sixwordstories | (no subject)

[Seated on his horse, but only paying attention to one thing.]

*It had been hard for her to get up that early, but she'd insisted her ladies wake her and not allow her to sleep in. She'd though Noailles would have a complete fit when she was dressed in her riding outfit, especially when she'd put the breeches and boots on. She'd never felt quite so free before, and the fact that she didn't have to wear a corset was a big part of that. She'd even insisted on a hat to go with the ensemble, with a feather sticking out of it and gold braid for trim.

She'd done her best not to burst out laughing at all the curious glances and outright stares as she'd made her way through the hallways. She had a feeling that people were going to be gossiping about her and what she was wearing for quite some time now but she didn't care. At that moment she was just hoping she'd gotten up early enough that no one was going to be made late by her.

When she reached the area outside where everyone was gathered she was vaguely dismayed to see most of the riders already on their horses and clearly anxious to depart. She almost goes into a curtsy as she approaches, but realizes she can't since she's not wearing skirts and she can't help but laugh a little at that*

Good morning! *she smiles and looks up at him on his horse, pleased to see how calm he looks* My sincerest apologies if I have kept everyone waiting. I did not intend that at all and I'm glad that you didn't leave without me.

[Here's one more outright stare, although it's not at all disapproving. Louis does look like he might topple off his horse at any second, and he is breathing very unattractively through his mouth, but his half-lidded eyes are unusually bright and a little glassy. She is so graceful; even without her voluminous skirts she appears to float when she walks. And, just as it had at the opera, the world has bent and parted at her very whim. And she does not seem to have any idea that it has done so at all. She is so kind, even reality hopes to please her.]

Not at all, Madame.

[He nods at the unmounted horse beside him.]

Will you join us?

*she notices the stare, but she's putting it down to the fact that she does look rather strange right now, dressed in what is technically men's clothing. She'd gotten quite a few stares walking there after all, and she didn't expect any different when she got there. She does tend to be rather graceful regardless of what she has on though, and that was one of the things even her mother had always praised her on.

She does notice that he looks that way and frowns a little at it. She steps closer to him and speaks very quietly so that everyone doesn't overhear her*

I'm glad I did not inconvenience anyone, but are you sure you are all right?

*She's worried that he might be ill or something, usually when he's around his horses he's very focused and it's not like him to look as though he's about to topple off of one*

[Realizing she has caught him staring, he quickly glances down at his horse's withers. He fiddles with his reins.]

Yes.

[He clears his throat.]

Your outfit is very...appropriate.

[The shape of her body is enticingly clear, and at the same time: she seems less fragile than usual.]

I hope your horse is to your liking?

*She doesn't mind if he stares at all, she was just worried about him. She smiles and looks relieved when he says he's all right*

I'm glad, I was worried.

*When he comments on what she's wearing she smiles again and laughs a little*

Thank you! I really do like it myself, it is a great deal easier to move around in. Even if it was quite the trial to convince the Comtesse de Noailles that it was not completely indecent for the Dauphine to wear this.

*she nods her head, moving over carefully to look at the horse. She holds her hand out to it and pets the top of it's head*

It is. She is just perfect, thank you for choosing her for me. I am afraid I would have been hopeless at the task myself *she smiles over at him* Does she have a name?

Worried?

[He has no idea what his face looks like sometimes. And it's probably for the best.

Louis summons up all of his tact. Every last drop.]

You look...far decent-er than I.

[And then he makes himself very busy patting his mount's neck so no one can see how red he is. His hunting party is very politely ignoring them. They're good men, all.]

She is called Belle.

[And she is so chestnut she is nearly gold.]

You just looked slightly unsteady, that is all. I didn't want you to continue with the ride for my sake if you were not feeling up to it.

*She debated just ignoring the question or possibly brushing it off, but that didn't seem fair. She really was worried that he was sick or something and she really would have felt terrible if he had continued with the ride because she was there.

She giggles a little when he says that, and is rather pleased by it*

Thank you, but try telling the Comtesse that. She told me it was scandalous and I may as well be prancing about in my nightgown.

*Good men indeed. Good men who will probably be telling their wives all about this later and then it will be all over the palace by the afternoon.

She smiles again and gestures for one of the grooms to come over to help her onto the horse*

That's a wonderful name. It suits her well since she's such a beautiful colour.

*the man approaches and help her up onto the horse. It takes her a moment to get herself adjusted properly, as she is generally used to riding a horse sidesaddle and not astride like she is now*

There, goodness it is much easier to do this without skirts on.

I would imagine so.

[He has no idea how women manage to get around in skirts wider than they are tall. He has enough trouble navigating around his own two feet.

Louis gestures to the rest of the party, and then nods at her.]

Well.

[And then he nudges his horse into a slow trot. On horseback: he beams.]

*it took a lot of practice on her part, and a lot of embarrassing walking up and down the halls while her governess watched her like a hawk to learn how to do it properly. Being naturally graceful helped a lot too. Even right now she's constantly watching herself to be sure she doesn't bump into anyone. Although it's kind of a bitch when DuBarry hits her on purpose.

She nods her head back at him and nudges her own horse into trotting as well. She's pleased to see that the horse takes direction so easily, it's doing exactly what she tells it to with little effort on her part. She also can't help but notice how much happier he seems when he's on horseback and that makes her smile. She doesn't say anything as she follows alongside him, not wanting to disturb him when he's enjoying himself*

[Louis is naturally the opposite of graceful, but his horse is able to be graceful for him, and he revels in that feeling. His feet are not in his way. He knows what to do with his hands. He feels lighter because the horse carries his weight with ease. And he is a good rider. He knows this. And he can allow himself some pride in it.

He watches her out of the corner of his eye, carefully matching his horse's stride with her own.]

*Well miracle of miracles, they've managed to find something that they have in common. She always did like to ride as a child, and still loves to do it now. Her mother used to be horrified when she came back looking like an utter mess with her hair all over the place and her skirts covered in mud.

She laughs a little remembering it, and wonders what everyone would think if she came back looking like that now. She's carefully keeping her horse in line with his too, and she keeps looking around and wondering if they're going to see any of the animals he'd talked so excitedly about the other day*

[A part of him would like to see her as an utter mess: he doesn't believe it possible. He is sure her hair loosens and dirt smudges her cheek in only the most flattering and artistic ways. He, on the other hand, sweats like a pig, and turns blotchy on the best of rides.

As they enter the woods he urges his horse into a canter.]

*Oh it's possible. Her mother had ordered her into the palace immediately when she saw her because the French delegation had arrived and she was afraid they'd see her. And apparently she's a Tolkien elf or something if that's how she gets dirty.

She does likewise, trying both to keep up and keep a hold of the reins properly. She's still not completely used to riding this way but she doesn't want to hold anyone back or cause them to slow down for her sake*

[He does consider her a little mystical. Magic wife: do not touch. She is made of porcelain that his clumsy fingers would break, and frosted with sugar that would melt in his clammy hands.

They slow to a stop in a small clearing. He is panting slightly, but mostly with excitement. A horn sounds.]

A stag has been spotted.

*Maybe that's a tiny bit accurate, people do compare her skin to that, and she does look a great deal like some kind of sugar frosted cake most of the time.

She tugs the reins on her horse to make it stop, turning her head at the noise*

Really? How exciting!

*She looks around eagerly, shading her eyes with one of her hands, trying to see it. She remembers him telling her it was the most desired thing to find and she's thrilled that they've apparently found one while she's there*

[He scans the landscape as well. Although it is a colorful blur to him, he can spot movement. The movement he is looking for is that of the hounds.]

There!

[And they're off!]

*she can see the dogs in the distance, even if she can't yet see the animal they're chasing after. She nods her head and urges her horse on as well, praying that she's not going to get in anyone's way somehow. She is glad that she's here though, even if her ladies had very nearly resorted to dragging her out of bed this morning, since she'd made them swear not to let her stay in bed no matter what*

[He crouches close to his horse's neck, urging the animal on. Hooves thunder all around them. His eyes are on the tails of the hounds. He guides his horse sharp around curves and over fallen logs. They move like a single being.]

*She's trying to keep up the best that she possibly can, she wants to stay as close as possible so she can see what happens. She finds it amazing to watch him like this, he seems like a completely different person and so much more at ease too.

But this area is unfamiliar to her, and she should have been paying more attention to where she was guiding her own horse instead. She doesn't turn her in time as she goes into a particularly sharp curve, causing the horse to startle. She panics and tries to grab a hold of the reigns tighter, which only causes the horse to jerk about more. Before she can stop herself she goes tumbling off the side with a startled sounding cry of her own, and right into a particularly large puddle of mud near the trail*

[Her shriek cuts through him like a knife, and he turns in his saddle, even while galloping in the other direction. His horse snorts as he yanks its head violently around, its hind legs scrambling as it turns. He catches her horse by the bridle.]

Are you hurt?

[His voice is high and shrill and frightened.]

*she doesn't say anything or move at first, because while she is largely unhurt, falling over like that knocked the wind out of her and she can't quite speak properly yet. Her hat's gone and fallen off and landed somewhere next to her, and she really is rather covered in the mud she's fallen into. Being such a small person falling into such a large puddle did not help matters and she's sure that Noailles is going to faint when she gets back to Versailles.

She's also rather embarrassed at having shrieked and fallen over like that, and everyone having halted their horses and gathered around like they have is not helping. She's sure that she's gone and ruined everything, since they've probably lost what they were chasing by now. She thinks he's probably never going to want to invite her again now that she's just gone and fallen off and made such a mess.

She slowly pushes herself up and shakes her head, attempting to get to her feet*

No, I think I'm all right.

[He dismounts and offers her his hand. He looks relieved. And slightly amused.]

Then you have fallen well.

[As good a rider as he is, he does fall off quite regularly.]

*She managed to at least get herself up into a sitting position, but she accepts the hand gratefully and lets him help her up*

Tell that to my poor hat, I don't think it's going to make it *she frowns* And I'm completely covered in muck now like some sort of urchin, and we've lost the animal we were chasing and you most likely don't want me to come with you ever again.

*She really does feel bad about making them lose the stag, and she's gone and interrupted everything with her fall and made them all stop. In her mind it would be perfectly understandable if he didn't want her to accompany him again, since this is supposed to be what he does to enjoy himself, not have to halt everything because his wife falls off her horse*

[He pulls her easily to her feet. He is quite unexpectedly strong. Must be from lifting all of those forks full of food to his mouth. Still holding her hands in his, leans down toward her hat. He tells it:]

You have fallen very well.

[He produces a handkerchief and dabs gently at the mud on her face and in her hair. He seems unconcerned that he may become muddy as well, and he speaks lightly.]

I have lost many stags, and I will lose many more.

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*totally tempted to make her fall off into the mud now heeehee*

Maybe they can fall off together.

Yay for conveniently placed mud puddles

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And here comes the puddle :P She's gonna feel bad about this now

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totally tempted to make her fall off into the mud now heeehee