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Posted on February 27, 2013 at 05:18:20 AM by t r i s t a n
 “Good boy, Hal,” Tristan said as he put down the brush he had been holding, balancing it precariously upon the narrow top of the stable door. He patted the pony on the shoulder, and a cloud of dust rose up beneath his fingers. “Think you might need a sponge down when we get back tonight.” Hall pushed his nose into the flat of his master’s hand, and Tristan chuckled, “I don’t have any food,” he told the horse firmly, “so don’t even try.” The Prince moved across the stable floor, taking care to avoid stepping in the dirty straw, and leaned over the stall, craning his neck around the corner. Hal’s saddle rack was empty, and Tristan swore under his breath. He had taken it up to his room the previous evening in order to clean it, his Father insisting that he care for his own tack, but he had left it there that morning. Arthur would be there soon, and Tristan didn’t even have his armour on yet. “Merthen!” the boy called to the groom working in the next stall. He tried not to laugh, as the man’s head appeared over the wooden dividing wall, seemingly floating of its own accord. “Highness?” he asked, and Tristan could hear him dusting his hands clean. “Would you do me a favour and run up to my room for my jousting saddle? I have to get ready for Father’s lesson, and I’m cutting it really close on time.” The smile that he offered the groom was a little pleading and a little sheepish. Merthen however nodded agreeably. “Thank you!” Tristan let himself out of Hal’s stall, and knelt down on the floor in front of the wooden chest opposite the door, pushing back the lid with a groan of hinges. Inside were all the smaller plates that made up his practice jousting suit, the large helmet, and shoulder guard mounted separately on stands on the windowsill. It was not an especially showy set of armour, and had been dented and repaired on numerous occasions. Tristan’s good set of armour was stored more securely with his father’s in one of the tower rooms as is was significantly more expensive. It was with practiced fingers that the Prince began to buckle himself into the plating, starting at his feet, the casing slipping into place over his boots, his greaves encasing his shins. The jousting gauntlets he left on top of the shelf beside his helmet and he left the fastenings loose on the breast plate. He still needed to fit Hal’s saddle, and that was much easier if not all the straps were tied. Tristan attached his final arm bracer just as Merthen re-entered the stable carrying the saddle. The prince offered him a grin, and the groom returned it. He opened the door to Hal’s stall and lowered the saddle onto the horse’s back. He was towards the taller end for a pony, almost, but not quite, a horse, and Tristan had only recently grown enough to be able to put the saddle on himself without using a block. On this occasion however he could tell that Merthen was just trying to be helpful, and the groom backed off afterwards, leaving the prince to fasten the buckles. Celidon awoke from his slumber at the back of the stable block and a small whine escaped from his large muzzle, his ears perking up in interest. He could smell dog, and not just dog, a dog familiar. His green tail began to wag. Stretching, the cu-sith bounded out through the stable door, just in front of Tristan who was leading Hal out into the yard. The Prince did not notice, but Celidon found himself almost immediately, nose-to-nose with the spotted great dane waiting on the other side. He barked to his fairy, and Tristan turned around, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. They lowered again fairly quickly when he saw the little girl standing beside her canine guardian. He cast around, hoping to spot her parents running across the yard, but he couldn’t see any sign of anyone but Merthen. Celidon however had wasted no time and had lowered his head significantly in order to nudge the child’s arm, his tail wagging back and forth frantically. “Pack it in Cel,” Tristan called, with a sigh, throwing Hal’s reins over the horse’s head before letting go of them and taking a couple of steps towards Zel and Penguin, “you’ll knock her over, you’re a giant, remember?” Cel instantly sat down, looking guiltily up at his fairy with large green eyes. Tristan rolled his eyes at him and hissed, “I thought you were the sensible one?”  |
Replies:
- the stars will appear. - By eselda♥ February 27, 2013 at 10:55:59 PM
- carry what they handed down - By t r i s t a n March 1, 2013 at 03:14:06 AM
- the stars will appear. - By eselda♥ March 1, 2013 at 06:20:56 AM
- carry what they handed down - By t r i s t a n March 1, 2013 at 03:14:06 AM
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