Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part IV - The Western Emerald: 78. War Horse

Flipping her hair out of her face, Cui Xi whistled long and hard. She smiled with satisfaction as the bay stallion came to her with a thunder of hooves. Huffing lightly, the horse tossed his head and then pushed his nose into her hand with an acknowledging nicker.

"Heh," Xiao Hei chuckled. "Cao Cao is so obedient. He really does come when Mistress calls."

Cui Xi made a 'pfffft' sound at her secret joke.*

"Mistress, I still think 'Grass' is a stupid name for such a fine war horse..." said Xiao Chuan, with an unconvinced look on his face.

"What do you know?" she laughed, swinging up into the saddle.

Cui Xi squeezed her knees, pushing one harder than the other, drawing the bridle to the left at the same time. She held the reins loosely, controlling the horse only with her legs.

The stallion stepped sideways as she applied more pressure, but he flared his nostrils and huffed in mild protest. Clicking encouragingly, she rubbed the whip on his shoulder, and then prodded him forward as the men formed up.

"Again, this time for the count of twenty beats," she shouted to the waiting men, tightening her hold on the reins.

"Mistress, are you sure about this?" the groom mumbled, close to tears. He looked at the slightly shortened stirrups, praying that she would not be tossed from the saddle. When she threw her head back and laughed in his face, he blanched and looked like he was about to faint.

Feeling extremely alive, Cui Xi dug her heels into the Cao Cao's sides.

"Tcha!" she cried. "Tcha!"

Turning his head, she used her knees to direct her mount forward between the double rows. The stallion balked at first, thumping his front hooves left and right, eyes white, as the men started to beat their shields with spears and swords, but then started to move forward again. The clanging rose as Cui Xi kept the stallion's head down, keeping a firm hold on the reins.

This was only the fifth time she pushed him directly through the clanging rows of men. Despite the twisting, he was actually doing far better this time. She could tell that his breathing was steadier than it ever had been before.

Cui Xi was sure that he would one day pass through this din without her holding the reins so that she could actually shoot from the saddle.

Is it today? she wondered, clenching her teeth. I can only try and see!

He had slowed and stopped, but she refused to let him defeat her. Determined, she reached forward to give Cao Cao another pat. Leaned tight and low against his neck, she hugged him while saying his name, talking calmly despite the horrendous din. His ears were turned fully back, listening to her voice, but he whinnied and stomped.

"Steady, Cao Cao! Go steady!" she said in English. "Steady!"