Charge

Chapter 5 - Horses to Water - Part 1

I always imagined horses were a great deal smaller like they are in the tapestries I've seen. Though maybe it wasn't that the horses looked small but rather the riders with them looked large; fierce warriors next to their noble steeds. Cordelia drapes several bags over the saddles of the two horses behind her home before turning back to me, standing at a safe three paces away.
"Don't worry, they won't bite," she soothes, handing me a woven cloak for the journey.
"Much," Cal mutters.
"Very funny," I reply nervously, only about half sure he's joking. I wrap the deep red cloak around my shoulders, tucking my hair into the hood. "So who am I riding with?" Cal and Cordelia say each other's names instantly.
"What? Why me?" Cal steps toward us, dark eyes staring incredulously at Cordelia.
"Because I'm the one with all the supplies - and you're the one with years of Imperial training," she gestures towards her bag with a pointed finger. The corner of his mouth twitches.
"Am I truly that horrible to be stuck with?" I raise an eyebrow at him, pushing his resolve.
"No, you're a delight," he smiles sarcastically, venom dripping from his words. Cordelia glares at him and then looks back at me.
"You're both giving me a headache," she shakes her head, grabbing the saddle of one of the horses and mounting it swiftly. "Let us not waste any more time,"

Cal jumps onto the horse's back with a practised flourish, something he's had to do repeatedly. He stares at me with irritation before extending one gloved hand toward me.
"Get on," he orders gruffly. I stare at him momentarily, hesitating slightly before taking his hand. Cal hoists me up, gripping my forearms and pulling. "Swing your leg over," he instructs. I try to ignore his proximity as I swing my leg over the horse, sitting on its back awkwardly. Cordelia yells something to Cal but I don't catch it. All I can think of is how unstable the horse feels beneath me, how easily it could throw me off into the dirt before trampling me.
"Hold on," Cal murmurs. "Tightly," begrudgingly, I wrap my arms around his waist, resisting the overwhelming urge to plunge my sword into his gut. I feel the horse's muscles bunching underneath me as Cal digs his boots into the stirrups and tugs at the reins.
"Let's go!" Cordelia calls from ahead. I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing my face against Cal's back as the horse jolts to action. This is it, this is how I die. I get thrown off a horse and snap my neck. My stomach lurches as we begin moving, wind whipping my cloak in loud gusts of fabric. I clench tighter to Cal's back, trying not to panic too much as I'm sure if I let go of him even for a second, I'll fall off. I slowly open my eyes, keeping my grip. The sound of the hooves hitting the ground is deafening, yet calming. Cold air slaps against the skin of my face, sending a flush of heat to my cheeks. We speed through the swamp and as the horse slips into a rhythmic gallop I loosen my grip on Cal slightly. The wind in my hair reminds me of standing on the helm of my ship, a small comfort.

We ride long into the night, the moon creeping close to the horizon by the time Cordelia gives the call to slow down. My body aches from sitting on the back of a horse for so long, the brief respite from the bath long gone. Cal calls out to the horse, pulling the reins taught and easing us to a stop just behind Cordelia and her mount.
"We'll set up here for now, but we should be on our way again come daybreak," Cordelia calls out, dropping to the floor beneath her. I blink away the wind in my eyes and look around. We're out of the marshlands, the air now crisp and fresh in my lungs from the trees that extend so tall I can't see the tops.
"Great, so we have, what, the time it takes for me to tie my shoes?" Cal grumbles in response, pulling his feet from the stirrups in preparation to dismount.
"It's not my fault you're being chased by the empire's bloodhounds," Cordelia retorts. Cal turns his head to face me for the first time since we set off.
"Stay," he says firmly, before swinging his body onto the dirt with a thud. Once down he reaches up and grabs me by my ribs, fire instantly raging in my fingertips at the unwanted touch. "Cool it, just let me help you," Cal growls, the heat of my magic hissing against him.
"I'm perfectly capable of getting down on my own," I instinctively retaliate against him, cool air filling the space where his hands were.
"Fine, then," Cal retreats, walking around to meet Cordelia. With the elegance of a baby just learning to walk, I slide off the side of the horse and right into the dirt, my ankles buckling beneath me. I try to stand up as confidently as possible like I meant to eat a face full of mud. "That was tragic," Cal states, eyeing me critically.
"Can you two be civil for one gods damned moment?" Cordelia comes to my aid as I brush my shirt clean of debris. "I'm this close to just handing you over to the Empire,"
"Right," I bow my head sheepishly, walking beside her to her horse to help unpack. For all the grief Cal gives me, Cordelia is a blessing. Cal and I look at each other with silent acknowledgment that we'll shut our traps not to spare the other; but for her.