for a while,” I tell Angus.

            “We have nowhere else we need to be,” Angus says moving beside me.

            “Really?” I ask, looking at him.

            “Your mother said the afternoon was yours, right?”

            “She did,” I confirm.

            “So stay.”

            I smile at that and nod.

            For once, nobody asks anything from me.  Vinny is perfectly happy playing with my fingers.  Rún is perfectly happy as long as I remain within sight and preferably within treat-giving distance.  Angus is beside me, and I am perfectly happy to let the rest of Aberling wait.