Unforeseen

Giddy Up

After speed walking through the palace onto the grounds, I hesitated right on the edge of the stable yard. Come on, Penny, it's just a horse. You like horses! It's a living thing, not just some machine or contraption like a motorcycle or bike that won't even care if you fall off of it. Besides, Loki is going to be your instructor. He won't let anything go wrong. Taking a deep, calming breath, I forced myself to walk up to the stables.

A few grooms were standing about, brushing down horses, and a handful of guards seemed to be heading out to make rounds in the city like golden policemen. I scanned each of them as I passed them and even some of the taller, older-looking stable boys trying to figure out if any of them were Loki in disguise. I wondered what illusion he would cast on himself, who was the 'face' of my riding instructor?

"Ah, so you've arrived."

I knew that voice anywhere. My gaze flicked over to a young man who was walking casually out from the stables, a pair of reins held in one hand. His hair was curly and caramel-colored, cropped rather short, his skin tanned as if he spent hours exercising horses under the eye of the Asgardian sun. His lips were rimmed with a full beard and his eyes, though a rich shade of honeyed brown, glinted with the familiar sharp intelligence I was used to seeing in a pair of emerald green ones.

"Am I late?" I asked as he approached me, his appearance shifting as the illusion of the horse groom fell from him in flickers of light. Instead of his usual king-like grandeur of rich leather and gold, Loki's garb was much more casual than usual. His tunic, though still high-necked, was short, more like a riding vest, and was made of some kind of stiff cloth instead of leather. Under it was a loose-sleeved shirt in a darker shade that reminded me of maple leaves in the summer, the sleeves' cuff cinched by dark leather bracers. His trousers were a rich brown along with his boots that had golden buckles like the buckle on the belt slung around his hips.

"No, but I did wonder if you would find another way to finagle yourself out of your lesson." He remarked, stopping directly in front of me, tilting his head down as his eyes roved over me. A pleased expression played over his face as he took in my black and gold outfit. "Then again, dressed like that, perhaps you have come to tempt me?"

I blushed under his approving gaze and his shamelessly flirty words. Unsure of what else to say, I mentioned, "Bil just gave it to me."

He hummed lowly, his free hand snaking around my waist and pulling me to his chest, closing what small distance there was between us, "Mm, I like it."

"Someone will see!" I hissed at him, trying to wriggle out of his grip. Loki, being the clever man that he was, had managed to lead the pair of horses in such a way that they made a small angle, the horses standing as two walls to block us from the sight f the working grooms and stable boys, but still I felt that he was being far too reckless.

"And so, to restraint I must return." Loki sighed in dramatic resignation as he released me, his fingers running over the golden disks of my tunic's hem as he let go. I rolled my eyes at his melodrama, making him laugh aloud before he nodded to the horses standing over his shoulder, "Ready for your lesson?"

"Not at all." I answered before clapping my hands together once, "Let's get started."

"That's my girl." Loki's voice still held a ring of laughter in it as he handed me one of the reins he was holding "Penelope, I would like to introduce you to Kari."

"Why hello there Kari." I said to the horse, accepting her reins. I was amazed by the creature. I knew next to nothing about horses and their breeds, but even I knew she was a lovely specimen with a cream coat dappled with soft beige around her hindquarters and legs. Her tail and mane were long and a silky platinum blonde, her eyes like dark chocolate. Cautiously I raised my hand to her nose, gently petting her soft face before sliding my fingers over her neck, "Wow, she's beautiful."