A Ride

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 10th February 2016

Characters: Demir, Rethisa
Description: The pair tour the hold.
Location: Hidden Meadows
Date: month 4, day 3 of Turn 8

Demir

In the sevendays that followed Mirresa's birth, Rethisa's body began
to return to normal, resembling the one she'd had for the majority of
her life. It felt good getting back into the wardrobe that Benani had
helped her acquire while at Amber Hills, clothes that didn't have to
be altered to fit a pregnant belly.

"Are you sure I can't accompany you, milady?" Allera asked, swaying on
her face as she rocked Mirresa to sleep.

"Yes, I am sure. It's time I get to know this place, Allera, I am
tired of being prisoner to these rooms. Demir isn't kicking up out and
that means I'm going to be here a long time, so I need to start
meeting people."

Allera turned and lowered the sleeping babe into her bassinet. "But do
you have to start in the stables of all places?"

"Yes, I am anxious to see Snow Maiden. I haven't seen her since the
day Demir presented her to me." She'd been far too pregnant after the
wedding to do any riding, and she'd known that Demir wouldn't go with
her back then, not with how angry he'd been at her.

Rethisa was dressed in a handsome, navy blue riding habit that was cut
to fit her petite frame. The structure of the garment helped cover
some of the leftover softness she was still carrying in her
midsection.

"Now come braid my hair for me." She didn't actually plan on riding,
mostly because she didn't know if she was allowed to, but it felt good
to be in her riding clothes all the same.

~*~

Rethisa didn't even know which way to go to get to the stables. When
she had arrived at Hidden Meadows they had arrived at the front gates
and then been escorted inside, she'd never had the chance to see the
surrounding area.

Wherever she walked people would stop to nod politely and turn curious
eyes on her. Even though she had not been particularly social people
still seemed to know immediately who she was. The platinum hair was
generally a dead giveaway.

After an hour of wandering and exploring, Rethisa found the stables by
listening to the sound of a smith's hammer as he fitted a runner for
some new shoes. The stablehands, all men of course, looked at her
warily as she stepped into the stables.

"I am looking for Snow Maiden." she said, addressing them with more
confidence and authority than she felt.

"Over 'ere, milady." A much older hand spoke, his face lined with
heavy wrinkles.

Rethisa followed him back to a large corner stall and smiled as her
snow white mare came into view.

"Do you have -"

"Sweetcubes, milady?" The elderly man seemed to anticipate her need
and produced a bucket filled with the little white cubes.

"Thank you." She smiled at him as she took a cube in her hand and
offered it to Snow Maiden.

Demir was windblown from working that morning and his color was high
as he walked into the stables with a smile. He pulled off his hat and
watched as she fed the gentle runner he'd picked for her.

"Beautiful isn't she," he asked though it was hard to tell if he meant
the runner or Rethisa the way his bright blue eyes glowed.

Rethisa turned, she hadn't expected to run into her husband, she
honestly didn't know what Demir might be up to that day. "Yes, she
is." She offered the white mare another sweetcube.

"Are you feeling up to a ride?" He asked. "Or are you just visiting?"

"A ride would be nice." She had only seen Hidden Meadows from the
window of the wagon on the way from Amber Hills.

Demir nodded and waived to the groom. "Please have Snow Maiden saddled
for Lady Rethisa." He could see another groom taking the initiative to
saddle his own stallion. "I'll give you a tour," he smiled.

~*~

"The landscape here is beautiful." Rethisa said as they crested a rise
that overlooked the main buildings below.

"I'm very glad you think so," he smiled. "Over there is a stream with
several nice places to picnic. We should come back when we're
prepared."

The thought made Rethisa smile. Going on picnics was something that a
normal married couple did, something she hadn't sure would be possible
after Demir had found out about her pregnancy. "If I had some sort of
harness to wear," she motioned to her back, "we could bring Mirresa
with us."

He half smiled as his overture was accepted at face value. "I'm sure
my brother can put something together." Kobias was a Master
leatherworker and though his emphasis was on saddle making he'd tooled
some very beautiful things in the past. "I'll ask him if he has any
ideas."

Their runners were close enough that he reached for her hand and bent
to kiss it. Holding it just a breath longer than was polite he gave it
a squeeze before he let go.

"Feel like a canter," he smiled.

"Yes, Snow rides like a cloud." She said as she nudged her mount into motion.

Last updated on the February 21st 2016

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A Ride