Prologue part 2
While she lay on her back in the dust, looking up into the misty blue sky, Razabeth became aware of how very grateful she was that there was no one there to witness her final humiliation. The horse quite peacefully browsed the foliage, it's subtle rusting telling her it was close nearby somewhere out of her line of sight. A cold sense of emptiness began to set in. For a moment she closed her eyes and surrendered to it. Allowed herself to feel the full implication of the choices she had made in the past few hours. Two tear trails burned cold against her flushed cheeks. She allowed herself just this small moment of self-pity. Then she got angry.
Bolting suddenly upright she shot the unsuspecting animal a look that could kill lesser things. To its credit it did startle, shooting her a wounded look over it’s shoulder. Of course this only served to jerk the poor girl off balance and into the dirt once again. A raw choked scream bubbled up from somewhere deep inside and clawed it’s way into the serenity of the morning. Birds burst from the neighboring fields and took wing. The horse began to sidestep away from her, eyes growing wide and ears pinned back. This time she used it’s momentum to pull her lurching to her feet. If she had gotten this far, she certainly would not be defeated by… this… animal!
“Stop it!” She growled. “Just… stop.” There was a certain no-nonsense tone to her commands that seemed to confuse the beast. It lowered it’s head and examined her with one very large brown eye, snorting loudly. Widening her stance Razabeth pulled the long driving reins tight and began to work her way up them one hand over the other, taking one decisive step at a time. “If you think… for one second… that you are smarter than me…” She darted forward and grabbed the bridle just in time. Of course since the horse was significantly taller than her, this did not stop it from simply raising it’s head rather abruptly, pulling her feet completely off the ground.
“DOWN.” She hissed through gritted teeth. Trying to keep herself calm in an attempt to salvage a very bad situation. “Down.” She tossed the reins over the horse’s head and made an awkward grab for them on the other side. The horse took a couple of waddling steps back. “Head down… Come on girl… Down.” Razabeth cooed as she groped around, finally getting her hands on the slick leather. Two intense blue eyes stared directly into one brown one, as she began to apply a little bit of pressure at a time to the restraint, feeling the mare submitting to the urging. “Doooown… Goood girl!” The last was a sigh of relief as toes and then feet touched down to earth.
They both stood there like that for a moment, the girl taking deep breaths and slowly relaxing, one muscle at a time; the horse watching her in return, chomping thoughtfully on it’s bit. Once they had both taken the other’s measure, Razabeth picked her way carefully out of the underbrush and back onto the road. Taking a quick look around, she made very sure they were still alone. Taking extra time observing the road they had come in on, as if looking for some sign of pursuit.
“You may not know it yet… Horse…” she paused awkwardly, realizing that she had no idea what the mare’s name was. “But we are wanted women.” She looked despairingly up at the yoke and heaved a heavy sigh. It was very high. She knew from experience. Holding the reins in her left hand and reaching up as high as she could she barely grasped at the knob there with both hands. “Luckily for me…” She hopped a couple times in preparation. ”God has been kind enough to give you handles.” With that, a pained groan, and some frantic scrambling Razabeth was once more mounted and on her way.
To where, no one could really say.
Bolting suddenly upright she shot the unsuspecting animal a look that could kill lesser things. To its credit it did startle, shooting her a wounded look over it’s shoulder. Of course this only served to jerk the poor girl off balance and into the dirt once again. A raw choked scream bubbled up from somewhere deep inside and clawed it’s way into the serenity of the morning. Birds burst from the neighboring fields and took wing. The horse began to sidestep away from her, eyes growing wide and ears pinned back. This time she used it’s momentum to pull her lurching to her feet. If she had gotten this far, she certainly would not be defeated by… this… animal!
“Stop it!” She growled. “Just… stop.” There was a certain no-nonsense tone to her commands that seemed to confuse the beast. It lowered it’s head and examined her with one very large brown eye, snorting loudly. Widening her stance Razabeth pulled the long driving reins tight and began to work her way up them one hand over the other, taking one decisive step at a time. “If you think… for one second… that you are smarter than me…” She darted forward and grabbed the bridle just in time. Of course since the horse was significantly taller than her, this did not stop it from simply raising it’s head rather abruptly, pulling her feet completely off the ground.
“DOWN.” She hissed through gritted teeth. Trying to keep herself calm in an attempt to salvage a very bad situation. “Down.” She tossed the reins over the horse’s head and made an awkward grab for them on the other side. The horse took a couple of waddling steps back. “Head down… Come on girl… Down.” Razabeth cooed as she groped around, finally getting her hands on the slick leather. Two intense blue eyes stared directly into one brown one, as she began to apply a little bit of pressure at a time to the restraint, feeling the mare submitting to the urging. “Doooown… Goood girl!” The last was a sigh of relief as toes and then feet touched down to earth.
They both stood there like that for a moment, the girl taking deep breaths and slowly relaxing, one muscle at a time; the horse watching her in return, chomping thoughtfully on it’s bit. Once they had both taken the other’s measure, Razabeth picked her way carefully out of the underbrush and back onto the road. Taking a quick look around, she made very sure they were still alone. Taking extra time observing the road they had come in on, as if looking for some sign of pursuit.
“You may not know it yet… Horse…” she paused awkwardly, realizing that she had no idea what the mare’s name was. “But we are wanted women.” She looked despairingly up at the yoke and heaved a heavy sigh. It was very high. She knew from experience. Holding the reins in her left hand and reaching up as high as she could she barely grasped at the knob there with both hands. “Luckily for me…” She hopped a couple times in preparation. ”God has been kind enough to give you handles.” With that, a pained groan, and some frantic scrambling Razabeth was once more mounted and on her way.
To where, no one could really say.