Fire and Ice

Little Lullaby

Norman and I got back to the stables and started to de-saddle our horses.

And of course because of Norman's history with horses he finished way before me.

"Do you what help Pr-. . . I mean, Nashi?"

"No, I'll be fine. You go ahead and get changed and continue with your job before my Father learns of your absence. I'll be right behind you." I said just finishing settling down Iona.

"Alright then, I trust that you'll treat this horse well. See you tonight!" And he was off towards the castle.

I knew he wouldn't see but I nodded in response to his last words and then continued to care for Iona.

Iona was getting jumpy like she usually was, but the loud cracks of sword to wood from early didn't help either.

"It's ok Iona, shhh." I said attempting to calm her down again.

She wasn't wildly crazy to the point she would be dangerous but she was giddy and moved a lot making my work harder.

"Iona. . . " I half wined, getting really impatient with the young horse.

I didn't know what else to do to calm her down enough for me to take of the saddle and everything.

Then it came to me.

I remembered a little lullaby my mother sang to me when I was little. It always calmed me down at night and eventually lulled me to sleep.

I started to hum the tune, to the best of my rememberance, hoping it would have some effect with Iona as it did for me years ago.

I continued to hum as I started once again on removing her riding gear. Let's just say, it must have worked because Iona settled down tremendously.

I was finally on the last step, folding the fabric that sat under the horses saddle. I grabbed the patterned fabric, folding it nice and neatly, and stopped humming.

Well. . . I stopped humming but someone else didn't.

As I stopped humming someone didn't stop until they finished the song, with three-ish notes more.
I looked around the for the mysterious voice and its owner.

As I peered around Iona, I saw a idiot blonde boy sitting on a barrel outside Iona's stable.

"Nash." I said in a stern voice.

"Yes, horse thief?" He chirped in a snarky way.

"I didn't steal her, I borrowed her." I said putting the fold away.

"Yeah, sure." He said standing up.

"Well I DID." I grumbled, throwing the folded fabric at him.

He flinched as it landed on his face.

"Ok, ok, you borrowed her." He chuckled.

He started to fold up the fabric like I did before while I told him,
"So since you called me a thief you have to answer a question for me."

"Sounds fair."

"How did you know that song?"

"What song?"

I rolled my eyes and said,
"The song you and I were humming just a minute ago."

Nash hesitated for a second before saying,
"My. . . Mother. . .use to sing it to me when I was little."

"Oh ok. That goes for me as well." I said taking the fabric out of his hand as unfolded it because of what a terrible job he did.

"Ha ha, thanks." He said awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

We were quiet for a few minutes as I folded up the fabric before I gently asked,
"What was your Mother's name?"

Again like before Nash hesitated at the question.

"Her name. . .? " He began to say before he became silent for another minute.
I waited before he said,
"Her name is. . . uh. Not important."

He scrambled over to occupy himself with something else. He grabbed the horse brush and began to tame Iona's hair.

"Wha-. . . why is it not important? Why can't you tell me?" I said looking at him from the other side of the horse.

He again went silent and didn't speak. Only looking down at the brush as it swept down Iona's side.

I just waited to see if he would respond. But he seemed determined not to talk.
Why couldn't he tell me? Did something bad happen to her?

Whatever happened he was persistent on not telling me.
I just watched as his face became more clenched and his brushing became more sloppy and forced.

I reach over and placed my hand on his. I could feel the anger in his hand as he clenched the brush.

When I touched him his brushing stopped and slowly eased on his grip.

He looked up and into my eyes.

"Are you ok?" I asked calmly.

He sighed and looked down at his feet.

"Yeah I just. . . I'm not. . . I can't. . . I can't tell you."

"Tell me what? Your mother's name?"