Horsin' Around

[Demeter]

Genesis sat up and waited for the men to return. She wouldn’t ask them what they had done; as a healer she’d be duty bound to help anyone who was injured. Once the two men returned to the farm, Genesis stood and steered both of them into chairs. “Don’t tell me what happened as I don’t want to know. Mirage and the baby will be fine but she has to rest and remain in bed for a while. Odhran, after you eat, you can go see her.”

Upstairs, Mirage didn’t fight her mother’s orders to remain in bed. She was tired; the events of the day had dried up her reserves. She was propped up on pillows, comfy in leggings and a tank top and was only partially paying attention to the sitcom yakking away on the small television set. She wanted Odhran. Mother had said he was out bringing retribution to the one that had caused all this.

When the man in question poked his head into the room, Mirage ordered him to the bed. Impatient for comfort, she wished he’d hurry up and get his boots and heavy outer clothing off. Once he was down to skin and skivvies, Mirage cuddled right up to him and finally allowed herself to cry about what had almost happened.

***
Mirage managed to arrange her wedding from her bed. She didn’t like the idea of being trapped on bed rest but the wedding had kept her busy. With help from her soon to be in-laws, she managed everything. Now, on the morning of her wedding, Mirage sat on her bed, surrounded by her older sisters and mother and the female in-laws and ate breakfast. In a little over four hours, she’d be standing in the old apple grove and pledging herself to Odhran. She wanted time to move faster.

[Maira]

They had agreed not to speak of what transpired on their rage fueled ride to the home that Randa still shared with her parents. Neither Darius or Odhran had physically harmed anybody, but Randa would likely have a black eye from the left hook her mother hit her with at the news of what had befallen Mirage at Randa's hand. He could have left the words unsaid but Odhran made it clear that Randa was never to return to the farm, never to come anywhere near his family, and never to think of contacting him. Her parents offered to send the girl away to live with family in London to which Odhran informed them, "If our child dies because of her actions, London would be a wise move for her."

As they had left the seaside home, Odhran noticed that Darius's eyes were glowing that terrifying shade of red that most spirit horses developed as they grew older and stronger. The younger man could only imagine the impression those eyes had made on Randa and her parents as they were all purely human. Not even a touch of otherworld lurked in their veins according to his Mutari sense of smell. That purely human blood was probably the only thing that saved Randa from the rage boiling in both Mirage's fiance and father. If she'd been a part of the otherworld, if even just one of her parents had been, their justice could have been served without jeopardizing anything. As it was, the town was mostly pure humans and winged men bearing swords would be have been noticed.

When they returned home to the farm, Odhran and Darius both hurried into the house and were herded into chairs by Genesis. Odhran was ready to bolt upstairs but the woman made him eat first. Only as he started choking down some dinner did he realize that the hard emotions had burned through all of his energy and he was physically shaking from the weakness that the emotions' passing had left him with.

As soon as his plate was cleared to Genesis's satisfaction, Odhran took the stairs two at a time and hurried to Mirage's room. Worried that he might disturb her if she was asleep, he poked his head in quietly. When she caught sight of him and ordered him to bed, Odhran managed a weak smile and did as he was told. He'd barely settled himself on the mattress beside her when she pressed herself up against him and started to cry. The release of Mirage's tears in turn released Odhran's as well and he found himself holding her almost as tightly as she was holding him. It was like this that they eventually fell asleep, crying but safe in each others' arms.

*****

The month had both blown by, and dragged at a snail's pace. When the big day finally came, Odhran was up before the sun putting Heaven's Bane through a new pattern that he'd gotten from Trey as a measure of testing the young stallion's training. Bane was doing the pattern almost flawlessly and Odhran couldn't help but smile with pride. Since the day of the incident with Randa, the young stallion had been much more willing to work with him and their growing bond was evident in Bane's smooth transitions and almost instant response to Odhran's cues.

The pair worked for hours, until Bane was lightly lathered and Odhran too was a bit sweaty. When is older brother walked up to the arena gate and watched him, Odhran put Bane through the pattern one last time to show off, then he walked the young stallion over to the gate. Smirking, Kyros teased his younger brother, "Lets go get you showered, shaved, and ready for the craziest ride of your life." Odhran smiled back at his brother and after dismounting, walked Bane to the nearest groom with instructions for treats and a bath once he was cool. Turning back to Kyros, Odhran's face split practically in two before he let himself be led away to prepare for the ceremony.

[Demeter]

Genesis had watched as her daughter had organized her wedding with all the discipline of a general from her bed. If she couldn't ride, she was going to make sure her wedding was perfect. She also spent the previous month grumbling over Beauregard; her nephew who'd been brought in to take over her duties.

Now, as she fixed the tiara veil she'd worn when she'd renewed her vows to Darius, Genesis wondered about her daughter. There wasn't a single trace of nerves being shown. "Mirage, darling, is everything okay?"

"Of course, Momma. Why wouldn't everything be fine?"

"Most brides are a little nervous about their wedding day."

Mirage turned so that she wasn't looking at her mother through a mirror. "I love him, Momma. The wedding is just a formality for me. I'd be with him without one."

Genesis smiled and fixed the last pin in place. "Well, then, lets finish up and get ready to go."

Soon, she was bundling Mirage into the farms all terrain and driving towards the apple orchard.

And she could only grin when Mirage's face lit up at the sight if Odhran. All was going to be well, she thought.

***

She practically bounced down the aisle to Odhran. When the official from the village asked if she took him to be her husband, Mirage nodded. "Oh, you better believe I do," she said.