Post by Cosette de Manon on Mar 8, 2011 11:27:24 GMT -5
(Same night as Cosette leaves Ansel's home.)
It was not as dark as it could have been, with the full moon glowing. I knew I had to be in Night's Doorstep, and that scared me to no end. But I didn't let it show as I walked Michel calmly toward an inn I'd found with a stable next to it, practically crying in exhausted relief. I remembered the last time I was in Night's Doorstep, and what had nearly happened to me, which made me wonder where the Red Scorpion was, and if he was still all right. He had to be, the man was amazing.
Shaking my head, I tied Michel to the post outside the inn, praying he would be all right, and went in to set up lodgings. I still had most of my money from when I'd first come into the City, and so I was going to be all right. For awhile, anyway. The proprietor and I made a deal and I even got to have a stall in the back of the stable for Michel. Gratefully, I thanked the proprietor and ran out to find Michel still waiting, calmly watching me as I rushed toward him.
"Old friend, you have a new home," I said as tears sprang to my eyes. I wondered if he'd wanted to leave as much as I'd wanted to, which was to say that I hadn't wanted to leave at all. But I wouldn't be a burden on Ansel.
Setting Michel up in his stall didn't take long, as I had not ridden him at all. Setting his saddle on the post and rubbing him down, I kissed his velvety nose before settling down into the stall with him. I couldn't bear to leave him when I didn't know if he would be safe or not; this was a public stable, after all, not like Ansel's parents' stable, which was private. This was what the proprietor and I had agreed upon; that I would simply stay in Michel's stall with him. I was fine with it, as I had asked for the arrangement myself. If someone was going to mess with my horse, they were going to have to go through me.
Moving to the front of the stall so that Michel could see where I was, I sat and leaned my back against the wall before pulling my thin blanket over me, and finally fell into a light, restless sleep, tears staining my cheeks that I hadn't even realized I'd shed.
It was not as dark as it could have been, with the full moon glowing. I knew I had to be in Night's Doorstep, and that scared me to no end. But I didn't let it show as I walked Michel calmly toward an inn I'd found with a stable next to it, practically crying in exhausted relief. I remembered the last time I was in Night's Doorstep, and what had nearly happened to me, which made me wonder where the Red Scorpion was, and if he was still all right. He had to be, the man was amazing.
Shaking my head, I tied Michel to the post outside the inn, praying he would be all right, and went in to set up lodgings. I still had most of my money from when I'd first come into the City, and so I was going to be all right. For awhile, anyway. The proprietor and I made a deal and I even got to have a stall in the back of the stable for Michel. Gratefully, I thanked the proprietor and ran out to find Michel still waiting, calmly watching me as I rushed toward him.
"Old friend, you have a new home," I said as tears sprang to my eyes. I wondered if he'd wanted to leave as much as I'd wanted to, which was to say that I hadn't wanted to leave at all. But I wouldn't be a burden on Ansel.
Setting Michel up in his stall didn't take long, as I had not ridden him at all. Setting his saddle on the post and rubbing him down, I kissed his velvety nose before settling down into the stall with him. I couldn't bear to leave him when I didn't know if he would be safe or not; this was a public stable, after all, not like Ansel's parents' stable, which was private. This was what the proprietor and I had agreed upon; that I would simply stay in Michel's stall with him. I was fine with it, as I had asked for the arrangement myself. If someone was going to mess with my horse, they were going to have to go through me.
Moving to the front of the stall so that Michel could see where I was, I sat and leaned my back against the wall before pulling my thin blanket over me, and finally fell into a light, restless sleep, tears staining my cheeks that I hadn't even realized I'd shed.