Sorrel Hill: Dancing In Rome (BK3) |COMPLETED|

Chapter Nine

"Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew."
- Cicely Tuson
________________________________________________________________

                      ~Dance As One~

     I forced a smile as we entered the big, dome-like arena.  People dotted the cushioned seats left and right, not a single seat was left vacant.  This only increased my nerves. Promise held her head high assessing her surroundings. She stood by my side, waiting for her cue. I pointed and she took off in a floaty trot around the arena. The fog made her seem as if she truly was flying with her bouncy trot. Her mane flowed off of her neck carelessly. Promise was in her element an element of grace. The spotlight fixated on her and none else.  Maria's voice played on the sound system.

     "Welcome to the heart of Rome's beauty.  All the magic, elegance, and wonders of Rome are found right here in this very arena.  Horses were around before any human walked the Earth.  All the animals envied the horse for their beauty, strength, elegance, courage.  Focus on this mare in the arena, she holds a great deal of elegance.  Look how carefully she lifts each foot from the ground, the tenderness she uses to make her trot one most dressage riders envied.  Her head held proud and high, her tail out and on showcase.  This mare, Promise, represents all elegance in the world.  Everyone let's give this mustang a round of applause."

     Claps were heard all around the stands, people whistled, stood, cheered.  It felt breathtaking to be honest.  Almost as if I wasn't there at all as if I was watching from some other presence, I could see Promise trotting the arena and myself directing her in the slightest movements.  It was like a deep wave of magic washed over the entire show.  I clicked to Promise.  Against all the loud noises she picked up my signal with ease, speeding up into the lope waiting for the other horse to be announced on.  I took this small second to look down at my knee/height bright red dress.  Promise had a vibrant red halter on with tinsels flowing off the halter.  Tasha met me in the center, she was in a knee-height deep blue dress.  She looked stunning in it.  I grinned as a giant Friesian loped onto the scene, Knight. The horse's long mane nearly reached the top of his tail. His colossal hooves beat down onto the dirt, every muscle rippling with the impact. I was star struck.

"Knight, a very powerful horse. He represents strength. The movements of his entire body move every muscle formed carefully by God onto him. His waves of black locks flies as he lopes through the fog without any resistance. He stands tall and brave just as a knight does. Give a warm welcome to Knight!"

Once again the audience broke out into a chorus of claps. Knight stayed cautiously behind Promise as if he was expecting a kick or buck. I fought against my better judgment not to giggle. It was cute however, such a strong horse as him cowering over a small mare like herself. The horses passed the entry gate just as White Queen, a magnificent grey Arabian loped in.  Ginny Foster, a red headed single mother of twins, followed behind White Queen with a beautiful deep purple dress.  White Queen's purple halter's jewels winked at the spotlight. 

     "Arabians are said to be the most courageous of all horses.  White Queen is no exception, she's the most courageous horse I've ever met.  The way her head is leant slightly forward, her wide nostrils smelling the air prepared for even the slightest disturbance.  Her eyes alert and present.  She is our leader and the horses protector, they trust their lives in her as they do in us."

     I allowed myself to relax slightly as the last horse was readying to enter. The pinto Gypsy Vanner was the last to come on. Eric was the trainer of him. Tuxedo, the Gypsy Vanner emerged from the dark tunnel. His curly locks blowed behind him. He had rich sorrel splashes, his mane a mix of white and black. The patched horse joined the others without any interruptions. Tuxedo was wearing a darkened gold halter clearly adding to his overall uniqueness.

"Beauty is the final step to this untouchable solution. Tuxedo has the colors to stun even the brightest stars red with envy. His mane combed perfectly, his coat reflecting the spotlights, his white fluffy feathers flowing from below his knees. The horse is the exact reticulum of beauty."

Finally, the Liberty session with Promise was almost complete. The horses ran together in perfect sympathy. Promise leading the herd as she had done in the wild, Knight respectfully trailing behind her, White Queen looking flawless behind them both, and Tuxedo adding to the raw beauty of the group. It was a rare sight to see, a sight I never wanted to unsee. It was perfect. The entire setting of it all, but of course it had to come to an end. One by one we called our horses back and I quickly mounted Jack for our next performance. Tasha had all ten Arabians out and about completing the most rhythmic and complex dances. All horses of course, did this effortlessly as if they were born doing so.
Eric went on after Tasha with the four Andalusians, he jumped them through loops of fire, did rears, jumps, bucks. All with the up-most precious of both horse and human. After he finished Ginny took the three draft horses Vick, Duchess, and Tuxedo to the vast arena. The horses pulled a big white carriage stopping every so often so that a kid could enter from the audience and be pulled around for a mere minute or two. After she left it was our turn. The jumps were set up exactly were we had practiced in the other arena. I clicked to Jack and him and I were loping into the arena. Camera flashed, noises echoed, pictures blurred together. It was like my anxiety had come to haunt me. I wanted to find my friends, but I needed to do this just Jack and me. No one else.
People cheered all the more as Maria announced my name for the first time and Jack's. They knew us, all the way to Rome. Jack alined himself, his breath overtook the other noise. All I heard was the intake and withdraw of his breath, all I felt was the power he used to move his long limbs. The veins were distinct on his shoulders. I leaned forward as he left the ground. His body climbed higher and higher, easily jumping the small jump. I smiled like a crazy person before we landed without a single mess up. I patted Jack's shoulder and we left the arena. I did it, I finally did it. I did! My arms wrapped around Jack's sweaty neck. He cocked a leg silently telling me to hop off. Laughter escaped my lips at the gelding's antics. We did it, after all this time. We finished this. I put Jack into a stall and haltered Melody, another giant Friesian. She had to circle the arena with Knight at the end. I skipped back to the entry, Tasha ready with Knight. She gave me a wink as Ginny finally left. I returned the gesture and we signaled the horses to make one loop around. I couldn't help, but smile once they did and the crowd went wild as they realized it was the end. This seemed like a dream in itself.

A/N:

Happy New Years!! Yes, I'm a few days late, but oh well. At least it's something! Hope y'all enjoyed this!