Word Count: 84,011
Summary of Events:
Bergljót was invited by Hallbjörn to learn how to lunge a horse so she could do it for the demonstration; it took her a few minutes to be comfortable around Nótt before they got to the lunging part. Hallbjörn informed the town Governor about his plans to hold a demonstration and left it up to the Governor to decide where the demonstration would be held. Bergljót lunged Nótt some more, feeling more comfortable — even lunging him while he cantered around her — before she watched as Hallbjörn rode Nótt a bit . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
Hallbjörn’s cues with Nótt were subtle and the stallion responded to them swiftly; in fact, Bergljót had a hard time telling what Hallbjörn was doing to get Nótt to do what he was doing — and what he was doing was just basic walking, trotting, and cantering.
After a bit Hallbjörn stopped Nótt uncomfortably close to Bergljót. He removed his foot from the stirrup she could see and held out his hand to her.
“Come,” Hallbjörn said.
“But, it’s, I’m in a skirt,” Bergljót protested.
“You’re also surrounded by four stone walls with only your little brother as witness,” Hallbjörn replied. “No person apt to be scandalised is going to see what you’re doing.”
Bergljót glanced around; it was true, and she had to admit that she thought it would be fun. She reached up her hand.
Hallbjörn leaned down and closed his hand around her arm above her elbow strongly; she raised her foot into the stirrup and did her best to make sure Hallbjörn wasn’t doing all the lifting, but she was pretty sure he did end up doing a lot more of it than she’d meant to make him do anyways.
Her skirt slid up her legs a bit in order for her to sit astride Nótt’s back behind the saddle. She wrapped her arms around Hallbjörn, not really thinking about who he was because she was so worried about falling off.
After a moment for him to get his foot into the stirrup Hallbjörn had Nótt shift a little bit so that he wasn’t facing the wall so squarely.
“How fast have you gone on a horse?” Hallbjörn asked.
“I’ve ridden a bit of trotting,” Bergljót replied. “But that’s it.”
“Then let’s canter,” Hallbjörn said.
Nótt started off smoothly at the swift gait. Bergljót held on tightly. She’d seen people ride this fast, but she had to admit that being on the horse doing it was a totally different experience; she was going so much faster than the people she’d seen cantering — including Hallbjörn himself moments ago — had certainly seemed to be going.
Bergljót was about ready for Hallbjörn to stop because she felt like she was going to fall off or something when suddenly Nótt picked up speed and Bergljót realised from the sound of the hoofbeats in her ears that Hallbjörn now had Nótt galloping.
Closing her eyes in fright, Bergljót tightened her grip on Hallbjörn as she flew she didn’t really want to know where for an unnervingly long time before suddenly Nótt reared.
“It’s alright,” Hallbjörn soothed, his hand on hers. “I’ve got him completely under control — besides, being on his back is far safer than being off it when he’s galloping or rearing.”
Bergljót trembled, refusing to release her grip. She’d never gone so fast in her life, and she didn’t know that she ever wanted to go that fast again, there was such a thing as too fast.
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