Matia’n’Mazin 5
She recovered quickly, I gave her that. Not completely, mind you, but she got over the height difference and stopped strangling our ride. (Not that it did much) She leaned back. And hit my chest, startling and smiling nervously up to me. So she actually did have some nerves. Possibly strung by the height, but... nerves. Made her more of a human. That she leaned against me and sighed - in relief - was a different story. It did not feel normal. People were generally no relieved to lean against me. They are at ease, maybe, and somewhat trusting. Kind of secure. But never relieved, since I was - and still am - too honest for most people. "You... take this remarkably well," I patted her head, while I held the reins with my other hand, "Most people are a little more nervous when they get to sit on a being ten times their size and weight" "I can be brave," she huffed, almost proud, just a little imbalanced, still trying to adjust to the wide horseback. "... it's also pretty stupid," which was also perfectly honest. "Ey! You told me to!," she was affronted, rightfully so. "Very true. And I wouldn't let anything happen to you. But you only have my word for it, and how can you trust that, mh?," I was a stranger. We barely even met. "You're my husband I'll always trust you," she said with conviction, "And you'll trust me, too. Otherwise you wouldn't have said 'I do' " That was when I realised what she said was true. Just that no one usually thought that about me. I did not... instill trust in people. And so I sighed: "You... are very trusting, aren't you?" There was a little pause, where she still wriggled around, then: "I don't trust the horse very much" "I have it under control, though," so if she trusted me, she had to- "It's ten times your size, too," with which she had a bit of a point. So I chuckled and snapped the reins. Old Grumpy was spurred into motion and Matia's hands gripped my knees. Nerves. Heh. I would see how they could be conjured up. You see how people truly are when they are under duress. Which wasn't quite fair, but... I would try to be at least careful about it. Certainly seems like the horse would not work, since her grip loosened after about ten minutes and she awkwardly tried to follow the horses movements. The right idea, really. Just that - of course - it didn't work. It was awkward and her thighs will be slightly roughened up, not pleasant in the slightest.
But the clinging and trying to balance and synchronizing with the horse easily took her attention. No talking on the ride home. No more words. Surely, her body was slightly distracting, all trusting and relaxed up against me, but I could clear my head. I had a wife. A wife that apparently was not desperate in the slightest. One that tried her best. And was optimistic. Still a strange, weird thought. It didn't get less strange when we reached my humble abode. More or less humble. Maybe less. It certainly had stables, too. And that's where I steered old Grumpy - very well behaved, today - and got down. When I offered my hand to hep her down from the animal, she took it and swung her legs over the body... and then jumped. A lot like one would jump from a counter. A little undignified, but what can you do. She threw her hands in the air like after some exercise. I chuckled and handed her- "... a brush?," she blinked at it. "Yes, we need to rub him down and brush his fur," I myself held the towel and started rubbing, "Just follow me with the brush, rubbing in circles..."
She did as she was told, following my own circles.
Old Grumpy got more nervous.
When he actually stomped the floor and snorted, throwing his head, Matia jumped back with a squeak. She landed in my arms.
I wrapped her in the horse-blanket still in my hands: “Hey, hey... no getting spooked and spooking the horse,” I chuckled.
