Giddy Up! / Harwin Strong

2. Spartan

Aemond jumped back when Sav came riding into the courtyard, she rode Spartan today. He was an all black mustang. Sleek and gorgeous and fast, so fast. Whiplash was black and white speckled. Whiplash was her best jumper. She had a third, Honey, she was a golden filly, her most tame of the three, her father had gifted her Honey when she was a child. 

That was another reason why Sav loved riding so much, it was something she did with her father before he passed. He always told her you fall down, you get back up. You get knocked down, spit the dirt and blood from your mouth and get back up, no matter what you get back up. 

Sav had a hard time getting back up after he died but Honey made her feel closer to him. Tyland and Jason helped her find Spartan. They hadnt been able to keep up with her since. 

"Sorry little prince." Sav remarked as she jumped down. "Did I scare you?" Aemond stared back at her. "Spartan is a sweet thing, he won't hurt you, Aemond." Sav stroked Spartans mane and Aemond hesitated before taking another step closer. "Give me your hand, horses can sense your fear, just relax. I won't let anything happen to you." She promised. Aemond's fingers barely grazed the horse when they heard a disgruntled neigh and Spartan's head jerked around to the noise. Aemond ran back hiding behind the stables. 

"Let me get Spartan settled before you start bringing in wild ones." Sav instructed leading Spartan to the stables. She secured him and gave him a few sugar cubes. SHe held one out for Aemond. 

"What do I do?" Aemond questioned touching the sugar cube she put in his hand. 

"Put it on your palm, flat like this," Sav instructed. "And hold it out for him." 

"He's going to bite me! Eat my hand off!" Aemond shouted as Spartans lips found the sugar cube and suddenly it was gone. Aemond stared at his hand intact. "That tickled." Aemond admitted after a moment. 

"You can give him another but stay behind this line." She drew a line in the dirt with her boot. "Dont want him getting spooked." Aemond nodded as she handed him some more sugar cubes, she always kept a pouch on her when she was out and about, you never know when you might need one.

"Alright Mr. Strong," Sav declared. "What do you got for me?" She watched the horse kick and neigh, squealing, clearly uncomfortable.

"We call him Buck." Harwin remarked. He was already kicking and pulling from Criston's hands. "Come on Cole. Get a hold of him." 

"Fuck you." Criston countered. 

"He bucks everyone off, doesnt like to be touched, clearly." Harwin went on. "They were going to put him down but I thought you might have something to say about that." 

"Put him down? He's beautiful, healthy enough to beat you lot up." Sav answered. Sav moved around the horse giving it a wide girth. 

"What do you think Savage? Up for the challenge?" Harwin questioned. She smirked, cocking her head at him. 

"Always." 

Sav walked up to Buck reaching a hand out but he tugged back. She needed to see him unrestricted. 

"Bring him to the pen and get all that off him, if you can." Sav instructed. 

"Savage, you sure?" Harwin countered. 

"He doesnt like you lot, so I'm starting with basics." Sav agreed. "Maybe he doesnt like your fancy saddles." She mused. 

"You heard her." Harwin remarked as three men tired, struggling immensely to get Buck to the training pen. Sav watched him run circles trying to get out. 

"When did the palace obtain him?" Sav questioned leaning on the gates, Harwin joined her. 

"A moon or two ago." Harwin recalled. 

"Why?" Sav questioned. 

"I'm not the horse trainer, I dont know they needed a new horse." Harwin offered. Sav shrugged jumping down into the pen and Harwin's jaw dropped. "Savage," Harwin countered nervously. 

She stood in the middle of the pen, Buck ran circles around the edges annoyed but he didnt stop. 

"Come on," Sav clicked her tongue clapping out as she walked brisk little circles around the middle. Harwin watched her curiously. She made her circle wider coming face to face with Buck, he stared at her before turning around and running circles the opposite direction. 

"Thats the horse." Aemond whispered, Harwin glanced down at him. "Thats the horse that killed a man." 

"My prince you should go back to the castle." Harwin remarked jumping down. "Your mother will be worried." 

"You can't let him kill her." Aemond held out a sugar cube. 

"Get back to the castle, I will keep an eye on Savage." Harwin assured. 

"Savage? Is that the horse?" aemond questioned. 

"Come on, come on," Sav clapped her hands chasing after Buck. 

"I will keep an eye on her." Harwin assured, Aemond held out the sugar cube and Harwin gently took it from him before Aemond ran off. 

"You need a sugar cube? Is that the magic fix?" Harwin pondered. 

"No." Sav countered glancing back at him. 

"Aemond thought it might be... he reminded me that this is the horse that killed a man not too long ago." Harwin added. "Another reason why I'm sure they want him put down." 

"Give me some time to work with him, I will have him in tip top shape. If not, just let him go, dont put him down, he's a wild one, he would probably be fine on the land." Sav offered. 

"What do you call that?" Harwin questioned. "What you're doing there..."

"Round up." Sav offered. "Because he's running circles around me." Harwin chuckled. 

"Really?"

"No, its a join up, I want him to submit, to join me at my side but he doesnt want to do that clearly." Sav offered. "Round ups are usually with roaming cattle or horses that need to be-"

"Rounded up." Harwin agreed. "You got your lasso?"

"I could rope you in easy enough." Sav assured.  She pretended to lasso him in. 

"I know you could." Harwin agreed.