you're only as tall as your heart will let you be;

[fantasies]

Who: Henry and YOU
What: Saying hello to the horses.
When: This afternoon!
Where: The stables.
Rating: G for kidlets.

[It seemed like the logical next step, even without Charming to teach him. Go to the stables, learn about the horses, maybe learn how to ride one. He didn't suss through all the steps, but the first one is the most important, right?

Now, though, standing on tip-toe in a front of a stall with his hand outstretched and a horse ignoring him, he realizes it probably would have been good to have a better plan.]

Come on, I just want to say hi.

Comments

[fantasies]

[He beams.]

Is it magic? Or a superpower?

[waterproofed]

Kind of both. [he reaches out to stroke a horse's nose, scratching between the eyes] Here, this one says he'd like it if you brushed him.

[fantasies]

I can do that! [He hops away from the stall to go fetch one.] Thanks a lot, this helps a ton.

[waterproofed]

Hey, no problem. I'm glad more people are coming by to see them. They're not really used much these days except when we go on expeditions.

[fantasies]

Really? But I figured people would be riding them all the time. I know I would, if I knew how.

[waterproofed]

I'll teach you, if you want. It's a little too cold outside to do more than a walk, but you can at least get the basics down.

[fantasies]

That would be awesome! [Reel it in, Henry.] I mean, if you don't mind.

[waterproofed]

I don't mind at all. And they don't mind, either. They'll be happy for the exercise.

[fantasies]

I would, too, if I was a horse.

[He pretends to think it over, when actually he's buzzing with excitement.]

Okay, deal!

[waterproofed]

Great! I think there's a saddle around here somewhere... Why don't you pick out which horse you want to ride while I go find it?

[fantasies]

[He nods enthusiastically and goes right to the task.

He gravitates almost immediately to a brown mare, and starts to brush her.]

[waterproofed]

[Percy finds a saddle, watching Henry work with the mare]

You're doing good. She likes that.

[fantasies]

Yeah? [He beams.] I know I'm kind of short, so I can't reach all over, but I thought if I got a stool or something....

[He's really excited.]

[waterproofed]

Hm... Yeah, I bet there's a stool here somewhere. You keep on getting acquainted, and just let me know when you're ready to get on.

[fantasies]

Okay. [He stands on tiptoe to get closer to the horse's back.] Just a little bit longer. I want her to know I'm OK.

[waterproofed]

Maybe talk to her for a while. Let her get to know you a little.

[fantasies]

Hmmm. What sort of things do you talk to horses about? Since I can't hear her talk back, anyway.

[waterproofed]

Just say whatever you'd say to someone you're getting to know. You want to form a bond of trust with them, so that when you ride you can work together as a team.

[fantasies]

Should I tell stories?

[waterproofed]

If that's what you want to do, sure.

[fantasies]

Like what? [He rubs the horse's side.] What kind of stories do you like, huh?

[waterproofed]

She says you smell like chocolate and cinnamon. Why not tell her about that?

[fantasies]

Oh! [He leans in close.] This might sound a little weird, but I like to put cinnamon in my hot chocolate before I drink it. It's really, really good, everybody should try it. My mom does it, too, and so does my grandma.

[waterproofed]

[apparently the combo of chocolate and cinnamon is a good one, because the mare leans forward to sniff Henry and nudges him with her nose. Percy watches while he feeds the horse in the next stall]

So it's kind of a special thing you share with your mom. My mom and I have a weird thing like that, too. Ours is blue food. Someone once told my mom that there was no such thing, so since then she's made an effort to cook blue food. It makes me feel more at home when I eat it...

You probably feel that way when you have that drink.

[fantasies]

[He giggles a little and reaches to give her nose a small squeeze.

He doesn't look over, but he does get a little more somber.]

... Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly how it's like. We didn't even realize we all did it until later, it's just... how we are. But it's nice. [He fiddles with the horse's mane a little.] Like something that connects all of us.