[Tevildo]

Tevildo's post - Dorran

Athwen looked so lovely standing upright in her stirrups with her long hair floating behind her in the wind. Dorran flashed her an impish grin and added, "A race, is it? What a good idea! " The path was flat and open at this point, and he could see a good ways down. "Last one to reach the rock that's beside the stream straight ahead of us has to make dinner for the group. No need to even our weight out. I'll take you on here and now." Dorran had neglected mentioning to Athwen that his job at the manor had been caring for the horses and getting them in shape. He had raced Lord Aldwulf's mounts across the countryside, leaping over fences and hedges, almost every morning.

Dorran kicked Nelly in the flanks and, urging his mount forward, sent her flying down the path. The young man bent low over the horse's neck using every trick that he had learned while serving as a stable boy. From what he could tell, Athwen was coming on very fast, but was still a pace or two behind. When they were within a short distance of the stream, and Athwen was so close that Dorran could see her slender figure out of the corner of his eye and hear the pounding of her horse's hooves, Nelly set her hoof down in a rutted place on the path so that her balance was sightly thrown off. Dorran shifted his weight back in the saddle and let Nelly slow down to make sure that she did not get hurt. At that moment, Athwen, who had been steadily gaining ground, leapt ahead and came to the finishing point.

It was impossible to say whether Dorran or Athwen would have reached the rock first if Nelly had not pulled back. Dorran had been in front but only by a nose, and Athwen was still picking up the pace. Directing Nelly over to the rock, Dorran smiled at Athwen, his eyes bright and welcoming. He spoke with real grace, "I default to you, my lady. You are a fine rider, and, in truth, I believe your mount would have passed mine whatever else happened at the end. I owe you a meal and will make good on my promise the best that I can. Let's walk the horses for a while to give them a breather and let the others catch up."

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Folwren's post

The wind from the speed brought a blush of red to Athwen’s pale cheeks, and she was blowing and grinning as she took Parith for an extra turn before facing Dorran again.

‘I default to you, my lady,’ he said. ‘You are a fine rider, and, in truth, I believe your mount would have passed mine whatever else happened at the end. I owe you a meal and will make good on my promise the best that I can. Let's walk the horses for a while to give them a breather and let the others catch up.’

‘Nay, to be sure,’ Athwen replied brightly. ‘You ran your horse well. I honestly think if she hadn’t faltered at the end and had we had equal weights, I wouldn’t have won. I’ll help you, as usual. It’s not good having empty hands anyway.’

Dorran insisted, however. He had lost, and there was no ‘ifs’ in racing. Athwen wholly disagreed and she insisted, too. He subsided with a look that may have meant ‘we’ll see about it later’ and she grinned in response.

When the others came back withing hailing distance, Dorran called to them, and the five of them gathered together. During a short rest wherein they ate some of the previously prepared food that they still carried, they discussed the morning’s ride. Nothing alarming or out of place had been spotted and things seemed safe enough to continue as before. In ten minutes they were back in the saddle and on their way.