Word Count: 12,014
Summary of Events:
Chapter 3:
Heleighna arrived in Québec and met M. and Mme. Amyotte who took her to their house; Heleighna was impressed by the space not only in their house, but throughout Canada, and was quite looking forward to telling her family and friends about it.
Chapter 4:
Étienne competed in the final round at the competition and succeeded in winning it — much to his own surprise. Heleighna had dinner with the Amyottes, a meal of Canada Goose, and was given the neck, which didn't taste as bad as she'd feared.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Riding into the ring once again, Étienne regarded the judges. This was the final round of the competition, and if he nailed this — which he was really hoping he would — he would win the competition. If he even made the subtlest of mistakes he could lose out. His margin of error was minuscule.
Settling Sauvage into place, Étienne took a deep breath and exhaled. He fixed his eyes on Sauvage's poll, right between his ears, looking at the little braided knob that was Sauvage's forelock.
Giving the cue, Étienne started Sauvage off on the routine. It was one of the most difficult routines Étienne had ever attempted, but he needed something of its calibre to get the points he needed. Sauvage had been doing magnificently at the routine, but Étienne usually ended up miscuing Sauvage whenever he tired to do it without someone watching who could cue him in.
Sauvage moved excellently, with smoothness like flowing water, Étienne kept his breathing deep and even and tried to keep his white-gloved hands from quivering — as it would stand out against the back of his stallion, his coat, and his saddle.
As they moved around the ring Étienne tried to remember what they were doing next, but it wasn't coming. Étienne worked to keep his breathing even, but he was starting to get tight, and he could tell Sauvage knew as he swivelled his pointed ears back, listening.
Seamlessly, Sauvage moved on, Étienne didn't even cue him. Sauvage seemed to know exactly what he was supposed to do. Étienne relaxed somewhat, but his mind was still racing, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do, his mind had gone completely blank.
Part of Étienne wanted to stop Sauvage, get off, and watch his stallion do it alone, but he knew he couldn't stop. If he stopped it was all lost. He wanted this. He wanted this bad. He had to keep on going. He had to trust that Sauvage knew what he was doing.
Sauvage continued moving, turning, going, his ears forward, it was almost as if he knew that Étienne was absolutely lost, and that he had to do it all on his own. Étienne woke on taking deep breaths and relaxing himself.
As they rode around the ring, Étienne couldn't hear anything aside from Sauvage's breathing and hoofbeats, and his own heart thudding in his ears. It was almost as if they were all alone, completely isolated from the world. It was just them, and no one else.
Finally Sauvage came to a stop, his hooves square, his neck arched. It was done. Sauvage had done it. All on his own. Applause to a volume Étienne had never heard before after one of his rides burst out as sudden as a light illuminating a room when the switch was flipped.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Étienne regarded the judges, and the crowd, all of whom were on their feet applauding like Étienne had never seen before for him. It was like he'd just performed an incredible solo with an orchestra or something.
Étienne rode Sauvage around the ring gazing at the crowd with rather dumbfounded awe, wondering if maybe he should see if he could get recorded footage of his ride or something, with their response to it."
M. = Monsieur (mihs'yeur)
Mme. = Madame (mahdahm')
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