A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 606: A Stronger Foundation - Part 8

It was difficult for Verdant or Nelson to hide their amusement, but both of them seemed to be trying.

"Now why don’t you give the reins a light little tug now?" Nelson said. "You want to turn Casper’s head in the direction you want to go. The reins’ll end up in the opposite direction, but it’s better for you to get a feel for it yerself, than me trying to explain it to ya. Why don’t you try and guide him over to that tree over there, eh?"

Again, Oliver did as he was told. He gave the lightest tug on Casper’s reins and tried to steer him in the direction of the tree that Nelson had pointed to. Casper gave a lazy flick of his tail and finished the mouthful of grass that he’d been chewing and then he lazily began to walk towards the tree.

"Good—" Nelson began to say.

"Alright, Casper, I reckon we can go a little faster, eh?" Oliver said, as he got used to the motion of the saddle swaying him back and forth. He gave another little squeeze to Casper’s size, urging him towards a faster walk.

Casper sprang and went for a trot instead. He danced towards the tree, his head bobbing as he ran. He seemed as playful as a puppy the way he moved, but when that puppy was the size of Casper, it was a genuinely terrifying sight. Being on his back, as Oliver was, he couldn’t find it in himself to feel even the slightest bit relaxed.

He put more of his weight in the stirrups and only then did he manage to retain his balance.

"Woah! Woah!" Nelson shouted, racing after them. "Slow him down, Ser Patrick! Gentle on the reins, pull back a little!"

They’d already rushed past the tree that they’d intended to go towards. Oliver thought he would have had a far easier time wheeling Casper to go around in a circle than he would stopping him. Somehow, Oliver doubted that the horse would be happy stopping so suddenly after he was finally allowed a moment to jog, but he dared to pull on the reins anyway.

As he’d expected, Casper’s reaction was reluctant. The horse tossed his head, as though to refute the command. Still, slowly, but surely, he started to slow, until they’d come to a complete halt in the snow.

Soon after, Verdant and Nelson caught up with them.

"That could have been much worse," Nelson muttered. "He’s a good horse, is Casper."

"It seems to me, my Lord, that you’ve already gotten the basics down, no?" Verdant said. "I learned to ride as a child, so I cannot quite remember the process of acclimation that I went through, but your only improvement now would be growing comfortable with riding faster."

"Aye, I’d wager you’re right," Nelson said thoughtfully, as he walked to the front of Casper to check on the state of his reins. "You’ve been kind to the horse too. Mounting, starting, then stopping, that’s all there really is to it, I’d say."

"I’d thought it would take longer to learn," Oliver commented.

"Aye," Nelson said. "To get the basics, it normally takes longer. Folks have a hard time getting used to the height and the balance of the saddle. You still have a ways to go before you’re the level of a regular noble, though, I warn you."

"I see," Oliver mused. He supposed it was likely a side effect of being so freshly through to the Third Boundary. Just as when he’d exceeded the Second, his ability to pick up new skills seemed to be heightened. It wasn’t only that, but his natural sense for balance had always been a strong suit for him.

Right back to when he’d been climbing the sides of ravines with Dominus in the Black Mountains, he’d always had balance on his side.

Still, it wasn’t as though he felt entirely comfortable in it. He needed to use most of his attention just not to get thrown from the saddle. It was a marked improvement in the ability of a regular person, but it wasn’t complete omnipotence. He reasoned that he could likely have ridden down to a competent degree by the end of the week – enough to cover some sort of distance on horseback.

Then, by the end of the month, he expected that it would likely be second nature.

"I think I’m done here," Nelson said. "Do you Sers have anything else you wish of me?"

"If you would prepare something special for Caspers food tonight, as a reward, I would appreciate it," Verdant said.

"As you say, my Lord," Nelson said, dipping his head. "Well then, luck be to you, Ser Patrick. Was a pleasure meetin’."

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"You as well," Oliver told him.

The stablemaster walked away, muttering something under his breath about how the world was a different place from what it used to be.

"I think you’ve impressed him," Verdant noted, watching the man go with a smile. "Believe it or not, he’s usually more prickly with strangers."

"He seemed pleasant enough to me," Oliver said. "His tutelage was helpful. I’d expected this to take longer."

"I don’t think any amount of tutelage could have helped you get a grasp of the basics as quickly as you did. I suppose your competence in battle reaches even as far as something like this," Verdant said. "Shall we walk, my Lord? Casper appears impatient."

"As you wish," Oliver said, tapping Casper into a more middling walk. Not as slow as the lazy one he’d done earlier, but not quite a trot. Casper seemed more attentive now. He had one ear tilted back, as though he was listening to their conversation, or for future commands.

"About what I was asking earlier…" Verdant said.

"Ah," Oliver nodded. "Nelson must have realized what we were about to speak of, and made himself scarce."

"It is a skill that the Serving Class men learn to acquire. He’s wise, with his years. I’d wager that he realizes the danger of that which we now delve into," Verdant said. "That which he doesn’t know won’t endanger him. If only all retainers were so attentive." Enjoy exclusive content from novelbuddy