Page 48 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong

They finished the picnic chatting about nothing in particular, and Perian left feeling very much in charity with the world, even if his arm did ache a bit.

Horse riding on his mind, after returning the picnic supplies, Perian changed into riding gear and made his way out to the stables.

“How are you today, my magnificent animal?” Perian asked.

Prince Horsey rocked his head back and forth, flicking his mane around, which Perian took to be an indication that he was not impressed with Perian’s absence.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t ride yesterday,” he told the horse. “I ended up getting hurt and then fell asleep in the afternoon.”

He held up his arm, as if that would help with anything, given that even if this horse could see and understand stitched-together injuries, it was buried under several layers of clothing. But to his surprise, Prince Horsey quieted and leaned his head over the door of his stall to whuff at Perian’s arm and nose it gently. Perian wondered if he could maybe smell the traces of blood.

“Yeah,” Perian explained, “someone attacked me with a knife, but they’re gone now, and the doctor stitched me up, so it’s going to be all right. If we go for a ride today, do you think it could be a gentle one?”

A nearby stable hand asked, “Are you sure you want to go out on this horse today? If you’re injured, it might not go well.”

Perian flashed them a smile as he caught sight of the cylindrical beads in their hair. “Thanks for thinking about me, but I’m altogether sure that if Idon’tgo out on this horse, he’s going to be very unimpressed.”

“Well, there is that,” the stable hand said, eying Prince Horsey warily.

“But,” Perian said, dragging out the word and looking at Prince Horsey, “I’m going to need help getting you saddled, so you’re not to make a fuss, all right?” Eying the stable hand, Perian added, “You’ll help, right?”

“Of course,” they said with the look of someone who really didn’t want to but knew exactly what their job was.

It actually went better than even Perian thought it would. Prince Horsey was almost docile when the stable hand helped with the saddle blanket and saddle, as Perian did what he could but then had the stable hand tighten or recheck things. Perian patted Prince Horsey’s neck.

“You’re so good to me, thank you. The doctor and my friends will be so annoyed if I pull out the stitches or hurt myself.”

Perian led Prince Horsey out to the stable yard, and that was the point at which he realized mounting was going to be a problem. He sighed.

“I think I need a mounting block. I somehow don’t think Prince Horsey will want me to mount from the right, and I should not put so much weight on my forearm.”

The stable hand nodded and darted off, and a few moments later, Perian was in the saddle.

Prince Horsey tossed his head.

“I know that was embarrassing,” Perian hissed. “But it would have been worse if I ripped open my stitches, failed to pull myself up, andthenhad to get the mounting block, right?”

Prince Horsey huffed a loud breath Perian chose to interpret as agreement.

He nodded his head at the stable hand in thanks and nudged Prince Horsey, and they were off. They took it easier than normal, and Perian wasn’t totally sure if it was becausehewas exhibiting more caution or if Prince Horsey was really just that smart.

He decided it was definitely the horse when he stopped at a stream and just tilted down to get a drink, at which point Perian realized that had he dismounted, he might have had a lot of trouble getting up again.

“You’re very smart.”

It wasn’t the exhilarating experience they often had together, but it was nice just the same, time for Perian to enjoy the beauty and quiet of nature.

Perian turned Prince Horsey back towards the stable a bit earlier than normal when he yawned for the second time.

He used the mounting block to dismount to make extra certain he wasn’t straining his arm, and the stable hand helped him unsaddle Prince Horsey.

“As long as you stand still, I can still brush you, all right?”

Prince Horsey liked being brushed, and since this was almost entirely using Perian’s right hand and arm, it wasn’t too much of a strain.

Perian was definitely tired by the time he was finished, though.

“You look all done in,” the stable hand said sympathetically.

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