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Bekkah

She didn't interrupt the girl and when Romana finally stopped and looked into Bekkah's eyes she only saw compassion and understanding. She saw love.

"Don't worry about the surcoat. I have an extra one that will work for now. Probably still a bit short, but at least you have robes. Besides, it only really matters to others. Our Lady does not truly care about the clothes we wear." she added with that same soft smile.

"If the others don't have need of us, then we can sit and talk in private. If we're leaving soon, then we can talk more tonight."

Cesare

He takes a few more practice shots with the crossbow into a wooden wall well away from the others, trying to learn to adjust for the wind, trying to keep his arm steady. Then goes to retrieve his bolts, if necessary digging them out with the dagger, rather than risk damaging them.

Heading inside the barn momentarily he takes the pots from breakfast and heads to the stream to wash them. Whilst there he spots a useful herb growing a takes some leaving roots intact so they stay fresh longer. He'll show Kadri this later and how he uses it in the hope she'll agree to teach him to ride.. the next step in owning his own horse. He accepts that this is a unlikely ambition, almost a dream, given the cost of horses but he wants to be ready if that opportunity can be brought about. Kadri never actually agreed, instead studying Liscia with some thought and then she was distracted by other conversation - but he can live in hope.

Pots washed, herb stowed away, he returns to the barn to see if they are setting off any time soon.

Shortly, Kadri looks around, sees everyone occupied, and moves to Cesare.

"Cesare. I believe you wanted, perhaps, to learn to ride, yes? If there is to be someone even pretending to care for my horse - or even pretending to part of my 'retinue' - they will need to know about horses, including how to at least ride them at a gentle pace. "

She cocks her head to one side.

"You want to give it a try?"

Cesare

Often in the background, often serious, his humour usually dry and understated, however Kadri's words bring the largest smile that anyone - maybe outside of Darian - has seen.

"Now?"

His eyes shine with excitement but there is also a doubt present, a doubt stemming from many experiences of being let down in the past.

Kadri;

"Well, I could wait to next week if it pleased you better."

She offered a mischievous smile of her own.



"Besides, how could I refuse someone who gets that wide of a smile at the chance to ride? Come, come. Tell me, Cesare ... What do you THINK you know about riding?"

Cesare

He smiles at her teasing, little diminishing his happy state at the moment. Then he considers her question with considerable thought.

"It is best to sit facing the horse's head.."

But he cannot hold back a laugh.

"In truth I have sat on a horse, the one we used to pull our cart. It was a small tired horse, and so I cannot really say that I had ridden it. I have watched all of you though.. quite a lot.. over the past months.. but I think that is a very different thing to actually doing it."

Kadri

"Good - then there is little you will have to forget. Lisica is small - but she is neither old nor tired. We will start with the most simple - mounting. Come?"

She motions towrds Lisica and heads that way herself.

Cesare

Having stowed his crossbow, he follows Kadri as she leads the way to Liscia. He has spent a lot of time looking after her and so they are familiar with each other. As he draws close, he reaches out to stroke her soft muzzle. He may not know much about horses but he knows Liscia is special.

Kadri

"Now normally, you want to try to get on - if you can - by standing on something - reduces the strain on both you and the horse. However, I'm going to show you how to get on without one. First things, I've shown you how to put on or take off the saddle, start by putting that on ..."

She digs in a pouch and finds a little lump of something sweet she had been saving.

"And give her this."

Cesare

As part of looking after Liscia he has saddled her before so he takes the treat, feeding it to her and then gets the saddle, doing up the girth fairly tight so that it does not slip in use but also making sure he can insert two fingers under it to allow for the horse's comfort, just as Kadri had shown him before. Once he has doubl checked, he steps back & turns to Kadri.

"OK, done. What's next?"

Kadri:

"Right, now you are going to take the reins in your left hand ... and your right hand ... here ... And then your left foot in the stirrup - and you are going to spring up and into the saddle, doing two things .. staying as close to her body as possible, to put as little pressure on her back as you can, and then make sure to seat yourself gently in the saddle. It will look like this ..."

And she proceeds to do it in one smooth and practiced motion.

"Think you can do that?"

Cesare

"I'll give it a go."

He waits for her to dismount and then takes up the position he saw her in, standing next to Liscia. Initially he lifts up the wrong foot but realises almost immediately that it is not going to work.

He gets the correct foot in place, hesitates on the first try resulting in a small hop and then pushes off, managing to get his leg over her body fairly fluidly and without tugging on the reins. He is talking to her softly all this time in the Rhoni language, soft and lilting. Carefully he settles into the saddle, concentrating as he is not sure how she will react.

And she is very quickly calm, whuffling slightly, and shifts her weight around on her feet a bit as if getting used to the new weight, but otherwise quiet.

"She knows you now. She must like you, or you would be decorating the wall."

She gives him a wink.

"She doesn't put up with people she doesn't like much. Like Horse, like rider. Hows it feel?"

Cesare

"Elevating.."

He grins.

"I love being able to see so much more, like the closeness with Liscia. My balance is pretty good anyway so I don't feel worried - though maybe I should be. The sitting position is not so natural, might be uncomfortable before too long."

He looks down at Lescia.

"I like her too. And she is being nice to me.. so far."

Kadri:

"She knows she's in charge, you see. Now, how you make requests of her Highness is gentle nudges, nudge her side with the knee on the side you want to turn to ..."

And she proceeds to give a set of simple instructions.

"She will figure out where she wants to go on her own if you don't give her suggestions."

Cesare

He follows the instructions, gently squeezing with his left knee and not quite ready for the responsiveness, much sooner than he expected, almost loses his balance... though he is grinning from ear to ear.

"Good, good - very light . To someone who doesn't know what they are looking for it might almost look like the horse is guiding itself. You aren't controlling her so much as letting her know what you want, yes? Trying to actually directly force things gives you less control."

Cesare

"Does this work with any horse.. or is Liscia in particular trained this way?"

His thoughts are already running beyond this training as he considers what opportunities might be thrown his way. He is enough of a realist to accept that it might never happen.. but the Fates often lead down unlikely paths. He wants to be ready.

Kadri;

"That largely depends on the trainer - Lisica is better trained perhaps than most. However to a degree it still holds - horses are stubborn, and if at all possible you want to let the have your way. But they all have personalities - much like people. Lisica is like me. Any other horse, you will have to figure out their ... Quirks. Key is, be confident. Your horse will know if it is able to master you. Your body language will be a dead giveaway. Some, you may have to force, at least a few times - to let them know where the control lies."

Cesare

He nods, absorbing the knowledge like a parched sponge. He feels fairly confident at the moment.. and he is used to Liscia which helps. Now though he is eager to move on from the theory.

"So what's next?"