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St. Gabrielle’s slept through the scent of dew.
The dormitories were dark.
The chapel bells hadn't rung.
The kitchens hadn't begun preparing breakfast.
In the fields behind the school grounds, a figure crossed the grass in a uniform track jacket while holding a battered tin bucket in one arm.
He looked left and right, before taking out a small pick.
Flick, click—
The old lock gave away.
He pushed the doors open, easing himself in and closing them, turning on the lights to see many of the horses already awake. Nickers echoed as some patted the ground, eyes towards the bucket.
He smiled.
”Buongiourno.”
Giovanni walked to first to the stall of his horse.
”Marina,” He greeted quietly.
San Marina eagerly lifted her head as Giovanni produced a carrot, snatching it up immediately. The prince chuckled, scratching behind her ear, “You’re very hungry, aren’t you, bella?”
He entered the stall of the chestnut Appaloosa, running his hands through her mane and tail. Then, he checked her eyes, ears and hooves…
No heat.
No swelling.
No cuts.
”Beautiful.”
San Marina snorted proudly.
Next, was the stall of Judah.
Affectionately known by the Polo team and by the Polo Captain himself as “Judas.”
See, the large Friesian stallion had a record of… aggression.
Bucking, rearing, biting…
Students and visitors avoided him.
The captain had been bitten by his steed three times.
Even Stablemaster Christoph was wary when handling him.
But with Giovanni?
He was calm.
Only after a sugarcube, that is.
”Look what I have.”
Judah’s ears perked up to the sight of a small sugarcube, and his nose dove into his palm. Giovanni chuckled, “You’re so dramatic…”
”I bet you never let Noble see you like this?”
The stallion puffed.
”Exactly.”
He gave him some extra grass as he entered his stall, checking his legs and the feathering round his hooves.
He’s perfectly healthy.
”Such a good boy…”
— —
He tended to each horse inside the stable.
With Valentine, she ignored any food offered unless it was an apple.
Only then, would she touch her grass.
“How picky.” Giovanni tutted.
Valentine gave his shoulder a nudge.
Zepheniah required scratches before feeding or tending.
Always behind or beside the ears.
Otherwise, he’d lean his head on you and not move one inch.
Joseph, Old Joseph chewed slowly and lazily as his clouded eyes closed.
Giovanni held his hand on the stallion’s hind leg.
Slight swelling, and quite stiff.
He’ll make a mental note to Christoph if he could use a warm wrap.
”You’re growing older by the day…”
Joseph leaned his head down to Giovanni’s head. The brunette nodded, kissing his forehead. “I know, bello, I know…”
— —
One by one.
Thirty horses, thirty names.
Each one checked, and each one fed.
None skipped, and none rushed.
By when the eastern sky turned hues of blue over black…
One horse remained.
Albus.
”You’ve gotten taller.” Giovanni hummed.
Albus immediately stole the carrot from the prince’s hand.
Giovanni shook his head, and entered the stall.
Before he could check anything—
“Vice-Captain Prince Giovanni Zecchino.”
”Dio santo—!”
Giovanni yelped, and nearly fell face-first into straw.
He spun around and squinted as he saw someone familiar.
At the stall’s doorway, holding a light to his face:
Captain Prince Noble Windsor.
…
”Morning.” Giovanni greeted.
“Why are you up so early?” Noble asked.
“And why are you also up early?” Giovanni asked back.
”I heard noises outside.”
”What an English way of saying you couldn’t sleep.”
…
”Could you?”
”Get to the bloody point.” Noble lowered the light, “Why are you here?”
Giovanni glanced to the cream gelding.
Then to Noble.
”Tending to the horses.”
”At six in the morning?”
”Five, actually.”
”You woke up early in the morning just so you could feed them two hours before their scheduled feeding?”
”Do you think they know what schedules mean?”
”… Fair.”
Noble entered the stall fully, closing the door and kneeling beside Giovanni.
”Stablemaster Christoph can do this by himself, you know.” He reminded.
”And,” Giovanni added, “Stablemaster Christoph is also nearing his retirement.” He leaned back, “I want to make his job a little easier before he leaves this school.”
Noble let out a quiet ‘hmph’ as Giovanni ran his fingers through Albus’ tail.
”Do you want to know why I joined the Polo Team?”
Noble glanced up at him. “Why?”
Giovanni smiled softly.
”My family owned many horses when I was younger.”
”As expected.”
”Not the royal stables,” Giovanni quickly told him, “I meant as in… family horses.”
”Royal horses are bred by the Crown, for ceremonies and such…”
”Meanwhile, family horses are those that my Nonna had… rescued, before her passing.”
”Rescued?” Noble repeated. Giovanni nodded.
”She had many. Old racehorses, unsold or ‘unworthy’ show ponies, abandoned mares… she took them in.”
A chuckle escaped him.
”My nonno used to complain. ‘Another one, Maria? What do you expect me to do with a one-eyed mule?’”
Noble laughed, “A mule?”
“His name was Frederico. He had always hated politicians.” Giovanni rolled his eyes.
”Really?”
”He’d kick any that he could see.”
Now, the Englishman couldn’t stop himself.
His laughter rang out through the stable.
Many of the horses lifted their heads, even Judah looked curious.
When Noble caught his gaze…
Judah continued chewing on the grass.
Giovanni let out a laugh himself.
”Though, there was one mare I remember.”
”Oh?”
”Her name was Lucia. She was a retired racehorse, since her leg had been damaged but her owners never wished to put her down. So, when I heard her story… I’d wake up early and head to the stables. Sometimes I’d check up on her, sometimes I just laid down by her side before returning.”
”The stablemaster caught me once when I fell asleep in her stall. I thought I’d be scolded, but he instead handed me a brush.”
”A brush…?”
”He told me that ‘If you’re staying here, at least make yourself useful.’”
He breathed.
”I spent the whole day tending to them. I found it quite pleasant, so I came back. I learnt how to mend tack, how to treat cuts, and what to recognise if something’s wrong.”
“If I joined Polo,” Giovanni added on, “It gives me an excuse to be with the horses.”
Noble blinked, confused. “And it wasn’t because you’re good at the sport?”
”What? Oh no, that was after.” He corrected him. “But, yeah… that too, I suppose.”
…
”So,” Noble hissed awkwardly, “How long has this been going?”
…
”Don’t be surprised.”
”Okay?”
”It’s been going on since first year.”
Noble gawked, sputtering, “T— Two whole years?!” He nearly fell backward, “And no one knew?”
Giovanni shook his head, humming, “Not one soul.”
“You could’ve told me.”
”… Why?”
”I would’ve helped you.”
”Eh, like you could.”
Noble looked rather offended, with Albus snorting. “Don’t you dare.” He pointed up at the gelding, who merely tossed his head the other side.
Giovanni smiled.
The chapel bells rung for the morning had come.
Students in the dormitories groaned and rolled in bed.
And outside the stable, stood the greying Stablemaster, watching the two princes.
He smiled, shaking his head.
”Never knew these princes could’a be so compassionate…”
He decided he let the boys be, and went.