Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

"How about a ride on Raul? He never gets a good ride when it's me. I like to go nice and slow." Valentina said as Annie agreed. "Not too fast, though. I don't want to have to be setting any broken bones this evening because you two got reckless."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If anyone breaks anythin', it'll be me," Theo said with a nod. When they got outside, Theo showed Annie how to saddle Raul, even though she was still far too small and not strong enough to lift the saddle so high. But he showed her how to fasten the buckles and put on the bridle. Raul liked to play little tricks on Valentina, but with Annie he stood stock-still especially when she was climbing up on his back.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina held Raul's bridle as Theo gave Annie a lesson on how to properly saddle a horse. Raul was being good that evening, standing still as the young girl climbed into the saddle and sat still for a moment, unsure of what to do from there.

"You're in charge now, Annie. You steer using the bridle and give him a little squeeze of your legs to speed him up." Valentina murmured as she handed the leather straps to her niece and gave her a smile. "Now, just a little touch of your heels and he'll start walking."

 

[KieranSoares]

At Annie's unsure command, Raul hesitated, not understanding the inexperienced rider. But a secret, gentle pull of his lead by Theo set him to walking. "There you go," Theo said with a smile. "Be confident, lass. Even if y'don't know what yer doin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Horses know when you are shy." Valentina added as Annie sat a little straighter, trying her hardest to be brave and confident. "There you go, amore. Just like that."

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo guided them out to the large field beyond the pasture. It was partly a free riding area, and then the other half was an obstacle course for chargers or scouts' horses, full of jumps and dodges and blankets and branches that the horses had to learn to push through.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Theo is going to let go of the lead, Annie. When he does, Raul is all yours." Valentina said with a soft smile. "Are you ready for that?"

Annie nodded, looking from her aunt to Theo. "Will you walk with me?" Annie asked him in a shy voice.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be right beside ya," Theo assured her, and let the lead go. If it were Valentina and the situation weren't serious, Raul would cause a bit of mischief. But he worked well with children and continued his slow walk.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina stood in her spot as she watched Annie ride high in the saddle. It was very apparent to her that Theo loved children. He worked well with Annie and it seemed that the little girl filled a spot in his heart that had been left aching at the death of his daughters. He could continue to find solace there in Inverness and she hoped that he was happy with her.

 

[KieranSoares]

If Annie leaned too far or got going a little too fast, Theo was there to keep her safe. At one point, he climbed up behind her but didn't touch the reins. Not too long after that, Brogan appeared beside Valentina, watching with a smile. "Good man," he murmured.

 

[heartofcourage]

"That he is. She thinks you're busy with Julia and Ciaran." Valentina commented as Brogan leaned against the fence beside her. "And she has discovered that having a baby brother is fun...but only when they're grown."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Soon as 'e starts learnin' t'read, Ciaran'll be 'er best friend." Brogan smiled brightly when Annie finally saw him. "Good form, lass," he encouraged. "No need t'hold th'reins so tight, though. Raul's a good lad."

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie smiled as her father gave her a compliment and loosened her grip on the reigns. She sat a little taller and enjoyed herself as her father watched her closely.

"Theo, can we go through the course?" Annie asked, looking over her shoulder at him. "Please?"

Valentina laughed softly at the request, wanting to know what Theo's reaction would be to that request.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Only the beginner's part. But I bet yer Da could show ya the expert portion," Theo told her. "But you let me steer an' you hold on tight," he took up the reins and trotted Raul toward the course while Brogan fetched Phearson to show Annie the course she might be able to ride one day.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina smiled as she watched her brother fetching Phearson to show his daughter the course that she wanted to be brave enough to ride. It had been a long time since she had seen Brogan strong and clear headed enough to do something like this. It meant that he was well and truly recovered from his injuries.

"Remember, amore! No broken bones." Valentina called as Annie gripped the horn of the saddle, waiting for Theo to get them through the course.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo wrapped an arm around Annie's waist and gave Raul a good nudge, setting him off at a canter which soon became a gallop, and they cleared the first low jump without a problem. There were targets set up for fighters to bash at while passing, so Theo rounded back to grab a hefty stick, and charged through hitting every target for Annie to see how the great horsemen did it. Another jump, and Theo knocked the head off a dummy.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie laughed and squealed as she had the time of her life. She was exhilarated as Theo took her through the course, showing her how a horseman made their way through the obstacles. Then her Da was there to show her how things were done on the back of Phearson.

 

[KieranSoares]

When Annie and Theo came back around to watch Brogan, Annie's father looked every inch the heroic fairytale knight and rider as he drew Phearson around expertly and stop before the grueling course. They'd already warmed up a bit, and Phearson pawed the ground a few times before Brogan gave him a kick with his heels and they burst into a sprint. Phearson cleared a wide gap and then a jump as tall as himself before Brogan drew his sword and busted a target to splinters. He had a training buckler and deflected branches from himself and Phearson, and as they slid down into a ditch and climbed up the other side, Brogan maneuvered Phearson through a snaking path with just his knees, having dropped the reins. He only took them up again in a long sprint and a sharp turn which Phearson nearly laid down to make properly without sliding. Then it was three jumps in a row and several targets for Phearson to attack. Rearing, he stamped a couple and then back-kicked another, then finished the course when he cleared the first gap again. Both horse and rider were breathing heavily, Brogan from furiously attacking dummies and from the natural high of such an intense course.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie watched her father take on the course with an intensity that she had never seen before. She was cheering him on, giggling as he finished and drew up next to her and Theo. Soon, she was reaching out to him, scooped up and placed in front of him in the saddle. She sat proudly, her smile from ear to ear as her hero took her on a ride around the paddock.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo watched the father and daughter with a soft smile, turning to look back at Valentina before long. He trotted Raul up next to her and offered his hand. "Join me, love?" He asked softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I suppose you could convince me." Valentina said with a smile as she took his hand and let him pull her into the saddle in front of him. "You will be a wonderful father one day, Theo. I know you have already been a father, but seeing you with Annie tells me just what kind of a man you are. She adores you with all of her heart."

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' you know I love 'er like she's my own," Theo said with a nod as they trotted after Brogan and Annie. Phearson was showing off for the girl under the steady hand of his rider, walking backwards and zigzagging and doing the occasional hop just for entertainment's sake.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie was over the moon as Phearson kicked and jumped, entertaining her as she sat in his saddle with her Da holding her tightly. She laughed and clapped her hands, hugging her Da every single moment that she could. Valentina was reminded of the way that Vincenzo had done the same for her every trip she took to Italy. He was a busy man, but there was always time for her. They would ride, explore his garden, swim in the ocean, eat with Van, or simply curl up in front of the fire and read from one of his books. She was always the one good thing that he had in his life when her Ma had been taken from him and it had formed a bond that was never to be broken.

"Just like you love me like I'm your own." Val commented, turning her head to kiss Theo gently. "And I love you deeply."

 

[KieranSoares]

Letting his arms wrap about her middle, Theo took a moment to simply enjoy her kiss while Raul lazily followed behind Phearson. "An' I love you, beauty," Theo murmured, and chuckled when he saw Brogan glance back at them with a smirk.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina's smile was pure and full of love for the man that was holding her so tightly. She laughed softly as she followed his gaze and saw Brogan watching them with a smirk on his face. She narrowed her dark eyes at him and shook her head.

"Not a word from you, Brogan." She said as Raul followed behind Phearson like a dutiful horse. "I know you do the same for your wife."