Dartienne - Part One

The wind began to pick up as the sun lowered itself on the horizon. She shuddered and pulled her cape closer to her body. This was her favorite time, when it was neither day or night, dark or light, when time seemed to hang in limbo. As she brushed his coat, she watched as his hide twitched, relaxing after the long ride. The rythmic strokes of the brush, the soft sound of his breathing, lulling her into a another state. No one else existed in that space, in that moment, but her and Dartienne.

They'd been together for a long time, he a gift from the master of the estate to the servant girl. His sire had been one of the master's fine stallions, his dam a field horse with large feathered hooves, a powerful animal used to pull wagons and plows, yet so gentle that the farm hands thought nothing of placing their young children on her back for a walk around barn. When he was born, the master ordered him destroyed, not wanting to chance that this animal of impure lineage would somehow infect his precious mares. He wasn't a cruel man, this was simply how things were done. It was then that one of the stable hands suggested that he give the foal to Illyana. The master knew that the girl had been through more tragedies and disapointments than most others her age and agreed that perhaps it would be good for the girl to have something to care for, something that was hers. The servant agreed to make sure that the horse was gelded as soon as he reached proper age and the master gave his blessing.

She reached for the comb and began the tedious task of detangling his thick black mane. When she'd reach a knot so twisted upon itself that it couldn't be undone, she'd slip the small, sharp blade from the pocket inside her cape and carefully cut away the offending wad, not wanting to cause her friend any discomfort. She kept an eye on the position of the sun in the sky as she worked, knowing how easy it was to get lost in the task at hand and ending up having to walk back to the little cottage she shared with her mother, alone in the dark.

Her father had died when she was quite young, years of working in the fields had taken it's toll, causing him to age well beyond his years. As she worked the comb through the horses mane, she recalled the day her mother had approached the grand house on the estate just outside the village, looking brave and determined, the little girl by her side feeling her mother's hand quivering with fear. The mistress of the house had taken them in, their house servant having recently left to marry and move back to the village. Illyana had grown up working along side her mother, cooking their meals, cleaning their messes, emptying their pots. It wasn't a bad life, easier than living in the village. The cottage they lived in was small, situated near the field house where the men who worked the fields and cared for the livestock stayed.

Illyana reached for the pick and took a deep breath. She hated trying to clean his hooves. Dartienne never cooperated, the normally gentle, accomodating animal suddenly becoming an opinionated, bratty beast. She reached down to grasp his back leg, near his hoof, standing close in case he decided to kick. It would still hurt, but she'd learned the hard way that trying to do this at an arms length seldom accomoplished anything and only gave the powerful hoof more momentum when he decided to lash out.

"Dartienne, come now, don't be difficult," she pleaded as she tugged on his leg which was so firmly planted on the ground that it seemed to begin somewhere within the earth. The horse huffed and snorted in disagreement, his ears flicking back.

"Let me help."

Illyana spun around, startled by the voice. She'd instinctively reached for the blade in her pocket, then realized it was only Tobias, one of the stable hands.

"He won't lift his hoof," she explained, still a little unnerved by his sudden appearance.

"Yes he will," Tobias softly replied as he made his way over to the animal, his kind smile and twinkling blue eyes putting her instantly at ease. He gave Dartienne a pat on the neck, then slowly guided his hand along the animal's back and down over his rump to his rear leg. He placed his hand just below where Illyana had tried, clicked his tongue against his teeth and raised the hoof. He extended his other hand towards her, motioning for her to hand him the pick, a small, sly grin forming on his lips.

"Well he won't do it for me," she explained, hating to be out done.

Tobias chuckled quietly to himself as he set to cleaning Dartienne's hooves.

Ya'll will have to come back for Part 2, unless of course I get a deluge of comments saying this really sucks and to please stop the madness.