Chap. 158 Drummer

Chap. 158 Drummer

K'ndar and Glyena had made two rounds of Ruatha's racetrack, listening to the various conversations, searching for the men who had sabotaged Swiftsure. It turned out a fruitless effort.

"They might not be together, might not have been talking when we passed, or..it could be anything," K'ndar said to Glyena. "But we tried, and even more so, the horse hasn't been harmed, at least not long term."

Glyena nodded.

They'd stopped to watch the first race, one dubbed the sprint, for very fast horses that lacked the stamina to go longer distances.

"What about me riding Drummer? Have you made a decision?" Glyena asked as they made their way to Ruatha's paddocks.

K'ndar had thought, hard. He knew Glyena's ability to ride horses, but something was bothering him about the entire situation.

"I think, well, I think I'll know more in a few minutes. When we get to their paddocks, I'll take a good look at Drummer. They should be thinking about getting him warmed up, by now," he said.

Rhian greeted them with an unreadable expression, one a mixture of hope and dread. Let's catch these misfits and run them off the Hold.

"I'm sorry, sir, but…I didn't hear them," Glyena said.

Rhian shrugged. "Ah, well, it was just a hope. In the meantime, I've let the other horseman know, telling them to check their horses. If it makes you feel any better, they're all just as pissed as I was. I don't know the results, of course, I don't know if anyone else's horses had been tampered with. But now, we've all been warned.

As of now, though, we've saddled Drummer. K'ndar, have you made a decision about Glyena riding him?"

K'ndar shook his head. "If you don't mind, I'd like to see how he works in the round pen with Glyena up," he said, surprising his sister. Her hopes soared.

Rhian nodded. "I think that's wise," he said.

The bay gelding was antsy, sidling back and forth, his tail swishing, his head tossing. His handler had a firm grip on reins. His expression was a mixture of doubt, dismay and apprehension. This little girl, aboard Drummer? But-he was just a handler, one who did as his boss ordered.

"Little lass, when you get aboard, set yourself tight in the saddle. He won't stand still once I release the bridle. I won't let him go until I think you're ready," he said.

"Okay," she said. She looked the gelding in the eye. Something had changed in it. There was a glint of something discomforting, not malice, but not welcome, either. She paused.

"Ready for a leg up, Glyena?" Rhian said.

There was a quiver of doubt in her mind.

She hesitated, then said, "Yes, please."

The Ruathan boosted her into the saddle. She searched for the irons and found them a little long.

Picking up the reins, she asked softly, for contact. His mouth was like a rock. He had taken the bit and held it, tight. She could feel his teeth grinding it.

Drummer pinned his ears, then turned them forward again. K'ndar, seeing it, reached out mentally, only to remember that horses were not telepathic, like dragons. Still, his instincts, honed by a lifetime of reading and riding horses were not pleased. He felt an aura of energy emanating from the horse that was alarming. This horse?

Would you ride him? Raventh asked, unexpectedly.

K'ndar examined that question. He could ride. So could Glyena. But he'd learned a long time ago, that pride doesn't make one a better rider of anything, be it a horse or a dragon. Pride can make one foolish or make stupid decisions.

No. Not when there are a dozen horses with a better attitude.

"The leathers, they're just a little long," Glyena said, perplexed by the resistance the horse seemed to be projecting. I've got soft hands, horse, I want to work with you. What IS this from you? I've not hurt you. Why this resistance?

Drummer's eye said what it was. Domination. He'll push you, Rhian had said. I've not taken a step and he's already doing it.

"Aye," Rhian said, and he and K'ndar each took a side and shortened her stirrup leathers. The handler kept a tight hold on the bridle and the reins, never taking his eyes off of those of the horse.

Glyena wiggled her butt until she felt solid in the racing saddle. She felt the horse stiffen. This didn't feel right, she thought. He felt wound up, tight as a spring.

She asked for a head turn. His neck hardened, but he turned it just enough for his left eye to meet hers. It was dismaying. It was alien, almost as if it weren't a horse looking at her, but something wild. It was a look of challenge. She wasn't frightened, but there was just something wrong here. Am I reacting to what they told me before? About him throwing his rider? And being hot?

She could feel the horse tensing, almost as if he were about to leap out from underneath her.

Lizard's words came into her mind.

"The mistake we make is not listening to our gut."

I don't want this, she realized. But who would ride him, then? How can I admit I might be making a mistake?

I'm arguing with myself. My gut says get off.

K'ndar saw the same thing. This horse, he thought, is about to explode.

She looked at K'ndar. He saw the misgiving in her eyes. He heard them say 'Say no for me, K'ndar, say 'no'.

"No," he said, and at the very same moment, a new voice came from behind them.

"Hi, there! Hi! What's this? Who's this on my horse?" Everyone turned to look behind them.

A small man, a bit older than K'ndar, glared at them, his face registering shock.

"Ah, Dravid! The healer has cleared you?" Rhian said, relief in his voice.

"Yes, sir, just in time for me to warm up my Drummer…but who is this lass, up on my horse?"

"We weren't sure if you'd be able to ride. Miss Glyena here, volunteered."

Dravid scowled. "I've been riding Drummer for a year now? Nay, sir, my pardon miss, but…I won't have it. He's my horse, I'm riding him in the race," he argued.

Rhian began to explain, "Dravid is Drummer's rider, and so, I'm sorry, Glyena, but…"

Before anyone could interrupt, K'ndar said, "Worry not, sir, Dravid, I've decided. I don't want Glyena riding. Glyena, please, get off the horse," he said, his eyes daring her to argue.

Rhian was relieved. Dravid was mollified. (part of his mind had been afraid he'd lost his job.)

So was Glyena. Without a murmur, she kicked her leg over the saddle and hopped off before anyone could help.

"Lengthen those leathers," Dravid ordered the handler, "Hole 9, please."

"I know, I know, Dravid," the handler said, much happier. He'd been filled with dread for the little girl. What had Rhian been thinking? Better to scratch this crazy horse.

"Glyena, I wasn't comfortable with you being up there," K'ndar said.

Rhian said nothing, hoping his relief didn't show. It had been a foolish idea, he thought.

"I hope you don't mind, Glyena?" he asked.

"I don't mind, sir," Glyena said.

"I'm sure you would have done well, but I think it's wisest that Dravid rides Drummer," he said.

"No argument from me, sir," she said, "I have a feeling he's too much horse for me."

"He's too much horse just about anyone other than Dravid," Rhian said. The handler nodded and Dravid's chest expanded. "Even so, thank you for volunteering. Would you and K'ndar care to watch the races from our platform? You'll be right near the finish line," he offered, "It's the only way I can thank you for alerting us to what was done to Swiftsure," he said.

"Oh, yes, please!!" She and K'ndar both said simultaneously.

"What? What happened to Swiftsure?" Dravid asked, alarmed.

"I'll fill you in later. For now, if you're up to it, Drummer needs a warm up," Rhian said.

"Leg me up, and let's have at it," Dravid said.

Rhian said, "Alright, then, all of us, we need to get out of the saddling pen."

Rhian gave Dravid a leg up, and as the rider settled himself, he followed the others to the gate.

"I'll manage the gate for you," he called to the handler.

Drummer's eyes rolled, the whites showing as Dravid anchored himself in the saddle. Once again, he pinned his ears, then pushed them forward. When he was confident, Dravid nodded at the handler.

The next few moments were as exciting and scary as anything K'ndar could have imagined. The moment the handler released his grip on the bridle, Drummer reared, came down and reared again. The handler jumped back and scrambled to get out of the pen, Rhian slamming the gate shut behind him.

The horse jerked his head down to the ground, attempting to tear the reins from Dravid's hands. He unleashed a mighty buck. Failing to dislodge his rider, he leaped sideways, the same violent roll, K'ndar recognized, that an airborne dragon did to avoid being scored by Thread.

Satisfied that Dravid was solid in the saddle, Drummer broke into a gallop. The small confines of the saddling pen confined the gelding to circles. He went so fast that he kicked dirt up into the faces of the watchers, despite their being on the other side of the chest high fence. He slid to a sudden stop, spun, and raced in the other direction.

"That's…that's a warm up?" K'ndar gasped, unable to keep his astonishment to himself.

Rhian nodded, ruefully. "It's not from our training, I can assure you. I've never had a horse like Drummer. And believe it or not, it's not out of meanness. He's testing Dravid. He tests everyone who's ever backed him. He's saying, are you man enough to ride ME? He knows exactly how much he needs to work before he's ready to run. He'll go like this for fifteen minutes, half an hour, then just stop. Then he's ready to race.

He shook his head, as the gelding thundered past.

"Funny thing, he's a perfect gentleman in harness, he'll trot all day with nary a complaint.

His ground manners are fine, well, he is pushy, gets in your space, but there's never been a bite, not a kick, nothing. It's just…he just resents having a rider. He's not in pain. It's not his back. It's not the tack. It's not Dravid. This is Drummer. Drummer is hot like nothing I've ever seen. He is the most competitive horse I've ever known. Put a saddle on him, and all he wants to do is run. He does NOT want to be told HOW. He would much rather we just put him on the track, no rider, no tack, and let him run his race."

He rubbed his chin out of exasperation. He was so grateful they'd gelded him early. He'd have been almost impossible to manage had they left him entire.

"Believe me, I wish he could be rated, but he won't listen. And bits don't mean a thing to him, though I'm not a man who believes in using tack or harsh bits to force a horse to do something he doesn't want to do. You could put a razor in his mouth and he'd accept his tongue being cut off rather than accept the bit. He's a three K horse, no shorter, no longer. Trust me, you will see it on the track," he said, ruefully.

K'ndar could not tear his eyes from the pair in the pen. Dravid's expression was astonishing. There was no fear, just fierce concentration…and glee. Riding his equine tornado, Dravid had a grin wrapped three times around his head.

"By the egg, that's the best rider I've ever seen in my life, and he's ENJOYING it," K'ndar said, gobsmacked.

"Aye," Rhian said, "He's daft, he is, but he can bloody well ride Drummer."

K'ndar looked down at Glyena. Her face was frozen in shock.

I would never have stayed aboard THAT, she thought. I'd have been on the ground in a moment.

Something in her mind crossed its arms and nodded in agreement.

I listened, she thought, I listened to my gut. She told me it wasn't a good idea. Oh, thank you gut, whatever you are inside me.

K'ndar began to kneel down to look in her eye, and realized she was getting tall enough to not need that, anymore. He looked in her eyes.

"I'm glad you got off," he said to her, hoping she didn't resent him. "Please don't be upset with me," he begged, "I would have been afraid to ride him," he admitted.

"I'm not," she said, and pulling his arm to lower his head, she said so only he could hear, "I am glad you said no."

He hugged her, tightly.