Silent Intrigue

The Value of Touch

The light had started to wake him up before the hand touched his shoulder, so he didn't lash out like he normally would have. Simply startled violently as he searched for recognition through the glare of a lantern. He squinted and blinked as the stable boy beckoned for him to follow.

Silence sighed as he rolled out of his warm bed and didn't bother scuffing on shoes. He padded along barefoot after the hurried boy, scrubbing a hand over his face and wondering what could possibly be so important before the sun had even come up. He winced when he accidentally pressed on his bruised jaw.

The stable boy went dodging through the kitchen and out the back door. They picked up speed in the yard, running across to the horse barn, lit with lights. Silence felt a little worry. Was something wrong with Francois? The old horse master was the only one who could possibly want him in the barn.

Silence glanced at the stable boy when they made it into the barn and the boy started gesturing frantically towards a stall. Silence cocked his head as he continued on, leading the way. He knew that stall. Francois was housing a pregnant mare in that one. A beautiful white Quarter horse with a sweet disposition.

Silence rounded the stall partition and skidded to a halt in the doorway. His eyes widened in shock. The mare was struggling against the three stable boys trying to hold her in place, lying on one side on the floor. Francois was on his knees behind the mare, covered in blood and speaking sternly. Francois' head jerked towards the door when he caught sight of Silence and only hesitated for a moment before roughly gesturing at the mare's head with a bloody hand.

Silence figured out what was needed without any signs other than that. He pushed through the shock and stepped lightly over to the mare's head. Kneeling beside her, he gently stroked her face with his hands. The horse gave him a wild look, her sides heaving. Her distress was not lost on Silence, but he calmly met her rolling eye and refused to let it effect him. Francois was here. Several stable boys. And he was there. The mare had nothing to worry over as long as she was being looked after.

The horse slowly calmed, allowing Silence to steal glances at what Francois was doing. The man was still speaking, and the stable boys were hastening to do his bidding. As the mare calmed under Silence's hands, the three that had been trying to hold her gradually abandoned the unneeded role and hurried off to do other things.

Silence swallowed when Francois pressed his hand into the mare, his sweating brow furrowed in concentration. He bit his lip, wondering what could possibly be wrong. Then he was brightening when Francois gave a look of victory and pulled away from the horse. The mare shuddered, and with a quick struggle and the abrupt smell of fresh blood, the young horse was born.

Silence bit his lip when the baby didn't move right away. The mare rolled a little and tucked up her legs, trying to get a look at what the problem was as well. Silence quietly soothed her with a hand on her neck, watching carefully as Francois peeled away a layer of slimy stuff from the baby. The stable boys hovered around as well, watching with bated breath.

Francois leaned over the little horse, doing little things that Silence wasn't quite sure the purpose of. It didn't really matter. Not when the baby drew in a breath and kicked gangly legs.

A wave of relief swept the stables and Silence grinned. He got to his feet as the mare stood and went to nudge her baby. Francois backed away to give the pair some space and watched, smiling himself as he came over to stand with Silence.

'That was good.'

Francois glanced at Silence's hands, then nodded. ' Yes. Good. Drink.'

Silence raised a brow when Francois smiled and turned to leave the stall. Silence cast one last look at the mother and her baby, then followed Francois. The boys were pulling out cups of all shapes and sizes. Francois returned after a few minutes, cleaned up and with a bottle in his hand. The boys seemed excited as they gathered around with lifted glasses, holding them out for Francois to pour some amber liquid into. He only gave them each a little but they didn't seem to mind.