Room to Breath ((open))

[adriana]

Adriana felt extremely guilty. Since coming to the city of Hadrian, she had been extremely neglectful of her stud, Goliath. He was her pride and joy, and usually her only companion, but lately she had been to see him barely. She moved into the stables, having abaondoned her dress from earlier for a pair of men's breeches, a loose fitting shirt, and riding boots, her usual apparel when visiting the horses.

Her Friesian stud, Goliath, reached his head over the stall as if curious to see who had entered the stable. However, upon recognizing his master, he threw his massive head in delight and let off a soft nicker. Adriana wanted to giggle in delight at the welcome Goliath gave her. She looked around her to make sure she was alone before running to the stud's stall and all but jumping over the door. She wrapped her arms around his massive, ebony neck and burried her face in his thick coat that held that comforting scent she had gotten so used to.

One of her hands came up to wrap in his mane, feeling that familiar, rough texture. She then pulled her face back to look into Goliath's large, brown orbs, and he gazed back in the same love. She smiled, reached over his stall door to grasp his well-oiled black leather bridle. As soon as the stud lowered his head, she slipped the bridle onto his well chisled face and over his ears. She lead him out of the stall and into the middle, small ring, lining him up with a saddle rack.

Using the rack as a boost, she climbed onto the stud's back and pressed her heels gently into his sides. He walked slowly around the circle, giving Adriana the opportunity to feel his muscles work beneath her legs, a feeling that had always amazed her. Having allowed his legs to stretch enough, she gently pressed her heels with a little more force into his sides.

The stud began to gallop, which she sat easily, allowing him to move at his own pace, too wrapped up in the motions of his gallop to notice someone else had entered the stable.

[allison]

Tired after a day retraining her pesky horse, Aly finally made the return ride to the stables. Dice, who was more of a pony then a horse, was as frisky and devious as always as he pranced with all the elegance of a water buffalo through the emptying streets. He was a stout, sturdy horse. Like a barrel with legs, only shaggy furred. Despite his unremarkable size and build, the little horse retained a surprising amount of power. He could buck off experienced knights with a twisting of his back, unsuspecting, arrogant men that they were. He was bred for speed and stamina, able to overtake battle horses in a race and ride for hours with hardly breaking a sweat. Still, the devilish little horse had a mind for trouble. Few volunteered to ride him. This pained Aly, for during the periods of time when she was unable to ride him, Dice grew lazy and obstinate. And then she would have to spend a day getting it out of him.

That was what Aly had been busy with all day, and it showed clearly. One side of her breeches was lined with dirt and dust. Her long sleeved blouse was torn at the bottom, now rolled up to her elbows. Shoulder length blond hair was falling into her eyes on one side of her face, to preoccupied with navigating through the streets to brush it out of her face. Her hands kept a tight grip around the reins, cautiously making sure he wasn't about to try anything funny, like knocking over a water barrel or cart of apples. He took pleasure in those actions, and although Aly normally found them quite humorous, she was far to tired to deal with irritated store keepers.

Trotting into the barn, Aly slid off of her horse, clicking for him to follow. Obediently, he stepped behind her, subdued after a day of hard riding and training. Unstrapping the saddle, she carried it to the rack, followed by the blanket and bridle. "You don't deserve it." She muttered to Dice, giving him a roughing up before leading him to a stall beside the ring. Thus accomplished, she proceeded to the water barrel. The water was refreshing and icy cool when she dunked her head in it, reawakening her. After tucking her now damp hair behind her ears, she looked around.

For the first time, she noticed another rider in the small arena. Curious, she ambled over, making a pit stop at the pile of apples which someone had left on a rack. No doubt for the horses, but Aly nicked a couple before continuing to the fence. With one night until she departed to the Saxon's, there certainly was a lot Aly should be doing. But, having done everything of vital importance, decided to take a small break. Propelling herself upwards, she leapt gracefully onto the top of the fence. Inching backwards, she positioned herself more comfortably; back against a post and one leg stretched out across the fences top beam like a cat, munching on a apple. Sitting and observing in silence, she found herself wondering how jumpy the horse was. Might be humorous to throw the apple core into the arena, see if it spooked...

[adriana]

Adriana's eyes were concentrated on Goliath's neck as she worked him, his body moving in a languid, leisurely pace. Goliath was rather fast for a Friesian, having been born less bulky than most of them but still large enough to be intimidating. His leg were sturdy, but longer than a normal Friesian's which made him able to cover a larger distance in simply bound.

He moved with elegance and grace that was remarkable for a Friesian, who were usually clumsy because of their size. Even with little Adriana sitting up on his shoulders so she could control him better, he still moved quite easily with her farther up than she would have been with a saddle.

Coming around the other side of the ring, Adriana could see something out of the corner of her eye. She lifted her head to see a woman sitting like a cat upon the top of the fence, eating an apple. She looked like she had been roughed up, her clothes torn and dirty, but she appeared to be fine. Adriana nodded her head to the other woman before allowing Goliath to move towards the fence.

She stopped him just short and, using her foot, got him to push his back end around and side step towards the fence. Once close enough, she spoke. "Good day."

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[allison]

The apple core was poised between her thumb and middle finger when the younger women noticed her. In a motion that was dismissively casual, as if she hadn't been planning something a little more devious, she flicked the apple into a pile of hay. The horses would enjoy a tasty treat hidden in the usual dinner meal. Still considerably hungry, Aly picked up the second apple from her lap, munching on it as the other women approached atop her horse. It was a fine steed, lean, long legged and graceful, especially compared to her little horse. Dice was in the stall behind her, no doubt eying the apple inside of her lap. Fat chance. She thought, a hand shifting protectively over the third apple.

"Hello," Aly said after a couple of seconds of silent observation, eyes still curious. She couldn't recognize her, and Aly knew almost everyone in the castle and city. She was probably newer then, someone who hadn't been around the castle for long. Or Aly could have been remarkably lazy and inattentive the past few days, although she doubted it. Certainly she had been lounging about the castle, tucking in window frames or in door crevices, but had been observing and watching the entire time. Aly lapsed into silence for a couple of moments, curious as always. "Is that a shire or friesian?" She asked, blue eyes now examining the horse.

Not doubt jealous, Dice nosed up behind Aly, teeth clamping on her sleeve and tugging her arm away. Aly jerked back, firmly swatting the side of his muzzle when he refused to let ago. "Not a chance." She told him firmly scratching the side of his furry cheek before nudging him away again.