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Much to your parents’ frustration, you’ve always loved to spend time in the stables.
The sweet smell of hay, the musk of horses, is strangely comforting. And that’s not even beginning on the beasts themselves.
With large, kind, intelligent eyes, silky hides, and personalities more interesting than most members of high society, horses are by far your favorite thing about the ranch.
Well, second favorite.
While you’ve been preoccupied with brushing down your favorite painted mare, murmuring sweetly to her, Sevika, the head ranch hand, has been leaning against the entrance to the stables, just… watching you. Enjoying the sight of you in your pristine, pastel-colored dress, stockings, and straw hat tied beneath your chin with a delicate ribbon.
“Well, now I’ve seen everythin’,” She drawls, pushing herself off the doorframe, boots crunching on the hay strewn about the floor.
You whirl, breath catching in your chest, you hand gripped tight on the horse brush. After a moment, you clear your throat, smoothing out your skirts, trying to grasp at that air of superiority your mother seemed so skilled in.
She tips her hat in greeting, but there’s a mocking gleam in her eyes, dark lips pulled into a smirk. The late afternoon sun cast her outline in an almost golden glow, making the sweat of the day on her skin gleam almost ethereally.
“What’s daddy’s little girl doin’ in the stables all by her pretty little self?” She coos, coming within arm’s reach of you.
“I am not ‘daddy’s little girl’,” You retort, crossing your arms in a very unladylike gesture.
You look at each other for a heartbeat longer before breaking out into wide grins, and she barely opens her arms to you before you’re in them.
“That’s right,” Sevika hums, lifting you up for a little spin, giving you a kiss on your forehead after setting you back on your feet, “‘Cause you’re mine, aren’t ya, doll?”
You smile up at her, eyes sparkling, and nod.
“Whatcha doin’ here, anyway?” She asks, gently readjusting your hat. “Riding lessons aren’t for another hour.”
“I know,” You sigh, taking a step back to admire her, “I just thought I’d get a head start, I suppose…”
You trail off, a little too lost in the sight of her. Sevika’s naturally darker complexion is tanned to a medium-dark brown from long days in the field, smudges of dirt on her hands and cheeks. Her leather hat sits low on her head, shielding her face from the glare of the sun, her short, silky brown hair tied back into a small ponytail at the base of her neck.
Her clothes are… ragged, to put it kindly. The sleeves of her shirt are torn off to reveal the bulky muscles of her arms–not that you’re complaining–but with how much your father pays her, you’d think she’d be able to buy better clothes.
You’d asked her about it, once, on one of your long trail rides. “Rich clothes, poor clothes, I’ll rip ‘em the same,” She’d said, “no point wastin’ my money on ‘em.”
Sevika gently flicks your nose with one of her large fingers, bringing you back to the present.
“Starin’ pretty girl?” She teases, and you huff indignantly, ducking your head to hide your grin.
“Well,” Sevika begins with a sigh, “Since we’re both here early, why don’t I saddle us up, and you can have an extra hour, hm?”
Your entire demeanor immediately brightens, biting your lip excitedly. That’s exactly what you’d been hoping for. You had a sneaking suspicion that Sevika knew that already.
“Yes, please!” You exclaim, polite as ever.
Sevika scoffs and shakes her head affectionately, moving over to the saddle stand, effortlessly lifting the hunk of leather off the stand and onto your mare. You watch her as subtly as you can manage, which isn’t much better than openly drooling at the way her muscles flex.
“I know of a real nice spot by the river,” She grunts, leather groaning as she tightens the straps, “Covered in that soft, spongy kind of moss.”
She turns to find you already leading her own roan mare forward with a hand on the horse’s strong neck. Sevika smirks appreciatively, haltering the animal and tying her next to yours.
“If we ride at a reasonable pace, we can spend that whole extra hour there, how’s that sound?” Sevika suggests, eyes sparkling beneath the brim of her hat when she glances at you.
You smile, lifting onto your toes to plant a kiss on her cheek. “That sounds lovely."