When the guy returned with the animals, the black one approached Sari and nudged her hand.
“Hello, Handsome.” She patted him fondly. “By the way, that’s his name.”
“You named your horse Handsome?”
“Why not?”
“Indeed. He’s a good-looking animal.” David patted the neck of the brown one. “Hello, buddy. Are we going to be good friends today?”
As if the animal understood, he nodded his head.
“Hey, he can understand me.”
Fergus laughed. “Moray nods his head at anything that sounds like a question.” He patted the horse’s flank. “Are you a unicorn, Moray?”
The horse nodded.
“Can you fly?”
The horse nodded again.
Fergus laughed. “You see?”
David shrugged. “After what I’ve seen and heard so far, a flying unicorn that is shrouded to look like a normal brown horse would not surprise me. Moray might be telling the truth.”
“Good one.” Fergus clapped him on the back. “Do you know how to mount him?”
Hating to admit that he wasn’t sure, David shook his head. “If you tell me what to do, I’ll manage.”
“First, always check the saddle to make sure that it’s secure, but not too tight.”
As Ferguson talked, Sari demonstrated on Handsome.
“Second, ensure that your horse is standing square and balanced. Third, stand close. Now gather the reins in your left hand and rest your left hand on the pommel.”
Sari demonstrated and David followed her example.
“Now, place your left foot in the stirrup, your right hand over the side of the saddle, and propel yourself up and over.”
David watched Sari do that and copied her moves.
“Good job.” Fergus smiled and then turned to Sari. “Keep an eye on him. He’s a newbie and a fragile human.”
Ouch. From the immortal’s perspective, it was the truth, but David hated being referred to as fragile.
Sari grimaced. “I’m well aware of that. You don’t happen to have a helmet that will fit David, do you?”
Fergus shook his head. “I only have some for the kids, and they are all too small.”
“We will be careful.” She turned to David. “The only ones who need helmets for riding are pre-transition boys. That’s why we don’t keep them in larger sizes.”
As Sari lifted the reins and Handsome started toward the exit, Moray followed obediently.
“What about the girls?” David asked.
“When they are old enough to ride, they are already immortal. Our girls transition as babies or toddlers.”
Sari had told him that the children born to immortal males did not have the immortal genes and couldn’t transition. And although those born to the females had the necessary genes, they still needed to transition to become immortal. The boys transitioned as part of a coming of age ceremony, so it had to be done when they were teenagers, but she hadn’t explained how it was done for the girls.
“How come boys and girls don’t transition at the same age?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Somehow it is enough for the girls to be around my mother to enter transition. Boys have to go through the same ceremony that you did.”
That was odd, but then so was everything about this new and fascinating world Kalugal had brought him to. Besides, the goddess emitted palpable energy, so it was possible that alone was enough to induce the girls’ transition. The question was why the same didn’t work for the boys.
If Sari didn’t know the answer to that, though, then no one else did either. Other than perhaps the goddess, who had decided to keep it a secret.
David had a feeling that was just one of many things that Annani chose not to share with her children. Another example was her encounter with his prior self. Perhaps she wasn’t proud of some of the things she’d done, or maybe she thought that shrouding herself in mystery amplified the awe her people felt for her.
As someone who was no stranger to pride and its consequences, David couldn’t fault the goddess for it. “I owe you an apology for implying that I was a better rider than I actually am. One of my many failings as a human and a man is an over-inflated confidence in my abilities. I always think that I can figure out how to do anything in whatever situation.”
“That’s a good approach to life. A can-do attitude is much better than an afraid-to-do, or can’t-do.”
“So, you are not angry at me?”
“I might have been if you didn’t fess up. I don’t want to endanger you in any way.” She smiled. “Then again, I knew that you were a newbie. Asking whether boots were necessary for horseback riding gave you away.”
“Jonah and I rode ponies wearing sneakers, so I thought that only professional riders wore boots.” He cast her an appreciative look. “By the way, I love your riding outfit. These tight pants look extremely sexy on you.” He slowed down so he could get a better look at her from behind. “They hug your ass to perfection.”
9
Sari
“The lake is down the hill.” Sari pointed to the shimmering water visible through an opening between the trees.
They’d spent a very pleasant hour walking or trotting. Moray had been a perfect choice for David. It had taken only a few minutes for him to relax in the saddle and realize that he didn’t need to do anything and just let the horse do the work.
“It’s a steep incline.” David seemed a little worried. “Any special instructions?”
“Stirrups slightly forward and lean back just a little. The horses are well familiar with this path, and Moray will just follow Handsome.”
“Good to know.” David glanced up at the thick canopy above them. “Compared to the rest of Scotland, your grounds are surprisingly densely wooded.”
“The clan has been planting trees throughout the centuries, and we don’t raise livestock or allow deer to roam free in our territory. Contrary to what people believe, the harsh weather isn’t responsible for Scotland’s deforestation. Livestock and deer are at the root of it.”
When they cleared the trees, and the entire lake became visible, David chuckled. “Calling it a lake is a slight exaggeration. It’s more of a big pond.”
“First of all, I don’t know what you are comparing it to, and secondly, it’s all ours.”
“I apologize for offending your lake.”
“Apology accepted. Are you ready for lunch?”
“I’m starting to feel hungry, and not just for food.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we have company. Edna and Rufsur beat us to it.”
“I can see Ojidu, but I don’t see them. Where are they?”
“On the other side. Look for the red and white blanket.”
“I see it. But how can you tell those are Edna and Rufsur?”
She smiled. “Immortal eyesight.”
David let out a breath. “That’s a shame. Spending the morning looking at your lovely backside gave me some very naughty ideas for dessert.”
As Sari wondered what those ideas might entail, the images flashing through her head made her squirm in the saddle.