Sam and Marie

[x-cannonball.livejournal.com]

Sam feels like going out for a quiet horse ride in the woods, but then Marie decides to invite herself along.



Sam breathed deeply as he entered the stables. He loved the earthy smell that came with the horses that lived there. And there was nothing quite so peaceful as a ride in the snow. It was a way to get away from the barely-controlled chaos of the mansion. And while flying relaxed him, it was still quite noisy. There was a lot to be said for riding through a clearing with nobody else around for at least a mile, and the way the blanket of snow on the ground muted every noise so that your own breathing was practically the only thing you could hear.

Crossing to a familiar stall, he grinned as hey lay a well-worn saddle on the gate. "How ya doin' today, Lardbutt?" he asked the horse as he scratched him behind the ears.

"Now is that anyway to talk to your horse?" Marie teased as she exited the tack room with a saddle balanced over her shoulder. Walking over to a dappled mare, she began saddling her. "Of course, with how slow Ah've seen your horse move, that is a fitting name for him." Moving to feed the horse a carrot she'd stashed in her pocket, Marie winked at Sam before returning her attention to the mare. "Isn't that right sugah?"

Sam fished a slice of apple out of his hand and offered it to Lardbutt. "Don't y'all be mindin' mean ol' Miss Marie, Lardbutt," he told the horse, rubbing him along the neck. "Ya ain't slow, she's just jealous of ya." He cast a grin at Marie.

"Jealous?" Marie questioned, grinning back as she lead the mare out of the stall. "Do ya hear the crazy man Taffy? Don't mind a word he says, he's just tryin' to make ol' Lardbutt feel better."

Lardbutt whickered and tossed his head as Sam led him out of his stall. "Ah completely agree, Lardbutt, them's be fightin' words. We can't be standin' for the ladies pokin' fun at us, can we?" Sam asked.

"A lil' ol' Southern gal like myself?" Marie said while blinking in wide-eyed feigned innocent. "Why surely good sir, ya are aware that ladies do not bring themselves to the level of 'fightin' words.'" As soon as the words were out of her mouth she urged Taffy into motion.

"That's cheatin'!" Sam hollered, putting one foot in a stirrup and swinging himself up onto Lardbutt's back. "Yah!" he yelled, giving Lardbutt a nudge in the sides with his boots. Contrary to his name, Lardbutt sprang forward, and Sam bent low over his neck as they entered the forested riding trails, hot on the trail of Marie and Taffy.

Glancing over her shoulder, she was surprised to see that Sam had quickly closed the gap she'd gained from her headstart. Turning back, she leaned in close to Taffy, rubbing the mare's neck. "Come on girl, you can do it." Responding to Marie's coaxing, Taffy sped up, her hooves pounding down the trail through the woods.

Sam grinned. There was nothing he liked more than going fast and racing, whether it be flying, driving, or horseback riding. He saw Taffy surge forward, and leaned down to whisper to Lardbutt. "Two lumps of sugar if'n ya beat 'em, boy," he said. In response, Lardbutt leapt forward and cut the gap again.

As Sam and Lardbutt pulled up alongside Marie and Taffy, Marie tried to urge the mare to pull ahead again. They had almost reached the spot where the path left the forest, the natural ending point to the spontaneous race between the Southerners. Bursting out of the trees, she turned to glance triumphantly at Sam, only to realize he was right beside her.

As they burst into the clearing, the pair both silently slowed their horses to a canter, then to a gentle walk. Sam grinned at Marie and rubbed Lardbutt's neck, which was steaming slightly in the cold. "Ah think Ah'll count that as a victory, seein' as ya engaged in a low-down bit of cheatin'..."

Marie's cheeks were rosy, either from the cold, the exhilaration of the race or the way Sam was smiling at her. "Hear that Taffy?" Marie said as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Just cuz ol' Sam here was slow on the uptake, he's accusing two innocent girls of cheatin'. Tsk tsk, and there Ah thought you were a true Southern gentleman."

"Ah may be a Southern gentleman, an' ya may be a lady, but that don't mean Ah ain't gonna call ya a cheater if'n ya cheat," Sam replied in his best Rhett Butler voice. "But since Ah -am- a Southern gentleman, Ah suppose Ah can find it in me ta call it a draw." He smiled, his eyes twinkling with humor and good spirits.

"Ah guess we can accept that," Marie said with an over dramatic sigh, her eyes twinkling as well. As the two horses slowed from their walk to a stop, she held out her gloved hand to shake on their agreement.

Sam nudged Lardbutt closer to where Taffy stood, and reached out his own hand to clasp Marie's.

"'Course, best way to get around a tie is to have rematch," she said as she released his hand and leaned over Taffy's neck.

"And here Ah was hopin' ta enjoy some peace an' quiet out on th' trails," Sam said with a shake of his head. "Still, the Good Lord knows Ah can't resist a challenge..." he mused. Wheeling Lardbutt around in slightly dramatic fashion, he looked over at Marie with a twinkle in his own eye. "Last one ta the stable's a rotten egg!"