"I can't stand it anymore…"
"Off you go! I said off you go!!! Stupid horse."
It is time I quit it, these horse riding lessons will drive me mad. Every time I come here, they assign me this stupid horse. It is impossible to work with it. Why all the other kids get to chose. I always have to be the outcast, who has to deal with whatever comes. Why not Lara or Amigo, or even Lothario, for God's sake. These horses are way more well-behaved. I do not think they would miss me here, neither would the horse. Aragon. Pfft, what's with that name, anyways? Stupid horse, stupid name. Sounds like a movie. What was it? Armagedon? Same thing, add or take a few letters.
"Here, take it. Brown sugar, huh? It is the only time you are nice to me. I bet you will miss me only for those sugar cubes you seem to love so much. I never wish to come here again."
"What is it, why are you starring at me like that? Bet you, you will throw one of those fits at me again. No..? Ahhh, decided to be nice for once. Alright."
The horse, black as the night kept on looking at the girl with its sad eyes, blacker than its mane. Aragon slowly pressed his muzzle into her palm and gently took the sugar cube into his mouth. The touch was so soft and warm, it seemed as if he was kissing her palm.
"Hey! You are tickling me! You beast of a creature, who knew you can be this soft…"
"One more? Here you go, munch on it while you can."
Aragon took another cube into his mouth and looked the girl in the eyes again. The gaze was so sad, her anger seemed to have passed.
"It's alright. You will be fine without me, there are tons of kids who come to ride horses anyways. You will find someone who will love you and whom you will enjoy having on your back. Don't you worry, silly thing. Don't look at me with those sad eyes of yours, we both know you never liked me to begin with."
"Remember the day I first came here and found out that you will be the horse I will have to ride on? I thought you were the most beautiful of them all with your jet black shinning fur and the fascinating long mane, the grace you have puts the rest of these horses here to shame. You know that and that is where your arrogance comes from. When I first came close to you, you snorted at me and turned away. I knew you will be trouble and boy, was I right."
"The way you look at me now is the way I looked at you the very first time. I was ready to give all my love to you. You never cared and always tried to get me off your back, always messed up, so that I would get shouted at by the trainer. I have had enough now, I will be the arrogant one. I still love you, hence the sugar, but I just cannot work with you, you do not want to be trained, you untamable beast."
"Why would you do it to me? I was always gentle with you…"
She stood in silence, resting her elbow on the loose box. The stable was quiet. Aragon was calm, he looked down and closed his eyes hoping that she would stroke his forehead. She put away her helmet and leaned closer. The girl gently stroked his mane. It seemed as if it was the only moment when she felt a connection between them. Aragon did not make a sound, he came closer and pressed his head to her chest.
"What is it big boy? I cannot recognize you anymore. Look at you, all soft and gentle."
"Here…I love you, you know that."
Aragon snorted again, however, for the first time it seemed that he was happy and had something to say.
"Let's go for a last walk. Wait...I have not showered you, have I? Come here."
She opened his loose box, put his halter on and attached the lead rope to it. They headed to the shower, where she attached the ropes so that Aragon would stay still. He hated very cold water and would always start jumping around just at the sight of the water pipe. She learned it the hard way. Now she takes the pipe and lets him inspect it, as she slowly lets the water run. When he is sure that it is not too cold, Aragon enjoys these showers like a little boy. He closes his eyes and lets her brush his fur, which feels like a little massage after a tiring riding session. He learned to be very well-behaved in the showers, it is the only time she can have peace with him.
"Up!"
He held his foot up, so that she could get the dirt out of the hooves.
"Up! Come on…Good boy!"
When she was done showering and grooming this arrogant raven of a horse, she started applying hoof salve. When the brush touched his left foot, he groaned.
"What is it? Come on, for once, be nice to me. I am just applying some salve…big boy, I have done it a thousand times already, be patient, I am almost done."
Aragon groaned again, started stamping his front feet and swished his tail. He moved his left foot so that she would not touch it.
"Alright, you do not seem happy. Does it hurt? Let me see…Shush, it is fine."
"Shush, Aragon! Up! I have to see it, otherwise I cannot tell what is wrong with you."
He raised his foot reluctantly and kept on groaning, the tail started swishing even faster.
"Goodness! You poor little thing, why did no one tell me? I did not notice it either. You have got a serious infection on this little hoof of yours."
"I must tell it to the trainer!
"If only did I know your suffering, I would not have been so angry on you."
"I am sorry, Aragon…I truly am. I cannot imagine what pain you must be in but don't you worry boy, I will make sure it heals quickly. I will take care of you. I cannot leave you now. Not now…"
"Here, come. Let's get you back to your comfortable hay bed. I will fetch some medications and inform the staff about your infection."
When they returned to his loose box, she turned back to close the doors but Aragon blocked her way with his massive body. He then swung his head in a motion indicating that she should stay.
"Ok, I got it, you want me to stay here a little longer."
He laid down and put his head on golden hay. Leah sat down next to him and started stroking him slowly. It seemed to her that he enjoyed every second spent with her, yet she wondered why he became such a softy all of a sudden.
"It is getting late, boy, I should be going home…"
He felt her intention and let out a sound filled with sadness.
"Alright, I will stay here with you tonight…"
She rested her head on his neck, the stable got dark and quiet, everybody left. Nobody knew the girl was still there with the horse. His breathing was deep and calming, it put her in such a blissful state. She was wondering why he did not let her go. Horses are very emotional creatures, able to back up your emotions. The anger Leah had towards Aragon when failing at riding was the reason he was misbehaved and slightly aggressive. It is only now that she started to realize that.
"He was surprisingly sweet today, it must be due to my concern for his own health. Could it be that he sensed something? Did he want me to stay just so that he would feel happier and less lonely or was it because he knew more than I did?" -she kept questioning herself until she fell asleep.
Aragon was one of the older horses, he was kept in a smaller stable a little further from the big main stable, where all of the younger healthy horses and staff were based. All of the equipment, a tiny equestrian shop, the changing room and the food, everything was kept there. A couple of older or injured horses stayed in the stable a few hundred meters away, tucked in the shadow between old oak trees and a little pond. At night, around 10 p.m. the guard would make sure that all of the horses are in their loose boxes and the stable is ready to be locked for the night. He used to forget to check the smaller stable thus, it often was left open through the night.
The guard was an old gray haired man, who always wore his houndstooth hat and had a cigarette in his teeth. He was not the nicest of people, it seemed that everyone and everything bothered him. He would spit on the floor and curse away. Nobody understood his mumbling, it seemed as if he was always talking to himself. He was lame, thus you could always tell him walking from a far. Cigarette butts were left all around the stable. It was a habit of him to just throw them anywhere he wished. He was not the neatest, as well.
The stable was locked and the smaller one with Aragon and Leah in it, forgotten again. It was nearing the midnight and the night was windy. Suddenly, the girl was awaken by the loudest of squeals, the horses in the main stable were going mad, squeals were accompanied by uproarious knocks and smashes. She ran outside immediately to see what is happening and saw the stable bursting into flames. Leah was overcome by stress and fear as she ran closer, trying to open the doors of the stable. It was locked and she could not do anything. Breathless, she ran back to where she left Aragon to find her phone in her rucksack but she saw the guard, out of breath, with a dangling set of keys running towards the stable. He lived in a little brick house only a few hundred meters away, therefore, he heard all of the noises outside.
"Kid! Call someone!! Quick, we have to save the horses!!"
"O-kk-k!" -she stuttered.
Leah flipped her rucksack upside down to quickly find her phone and called the fire station.
"Fire! The stable! It's burning! Someone, please come, help us! We need help!!"
"Girl, calm down please, be slow and clear. We need the exact address of the place, fire brigade will be there right away!" -a man with a raspy voice answered her.
Leah lead all of the horse out of the smaller stable, in case it caught the fire too. Hay burns so fast, everything could be gone in a matter of minutes, if not the fire brigade, which arrived right away and neighboring village people, who came down running with buckets full of sand and water. Leah took on leash all four of the horses and walked away to a safer spot, while people were trying to stop the fire, some of them running out of the flaming stable with terrified moaning horses.
She looked up at Aragon's eyes and whispered:
"Y ou knew it, didn't you? You saved my life, Aragon. If you only let me go, I would have gone to the changing room in the main stable to change before leaving. The guard, thinking nobody's there, would have locked me for the night. Nobody but horses were in the stable at such hour. I cannot even imagine what a great danger you saved me from."
A tear fell down her cheek slowly as she realized how lucky she was to have known Aragon.
"Off you go! I said off you go!!! Stupid horse."
It is time I quit it, these horse riding lessons will drive me mad. Every time I come here, they assign me this stupid horse. It is impossible to work with it. Why all the other kids get to chose. I always have to be the outcast, who has to deal with whatever comes. Why not Lara or Amigo, or even Lothario, for God's sake. These horses are way more well-behaved. I do not think they would miss me here, neither would the horse. Aragon. Pfft, what's with that name, anyways? Stupid horse, stupid name. Sounds like a movie. What was it? Armagedon? Same thing, add or take a few letters.
"Here, take it. Brown sugar, huh? It is the only time you are nice to me. I bet you will miss me only for those sugar cubes you seem to love so much. I never wish to come here again."
"What is it, why are you starring at me like that? Bet you, you will throw one of those fits at me again. No..? Ahhh, decided to be nice for once. Alright."
The horse, black as the night kept on looking at the girl with its sad eyes, blacker than its mane. Aragon slowly pressed his muzzle into her palm and gently took the sugar cube into his mouth. The touch was so soft and warm, it seemed as if he was kissing her palm.
"Hey! You are tickling me! You beast of a creature, who knew you can be this soft…"
"One more? Here you go, munch on it while you can."
Aragon took another cube into his mouth and looked the girl in the eyes again. The gaze was so sad, her anger seemed to have passed.
"It's alright. You will be fine without me, there are tons of kids who come to ride horses anyways. You will find someone who will love you and whom you will enjoy having on your back. Don't you worry, silly thing. Don't look at me with those sad eyes of yours, we both know you never liked me to begin with."
"Remember the day I first came here and found out that you will be the horse I will have to ride on? I thought you were the most beautiful of them all with your jet black shinning fur and the fascinating long mane, the grace you have puts the rest of these horses here to shame. You know that and that is where your arrogance comes from. When I first came close to you, you snorted at me and turned away. I knew you will be trouble and boy, was I right."
"The way you look at me now is the way I looked at you the very first time. I was ready to give all my love to you. You never cared and always tried to get me off your back, always messed up, so that I would get shouted at by the trainer. I have had enough now, I will be the arrogant one. I still love you, hence the sugar, but I just cannot work with you, you do not want to be trained, you untamable beast."
"Why would you do it to me? I was always gentle with you…"
She stood in silence, resting her elbow on the loose box. The stable was quiet. Aragon was calm, he looked down and closed his eyes hoping that she would stroke his forehead. She put away her helmet and leaned closer. The girl gently stroked his mane. It seemed as if it was the only moment when she felt a connection between them. Aragon did not make a sound, he came closer and pressed his head to her chest.
"What is it big boy? I cannot recognize you anymore. Look at you, all soft and gentle."
"Here…I love you, you know that."
Aragon snorted again, however, for the first time it seemed that he was happy and had something to say.
"Let's go for a last walk. Wait...I have not showered you, have I? Come here."
She opened his loose box, put his halter on and attached the lead rope to it. They headed to the shower, where she attached the ropes so that Aragon would stay still. He hated very cold water and would always start jumping around just at the sight of the water pipe. She learned it the hard way. Now she takes the pipe and lets him inspect it, as she slowly lets the water run. When he is sure that it is not too cold, Aragon enjoys these showers like a little boy. He closes his eyes and lets her brush his fur, which feels like a little massage after a tiring riding session. He learned to be very well-behaved in the showers, it is the only time she can have peace with him.
"Up!"
He held his foot up, so that she could get the dirt out of the hooves.
"Up! Come on…Good boy!"
When she was done showering and grooming this arrogant raven of a horse, she started applying hoof salve. When the brush touched his left foot, he groaned.
"What is it? Come on, for once, be nice to me. I am just applying some salve…big boy, I have done it a thousand times already, be patient, I am almost done."
Aragon groaned again, started stamping his front feet and swished his tail. He moved his left foot so that she would not touch it.
"Alright, you do not seem happy. Does it hurt? Let me see…Shush, it is fine."
"Shush, Aragon! Up! I have to see it, otherwise I cannot tell what is wrong with you."
He raised his foot reluctantly and kept on groaning, the tail started swishing even faster.
"Goodness! You poor little thing, why did no one tell me? I did not notice it either. You have got a serious infection on this little hoof of yours."
"I must tell it to the trainer!
"If only did I know your suffering, I would not have been so angry on you."
"I am sorry, Aragon…I truly am. I cannot imagine what pain you must be in but don't you worry boy, I will make sure it heals quickly. I will take care of you. I cannot leave you now. Not now…"
"Here, come. Let's get you back to your comfortable hay bed. I will fetch some medications and inform the staff about your infection."
When they returned to his loose box, she turned back to close the doors but Aragon blocked her way with his massive body. He then swung his head in a motion indicating that she should stay.
"Ok, I got it, you want me to stay here a little longer."
He laid down and put his head on golden hay. Leah sat down next to him and started stroking him slowly. It seemed to her that he enjoyed every second spent with her, yet she wondered why he became such a softy all of a sudden.
"It is getting late, boy, I should be going home…"
He felt her intention and let out a sound filled with sadness.
"Alright, I will stay here with you tonight…"
She rested her head on his neck, the stable got dark and quiet, everybody left. Nobody knew the girl was still there with the horse. His breathing was deep and calming, it put her in such a blissful state. She was wondering why he did not let her go. Horses are very emotional creatures, able to back up your emotions. The anger Leah had towards Aragon when failing at riding was the reason he was misbehaved and slightly aggressive. It is only now that she started to realize that.
"He was surprisingly sweet today, it must be due to my concern for his own health. Could it be that he sensed something? Did he want me to stay just so that he would feel happier and less lonely or was it because he knew more than I did?" -she kept questioning herself until she fell asleep.
Aragon was one of the older horses, he was kept in a smaller stable a little further from the big main stable, where all of the younger healthy horses and staff were based. All of the equipment, a tiny equestrian shop, the changing room and the food, everything was kept there. A couple of older or injured horses stayed in the stable a few hundred meters away, tucked in the shadow between old oak trees and a little pond. At night, around 10 p.m. the guard would make sure that all of the horses are in their loose boxes and the stable is ready to be locked for the night. He used to forget to check the smaller stable thus, it often was left open through the night.
The guard was an old gray haired man, who always wore his houndstooth hat and had a cigarette in his teeth. He was not the nicest of people, it seemed that everyone and everything bothered him. He would spit on the floor and curse away. Nobody understood his mumbling, it seemed as if he was always talking to himself. He was lame, thus you could always tell him walking from a far. Cigarette butts were left all around the stable. It was a habit of him to just throw them anywhere he wished. He was not the neatest, as well.
The stable was locked and the smaller one with Aragon and Leah in it, forgotten again. It was nearing the midnight and the night was windy. Suddenly, the girl was awaken by the loudest of squeals, the horses in the main stable were going mad, squeals were accompanied by uproarious knocks and smashes. She ran outside immediately to see what is happening and saw the stable bursting into flames. Leah was overcome by stress and fear as she ran closer, trying to open the doors of the stable. It was locked and she could not do anything. Breathless, she ran back to where she left Aragon to find her phone in her rucksack but she saw the guard, out of breath, with a dangling set of keys running towards the stable. He lived in a little brick house only a few hundred meters away, therefore, he heard all of the noises outside.
"Kid! Call someone!! Quick, we have to save the horses!!"
"O-kk-k!" -she stuttered.
Leah flipped her rucksack upside down to quickly find her phone and called the fire station.
"Fire! The stable! It's burning! Someone, please come, help us! We need help!!"
"Girl, calm down please, be slow and clear. We need the exact address of the place, fire brigade will be there right away!" -a man with a raspy voice answered her.
Leah lead all of the horse out of the smaller stable, in case it caught the fire too. Hay burns so fast, everything could be gone in a matter of minutes, if not the fire brigade, which arrived right away and neighboring village people, who came down running with buckets full of sand and water. Leah took on leash all four of the horses and walked away to a safer spot, while people were trying to stop the fire, some of them running out of the flaming stable with terrified moaning horses.
She looked up at Aragon's eyes and whispered:
"Y ou knew it, didn't you? You saved my life, Aragon. If you only let me go, I would have gone to the changing room in the main stable to change before leaving. The guard, thinking nobody's there, would have locked me for the night. Nobody but horses were in the stable at such hour. I cannot even imagine what a great danger you saved me from."
A tear fell down her cheek slowly as she realized how lucky she was to have known Aragon.