Runaway (November 2982) (Runa) (CW)
Jan 9, 2018 18:46:32 GMT -5
Post by Ceolmund on Jan 9, 2018 18:46:32 GMT -5
To say that Ceolmund was excited to head off toward the stables would have been an understatement. The boy was beaming from ear to ear as he took Hildred's hand and started to make through the streets. He did not know how to find the stables, though some parts of the trip seemed familiar to him. He had heard about the stables before from Grandmum; and he wondered if it was anything like Hakon's stable beneath his bed, where he had taken the old crate turned on it's side, and used an old holey stocking of his Father's stuffed with straw as a pillow, and a scrap of cloth leftover from the curtains for a blanket. Surely the real horses would need very large blankets and pillows to stay comfortable in the night.
Hakon traveled with great joy as well, for the stuffed horse found it within him to nicker and neigh all the way through the streets beneath Ceolmund's arm. He was louder than he had been in months; perhaps since Beltane. Sometimes the horse was in hand, his snout reaching up to sniff at Hildred's elbow, and other times Ceolmund leaned down to let Hakon walk and leap along the ground on his hooves.
The wind seemed less chill to him now that his ankles were covered down to his shoes, the thick tunic upon him, and the warm hat covering his ears. Hildred's hand was warm and soft in his, and even before they had made it to the stables, Ceolmund had been tiring. Hakon was once more tucked under his arm, and he was pulling a bit more heavily upon Hildred, and yawning as he pressed closer to her side.
Despite his exhaustion, Ceolmund saw the great stables looming ahead, the carven horseheads peaked upon the roof, and the great doorway before them. He gasped. “They'we so big,” he whispered in amazement as they approached. His eyes tried to look everywhere at once, and Hildred had to nearly drag him to get him to press onward on her search for Amalric and Beorhtric. He did not even notice the boy at first against the corral, for his eyes had peeked straight inward to watch the light colored horse moving around; a little boy like himself right upon it's back!
“Hewldwed,” he whispered in astonishment as they drew nearer. Ceolmund did not even notice Amalric until the man was speaking to him, and he tilted his head back to look up to the towering figure while the man scooped him right up into his arms. The added height gave him an even greater view of the corral, and he cold see horses upon horses milling about with their riders and the stablehands, and horses peeking out of their stalls through the open doors of the stables. “Amawick,” he muttered in greeting, his little voice in awe.
Most of the conversation was lost upon Ceolmund, though he heard the words as he was so near Amalric's shoudler, he did not truly listen until the man began to speak of riding horses!
“Want to see the horses, son? Would you like that?”
“They’re really neat, Uncle Brand, can Ceol ride on Màni, too?”
“Oh, I don’t see why not. She’s a gentle girl. Ever ridden a horse, Ceol?”
Ceolmund had been passed to Brandr, and he did not mind for he remembered Amalric's brother. He was so alike Amalric himself, and his height was the same if not greater, which still afforded Ceolmund and Hakon a fine view of the other little boy upon the horse. “No, I only wide on Hakon in my sleeps,” Ceolmund answered. “Hakon can take us to the Hollow Hills. Is that Mani? Can she find the Hills fow us?”
“We just have to wait for Ingulf to finish. It’s his turn!”
“He knows how to wide,” Ceolmund grinned, watching Ingulf as he circled the corral upon Mani. He thought he might never see a rider better than that other little boy before him, and hoped he could do just as well as he upon the horse. “Hakon, you have to sit on the fence to watch. Howses cannot wide othew howses,” he instructed. Hakon rose in his hand to make a neigh toward the light colored horse in the corral as Ceolmund's eyes traced it's path.
It was not long before suddenly he heard the sound of Runa nearing behind them. She was reaching out for him and Ceolmund reached back toward her. He could touch her hand from the height he had in Brandr's arm. “Look Wuna, look at the howses. They'w biggew than Hakon,” he told her in awe. “I don't think youw big enough to wide these ones yet. You'w legs are still too small.”
Hakon traveled with great joy as well, for the stuffed horse found it within him to nicker and neigh all the way through the streets beneath Ceolmund's arm. He was louder than he had been in months; perhaps since Beltane. Sometimes the horse was in hand, his snout reaching up to sniff at Hildred's elbow, and other times Ceolmund leaned down to let Hakon walk and leap along the ground on his hooves.
The wind seemed less chill to him now that his ankles were covered down to his shoes, the thick tunic upon him, and the warm hat covering his ears. Hildred's hand was warm and soft in his, and even before they had made it to the stables, Ceolmund had been tiring. Hakon was once more tucked under his arm, and he was pulling a bit more heavily upon Hildred, and yawning as he pressed closer to her side.
Despite his exhaustion, Ceolmund saw the great stables looming ahead, the carven horseheads peaked upon the roof, and the great doorway before them. He gasped. “They'we so big,” he whispered in amazement as they approached. His eyes tried to look everywhere at once, and Hildred had to nearly drag him to get him to press onward on her search for Amalric and Beorhtric. He did not even notice the boy at first against the corral, for his eyes had peeked straight inward to watch the light colored horse moving around; a little boy like himself right upon it's back!
“Hewldwed,” he whispered in astonishment as they drew nearer. Ceolmund did not even notice Amalric until the man was speaking to him, and he tilted his head back to look up to the towering figure while the man scooped him right up into his arms. The added height gave him an even greater view of the corral, and he cold see horses upon horses milling about with their riders and the stablehands, and horses peeking out of their stalls through the open doors of the stables. “Amawick,” he muttered in greeting, his little voice in awe.
Most of the conversation was lost upon Ceolmund, though he heard the words as he was so near Amalric's shoudler, he did not truly listen until the man began to speak of riding horses!
“Want to see the horses, son? Would you like that?”
“They’re really neat, Uncle Brand, can Ceol ride on Màni, too?”
“Oh, I don’t see why not. She’s a gentle girl. Ever ridden a horse, Ceol?”
Ceolmund had been passed to Brandr, and he did not mind for he remembered Amalric's brother. He was so alike Amalric himself, and his height was the same if not greater, which still afforded Ceolmund and Hakon a fine view of the other little boy upon the horse. “No, I only wide on Hakon in my sleeps,” Ceolmund answered. “Hakon can take us to the Hollow Hills. Is that Mani? Can she find the Hills fow us?”
“We just have to wait for Ingulf to finish. It’s his turn!”
“He knows how to wide,” Ceolmund grinned, watching Ingulf as he circled the corral upon Mani. He thought he might never see a rider better than that other little boy before him, and hoped he could do just as well as he upon the horse. “Hakon, you have to sit on the fence to watch. Howses cannot wide othew howses,” he instructed. Hakon rose in his hand to make a neigh toward the light colored horse in the corral as Ceolmund's eyes traced it's path.
It was not long before suddenly he heard the sound of Runa nearing behind them. She was reaching out for him and Ceolmund reached back toward her. He could touch her hand from the height he had in Brandr's arm. “Look Wuna, look at the howses. They'w biggew than Hakon,” he told her in awe. “I don't think youw big enough to wide these ones yet. You'w legs are still too small.”