The horse pen
The fog rising
Barely a tweet in the air as the sound of panting swallows the coldness of the morning woods
a desperate girls eyes shining, breaking through the shrubbery squealing as the branches cut her skin and catch her curly hair
the stomping of feet not far behind
the sun shining softly in patches
Her gasps desperate, almost crying as she hears horses wailing
Her lungs burning her throat tight and dry as she barrels through into a bunch of wild horses
Dropping on to the ground the wild horse kickstomping around her body barely misssing as she rolled around scraping to get up and keep going a group of men rangling the wild horses and the echoes of the boots not far behind she grasps her head to her thighs begging
"Please, please, please let it work just this once let it work," she cried
Tears streamed as her teeth grit, almost popping and cracking
Her body slowly takes form as a horse kicks her shoulder, making her roll under another horse she screams her panting furious
As her body fully takes shape
a beautiful young black mare.
Collapsed on the dirt as the wranglers dive into the crazed horses, barely managing to save the black mare
"Damn, we almost lost a beauty! This is why i told you to be careful about using that snake to scare them this way, Jack!"
A burly older man grunts at the younger man scolding him for his old methods
"One mare doesn't make a difference," Jack grumbles
"That mare would be prized by the Duke we would miss a huge pay on it hes been looking for a new one"
he hisses greedy for the potential the mare could bring among the lighter coated horses they gathered
They haul the black mare onto a cart sending it off for care with a young lad they brought along his freckles covering most of his face and his hair messy hanging down to his shoulders skinny but fast as he rides off with the mare
The stomping of boots stopping at the group of wranglers and horses, hushed curses as three men whisper amongst themselves having lost their meal ticket the pretty girl they planned to kidnap had escaped a rare beauty with curls uncommon to the country.
Her tanned skin is a rarity
Mares pov
'ow...whats happening everything hurts...'
I lift my head, calling out for help only to hear a horse whine and lips smacks
'What's going on?' i try calling out again
"Whoooa whooa girl, it's okay. It's okay. you're safe, no wild horses here to hurt you..."
A gentle hand touched my neck, petting me.
My head reeled my throat, feeling dry and burning
A cold splash siphoned into my mouth through a leather pouch
I close my eyes, my head falling with a thud
"Poor mare, she must have suffered a lot to pass out like that,"
"Doctor, can you please check this mare?"
A young man clad in a white v tunic and brown long pants called out to a much older thin man wearing a black suit with a long cane
The man grimiced but came over looking at the mare who was covered in dust and mud a few fresh cuts randomly on its body
He sighs, putting on some dark leather gloves as he presses the mares' body
'What, what are you touching? Let go'
i scream, but the only thing that came out was a weak horse whine a shove to my left shoulder, making me jerk forward in pain
"Calm that horse down!" The man yelled at the young one
"Shh shh shh, it'll be okay. We just need to see if you're okay so we can heal you. Please calm down, n' "
the young man whispers as he pets my nuzzle and neck, avoiding my cuts
'My shoulder and ribs they hurt....'
a soft whine escapes my body instead of words
"Looks like the mares rotator is bruised but not dislocated or broken, so we dont need to out her down. But she won't be able to stand well until it heals. "
The older man says, placing a salve on the cuts
"The cuts should heal without scaring, and the patches should grow back soon after she'll be a real beauty soon enough. "
He takes his gloves off
"her ribs are bruised as well, so make sure she takes the medicine at the right dose for her size, inject it at the muscle behind her left shoulder,"
He grimaces at me as he sees my dirty coat again
"Bath her regularly as well,"
The young man nodded, helping the man pack as he walked out of the stable into a nearby carriage done with the check-up of the new horses.
"Well, girl, you heard him. You'll be fine soon enough, " the young man said while petting my neck
'Mmmnn, i can't change back... I can't run... " As my vision faded falling deep
Stable boy, pov
"Poor girl, let's get you cleaned up before i give you medicine.
I hummed, scrubbing her fur with warm, soapy water, and careful to rince all her cuts well
And reapply the oitments
She'd occationally whines and grunts, especially when i had to apply the needle into her shoulder for the medicine.
After a few days, she started eating well, and i didn't have to help her drink anymore
The masters son would often come taking a liking to her rare coat, hoping her scars would be covered soon,
She is very resilient, mare
I watched her grow stronger whining and trying to buck me when I'd touch her back or tail
Sometimes, i swear she reminds me of mom when dad flirts with her inappropriately, so fickle
I shook my head
Mares pov
'Ugh, he's been watching me for so long. i never find time to change back or even run away. He's always there.'
I think to myself as i watch the stable boy who i just recently learned the name of
Henry, i believe it was. A dirty blonde, simple boy, maybe just a bit older than me.
I myself am only 13, but in this form, i appear much younger, and i feel stronger. i guess horses age differently from people i sigh neighing in the form I've taken.
Sometimes i see him eating meat, and i swear i drool he looks at me weird when i stare.
This weird man shows up occasionally obsessed with my coat. Especially my almost purple eyes.
He gives me the creeps, always saying he can't wait until my scars are covered up with hair so he can ride me soon. I honestly dont understand why the coat is his main issue. It'll grow back before i can run on this shoulder, and my ribs only just started to feel normal.
A few weeks passed
I was feeling able to run, and my coat was almost even.
A man almost a copy of the younger man who came to see my coat. He was definitely different, though.
Strong, taller, a face i wouldn't tire of. As i listened to him speak to the stable boy henry, he called out to me, his voice deep scratchy but not strained. It was almost enchanting for me.
I strolled over without difficulties looking at the man.
He watched me. Grabbing my snout and checking my face. My heart was racing as his hair fell forward long and semi braided. A tan to his skin. Well, over my senior, but definitely in his prime.
Duke's pov
I studied the mares' eyes looking to see what i needed.
She watched me not pulling or neighing as i was told she often does.
"I'll ride her today. I need to see for myself if she's worth the trouble I've placed. "
I hoped the pen with ease grabbed the back her neck her maine in my hands as i hopped on unto her back.
She whined and neighed loudly but did not attempt to buck me off. She just stomped her hooves unhappily.
"Settle down. Now." I commanded.
She stopped and stared into my eyes. i could sense her anger.
"Show me, run with me."
She showed her teeth and scrunched her face but took off in a half buck, running fast and hard, clearing the pens fences with ease.
I held tight to her mane, adjusting my weight towards her movements
"Beautiful! Wonderful!"
I bellowed with pride
As i pulled on her mane to turn her around
She bucked angrily when i did but returned almost bucking me off when we reached the stables. She calmed soon enough as mare stared me down when i jumped off her.
Mares pov
This man i don't like him. My head hurts from that damn grip of his.
Handsome is definitely not enough for me to let him ride me like that again. As i huff i. His face. He smiled his teeth showing.
Damn it.
I looked away
He's too handsome.
I glowered at him from the corner of my vision.
He laughed.
"Take her to my personal stables she'll train to be my main war horse." He commanded the stable boy henry.
I stomped my feet angry that he'd even say those words!
I tried knocking him down to run
A sharp pain to my neck as he pulled my mane rolling me onto the ground by force almost hurting my shoulder again as i tried getting up
"Thats enough. Ill let the bucking attempt earlier go but you will stop this."
He released me walking away disappointed throwing his gloves to the ground.
My skin crawled watching him storm off.
