Troubled Waters: Day 12

Word Count: 72,008

Summary of Events:

Bergljót came in from having spent another afternoon watching Hallbjörn work with Nótt and got into an argument with her older sister, who harboured contempt for Hallbjörn and accused Bergljót of being infatuated with him. Hallbjörn was able to clip the lead onto Nótt's halter and lunge him at closer range; somewhat in frustration he worked Nótt quite hard, but in the end he felt like he'd made something of a breakthrough with the stallion. Bergljót was startled to find Hallbjörn waiting for her at the bottom of the tree she watched him in when she climbed down from having, once again, watched him work with Nótt . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“How much work have you done with horses?” Hallbjörn asked.

“None really,” Bergljót replied. “I haven’t even ridden one in some time. It’s not dignified for a woman.”

“Then I am to presume your saddler knows nothing of constructing sidesaddles,” Hallbjörn said.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Bergljót said.

“It is a saddle with only one stirrup and two protrusions angled off to the side, one comes over the leg that sits in the stirrup, and the other rests under the leg that would normally be on the other side, so then they’re both collected on the same side in a more ladylike fashion,” Hallbjörn replied. “They are a weightier saddle and the horse wearing it must undergo special training to be ridden properly, using a whip to cue the side no legs are on.”

“Although really, around here, where would a woman need to ride?” Bergljót asked.

“Another valuable point,” Hallbjörn replied.

“Why are you wanting to know?” Bergljót asked.

“In order to get the rope maker to fashion me this whip, I agreed to hold a demonstration of Nótt’s rehabilitation and civility,” Hallbjörn replied. “In fact, I am getting a complete set of new tack from the saddler on the provision that I do the same.”

A barter of a service for an object? Bergljót had never heard of that before.

“As much as I can indeed show those things by handling Nótt by myself, I thought it wouldn’t be altogether ill if I were to have someone else participate in the demonstration to show just how civilised and rehabilitated Nótt is,” Hallbjörn continued. “And I don’t think there could possibly be a better candidate than a young woman, and what better young woman than the very same one this stallion so viciously attacked?”

“But I told you, I don’t know anything,” Bergljót said.

“But you can be taught,” Hallbjörn replied. “You won’t be riding him.”

“Just you will be?” Bergljót asked.

“I don’t know,” Hallbjörn replied. “Do you have any suggestions for who else might be good to ride him?”

“Well there are several good riders in the area, most any man that trains horses is a good rider,” Bergljót replied. “Out of all of them the Governor is probably the one you’d find easiest to identify because his clothes aren’t as simple as everyone else’s — even if they aren’t made by someone in Óðinnborg.”

Hallbjörn nodded.

“So what exactly would I be doing?” Bergljót asked.

“Lunging,” Hallbjörn replied.

“And is that what you’ve been doing with Nótt these last few days?” Bergljót asked.

“Yes,” Hallbjörn replied. “When it’s nearly time for the demonstration I’ll have you practise just to make sure you know what you’re doing.”

“So I’ll do the lunging and the Governor will do the riding?” Bergljót asked.

“I’ll do riding as well,” Hallbjörn replied. “Although I’m sure that the Governor is a good rider, I don’t know that he will be able to show everyone the fullness of Nótt’s abilities and skills; and he may just find it enjoyable to watch them for himself anyways.”