Moonmount Castle - LGBT, manXman

22

Lodareth

I awoke with Coda curled up on my chest this morning, and haven't stopped smiling since. I steal little glances over at him as we ride. He looks happy; he has a smile on his face, and his frown of yesterday has gone completely. He glances over at me, sees me looking at him already, and gives me a bewitching smile. My heart immediately begins to thump harder in my chest; I wonder if one of my smiles does that to him. I hope so.

I find it harder and harder to smile, though, as we near Moonmount, and not even Coda's smile can make me feel better. I don't want to go back to being master and servant.

"What're you thinking about?" His soft voice breaks into my musings.

"Nothing much," I said quickly. "I just... I wish we'd gone to Olney."

He grinned.

"We could've had more time together.

"I know." He leant across and squeezed my hand on the reins for a moment. Moonmount came into sight as we rounded a corner in the road. "I'd better take the horses." Coda reached across and took the two bay's lead ropes from me. The hunters moved across to trot beside Pistol.

We trotted into the stable courtyard in the early afternoon. My father was waiting for us there, ready to inspect the new horses. Coda handed the three horses to Cassius, who took them to my father. Coda and I dismounted quickly, and handed Pistol, Devi and Jamocha to another stable boy to untack and rub down. We made our way over to my father, who had inspected the horses, and was looking pleased.

"Did you get a good price for them?" He asked me, patting the black's neck.

"On the bays. The black was a little dearer than I expected." That hopefully would cover any questions about the money I'd spent on Devi.

"And the palomino I saw as you came in?"

"She's Coda's, father."

"Coda?"

I nodded towards Coda.

"How is it a stable boy can afford a palomino?" My father asked him. "It's my understanding that they are one of the more expensive horses at markets."

"Yes, sir. They are," Coda answered quickly. "But she was much cheaper than usual, sir, because she's a little thin, and needs new shoes. I was left some money by my parents when they died, sir, and decided to buy myself a horse while we were in Faversham."

My father nodded. "I'll make sure Ulric gets in a little extra food to fatten her up. A palomino in our stables will certainly interest our hunting parties in the future, even if she does belong to a servant."

I opened my mouth to angrily argue that Coda was much more than a servant, before I caught myself and closed my mouth again.

Coda, guessing what I had been about to do, gave me a reassuring smile when my father's back was turned.

I shook myself sternly, and patted the nearest hunter.

"Saddle the two bays." My father turned back to Coda. "Lodareth and I will take them out now. Ulric, you bring the black." The head groom nodded. Coda ran to fetch saddles for the horses; they would be using older saddles until new ones of their own could be ordered and delivered.

"Hey," I whispered across to him while he fastened my horse's bridle. I pretended to be adjusting my stirrups. I saw him glance over at me for a moment, his eyes questioning. "Come up to my room tonight. Late; after twelve, alright?"

He nodded slowly, fighting a grin.

"You know where my room is?"

"On the fifth floor, down the hall from the small library."

I nodded.

He came over and gave me a leg-up onto the hunter's back. "See you later." He disappeared into the tack room.